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THE FLORIST. 
good condition, to prepare it for planting out when the time arrives. 
The plants should be repotted and kept growing, but not be drawn up 
weakly. If the soil is in good order, and healthy plants be possessed, 
«arly planting is not necessary, thereby avoiding the risk of frost by 
night. 
Flower Garden .—All for this season depends on the arrangement of 
colours now decided on. If all plans are settled and the weather mild 
about the 20th of the month, not a day should be lost in getting the 
plants “ bedded out.” If you have plenty of good plants of decided 
colours, of old and proved sorts, do not be too anxious to get beds filled 
with novelties, until you have first proved whether or not they are 
better than anything else in their class. We have often seen the effect 
of a flower-garden completely destroyed by the introduction of untried 
novelties. If the weather should be dry when all are planted, they should 
be well watered until they begin to make fresh root in the soil, but if 
the weather should be showery there will be no necessity for watering. 
Peg down such things as may require it, it prevents their being blown 
about by the wind. This is a good time to propagate herbaceous 
plants. Divide the roots of Russian and Neapolitan Violets. Sow 
Mignonette. Sow Wallflowers for flowering next season. Roll and 
mow Grass weekly. Roll walks frequently, especially an hour or two 
after showers ; this “ binds” the gravel. Give everything as neat a 
finish as possible. 
Forcing Hardy Shrubs .—Plants that have been forced and that are 
done blooming may towards the end of the month be set out of doors. 
If any of them require shifting into larger pots, this is the proper time 
to do it; they should then be plunged in some airy, sunny situation, 
and should have every attention, in order to get the young wood well 
matured. 
Forcing Ground .—Remove dung from late-forced Seakale ; cut the 
crowns back, and dig the ground over with a fork. Towards the end 
of the month plant out at the foot of walls, or against banks of earth. 
Tomatoes. Plant Vegetable Marrows and Cucumbers under glasses on 
beds of fermenting material. Shift Capsicums into large pots. In cold 
situations, an easy and good plan to grow Sweet Marjoram and Basil is 
either to sow it, or, if raised in pots or boxes, to plant it in a frame 
where Asparagus has been forced ; the frame can afterwards, in June, 
be removed and appropriated to some other purpose. ■ Rhubarb and 
Seakale that have been forced may be planted out to force again. Sow 
French Beans for successional crops. 
Fruit (Jiardy ').—The dull wet weather we had the latter part of 
March and the early part of April has kept things backward. From 
this and the failure of the crops last year, we are likely to have plenty 
of fruit this season ; there is a great abundance of blossom of all kinds. 
Apricots are an average crop with us ; Peaches and Nectarines are 
setting well, so that we may set them down an average crop. With a 
few days’ sun Cherries, Pears, and Plums will be a perfect sheet of 
blossom ; Apples will be equally full. British Queen Strawberries have 
everywhere in this neighbourhood suffered very much from the heavy 
rains of last autumn, coming immediately after the very hot weather 
