90 
THE FLORIST. 
worsted; this frightens them, as they think it is a trap.—In the middle 
of February, sow round the Crocuses a good quantity of Virginian Stock, 
purple and white alternately ; the leaf of the Crocus shelters the young 
Stock from the frost and cold March wind, and, when the Crocus has 
done blooming, either cut the leaves off, or twist them round and give 
them a tie, to allow the Virginian Stock fair play. This comes in 
succession to the Crocus, and, when sown in large patches or beds, has 
a very pretty effect.—I generally plant a good quantity of the common 
Wallflower, choosing the darkest varieties. These flower a long time, 
and smell very sweet, but should be planted rather deep, and require a 
great quantity of water, or they soon flag.—The Daffodil and Narcissus 
do very well.—Next come the White Candytuft (Iberis sempervirens) 
and the Yellow Alyssum, which bloom at the same time. These I 
strike from cuttings in the summer, and keep in a cold frame all the 
winter.—Next come the Iris germanica and the Rocket.—Daisies and 
Heartsease do very well, and flower a long time. 
“ The Calceolaria does exceedingly well, and flowers all the summer ; 
cuttings of these should be put in a cold frame in October, and merely 
require the frost to be kept from them. You can put the cuttings in 
the bed under the frame or in pots, whichever may be most convenient, 
and pot them off in the latter end of February into No. 60 
pots, till they are established for turning out in the summer. 
When it is very hot, throw round the roots a little mulch or mould 
to keep their flowers from drooping.—Intermediate Stocks do very 
well, and flower all the summer. Then sow them in September, under 
a hand-glass. When old enough, prick out three or four plants 
in No. 48 pots in a compost of loam and a little rotten dung, 
taking care they do not get too much wet. In November put them in 
cold frames for the winter, never watering except they flag; and plant 
out in February, as they will bear a little frost. 
“ Scarlet Geraniums do very well. These I keep through the 
winter, some in cold frames, others in a house; but they must all be 
kept very dry, or they will damp off. To make sure of my stock from 
year to year, I plunge them all in the ground in pots, which checks 
their growth, and causes them to throw more bloom; and by cutting 
them in well I also keep the old plants for another year. As I have not 
the convenience to keep many cuttings through winter, I put in a few 
every year to keep up my stock, which I take off in August to get well 
rooted, and to stand through the winter.—The Ageratum mexicanum 
does very well. I put in cuttings in October, which I manage to keep 
through the winter. You may also put in cuttings of this in the 
spring, which will flower very early.—Verbenas flower very well all the 
summer, but are difficult to keep through the winter, as they damp 
off.—The dark Clove Carnation is very hardy, and flowers beautifully. 
These I propagate by hundreds in the autumn ; putting some in cold 
frames, and letting others remain out of door ; but to these the sparrows 
are very destructive, serving them like the Crocuses. The 8weet 
William, Lupinus polyphyllus, Scabiosa, Antirrhinum, Polyanthus, 
Foxglove, and Lily of the Valley do remarkably well.—The Fuchsia, 
if planted in a cold shady place in summer, flowers tolerably well, but 
