GLENNT ON THE ANEMONE. 
29 
flower of which we are anxious to preserve as 
long as we can. Seed ought to be sown this 
month as before directed, if it be not already 
sown, and if there be drying winds or frosty 
weather, mats may be covered over the bed, 
flat, with a few pegs to keep them down ; it 
keeps the bed moist in dry weather, prevents 
a scorching sun from drying up the seed as it 
swells, and hastens the germination. What- 
ever roots are out of the ground ought to be 
planted this month at the latest, and they 
should be planted in drills six inches apart for 
blooming, and the small ones that will not 
bloom, three inches. The drills also ought to 
be six inches from each other, and the tubers 
should be covered two inches, 
April. — This month may be considered 
the height of the bloom in ordinary seasons, 
for all the autumn planted; and those planted 
last month will be growing fast. Many make 
a practice of planting choice varieties for 
showing in the spring instead of the autumn, 
because they should be out of the way of 
frosts, which it is considered, though errone- 
ously, destroys many of the tubers. This, 
however, can only happen in very severe 
winters, and very careless mismanagement. 
They are as hardy as tulips, and if in well- 
drained ground, and moderately good soil, are 
quite as certain in their growth and flower. 
An ordinary frost will not hurt a bloom before 
it is opening, and though it may check the 
growth, and prevent the full development of 
the usual size, it is as easily counteracted by 
covering as injury to the tulip. Seedlings 
require a continuance of former treatment ; 
those which have been covered after sowing, 
and in coming up, should have all the air that 
can be given on mild days; and if the season 
be dry, they should be refreshed with occa- 
sional waterings. Seed may still be sown, if 
it have not all been sown already; it may 
make sufficient growth to go over the winter, 
though last month's sowing will be better and 
stronger, particularly if the season be at all 
unfavourable. Weeds, and especially if the 
ground be foul, will now grow fast, and must 
on no account be allowed to get a-head, not 
only because they rob the plant of the nutri- 
ment it requires, but that their roots also get 
so entangled with the tubers, as to prevent 
their being drawn out without disturbing the 
plants, and among seedlings the plants will 
actually be drawn out of the ground. The 
spring planted tubers, the plants of which are 
now above the ground, require the earth to 
be stirred on the surface, and crumbled small 
close to the plants, which, having broken the 
soil and laid it hollow, would be otherwise 
greatly exposed to the weather. 
May. — The spring planted beds will require 
great attention as to the watering and weed- 
ing; and towards the end of the month may 
be throwing up their blooming stems. Seed- 
lings and small plants must be constantly 
weeded, for the reasons given before ; they 
are more likely to be injured than the more 
established plants. The bloom of the autumn 
planted will begin to decline fast, and if the 
weather be fine, warm, and open, will begin 
to perfect their seed pods. It would be well 
to cut off all the pods of the smaller and later 
flowers, and reserve the finer ones only, as the 
general quality of the seed will be better for 
being divested of the remainder. The entire 
collection may now take their chance as to 
frosts, but if you have a desire to preserve the 
bloom of the spring planted ones, and your 
best collection is hooped, so that mats can 
be easily thrown over, they may be covered 
the same as tulips are from the heat of the 
sun, as it very much shortens the season of 
flowering to let them have it always. Unless, 
however, the season has been very favourable, 
they will hardly be forward enough to hurt 
by sunshine till next month. Weeds, the 
greatest of all enemies to all subjects that are 
planted shallow, must be jealously watched, 
for the reasons we have given before. 
Watering also must be attended to, and this 
should be done before or after the sun attains 
any power. It has been said by many, and 
acted upon by more, that it matters not whe- 
ther the sun is out or not, because all 
the flowers and plants in a garden seem 
refreshed by a shower, even if the sun comes 
out as hot as it ever does after it ; but the 
argument is bad, because when there is a 
shower the whole earth is wetted ; and that is 
not all — the whole atmosphere itself is humid, 
so that independently of the rain, the air being 
already saturated with wet, there is much le.-s 
evaporation from the plants ; but next in 
benefit to a shower of rain is a thorough good 
soaking with water, not on the plants merely, 
but all over the garden, and the only way to 
do this effectually is by means of a garden 
engine, or syringe, playing all over it. 
June. — The strong plants put in the 
ground in February will now be in full bloom, 
and watering, which they will require in hot 
weather, must be done between the rows, 
and in great plenty ; the bed should be regu- 
larly and completely soaked, and the best way 
to do this, is to use the pot without the rose 
on it. AVlien a bed is thoroughly soaked, the 
damp arising from it does the foliage more 
good than wetting it on the surface ; but, in 
tins case, we have to avoid wetting the. flowers, 
which are really damaged by it, not that they 
are much hurt by a shower of rain, for the 
flowers close in general before rain. If you 
are blooming for show cut off the small side 
buds that are rising, and only retain two of 
