348 
THE LADIES’ MAGAZINE OF GARDENING. 
the plants contained in them suffering any injury. I believe, if of a 
large size, as fig. 81, (which is one of Captain Mangles’s), China flower¬ 
pots may be used on a balcony, in most cases not only without injury, 
but with advantage; but if small, and not well drained, the earth in 
them, from their want of porosity, becomes sodden with water, or what 
gardeners call sour, and this destroys the plants. 
FLORAL CALENDAR. 
As November is a month when, from the near approach of winter, every 
lingering flower is doubly valuable, such of my readers as may chance to 
have half-hardy flowering plants against walls, may be glad to know how 
to protect them during frosty nights, so as to prolong their flowering 
season as long as possible. There are many ways of doing this; but 
perhaps the cheapest and best plan for a small garden, is to tie a number 
of wisps of straw together, as shown in fig. 82, and to hang these on hold- 
Fig g2 fasts driven into the wall to receive them. 
No person should attempt to grow half- 
hardy plants on a conservative wall, 
without its being provided with these 
hold-fasts; as the covering will be only 
required during the night, and should be 
removed during the day. In November, 
cold frosty nights are often succeeded by 
bright sunshine in the days, and it is in 
such weather that this mode of covering is particularly useful. 
November is the seasonfor taking up the Dahlias. As soon as the flowers 
and stems are killed down to the ground, they should be cut off and thrown 
away, leaving the tubers in the ground a w^eek or ten days to dry. They 
should then be taken up, and a parchment label, with the name of the 
Dahlia written on it, should be attached to each by wire; after which 
they should be laid on boards in a cellar, or any dry place, and covered 
with sand or sawdust. They should be kept at a temperature between 
thirty-five and forty-five degrees, so as to exclude the frost, but not 
to heat them too much. 
Protecting by wisps of straw. 
