68 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
place the waste caused by evaporation. Graft¬ 
ing should be commenced if the weather is 
not too frosty. Loamy clay, cowdung, and 
a sprinkling of fine short hay should be beaten 
and well incorporated. The fine hay serves 
like the hair in plaister, and prevents the clay 
from cracking and falling off; but the point 
on which the success of grafting mainly 
depends is, to join as much as possible of the 
inner bark of the scion to that of the stock ; 
as this can be effected expeditiously and well, 
there is perhaps no better mode than the 
common one of whip grafting. It should be 
understood that the surfaces of wood never 
unite however nicely they may be applied to 
each other; it is between the inner bark and 
the wood where active vitality resides, and 
there only that a vital union takes place. 
Train and nail wall trees; drive the nails only 
in the mortar, not in the face of the brick, un¬ 
less you wish to see the walls soon defaced that 
have been perhaps but recently built at great 
expense. The defacing, moreover, may be 
accelerated by forgetting that the nails get 
more or less oxidised, and of course become 
thicker and tighter every day, so that there 
is no occasion to strongly hammer them, as 
they wedge off more of the square of the 
brick and loosen a greater portion of mortar 
than is necessary. The blossoms of Peaches, 
Nectarines, &c., are in no danger till they 
begin to expand; but before this, means of 
protection should be got in readiness—coping- 
boards, thin canvas, netting, or any sub¬ 
stance that will prevent the free escape of 
heat from the ground and surface of the wall. 
Thin straw screens could be made in weather 
unfavourable for out-door work. 
FLOWER GARDEN. 
Shrubs, it is presumed, will have now been 
pruned, and hedges trimmed. See that the 
latter are narrower at top than at bottom. 
In some cases, to accord with the style of 
gardening, it may be desirable that the sides 
of hedges should be cut perpendicularly; if 
such be the case, they may; but at the same 
time care should be taken that they do not 
project even so much as 1 inch beyond the 
upright line; if they are inclined as much 
inwards the effect will not be unpleasing to 
the eye, whilst even this slight and almost 
imperceptible slope will ultimately prove 
beneficial to the closeness, strength, and 
beauty of the hedge, tending to prevent its 
getting naked at the base. It will now be 
seen what trees and portions of trees and 
shrubs have been killed by the intense frost 
of the first week in January. All that is cer¬ 
tainly dead should be cut away; some may 
spring from the root, as the ground covered 
by the snow was scarcely frozen. The ground, 
rough-dug before winter, should be forked, 
broken, and put in readiness for the reception 
of Bedding plants which are being reared for 
planting out at the proper season. In the 
meantime, compost should be prepared for 
such kinds of Pelargoniums and other bed • 
ding plants as may require it. When the 
dressing of the ground from its rough state 
is done, the lawns should be picked of all 
sticks and spray, then well swept and rolled. 
The walks should be fresh gravelled, and 
their surfaces left with a perfectly regular 
and gentle curve, so that when consolidated 
by rolling, the rain water as it falls may 
more readily find its way by surface-drainage 
than it could by under- drainage. The plant¬ 
ing of Roses should not be delayed; the 
vigour of all rosaceous plants is promoted by 
early planting. 
florists’ flowers. 
Auriculas. —Give plenty of air, and as they 
will now be throwing up their trusses of 
bloom, more water will be required; being in 
a now forward state of growth they will be 
more susceptible of cold than previously, there¬ 
fore frosty nights must be guarded against, 
as well as cold, drying, easterly winds. 
Carnations and Picotees. —Potting for bloom 
may now be proceeded with, commencing 
with the more robust varieties. Three plants 
are preferred in an 11-inch pot, and two in 
an eight-inch one. In potting press the soil 
closely with the hand, and when potted 
secure the plants immediately with neat 
small sticks. Those yet remaining in small 
pots will require particular attention as re¬ 
gards watering, otherwise if drying winds 
prevail the plants are apt to suffer. Any that 
are in danger of starting too early into bloom 
on a south border should be removed to a 
north one. Dahlias. —This month is the best 
time for propagating the general stock. Seed 
maybe sown: it is best raised in strong moist 
bottom heat. Fuchsias. —Repot into five or 
six-inch pots those that were first struck, 
using light rich soil. Stop those that are 
growing too tall and straggling. Stopping 
will have the effect of causing them to assume 
a more compact growth and a handsomer 
form, especially if the young shoots are 
judiciously trained out. Hollyhocks should 
have plenty of air in order that they may not 
feel much check from planting out next 
month. Shift into larger pots those struck 
in the course of the winter. Plant out seed¬ 
lings towards the end of the month. Protect 
from slugs. Pansies. —Expose those in pots 
in frames to gentle showers, and to the free 
air when the weather is favourable. Peg out 
the shoots. Plant out seedlings wintered 
in pans, and likewise any stock left in pots. 
Sow seed saved in autumn. Pinks. —Those 
plants that have been loosened by the frost 
should have the earth firmly pressed about 
their roots when it is tolerably dry; then the 
surface should be top-dressed with a mixture 
of about equal parts of good rich soil and 
rotten manure. Tulips. —These will require 
to be protected from frost, hail, and strong 
cutting winds ; but they should be freely ex¬ 
posed to the weather when not unfavourable. 
