232 
THE FLORIST. 
whole forenoon of Monday, for my Sabbath is not a day of rest. An 
old pensioner, who lives close by, is glad for a very tribe to come over 
daily, and keep the ground clear of weeds, &c.; and I get the services 
of a gardener for two hours every week to do any nice jobs, such as 
budding, planting out, &c., which I feel he can better manage than I can. 
Of course, had 1 leisure—say three hours a day—these could he dis¬ 
pensed with. The size of the garden (start not at its magnitude) is 
45 by 54 feet. I am very particular in naming this, as I have before 
my eyes the very ludicrous figure a friend of mine made to a London 
nurseryman once. He had been in the habit of ordering every season 
some two dozen of new Chrysanthemums—which two or three of us 
used to divide—and I suppose writing rather largely about his garden, 
the said nurseryman took it into his head to pay him a visit. Mr. S. 
was announced. “ I have come, sir, to ask you to allow me and my 
wife to look at your garden.”—“ My garden ! Oh! it is so small I 
really have hardly anything in it,” said my friend, with his face as red 
as Geant des Batailles.”—“ Oh, nevermind that,” said Mr. S., with all 
the blandness possible, thinking, no doubt, it was modesty ; and there he 
stood, hat in hand, earnestly entreating to see it, my friend as earnestly 
endeavouring to keep him out; but at length he was conquered, and Mr. S. 
was admitted. He was too polite to say all he thought, when he found the 
diminutive size of my friend’s garden and the scanty nature of his col¬ 
lection ; but it was a warning I have not ceased to have before my eyes 
when talking with floricultural friends. Thus, your friend and corre¬ 
spondent, whose racy notes on Auriculas graced your July number, is 
coming to see me in a few days, and I have taken good care to tell him, 
that though I can talk with him aihout Auriculas, my collection is 
confined to some three or four dozen plants. The garden was five years 
ago part of a wheat field; is very much exposed to westerly winds; 
the soil, naturally good, has been well provided for with manure, and is 
now in tolerable condition. I have a piece of kitchen garden adjoining, 
in which I can put two or three frames ; and in the flower garden I have 
a small greenhouse, 16 by 8 feet. My garden now contains about 150 
Ros^s, three beds of Verbenas, a long border of Tom Thumbs, edged 
with Lobelia ramosa (to be discarded next year for speciosa), a bed of 
Heliotropes, one of Phlox Radetzski, one of Calceolarias, one of Flower 
of the Day and variegated Alyssum, one of Pinks, which will be taken 
up and late Verbenas put instead in a few days ; besides three beds of 
miscellaneous plants, about thirty pots of Carnations and Picotees, and 
some Japan Lilies. 
Well, August is coming, and how shall I be employed ? 
Pansies. Strike cuttings of these for growing in pots (the only satis¬ 
factory way to grow them). 
Auriculas. Repot these early in the month in good wholesome stuff, 
with but little manure, and that very old. 
Carnations and Picotees. Layer. 
Pelargoniums. Repot, as soon as the shoots have pushed an inch long. 
Scat’let Geraniums and bedding plants for next year. Put in 
plenty of these in a north border ; do not be afraid of having too many. 
