FEBRUARY. 
61 
flowers. With a little foresight and the ordinary means, this is a very 
easy matter now-a-days. There are two things which we wish strongly 
to insist upon—these are arrangement and cleanliness. If these are 
not properly studied and attended to, no matter how great the profusion 
and display of flowers, the effect will be anything but pleasing to a 
refined mind. A great variety of flowers at this season, crammed one 
among another, may please the vulgar, but cannot the person of taste— 
if the arrangement is not good, and every thing and place most scrupu¬ 
lously clean. We have seen a few nice flowers made by one person 
into a bouquet fit for Her Majesty the Queen, and we have seen better 
flowers made by another person into a bouquet not fit for a housemaid. 
In these instances the disposition and arrangement of the flowers in 
the bouquets made all the difference ; and so it is in the conservatory and 
show-house—the arrangement is everything. The importance of the 
matter will, we trust, be an apology for our insisting on it here. Keep 
the hard-wooded plants—such as Heaths, Epacrises, Correas, Acacias, 
&c.—at the coolest end of the house, if possible. Attend carefully to 
watering. Give air at every favourable opportunity, and keep a sharp 
look-out for insects. 
Cucumbers .—Under the increasing influence of solar light these 
will now begin to grow stronger and more rapidly than they 
have the last three months. Attend regularly to the thinning and 
training of the shoots. Maintain a moist, growing atmosphere, by 
sprinkling the paths and floors of the house three or four times a day, 
when other means are not provided for this purpose. Syringe the plants 
every sunny day. Sufficient artificial heat should always be used to 
admit of air being given freely every day, but particular care should 
be taken to guard against draughts. As a general rule a temperature 
of about 70° by night, and 75° by day, with an increase of 10° or 15° 
by sun heat. A good steady bottom heat is indispensable to ensure 
success. Attend to the young plants, and shift or earth up when 
necessary ; above all things keep them near the glass. 
Dahlias .—The general stock should now be started into growth by 
placing the roots into a little heat, and striking the cuttings in the 
ordinary way. But very little forcing, however, is necessary, unless a 
very large number of plants is required from each root. Pot roots 
should not be started into growth for some time, or they will produce 
weakly drawn plants. 
Flower Garden .—Get on with planting in open, mild weather. 
Endeavour to get completed all alterations of beds, borders, lawns, 
walks, water, &c. Turn and fresh gravel walks, and sweep and roll 
walks and lawns. Plant herbaceous plants of all kinds. Prune and 
nail, or tie up, such hardy climbers as Honeysuckles and Jasmines. 
In fine weather remove daily the protection from half-hardy plants, 
but cover at nights until all danger from the weather is past. 
Forcing Hardg Shrubs .—The forcing of hardy shrubs from this 
time forward is very easy work. All that is necessary is a nice, moist, 
growing atmosphere, with a steady bottom heat and some air daily. 
Plants fresh introduced should be placed at the cool end of the house. 
Put in plenty of Roses, Lilacs, Kalmias, Azaleas, and the different 
