1880. ] 
SALVIA INVOLUCRATA BETHELLII. 
29 
frame to spare, a few Ashleaf Kidney Potatos 
should be planted. If there is a probability of 
the weather keeping fine, warm, and open, 
some Beet , Carrots , Parsnip , and Spinach can 
also be sown; and a little Celery under glass. 
It is a common mistake to delay the sowing of 
Celery too late, and the plants are consequently 
small when they require to be planted out. In 
digging vacant ground, it should be done in fine 
drying weather, for if it be trod over when in 
a wet, tenacious state, it does it more harm 
than good. 
Fruit Garden .—New beds of Strawberries , 
if not made in the autumn, should be prepared 
without further delay; old beds should be 
cleaned over and top-dressed with a mixture of 
fresh soil and dung. Fresh plantations of 
Raspberries should also be made, and the old 
canes pruned and tied up in the usual manner. 
Wall-trees should be dressed and the walls 
cleared of insects, and the branches of the 
trees nailed into position. Outdoor Vines 
can also be pruned and nailed securely. 
Flower Garden. — Box-edging should now be 
replanted, taking up the plants, thinning them, 
and treading firmly into the soil as the work is 
re-done. All edgings, whether of Thrift , Grass , 
Daisies , &c., should be gone over and made 
neat and tidy for the spring. Hedges should 
be cut over, and everything made trim and 
neat. The stock of Bedding plants should be 
gone over, and, if more of anything is required, 
the stock-plants of such things as Fuchsias , 
Lobelia , Verbenas , &c., should be put into 
heat to get cuttings from them. The young 
growths of these, and other soft-wooded 
plants, if put into shallow pans filled 
with silver sand, kept very moist, and placed 
in a brisk bottom heat, soon strike root, and 
can be potted off when ready. All arrears of 
work should be done as soon as possible, for 
the spring is a very busy time, and if tasks 
fall behind in execution, it is very difficult 
indeed to make up the lost time. 
Greenhouse. —The somewhat sudden and 
remarkable changes in the temperature—cold 
wind and keen frost one day, and then warm, 
southerly breezes and genial sunshine another 
—are rather trying to the amateur gardener, 
and he must be on the alert to keep out that 
active enemy, the frost. Water early in the 
day, and water carefully, so that no unnecessary 
moisture be left on plants, or shelves, or the floor 
of the house. This remark applies, as might 
be expected, to a house where fire-lieat is put 
in only as a preventive to injury from frost; 
under such circumstances, water must be given 
sparingly, giving more as the temperature 
rises. Chinese Primroses are most useful 
plants in the greenhouse at this time of the 
year, because they will bear a little frost with¬ 
out taking much harm. Cinerarias also—that 
is, if they are from early-sown seed—will be 
coming on also, and Calceolarias f\\e subject that 
most villa gardeners cultivate, will need potting 
as the plants increase in size. At this time of 
the year and onwards, root-action is setting in in 
the case of the plants that move early, and so 
they will need increased supplies of water. Such 
plants as are later in moving, and are still at 
rest, can remain dry until they show signs of 
growth. 
The practice of the florists of top-dressing 
their Auriculas and Polyanthuses in February, 
when they commence being active, is one that 
can be followed by the amateur with much 
benefit to his plants. All plants needing to be 
repotted should be attended to as soon as con¬ 
venient, but taking care not to overpot, to give 
good, sweet, growing soil, and to keep the 
plants from being harmed by frost while they 
are making fresh roots. The plants that do 
not need repotting will be much benefited by 
some top-dressing. The first thing to be done 
is to turn the plants out of pots to see they 
are not defective in their drainage, and to re¬ 
move any worms from the soil; then, by 
means of a pointed stick, loosen the surface soil 
in the pots down to the upper roots, leaving 
them bare, and add some good soil. This will 
materially assist the plants, and cause them to 
make a free growth presently. Hard-wooded 
plants in particular are assisted by top¬ 
dressing. 
As the days lengthen the sun will gain in 
power, and the drying influences in the house 
will strengthen, and more water will be needed. 
As the weather waxes warmer green-fly will 
become troublesome, and measures must be 
taken to keep them under. Keep the house 
thoroughly clean in all its parts, and the pots 
and plants also. 
Cold Frames .—The more snugly the plants 
are kept while sharp frost is on the better. It 
is of no use to open the frames; it will be 
better to put on coverings, to decrease as far 
as possible the effect of the frost. When a 
thaw comes the lights should be lifted, as 
directed last month, and decaying leaves re¬ 
moved. Here, as in the greenhouse, top-dress¬ 
ing needs to be carried out, doing it when the 
frost has departed and a genial thaw has set in. 
Hardy plants, in pots that are full of roots, will 
be as much benefited by this treatment as green¬ 
house plants. The simple aim of the suburban 
gardener should be to assist the plants to make 
a kindly growth, so that good heads of bloom 
may result.— Slburbanus. 
SALVIA INVOLUCRATA 
BETHELLII. 
HE very beautiful Salvia Bethellii , which 
was so much admired when shown by 
Mr. Cannell, at South Kensington, in 
November last, is quite deserving of all that 
