1 
THE GAKDENEKS' AND NATURALISTS' CALENDAR FOR APRIL. 
GREENHOUSE SOFT-WOOBED PLANTS. 
Pchrr/oninms. — Look carefully to these, for as the 
season is advancing they will require the most assiduous 
attention. "Water carcliUly, never allowing large plants 
to get dry enough to flag, or they wiU receive a check, 
which will cause the lower foliag-e to turn j^ellow. Too 
much care cannot he taken to prevent this, as the lower 
leaves furnish the pots, and add much to the general ap- 
pearance of the plants. A little manure water may now 
be given with great advantage, which prepare as follow?, 
using soft water: — Put in a large tub equal parts of 
cow, horse, and sheep dung, adding a little lime ; this 
must be drawn oif carefuUy to keep it clear ; then add 
soft water in proportion of two to one of the liquid 
manure — it may be used once a- week for the present, 
and two or three times as the season advances. Tie 
out the shoots, and remove aU superfluous leaves to 
admit the air freely. Ventilate freely every favourable 
opportunity, of course avoiding cold draughts. Syringe 
occasionally, and shut up early, to promote free growth. 
Guard carefully by timely fumigation against insects, 
which will be found a great pest if this is not attended to 
at the first attacks. 
Fancy Telargonhmis, — This class of Pelargoniums 
being generally very early bloomers, a few of the most 
loiwuia may ue seiccted ana placed in a warm hou-e, 
when they will be found to grow luxiffiantly and flower 
freely. Give a little weak liquid manure to those 
which are in free growth, which will greatly assist 
them, and bring up their gay and lively blossoms. 
Slop a few for late flowering which will be found a 
great acquisition for autumnal purposes. Put in a few 
cuttings of the leading varieties for the same pui-poses. 
These with a slight warmth will be found to flower 
through the winter months, imparting a lively appear- 
ance to the greenhouse and conservatory. Be cai'eful 
not to water any hut those actually in want of it, as 
they are very liable to shank off' if this is not attended 
to. VentOate freely on warm sunny days, and syringe 
occasionally. 
Scarlet Pelargoniums, — Give these every encourage- 
ment to promote free growth, and they wild be found to 
pay for all the labour bestowed upon them, with their 
brilliant head of flowers thi'ough the summer and 
autumn months. Strike some cuttings now, to grow in 
48- or 32-sized pots, that they may be pot bound by 
the autumn, w^hich will cluse them to flower through 
the winter months. The best kinds for this purpose 
are Rigby's Queen, Ayres' Gem, Royal Dwarf, and 
.Compaetum. In potting use a good rich compost. 
"When rooted water freely. 
Cinerarias. — If not done last month sow seeds of these 
for autumn flowering, and strike cuttings for the same 
purpose. Grow fi-eely through the summer, and let 
them be pot bound by the autimm, when they will he 
found to flower freely, and he most ornamental. Fumi- 
gate occasionally, as they are very subject to green 
fly. Water freely through the srmmier months. 
Calceolarias. — All those which requii'e it shoiild now 
have a final shift into a light rich compost. Keep them 
pegged down that they may root up the stem, which 
will greatly sti'engtheu them, '^'"ater cautiously, taking 
care never to water ariy that are damp or they will 
canker at the surface of the soil. Fumigate frequently 
to prevent the green fly, and ventilate fr-eely every 
favourable opportimity. 
Eotitine. — A hot-bed may yet be made to strike 
cuttings of such plants as az'C required for autumnal 
purposes. Prick ofl^ into a light compost such plants 
as were sown last mouth. Give a gentle bottom heat 
for the present. Give a little air, increasing it as the 
plants gain strength, H. R. 
FLO"WER-GARDEN.— OUT-DOOR DEPART- 
MENT. 
"When we loot at certain appearances in Nature, for the 
purpose of selecting some of her forms and featui'es, to 
make a display of what is called natural scenery, in a 
small or large space of ground, we try to combine these 
natm-al expressions in such a way, that the head which 
contrived, and the hand that executed, the pleasing 
eft'ect, should be lost sight of in viewing the same. But 
in massed geometrical flower-gardens, there is no at- 
tempt to conceal that they are strictly and truly works 
of art, and therefore the colours should be effectively 
contrasted, to make it plain that art dfrected every part. 
As a massed flower-garden is a home scene, there should 
he a combination of forms consistent with the style of 
the house, and a sufficient quantity of undecorated space 
left, to set off such objects as Orange trees to advan- 
tage, that a gi'andeur of expression may he distinctly 
seen in every part, notwithstanding the uniformity and 
variety conspicuous everywhere. In propagating a stock 
of plants for massing, make choice of decided colom-s, 
and avoid sti-ealcy colom's as you would star-shaped 
beds ; the former will impress you Yikc the beauty of 
the full moon, and the latter like the same moon re- 
flected on the sui'face of some agitated lake. Natiu-e's 
voices are always eloquent, but we must take care how 
we interpret and apply them. 
If gravel-walks separate the beds in the flower- 
garden, with nothing but box as an edging, cold colours 
should predominate in the arrangement ; on the con- 
traiy, if grass divide the beds, warm colours should 
prevail ; but, in either case, much may be done to alter 
this an-angement, by inti'oducing a border to such beds, 
so as to contrast wuth the grass or gravel, keeping the 
border broad in proportion to the size of the bed, and 
also to contrast with the central mass. Always remem- 
ber that a small mass of bright colour will balance a 
large mass of subdued tint ; and that beds of equal 
brightness will require equal masses. Look at the 
flower garden from various points of sight (which will 
exercise the minds of my yoimg friends as much as the 
solution of a mathematical problem), so that, when it is 
aiTanged, the colours may appear at times to cross one 
another, just as Nature's laws sometimes do — but they 
are rmiform for aU that. 
Although the groimd is very dry for the time of the 
year, I would recommend the soil, in beds where Cal- 
ceolarias are to be planted, to be well broken up, to 
allow the air to permeate every part of it if possible : 
and a little quick lime may he worked in the soil at the 
same time, as it was by attending to these two circirm- 
stances that our Calceolarias lived last year, while hun- 
dreds, I believe, went off frohi , neglecting them. Cut 
away all branches of ti-ees that obstruct light and air 
fi-om the flower-garden, if you would have the masses 
symmetrical, and the colom-s well developed. 
Propagation. — Spring-struck cuttings should be well 
topped back, and hardened off slowly, so as not to dry 
up their tissue too much ; and, for this purpose, remove 
those that are well established in their pots, into turf 
pits or frames of any kind, keeping them near enough 
to the glass to prevent drawing, without being exposed 
to the dry north winds. See that there is plenty of 
dwarf Lobelias and Verbenas, not only for small beds, 
but for interlacing the meshes of basket work, and also 
Mam'andya, Lophospennum, and such like plants, for 
training over the handles of baskets, and round the 
stalks of vases. Di-\'ide Campanula cai-patica, and sow 
seeds of the same out of doors ; but if wanted to flower 
early, sow the seed in a gentle hot bed. 
Annuals. — Continue sowing these out of doors, some 
in long lines, to remove when A''erbenas come into 
flower, and others of them in masses, for an early show. 
"Wallflowers, Hollyhocks, Campanifla, Valerian, Sweet 
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