154 
THE FLORIST. 
I manufacture from my dwarfs. Where the sort is capable of forming 
a strong shoot, I keep it, and remove all the rest, and the buds from 
this one, up to two or three feet, to which they are cut back and left to 
form a head, which they will soon do. Of course I have to buy new 
kinds, which are worked, but I keep them for stock, to take cuttings 
from, and tliink myself lucky if they live long enough to supply me 
with what I want before they die, for they are very short-lived with me, 
on my dry, sandy soil. Amateur. 
NOTES ON THE MONTH. 
Three weeks, aye a month, of dry weather has done wonders for the 
land, and what was all mud and bird-lime in March is now in fine 
order for seeds of all kinds ; and the thousands of couch fires one sees 
in crossing the country indicate pretty clearly not only the state of the 
weather, but the vast extent of land over which couch and other weeds 
had spread themselves unchecked during 1860, and which the dry 
days of April have now mostly converted into ashes, to the great relief 
of the farmer and the benefit of the future Barley and Turnip crops. 
What is good for the farm cannot be bad for the gardener, and so far 
nothing could have happened more opportunely for those who have to 
deal with heavy clay soils; for where these have been properly worked 
they must have benefited largely by the process and be fit for every 
description of crop. But the nights have been frosty (as usual) of late, 
and our register indicated 6*^ ot I’rost on the morning of the 20th, and 
5° the morning following, and this with a keen easterly wind. We 
felt a somewhat queer sensation when reading the thermometer’s doings 
for the night, considering that all our wall Plums, Cherries, and Pears 
were in full bloom, and that 1860 had quietened our anxiety as to wall 
Peaches for a year or two, for 6° of frost under such circumstances is 
fearful odds to fight against. Plowever, we are glad to say, from what 
we can see at present, no damage has occurred to anything on tlie walls— 
a breadth of tiffany, just under the coping, kept off vertical frost; and 
as the days previous had been bright, the walls retained some degree of 
heat, we should suppose sufficient to keep the air adjoining just above 
freezing point; and then the atmosphere was dry, which we have found 
has always a great deal to do with the matter. What Pears and Plums 
were in bloom on cur orchard trees have been destroyed, and indeed 
every year’s experience only confirms more strongly our previous 
conviction as to the impolicy of growing such fruit as choice Pears, Plums, 
as orchard fruits, when the uncertainties of our climate are considered. 
The planter, too, looking forward to a showery April, may have felt 
some disappointment at the absence of rain ; and if he was imprudent 
to plant evergreens in March, most likely will be taught a useful lesson, 
and will be led to conclude that September and October are rather more 
fortu nate months for evergreen planters than IMarch or April. 
The Horticultural Society seems just now troubled with an embarras 
des riches —strange contrast to former times. £50,000 expended on 
21 acres of ground, and now £20,000 more wanted, while one of the 
Co uncil told the meeting held the other day that they did not 
