chap, xii.] CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS. 377 
ing; and all the trees and shrubs, and even 
herbaceous plants that are to be removed are 
put into the ground. The garden rose-trees 
and other hardy flowering shrubs are pruned, 
care being taken always to cut them in a 
slanting direction, and to a bud. When the 
rose-bushes have sent up long untidy shoots, 
every alternate shoot may be cut down to 
within a few inches of the ground. Thus 
treated, the shoots that are left will flower, 
and those that were cut down will send up 
strong and vigorous shoots for flowering the 
succeeding year, when the present flowering 
stems may be cut in. The bushes will thus 
be kept of moderate size, and of a compact 
habit of growth, without the flowering being 
materially checked. In February the ranun¬ 
culus roots are planted that are to flower in 
the following May, and a hot-bed is made 
for the tender annuals. In short, the busi¬ 
ness of the gardeners year has commenced. 
In the kitchen-garden, if the weather be 
open, the gooseberries and currants should be 
pruned, and also such of the fruit-trees as 
have been left for spring pruning. If the 
winter has been very hard, the gooseberries 
