112 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
Scarlet Runners should be sown. Peas and 
Broad Beans sow every fortnight for succes¬ 
sion. Stick advancing crops of Peas. Water 
should be given to newly-planted crops, and 
mulch if required. Plant-out Artichokes in 
well-manured trenches; they like a deep and 
rich soil. Lettuce, Cos and Cabbage, sow a 
pinch every ten days, and on the best ground 
you have. Ridge Cucumbers may be sown 
towards the middle of the month under hand¬ 
glasses. 
FRUIT GARDEN. 
Disbudding must be proceeded with as 
growth advances, and insects kept down ; 
tobacco water, well diluted, is by far the 
safest remedy for the fly. Strawberry-beds 
should be cleaned, and the space between the 
rows filled with stable litter; the rain will 
wash the surface clean by the time the fruit 
begins to swell, while the litter will act as 
mulching, and assist the fruit in swelling. 
FLOWER GARDEN'. 
May is the busy month with the flower 
gardener, as the final arrangement and plant¬ 
ing of the beds for the season’s display will 
have to be carried out. Very much of the 
harmony and effect of a modern flower garden 
will depend on the tasteful distribution of 
colour, provided by suitable plants over its 
area, for it should be borne in mind that so 
much of every garden, comprised within the 
area of vision from the principal point of in¬ 
spection—whether the garden be large or 
small, or in one or more compartments— 
should have the primary colours so placed 
that they may balance each other, and that 
the subordinate and complementary colours 
should be added agreeably with their position 
on the chromatic scale; to carry this out 
correctly requires a plan with the beds ar¬ 
ranged and coloured, and then selecting the 
plants of a desirable colour to fill them; in 
this, the habit of the plants will have to be 
studied as to height, time of flowering, &c.; 
begin with planting the hardiest kinds first, 
and as they may yet suffer from cold cutting 
winds, small branches of evergreens, stuck 
between them, will form a good shelter, as 
they are easily removed when the warm 
weather arrives ; above all, let the soil be 
well pulverised, by frequent turnings-over 
before planting. As a rule, Scarlet Geraniums 
and their allies grow dwarfer and bloom more 
profusely in poor shallow soils; the variegated 
class like peat or rotten leaf soil, mixed with 
the compost. Calceolarias do well in sandy 
loam, without mixtures, as do Petunias; 
Verbenas are not particular, but like light 
rich soil. Cold Frames— Calceolarias, Scar¬ 
let Geraniums, Lobelias, Pentstemons, &c., 
may now be shifted to situations where they 
can have temporary protection if needed; this 
will make room for tenderer plants, requiring 
a gradual exposure to harden them for final 
planting, towards the middle of the month; 
indeed the great success of an early start 
with bedding-out plants will mainly depend 
on their being well hardened off previously 
to planting. Continue to prick into small 
pots the recently struck cuttings of Verbenas, 
Salvias, Heliotropes, and Petunias, to follow 
the early plants. Spring-raised annuals, as 
Stocks, Asters, Zinnias, &c., may now be 
fully exposed, and finally planted when the 
weather will permit. Where the frames are 
cleared of flower-garden plants, towards the 
end of the month, their place may be occu¬ 
pied by Balsams, Japan Lilies, Cape bulbs, 
Gladioluses, &c., for decorating the green¬ 
house in August and September. 
florists’ flowers. 
Auriculas. —These, before being placed out 
of doors to rest, as it were, after their bloom, 
should be well! fumigated, and care taken 
to eradicate all dead foliage and aphides. 
Moderate rain will be beneficial to them, but 
by all means avoid wet in excess. Pit lights 
might be placed over the plants during heavy 
rains. Carnations and Ficotees .—The time 
will have arrived for staking these ; it is best 
to do this early, as the roots will not be so 
liable to be injured during the operation, be¬ 
sides the advantage of securing the flowering 
shoots as they grow, leaving no chance of 
their being destroyed by wind. To prevent 
their acquiring a yellow tinge, care must be 
taken to water them as often as they are dry, 
even if twice a-day. The old foliage will be 
dying off, which should be cut away with a 
light hand. Top-dress towards the end of the 
month. Dahlias .—Prepare the quarters or 
borders for these, or any ground that it is 
proposed to grow them in. The time is fast 
approaching for planting them out, yet, if the 
weather is cold or unfavourable, it will be 
best to delay this operation, particularly if 
the plants have pot room, and can be kept 
growing. To accomplish this, repot the 
plants as soon as they are received from the 
nursery, or, if home-propagated, from the 
small pots to others a size or two larger, 
keeping growing but gently; by no means 
draw the plants—on the contrary, give all the 
air possible on favourable occasions. The 
fourth week in May is ample time for plant¬ 
ing, particularly if the soil and plants have 
been prepared as they should be. Seedlings 
may be put out a little sooner if they stand 
thick, to prevent their drawing up weakly, 
but a quiet dull day should be chosen for 
this. Fin/cs <—If large flowers are required, 
thin out the blooming shoots; also remove 
the small side buds. If dry weather con¬ 
tinue, liquid manure may be used advantage¬ 
ously.— Tulips .—Give the beds a good water¬ 
ing, before they show much colour, if the 
weather continue dry. When in bloom, 
much water is liable to flush the white, 
thereby destroying their beauty. Protect as 
before described. 
