1881 . ] 
GARDEN GOSSIP. 
29 
may have to be cut to two to three inches. 
The chief object of this beheading of the young 
wood is to start all the buds back along its 
entire length. Without such cutting-back, 
probably only a few buds at the upper end 
would break into shoots, and the tree would 
speedily become bare of fruit-bearing wood, 
from the root upwards. The object of pruning 
is to keep the whole tree, from bottom to top, 
furnished with fruit-bearing wood. 
Flower Garden. —When the weather is mild, 
creepers upon walls, pillars, trellis-work, and 
such places should be pruned and trained. 
The deciduous plants, such as Clematis , Honey¬ 
suckle, and others, may be pruned in hard, 
excepting the spring-flowering varieties of the 
former, that should have all the wood of last 
summer left untouched, and only the decayed 
shoots cut out. Creepers and plants of all 
kinds against walls should be nailed firmly to 
them, as the wind is very apt to blow them 
about when in full leaf. The hardier kinds 
of roses may be pruned towards the end of 
the month, the tender kinds not till March or 
April. When the thaw comes, it will be found 
that many shallow-rooting plants, -such as 
Daisies , Pansies , Primroses, Polyanthus , &c., 
will be thrust up out of the soil by the action 
of the frost. The gardener should go carefully 
through the beds, and press all plants so 
loosened carefully into the soil, adding, if pos¬ 
sible a top-dressing of a fine compost, to give 
the plants a fresh start. We fear there will 
be many losses from the severe frost, and happy 
is that gardener who has a reserve of plants to 
draw from. 
Cold Frames. —Nature has helped the gar¬ 
dener during the frosty weather, by piling on 
his frames a deep covering of snow. In the 
absence of snow, dry straw in a loose state, old 
hay, mats, or wooden shutters, can be used as 
protectors. It is well in the case of hardy plants 
to exclude as much frost as possible. When the 
weather becomes mild, advantage should be 
taken to go through the frames, pressing the 
soil firmly about the roots of plants where it 
has become loosened, and top-dressing in all 
cases. Water should also be given sparingly, 
but enough to preserve the plant in growth. 
Any early bulbs coming into flower should be 
taken into the greenhouse, to assist them in 
coming on into bloom. 
Greenhouse. —Alas ! for the occupants of 
many a suburban greenhouse that could be 
warmed only in a haphazard make-sliift fashion ; 
many a plant will have gone down before the 
fierce attack of the frost. When the losses are 
counted up, the death of many a favourite will 
have to be deplored. Happy are they who have 
their glass erections heated by hot water, or 
by means of a serviceable flue! In the case of 
the cold house, the gardener can only wait 
patiently for mild weather to show what has 
survived; but in his warm house a little air 
and water will be requisite as the days lengthen, 
and brighter weather ensues. Such a house 
will soon be gay with Cytisus , Camellias , 
Cinerarias , Chinese Primroses , Diclytras , Hya¬ 
cinths, and many other spring-flowering plants. 
They require sufficient water to maintain them 
healthy, and above all, need to be kept clean. 
The most cheerful time of the year is rapidly 
approaching, and the gay spring-time should 
smile with the fairest of flowers, in the best 
possible condition.— Suburbanus. 
GARDEN GOSSIP. 
^gp-tillE Southern National Florists’ Societies, 
namely, the Auricula Society and 
the Carnation and Picotee Society, 
have issued their schedules for 1881. They contain 
but few changes, having been already found to work 
well. For the former flower, the classes for fifty, 
twelve, six, four, and two remain as before, the 
premier prize for the best twelve being understood 
to be the blue ribbon of the day. in the single¬ 
specimen classes, the two types of golden and white- 
centred Alpine Auriculas are separated, and a place 
is made for Fancy Auriculas, a term which is ex¬ 
tended to include the very pretty and novel laced 
varieties, and also those with double flowers. The 
class for twelve hardy Primulas, other than Auriculas, 
Polyanthuses, or common double and single Prim¬ 
roses, will, we hope, bring out a better competition 
than last year, as it would add very much to the 
interest of the show, which is to take place at South 
Kensington on Tuesday, April 19th. For the 
Carnations and Picotees, the show is fixed for 
Tuesday, July 19th. The classes are substantially 
the same as last year; but one for twelve yellow- 
ground Picotees, six of which are to be dissimilar, 
has been added, which will give an opportunity for 
the display of Mr. Turner’s grand novelties in this 
way, several of which have won high honours as 
seedlings. This show is also to be held in the Royal 
Horticultural Society’s garden. — The Annual 
General Meeting of National Florists’ Societies— 
Auricula, Royal Tulip, and Carnation and Picotee — 
Northern Section, will be held in Manchester on 
February 2nd. 
- 2ThE LasTREA RiCHARDSII MULT1FIDA, 
recently introduced from New Caledonia by 
the Messrs. Veitch and Sons, of Clielsea, is 
one of the handsomest of tasselled stove ferns. 
The fronds grow 3 feet high, and are numerously 
developed from a short decumbent caudex. The 
stipes is a dark purplish-brown, the lamiua of a 
bright green, oblong lanceolate, not gradually 
diminishing at the base, but having one or two 
pairs of small abortive basal pinnse. The pinnse 
are upwards of 4 inches long in the broadest part, 
and terminate in a densely-fingered tuft of about 
fifty long narrow acute divisions, tho apex of the 
frond dividing into two or more branches, consisting 
of about seventy of these small finger-like seg¬ 
ments. Its bright green colour and bold-crested 
apices, with their numerous narrow divisions, give 
this plant a singularly elegant character. 
— SHriting of Eucharis amazonioa in the 
Gardeners' Chronicle , Mr. Pragncll, of Eoe- 
liampton, observes :—Our plan is to shake out 
the bulbs early in January, select the largest, repot- 
