1876. ] 
GAEDEN WORK FOB FEBRUARY. 
33 
the leaves. Let these be at once removed to their place in the compost-yard, 
and not untidily cumber the ground around the frames, to the annoyance of 
every person possessed with a love of neatness, and to the great hindrance of 
surface-drainage during wet weather. Promptly despatch any order necessary to 
replace questionable plants, or others needed to complete the collection, as getting 
them in at this time and in the autumn is a very different thing, and early orders 
only are likely to get attention ; besides which it is almost certain death to the 
plant to subject it to the evil of travel, and possibly, violent disrooting, when 
active growth has commenced. 
The compost for blooming should be at once placed in the potting-shed, if 
not already there. Where this convenience does not exist, a temporary protection 
must be devised. If any pots remain unwashed, let them forthwith be attended 
to, and placed where they can be kept dry.—E. S. Dodwell. 
GARDEN WORK FOR FEBRUARY. 
FLOWERS. 
® HIS is, altogether, a much more backward season than last year, and there 
is scarcely a hardy flower open. The few exceptions are, that old favourite 
Tansy, Cliveden Blue, and Christmas Roses {Hellehorus niger). The late 
mild weather had, indeed, promised to forward many out-door flowers, 
but a hard frost of 20° for a few nights has stopped all progress; and taking 
everything into account, it is as well. Every gardener should be possessed of the 
above pansy, and of the Hellehorus^ the large-flowered form. Clumps of these 
lifted, and potted, and put in a little heat, form beautiful window-plants; and 
no window-plant is more simply.-or easily grown. 
Bulbs will soon be peeping through carpets of Sedums, Achillea, &c., and 
will have a fine fresh appearance by-and-by. Poeonies should be planted in 
rich deeply dug beds ; these form magnificent objects in spring. Irises also 
should receive attention, and a collection of these fine orchid-like hardy flowers 
is worth a good deal of attention, really more than is ordinarily given them. 
Beds of Roses should receive a top-dressing of soil, or very rotten dung; the 
former is preferable, and manure can be applied in the shape of any of the 
portable garden manures during a shower of rain in March and April. Rose-beds 
should never be dug, if it can be avoided. Allow the pruning to remain till the 
end of next month, or even later ; Roses generally suffer from frost after this 
season, and the top-dressing will help to keep out frost at the roots and around 
the necks. Where beds are in contemplation, they should be trenched 20 in. 
deep, and extra good soil added if poor, but avoid too much dung, as it produces 
rank growth and often monstrous ill-shaped flowers. Follow on with the 
replanting and rearranging of all hardy flowers, as the weather will permit; a 
great deal of botheration hereafter can be avoided by pushing on out-door work 
just now as much as possible. Grass lawns must be thought of, and top-dressed 
if mossy or getting thin of grass. 
Conservatory: No one will regret planting out an Ahutilon Boule de Neige 
here, when seen at this season, covered with its bell-shaped pure white flowers. 
Jasminum grandijiorum^ too, should be planted out, and so should Clematis 
indivisa^ both of which are laden with white flowers; the latter are greenish- 
