40 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
ground should be prepared for Onions and 
Parsnips ; the time for sowing will much de¬ 
pend on the weather. Onions prefer deep 
well-enriched soils, and Parsnips deep loams; 
do not be afraid of digging land too deeply, 
provided the subsoil is tolerably good. Peas 
and Beans must be sown for- successional 
supply. Look over the root-stores, and see 
that seed Potatoes are prevented from grow¬ 
ing, by keeping them thin in a cool tempera¬ 
ture. 'Dress with soot or guano Winter 
Spinach, Parsley, and Cabbage, and sow a 
little of each towards the end of the month 
in a warm place. 
FRUIT GARDEN. 
Proceed with pruning wall trees, as well 
as trees in the open quarters. Apricots, 
Peaches, and Nectarines may be pruned and 
nailed-in towards the end of the month. See 
that matting, canvas, or other protecting ma¬ 
terials are in order by the end of the month. 
They should then be placed before the above 
to retard the opening of the blooms, for by 
keeping these from opening till as late a 
period as possible, the chance of their setting 
is increased. Fruit trees of all kinds may 
yet be planted, observing to do this only when 
the soil is dry, or nearly so. Spread out the 
roots regularly, and mulch the surface after 
planting. Give a surface-dressing of rich 
manure to Strawberry-beds; do not dig this 
in, but allow it to remain on the surface: 
digging only destroys the surface-roots. 
Prune Gooseberry and Currant bushes; it is 
a useful plan to plant these in lines 5 or 
6 feet apart, and train them to sticks es¬ 
palier fashion. Clean up the prunings, and 
burn, or rather char them for top-dressing^ 
and fork over the ground underneath tire 
trees, adding dung or fresh soil when the land 
is poor or the trees are exhausted. 
flower garden. 
Wherever the soil has been displaced about 
the roots of Alpine and rock plants, add fresh 
soil, or replant them. Anemones and Ranun¬ 
culuses may be planted, the former for a late 
bloom. Loamy soil, well enriched with rotten 
cow-manure, is the most suitable for them, 
and a situation shaded from the mid-day sun. 
Protect beds of Russian and Tree Violets 
from severe frost by sticking a few evergreen 
branches among them. Deciduous trees and 
shrubs may be planted in open, weather. 
Evergreens had better be deferred till towards 
the end of the month, or till March. Turn 
over and prepare compost for flower-beds, &c. 
Roses may be planted this month with success. 
On the first appearance of green fly on the 
potted plants, fumigate with tobacco forth¬ 
with. The necessary temperature for forcing 
hatches the eggs of the Rose-maggot, than 
which a more destructive enemy to early 
bloom does not exist. The first intimation of 
their existence is a snuff-like powder on the 
points of the pushing shoots ; there three or 
four may be perceived from amongst the 
embryo leaves, and they must be closely 
hunted for, or they will escape detection; 
and it should not be forgotten, that one 
maggot will, before it is full grown, destroy 
many blossoms in their early stages. 
florists’ flowers. 
Auriculas. —Top-dress without delay with 
rich soil, and water more freely if the weather 
continues mild. The boxes should now face 
the south, and as the plants make growth, in¬ 
creased care and watchfulness will be neces¬ 
sary to protect them by covering during frosty 
nights; on all other occasions give them plenty 
of air, also light by cleaning the glass, which 
will be found necessary after so much cover¬ 
ing during the late severe weather. Young 
plants wintered in small pots should be re¬ 
potted, to encourage a vigorous growth. 
Carnations and Picotees .—These will require 
a general cleaning, trimming off all dead 
foliage. If mild, water those that are start¬ 
ing into growth, if at all dry. Should the 
majority be tolerably dry at one time, a gentle 
shower on a mild day towards the end of the 
month will greatly assist the plants. Keep 
the frames open as much as possible. Soil 
for blooming them in should be well and often 
turned, keeping it dry for use. Fuchsias .— 
Plants intended for specimens for exhibition 
should now be pushed along in gentle heat— 
if moist, so much the better—drawing the 
syringe over them during the afternoon. 
Young stock should be grown in heat, giving 
them sufficient room not to draw each other 
up weakly. Continue to put in cuttings. 
Hollyhock: s .— Repot autumn-struck plants, 
using good rich soil to induce them to make 
stout, stocky plants, instead of starting pre¬ 
maturely into bloom. The plants being small 
is of but little consequence, so long as they 
are not “ leggy.” Good cuttings, struck this 
month, if properly encouraged, make excel¬ 
lent plants, and flower in good time ; there¬ 
fore continue to take them from the old stools, 
and strike them in moist bottom heat. Seed 
should now be sown. Pansies .—Lose no 
time in repotting those intended for blooming 
in pots, the soil having been kept dry. Let 
the plants remain a week at least after they 
have been shifted before watering them. 
Give them plenty of air, and keep the lights 
off as much as possible. Plant out the ge¬ 
neral stock towards the end of the month, 
choosing a dry time. Plant out seedlings that 
have been wintered in pans. Pinks .—Stir 
the surface of the beds as soon as they are 
sufficiently dry, and fill any vacancies occa¬ 
sioned by winter from those in pots. After 
severe frost the plants should be firmly 
pressed into the ground. Pinks recover in a 
remarkable manner with a little fine weather, 
and therefore should not be destroyed hastily. 
Tulips .—Protect the bed from heavy rains or 
snow. Frost during February will do them 
little harm, unless the bed is in a wet state, 
and not properly drained. 
