1879. J 
VILLA GARDENING-FEBRUARY. 
29 
pink flowers all the summer, and is yet in this 
dull time of the year in good flower. The 
border it is grown in consists of light loamy 
soil, having some leaf-mould mixed with it; 
and it seems to suit this Begonia as well as 
plants of Bouganvillia glabra grown in it. 
As a companion to B. incarnata^ I have 
planted B. fachsiodes in the same border ; it 
is trained in the same form, and is about 12 ft. 
in height. Both it and B. incarnata have 
furnished an immense quantity of cut-flowers 
all through the summer. The beautiful coral- 
coloured flowers of B. fachsiodes sets off wonder¬ 
fully the effect of other flowers in bouquets, or 
when cut for purposes of decoration.— William 
Tillery, Welbeck. 
VILLA GARDENING. 
dTrbvunrj), 
X P to the time of writing, the frost has 
continued to lock up the ground against 
all out-door gardening operations ; and 
for a considerable portion of the time, snow has 
covered the face of the earth. Many gardeners 
have indeed reason to be thankful it was so, 
as it has served as a screen to many a choice 
plant that might otherwise have suffered. 
“ He giveth snow like wooland like wool, it 
is a warm covering from the effects of severe 
frost. The beneficent hand that flings forth 
such a wealth of joyous rays in summer dis¬ 
penses the winter’s cold,— 
“ His life within the keen air breathes, 
His beauty paints the crimson dawn, 
And clothes the boughs with glittering wreaths.” 
Greenhouse. —It has taxed the energies of 
many villa gardeners to the fullest extent to 
keep the frost from their houses. Those who 
have no regular heating apparatus, but have 
had to trust to something of a temporary char¬ 
acter, have also had to be constantly watchful 
and attentive. Hundreds of plants growing in 
unheated structures have been lost, because the 
soil about the roots was wet when the frost 
came and the houses damp. Those who had 
sufficient foresight to keep their plants dry 
about the roots, during the depth of winter, 
have come through the ordeal comparatively 
unharmed. We have seen Ahutilons'm variety. 
Ficus elastica, lioi/a carnosa, Indian Azaleas., 
various succulents. Fuchsias, Pelargoniums, 
Berried Solanums, &c., carried through the 
winter almost unhurt, with only the aid of a 
paraffin lamp, and a plentiful use of newspapers 
in the bitterest weather, because allowed to 
have become dry when the pinch came. This 
is a very important matter, and should be made 
a golden rule with villa gardeners. 
There are some persons who think severe 
frost destructive to all insect life. It has not 
been so in the case of green-fly on the leaves 
of Pelargoniums, in a temperature something 
below freezing-point; they are not dead, at 
any rate. It is in the early spring months that 
green-fly multiply with great rapidity, and 
as soon as possible the plants should be 
thoroughly fumigated with tobacco-smoke, 
to rid them of this pest. This will be parti¬ 
cularly necessary in the case of soft-wooded 
plants, such as Pelargoniums, Calceolarias, 
and Cinerarias. After the fumigation, any 
plants of these whicli do not require repotting 
may be top-dressed with some good soil. Tho 
young plants will require repotting, and this 
should be done as soon as the weather is favour¬ 
able. Plants to be repotted, if dry, should be 
well watered two days previously, so that tho 
balls of soil can be well moistened through at 
the time of shifting. Any Fuchsias that it is 
desirable to start early into growth can be 
brought from their winter c^uarters, and be 
shaken out from their pots, the roots pruned, 
repotted in smaller pots, and placed in the 
warmest part of the house ; they should be 
sprinkled occasionally on the stems, to induce 
them to break freely, but give water sparingly 
at the roots till they commence growing. 
Stock plants and store pots of cuttings 
should be gone over, picking off dead leaves 
and removing decaying parts from the 
former, and slightly stirring the soil and 
top-dressing the latter. Water should be 
sparingly given till the weather becomes warm 
and genial. This will come before very long ; 
the force of the winter will soon be spent, and 
the longing for spring will be gratified by its 
advent. Cleanliness in all parts of the house 
and all plants should now be the order of the 
day. They will start into activity all the bet¬ 
ter when the time comes. A little Lobelia, 
Petunia, Phlox Drummondii, &c., should now 
be sown, placing the seed in a gentle heat, and 
pricking the small plants off into store-boxes 
or pots, when large enough. We shall, in all 
probability, have a late spring, and the villa 
gardener will be well employed in anticipating 
it, as far as he can. 
Cold Frames. —But little can be done in the 
case of the occupants of the Cold Frame while 
the frost lasts. We have taken a little extra 
care of a few choice things that required some 
additional protection, by laying strips of wood 
among the pots, and over these a layer of news¬ 
papers, and keeping the lights firmly closed, lint 
adding no outside covering. Tho plants are well 
protected, but they are not so much in the dark 
as when a heavy covering is placed on the 
frames. As soon as a thaw sets in, the lights 
should be taken off, the newspapers with¬ 
drawn, and in all cases -where the frost has 
loosened the soil from the pots, it should 
