46 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ March, 
cole, and Onions must, of course, find a place 
in the garden. Broccoli, Dwarf and Climbing 
Beans, Savoys, Carrots, Parsnips , Turnips, Beet , 
and other things, must be provided for as space 
offers. As sowing proceeds, the ground should 
be raked over neatly, so that the Kitchen 
Garden may be a sight pleasant to look upon. 
Where there is a garden-frame to spare, a few 
Ashleaf Kidney or other Early Potatos may be 
planted, to give an advance crop. 
Fruit Garden. —So far, there is every pro¬ 
mise of a good crop of fruit. The trees gener¬ 
ally are one mass of flower-buds, and gardeners 
are looking hopefully towards the approaching 
summer. On the whole, trees are fairly well 
backward, but a warm, though windy, March 
would greatly accelerate the development of 
the blossom-buds. No time should be lost in 
having the Fruit Garden made tidy, supposing 
that all pruning operations are suspended. We 
have found traces of American blight on a few 
of our apple-trees, but a slight dressing of 
paraffin, well diluted with water, will soon get 
rid of the spoiler. 
Flower Garden. —The recent severe frost 
has left its mark in the flower garden, and it 
will be many weeks ere we shall fully realise 
the destruction wrought. Such things as 
Wallflowers, Sweet Williams, and other hardy 
plants, especially those that bloom in spring, 
have suffered severely, and will have to be re¬ 
placed. Amateur gardeners who have no re¬ 
serve of plants will find some difficulty in filling 
up blanks, as hardy plants will be scarce, owing 
to the deadly effects of the frost. Then the 
summer display must be thought of. We will 
presently treat of the bedding-plants in the 
greenhouse and frame. A frame with a gentle 
bottom-heat is of great service just now, as 
there are many things that can be raised by 
its help for service in the flower garden in 
summer. Stoclcs, Asters, Helichrysums, Zinnias, 
Nasturtiums , &c., can be raised in this way, 
so as to have good plants to put out in 
May and June. The suburban gardener 
can do but little in the way of raising 
plants from cuttings, unless he has a small 
propagating-pit at his disposal, and a brisk 
heat, in which to push on the plants into 
size. Bedding-plants are rarely satisfactory, 
unless they are strong and well hardened off. 
Thus it is that the half-hardy annuals we have 
named are of such good service, because they 
are rapid growers and can be got into size in 
a short time, whereas, to strike cuttings of 
Verbenas, Heliotropes, Fuchsias, Pelargoniums, 
&c., and get them into size for planting-out is 
a work of time. In raising these seeds, care 
should be taken that the plants do not become 
drawn ; and as soon as they are large enough to 
handle they should be pricked off into boxes or 
pans, two or three inches apart, and hardened 
off in a cold frame. Towards the end of the 
month, a few good useful and showy annuals 
may be sown in the open air, in rich, light soil. 
Cold Frames. —These are now as the nur¬ 
series of the greenhouse, and furnish many sub¬ 
jects to make it gay. All the hardy Primrose 
family are moving into growth, though slowly, 
and with them Hyacinths, Narcissi, Tulips, 
and many early-flowering, hardy plants. Water¬ 
ing must be attended to, and all necessary 
light and air given. All the subjects that can 
be top-dressed, as one does Auriculas, will be 
greatly benefited thereby, and if time allows, 
the pots should be well cleansed also. 
Greenhouse. —Gold houses have come very 
badly out of the recent severe tussle with old 
Father Winter, and many plants, despite the 
employment of heating appliances, have gone 
down in the struggle. Even with the aid of 
what we believed to be the best of the modern 
oil-lamps for heating purposes, the frost would 
not be stayed, and we have lost nearly every 
plant of a tender character. We have now to 
fall back on the cold frame for a fresh supply. 
Where the plants have been preserved through 
better heating-power, they will be beginning 
to grow, and now attention must be given to 
such as require shifting, and those not requiring 
this operation will be greatly benefited by 
being top-dressed. The shelves of the green¬ 
house should now be thoroughly cleansed, so 
that the plants can be properly arranged for 
the growing-season. After repotting, top¬ 
dressing, and rearranging are done, it is well to 
keep the house close for a few days ; and should 
the weather be fine and sunny, an occasional 
syringing will be of much benefit to the plants. 
Any bedding-plants, or those required for 
greenhouse decoration during the summer, 
that are in store-pots, should be potted singly 
into small pots and placed in a favourable part 
of the house, where they can receive encourage¬ 
ment to grow. At this season of the year the 
young plants are apt to become affected with 
green-fly, and an occasional smoking with 
tobacco-paper or rag will be found to benefit 
them.— Suburbanus. 
GARDEN GOSSIP. 
« HE Annual General Meeting of the 
Royal Horticultural Society took 
place on February 8th, Lord Aberdare, 
President, in the chair. The attendance was small, 
and but little interest was manifested in the proceed¬ 
ings. The result of the ballot for Council and Officers 
was to return Lord Aberdare as President, Heury 
Webb, Esq., as Treasurer, and Dr. Hogg as Secretary; 
and J. T. D.Llewelyn, Esq., J. McIntosh, Esq., and G. 
F. Wilson, Esq.,'F.R.S., wero elected new members of 
Council, which is thus strengthened by men having 
strong and well-known horticultural sympathies. 
The Report of the Council, taken as read, con¬ 
gratulated the Fellows on the steady improvement 
of the Society during the past year, the number of 
Fellows and the receipts from all sources having in- 
