THE GAEDENEKS' AND NATUEALISTS' CALENDAR FOR MARCH. 
105 
1 
which may he pm'chased for less than SL, will give a 
blooming plant or two eveiy day in the year, and are 
just the kinds which a young gardener or amateur 
shoiild take to experiment upon. Proceed with the 
potting of young stock ; and many of the soft- wooded 
kinds may now be propagated. Guai-d cautiously against 
mildew. 
Some of the eai-ly blooming kinds will now, if the 
weather prove favourable, be progressing ; and, where 
it is wished to preserve them for the 3Iai/ exhibitions, 
cai'e nrast be taken to retard them in time. Place them 
in a well- ventilated, cold pit, or behind a north wall on 
sunny days. Plants, especially large ones, that have 
not been shifted, will require to be watered copiously 
if they are di-y ; indeed, examine each plant cai-cfully, 
and get them thoroughly soaked before the drying March 
winds tax their resources. J. F. C. 
GREENHOUSE SOFT-WOODED PLANTS. 
Pelargoniums. — This class of plants "will now require 
considerable attention. Remove all decaying and super- 
fluous leaves. Thin out all the small shoots, and tie 
out to admit the air freely. Pinch the hearts out of 
some for late flowering. When they have broken, shift 
them into larger pots, which will add greatly to the 
strength of the plants and size of the flowers. Pay 
great attention to watering, for on this success greatly 
depends. Ventilate freely every favoiirable opportu- 
nity, of course avoiding cold draughts at all times. 
Syringe occasionally on fine sunny mornings, and guard 
by timely fumigation against insects. Stir the surface 
of the soil occasionally, to admit the air freely. Keep 
the plants as close to the glass as possible, to prevent 
their drawing. Temperatiu-e iifty degrees, with a little 
increase by sun-heat and free ventilation. 
Fancij Pehrgonitcms. — This class of Pelargoniums 
not being so hardy as the former, great care must be 
taken in wateiing them, as they arc liable to shank oS. 
Take out all the small shoots and superfluous leaves. 
Tie the shoots out thin, which will strengthen them, 
and cause them to break freely. Stop some for late 
blooming, and put in cuttings for autumn flowering. 
This class of plants wiU be foimd most desii-able for 
decorative piu^joses, as they flower nearly all the year 
round. Temperature fifty degrees, with a little increase 
by sun-heat and free ventilation. 
Cape Pelargoniums. — Start a few in a warm green- 
house, to mix with the other kiads, as theii- colours wfll 
be found most beautiful for contrast when blended with 
the others. When started, give them plenty of air. 
Water cautiously for the present. 
Scarlet Pelargonimns. — These should now be potted 
in a good rich compost, and started in a gentle heat. 
The following six will be found the most useftil for 
decorative purposes : — Tom Thumb, Queen of Summer 
(Henderson's), Gem (Ayres'), Cerise Unique (Gaines'), 
Magnum Bonum (Ambrose's), Flower of the Day 
(Lee's). 
Cinerarias. — Look carefully to these, and pick ofi^ all 
decaying leaves. Ventilate freely to prevent mildew, 
and pay timely attention to fiunigating, as they are very 
subject to the green fly. Sow seeds of these for autumn 
and winter flowering, on a slight hot-bed, in a sandy 
compost ; cover lightly with silver sand. When up, 
remove them to a close, cold frame to harden, prepa- 
ratory to pricking off, which must be done as soon as 
they are large enough to handle. Strike cuttings of 
the most showy kinds for the same purposes. 
Calceolarias. — Those which requu'e it shoidd now be 
shifted forthwith. Thin out the leaves, and peg down 
the shoots, which will greatly strengthen the plants. 
Water cautiously, and give air freely. Sow seeds in a 
light, sandy compost. Cover lightly with silver sand. 
Place the pots in a close, cold frame, or house. When 
up, water cai-efuUy, as they are very susceptible of 
damp. Prick oif, as soon as large enough, into a light, 
rich compost. 
Routine. — Continue to make hot-beds, as recom- 
mended last month, and sow, for decorative purposes, 
the following annuals : — Balsams, Gomphrena globosa, 
Cockscombs, Egg plant, Brachyeome, iberidifoUa, Por- 
tulaca varieties, CUntonia pulchella. Phlox Drum- 
montUi, Thunbergias, Ehodanthe Manglesii, Primula 
sinensis, Schizanthus pinnatus, &c. Put in cuttings of 
such plants as it is desii-ahle to have in abundance for 
the summer and autumn months. H. E. 
PLOWER GARDEN.— OUT-DOOR DEPART- 
MENT. 
When we plant a number of plants of one sort in a 
flower-bed, suflicient to cover the whole of it, we, to a 
certain extent, conform to what is found around us in the 
wide field of nature, where the various spots of the 
earth's surface are made bright and beautifiil, from the 
masses of wild flowers that adorn them. But we must 
stop here ; for, the similarity between natm-e's gai'den, 
wild and wide, and that of our massed flower-gardens 
of the present day, does not extend much farther. In 
the garden planted by Katm-e's hand, no intelligible out- 
line of the individual masses is discernible, which go to 
make up the grouping in a picturesque scene, for all the 
trees and plants ai'c so shaded ofi', or blended with one 
another, the small and great meeting together, and in- 
termingling with each other, that it is difficult to tell 
where the one begins and the other ends. But it is not 
so in a geometrically massed flower-garden, where the 
colours of the one bed are contrasted complementary to 
that of the other, and where the circumference of the 
bed is observed, along with the colour of the mass ; for 
then the eye reposes on the bed with satisfaction, and, 
as it were, terminates there, imtil the character of the 
plants has been distinctly seen. If we plant a bed with 
diBFcrent kinds of plants, without much regard to the 
arrangement of their colours, or height of the plants, 
the eye, instead of finding any point of rest among them, 
will be continually ti'ying to get beyond the limits of the 
bed, in consequence of the indefinite impressions it has 
already received ; but, finding no outlet, falls back upon its 
first impressions, which are only of a confused and multi- 
tudinous nat\u:e. Besides, the mean and bare appearance 
observable between plants so distributed in a bed, is 
not only inconsistent with natiu'al expression, but 
grievously wanting in everjiJiing Hke good taste. 
All alterations in the gi-oimds should cease about this 
time, if a finished and regular appeai'anee is desii'cd early 
in the season. Tying up of creepers and twining 
plants, and new stakes put to plants that require them, 
is also desu'able to be done. Divide herbaceous plants 
in borders ; and, if the line next the walk or grass 
curves occasionally in its length, show that you have 
had that rounded line in your mind's eye, by placing 
some large and striking plant near it, and then work up 
the smaller and less conspicuous plants to support it, 
conb-asting the plants, of course, and imitating nature's 
formative principle, as seen in the clothing of the more 
naked things of earth. 
Propagation. — Many of the Verbenas, Lobelias, and 
such soft- wooded things, put in as cuttings, as directed last 
month, will be rooted, and should be potted off, and placed 
in a fi'ame where the temperatiu'e is about 55 degrees, 
imtil they get properly established in their pots, when 
hardening of should be attended to. Cuttings may 
even be taken of these with advantage to the plants ; 
also, pot off your plants which have stood all winter in 
store pots ; these we depend chiefly upon for ovu early 
show of flowers. Pelargoniums may be rooted in a hot- 
bed, inserted in silver sand, and also Salvias, Heliotro- 
piums, Cupheas, Ageratums, Pentstemons, and many 
m 
