i^:!^^': 
THE GAEDENERS' AND NATURALISTS' CALENDAR FOR FEBRUARY. 
I 
Fuchsias. — Cut the old plants down, and start them 
in a gentle heat. "WTien they have hrokeu, thin to 
three or four shoots to each plant, and pot them into a 
rich compost. Plunge them afterwards in a gentle 
bottom heat, and shade them when the sun is veiy 
warm. If large plants are requii-ed, pick off all the 
first flowers, when they will grow more -vigorously. 
When weU-rooted, water freely. Give free ventilation 
on all favom-ahle occasions. The secret of growing fine 
Fuschias is to begin in time, and never allow the plants 
to receive a check until they are of the size req^uired. 
Temperature, 50 to 55 degrees. 
Routine. — Prepare dxmg and make up a hot-hed, and, 
when properly sweetened, put in cuttings of such plants 
as it is desirable to have in abundance, that they may 
be ready in time; as Petimias, Calceolarias, Salvias, 
Verbenas, Heliotropes, &e., all of which make fine 
ornamenlal plants. H. E. 
FLOWER-GAEDEN.— OUT-DOOR DEPART- 
IMENT. 
Since the system of arranging flowers in masses was 
introduced into our flower-gardens, there is altogether 
a new method adopted of keeping and propagating 
plants for decorative purposes ; and this is so very simple 
and natural, that it only requires a little close attention 
to the habits of the plants, dmlng the time they are 
growing in the beds or borders, to be able to propagate 
them successfiilly, both in the autumn and spring months, 
and also preserve them — in very large numbers, too — in 
a comparatively small space, and at no great expense 
either. 
Such being the case, we hope to enlist on our side 
even some of the very least ioformed of our readers in 
flower-gardening, believing, as we do, that however 
little they may gather fi-om us, if that little but enables 
them to acquire some experience of their own, their 
pleasure in flower-gardening wiU be increased, and they 
will also be ia a better condition to profit by the in- 
structions of others. 
The principle of massing plants in flower-gardens, 
so as to make one colour set off another by eonti-ast, 
gives a digTdty and expressiveness to the scene, when 
worked out with sufficiently large masses, which the 
small artist's dotted and promiscuous method never can 
produce. 
In alteiing the outline of any beds, never forget 
that the circle, or some modification of it, is the 
most expressive of aU figm-es, and more consonant with 
the massing of flowers than any other, and by far 
the most beautiful of Hues to follow, as well as the 
one of all others which most enlarges the ap- 
pearance of a place. Every bare piece of grass and 
in-eg-ular edging should be made good without delay. 
"Walks should never look mean, stiff, nor too much con- 
fined by shrubbery ; but if intended to be straight, let 
them be so ; on the eonti'ary, if curving here and there 
throughout their length, these curves should vary in 
size, and appear as expressions of some features in the 
groimds, just as the advancing and receding lines in 
front of a shrubbery tell of something on the lawn. 
Proceed with the pruning and thinning out of hardy 
Eoses ; but leave the tender sorts until the dead shoots 
can be distinguished fi-om the living : if the latter have 
been covered up, open two holes in the protecting mate- 
rial on fine days, one on the north side near the ground 
level, and another on the south side at the top, to carry 
off damp, and keep down the temperatui'e, tiU. they can 
be quite exposed. 
Roch Plants. — See to a good stock of the following 
sorts for a spring show : — ^Aubrietia pm-pm-ea, Alyssum 
saxsatile, Arabis prsecox, Cheiranthus ochroleucus, Pole- 
monium mexicanium, Phlox verna, Vesicaiia utriculata. 
Propaijation by Cuttings. — Verbenas, Lobelias, Pe 
tunias, and Fuschias, may be rooted in a hot-bed, if 
kept near the glass. Dahlias should also be put in heat, 
if a great stock of cuttings is required, J. C. 
Rose Garden. — Dm'ing open weather, towards the 
middle of the month, commence pruning the hardy 
kinds, such as the varieties of Provence, Moss, Gal- 
lica. Damask, Hybrid China, and others that flower 
in Jrme and JiUy oidy, leaving the pei-petuals till 
March and April. The Banksian Eoses must not be 
cut at all at this time of the year, but have all the 
shoots nailed or tied in, and left till they have 
done blooming. The Austrian Briers, with flexible 
branches, such as Harrisonii, should have the veiy 
weakest shoots thinned out, and the others left full 
length, or have only the extreme points taken off. The 
other varieties, with stiff rigid shoots, like the Copper 
and Persian yeUow, must only be thinned out, and the 
shoots that are retained left their full length. Climbing 
Eoses on poles, and against buildings, may also be un- 
done and thinned out, and, if the poles aa-e the least 
decayed, they should be replaced with new ones, or 
what is better, living Larch Fu-s, about the height re- 
quired, may be taken up with the roots uninjured, thin 
the side branches to within thi-ee or fom- inches of the 
stem, leaving the top, with about six side branches, to 
grow in height. These, if planted against the Eoses, 
vrill make excellent supports, and never want replacing ; 
and any imsightly shoots they make iu summer may be 
t rimm ed out. Clean all the stems of standai-ds, and, 
where any strong shoots have been cut off, cover the 
cut with a thin eoatiag of grafting wax, which will pre- 
vent insects laying then' eggs in the pith. Get all 
hardy kinds planted as soon as possible, taking care the 
ground is rich, and in good working order. Standards, 
as soon as planted, should be tied to a neat stake, to 
prevent their being moved by the wind ; after planting, 
the surface of the ground should be stirred up with a 
light spud or fork, and left rough till May. Beds in- 
tended to be planted in May, with plants that have been 
kept in pots during winter, should be frequently turned 
up, especially during dry frosty weather. Get a good 
quantity of soil dry, ready for potting for next season's 
forcing. Use of good sti'ong loam one bushel, rotten hot- 
bed dimg one peck, and half-a-gallon of pigeons' dung, 
or, if the latter cannot be proem'ed, deer, or sheep's 
dung may be substituted, using double the quantity. 
Forcing Fit. — Continue to inti-oduce plants that 
have been previously prepared into the forcing-house, 
or pit, the temperature of which should notexceed 45 de- 
grees by night, and 55 degrees by day, tiU they are weU 
started. Give plenty of ail' at all favourable opportunities, 
examine them closely every day, and destroy insects as 
soon as they make their appearance. A little dry Peru- 
vian guano sprinkled on the sui'face of the soil, so that 
its vii'tue may be conveyed to the roots in watering, 
vdll be of great benefit to them. H. M'M. 
Arboretum. — It is impoi-tant that whatever planting 
in this department remains to be done, should be vigom-- 
ously proceeded with in open weather. Should it be 
unfavom-able for that pm-pose, the time may be fully 
employed in trenching up large spaces of groimd, where 
the planting is intended to be general, or otherwise dig- 
ging out large holes for single specimens, to which may 
be carted or wheeled the necessary compost, so that not 
a day may be lost when the weather is suitable for 
lifting and planting. Trees which require to be secured 
from the effects of high winds, and which are too large 
to be made sufficiently so by tying to a small neat stake, 
should be secured as the planting proceeds. It being de- 
sirable to avoid the appearance of large, unsightly stakes, I 
would recommend a plan by which I have succeeded in 
