12 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGHST. 
[ January, 
some roots of Asparagus , Sealcale , and Rhubarb 
on the top, and thus getting nice supplies in 
January and February. There are in almost 
every garden out-of-the-way corners, which, 
with a little management, can be utilised in 
this way. A friend of ours forces Swede 
Turnips by putting them in a little heat, and 
using as one would Sealcale the tops they throw 
out; and when the main growth is cut away, 
the side growths are similarly utilised; they 
are pronounced an excellent vegetable when 
cooked. We are afraid Lettuces , Endive , Cauli¬ 
flower , &c., must have suffered during the late 
severe frost. It is a great advantage to have a 
cold frame in which to plant out Endive and 
Lettuces , and the French cloches also come in 
useful for the purpose. All plots of ground 
requiring to be dug should be turned up with¬ 
out delay, that the frost may sweeten and 
pulverise it. 
Fruit Garden. —If any transplanting of fruit- 
trees has to be done ; it should be seen to while 
the weather is favourable for such work. When 
new plantations have to be made, no pains 
should be spared to havathe ground thoroughly 
prepared by good drainage which is of much 
importance, and must be secured. If the 
soil or subsoil are unsuitable, they should be 
removed and fresh soil substituted. There is 
nothing like giving fruit-trees a good start, 
and then they can hardly fail to succeed. 
Pruning can be done as the weather suits, but 
it is best to get this work well ahead ; for 
when the weather is favourable to general 
gardening operations, there is much to engage 
the attention of the gardener, the pressure 
of work being at its heaviest. 
Flower Garden. —It is but little that can be 
done at this season of the year, save and except 
clearing up leaves, digging where necessary, 
and making any alterations, as well as planting. 
Instead of digging shrubbery borders, which 
often does needless injury to the roots, it is 
better to top-dress them with good soil. 
By many, fresh soil is preferred as a dressing 
to manure. If soils need invigorating, then 
some manure is indispensable. In dry weather, 
the shubberies should be thinned-out, though 
the later this can be deferred, the better, as far 
as this season is concerned, the young growths 
of many of the hardy shrubs having suffered 
severely, and they may be injured back much 
farther than may be imagined at first sight. 
One effect of the recent frost has been to loosen 
the soil in beds of spring plants, and as soon as 
it can be done, the uplifted plants should be 
pressed down firmly into the beds. In places, 
Wallflowers have been killed outright; and it 
is well to make any vacancies good as soon as 
possible. The grass-plot should be kept well 
rolled in favourable weather. 
The Greenhouse. —Alas ! suburban gardeners 
have again experienced the difficulties attend¬ 
ing a long spell of keen frost, where there is an 
absence of any means of artificial heating. The 
frost came on very suddenly and severe, and 
many things went down before it. What made 
matters worse was, that the two or three days 
previous were drying and sunny, and water was 
given freely to growing plants. Then, with the 
suddenness of anight attack, the frost swooped 
down on to the moist soil, and many tender 
things were hopelessly destroyed. We have lost 
Agaves , Chrysanthemums , Kalosanthes , Pelar¬ 
goniums, Fuchsias , Echeverias , M esembry- 
anthemums , &c., in a house much exposed to the 
cold, and heated only with paraffin lamps. In 
mild weather, this portable means of warmth 
suffices to keep the frost at bay; but in a time 
of prolonged severity, when the attack is re¬ 
newed day after day with untiring persistency, 
some things must succumb. 
In a house heated by hot water, or by means 
of a flue, the warmth is so regularly diffused 
all round the house, that if applied in sufficient 
power, harm cannot come. Happy are those 
villa gardeners who have had this powerful 
and indispensable assistance throughout a time 
of peril from frost. Zonal Pelargoniums are 
still in flower, but they require a brisk warmth 
to expand their pips. The late-flowering 
Chrysanthemums are still blooming ; so is the 
white Abutilon , with some of the old tuberous- 
rooted Begonias , &c. Those who desire to 
have flowers must give fire-heat by day as well 
as by night, unless the sun shines out warmly 
for a few hours ; then the fire may be lowered, 
but it is unwise to discontinue it while it is 
dull and foggy. 
Let the frost be ever so severe, green-fly will 
gather on the plants. The closeness with 
which the house has to be kept favours the fly, 
and the plants must be fumigated, or the shoots 
affected with fly washed with some insecticide. 
Cleanliness is of so much importance in the 
winter management of plants, that it cannot be 
too strongly insisted on. Leaves that show 
signs of decay need removal, as they attract 
‘damp and become mouldy. The surface-soil 
needs stirring frequently; it prevents the 
growth of moss, and assists the aeration of the 
roots. 
Cold Frames. — Dui’ing the frost these 
have been practically closed, and it is best 
to keep them shut while the surface soil 
is frozen hard. As soon as a thaw sets 
in, the lights need to be thrown open, and 
the plants looked over, stirring the soil 
where it has become green, and removing de¬ 
caying leaves. This attention is especially 
necessary in the case of Auriculas , Polyanthus , 
Primroses , &c., in pots, as the older leaves of 
these plants decay at this time of the year. 
Carnations , Picotees , and Pinks in pots are 
helped by cutting away spotted and dying 
