28 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ February, 
As they seed freely, the flowering of the bulbs 
will be very much strengthened by looking 
over the beds every morning, and picking off 
the seed-pods of the previous day’s flowers, and 
the further advantage of prolonging the flower¬ 
ing period will at the same time be secured. 
Towards the end of autumn—earlier, if in 
consequence of a warm season, the growth 
becomes matured early, or later if the season is 
a backward one, but in any case before they 
are at all liable to be injured by frost, the bulbs 
should be taken up, partially dried, and laid in 
the corner of a store-cellar or shed, being well 
covered over with stable-litter, Mr. Cox, of 
Redleaf, points out that mice are very fond 
of them, and will not leave a bulb, if they 
can get access to them. He says :—“ They 
may be very well kept by being placed in long 
shallow boxes, 6 in. deep and 9 in. wide; fill 
up the box with sand, and place a stout board 
on the top, and put the boxes under the stage 
in the fruit-room, or other similar place, secure 
from wet and frost; but the best plan I have 
ever adopted, and the one which has kept the 
roots in the plumpest and best condition, is to 
dig out a hole against a garden-wall in the 
open air, about 2 ft. deep ; make the bottom 
very firm, and place thereon a stout Westmore¬ 
land slate, on which place four other slates 
edgewise, two long and two narrow for the 
ends, so that a slate of the same size as the 
bottom will cover the top ; make the earth 
secure all round the outsides, and place the 
bulbs in layers covered with sand in the slate- 
box ; cover with the slate on the top, taking 
care that the edges all fit securely, so that 
mice cannot enter, and fill the hole up, and 
they will be found at planting-time as fresh as 
if only just lifted.”—M. 
THE CHRISTMAS ROSE. 
£5u^®)HIS fine old plant — the Helleborus 
n *£ er — a na ^ ve of Austria and Italy ? 
and was introduced into the gardens of 
this country by Gerard, in 159G. In open, 
mild weather it flowers in January, and hence 
has been called the Christmas Rose. It will 
grow in any soil or situation, but like most 
Alpine plants, it delights in a pure air. a situa¬ 
tion moderately moist, and a rich soil. When 
first I came here, I found several large clumps 
of this plant in the mixed borders ; these I 
divided, and made a good many plants of them, 
and I have from time to time since divided them, 
so that now we have a nice stock of it, in good 
large clumps. 
It is not often that there are many flowers 
naturally open at Christmas ; even a hand- 
light or frame is not sufficient; a little warmth 
is necessary. I have several large clumps put 
into heat about the beginning of December, 
and these furnish quantities of flowers at 
Christmas. Another batch of clumps put into 
heat about the end of December will furnish a 
supply of flowers until, if the weather be mild, 
there are blossoms out-of-doors. The flowers, if 
kept in water, will continue fresh for several 
weeks. 
The plant is worth growing for its foliage, 
which is very beautiful. I have planted it in 
different aspects and situations, so that we 
get flowers late into spring. I have had 
flowers even in July. The clumps that have 
been forced should be put into a cold frame or 
pit until the end of March or beginning of 
April, when they should be divided and planted 
out. Besides furnishing beautiful flowers 
during the winter months, the plant is one of 
the hardiest of hardy perennials, and will grow 
in almost any soil or situation. No gentle¬ 
man’s garden should be without so useful a 
subject. No cottage garden even should be 
without it.—M. Saul, Stourton, Yorkshire. 
SUBURBAN GARDENING. 
EBRUARY.—As we write, the frost is 
again master of the situation, and holds 
in its grip the out-door garden. There 
is a clearness in the air, a redness in the evening 
sky, and a piercing keenness that betoken 
frost. It is all in good time ; and so far, many 
things of a common character that are being 
wintered in the open air, are standing the 
rigours of the severe weather better than they 
did a year ago. 
Kitchen Garden. —February and March are 
two of the most important months in the kit¬ 
chen garden, for they are the season when sow¬ 
ing operations are carried out. While the 
amateur gardener should not be in too great a 
hurry to sow, he should, at the same time, take 
advantage of any favourable opportunity for 
getting his ground into sowing order. A few 
Long-pod Beans can be sown in drills a yard 
a part, and about three inches between each 
bean. Some Cabbage seed should be sown in 
the open ground as soon as the elements will 
admit, choosing a warm border for the bed. 
Some Onion seed should also be sown, and 
Peas: such as a good cropper like Princess 
Royal, with Advancer to follow, the former 
being rather hardier than the latter. Some 
Radishes and Lettuce , also Mustard and Cress 
should be sown in frames; and if there is a 
