68 
THE FLORIST'S JOURNAL. 
from the above, and convenience to grow them, with due atten¬ 
tion to successive sowings, a supply may be kept up from May 
till October. 
Buckingham Palace Gardens. 
ON THE PROTECTION OF SUMMER BEDDING 
PLANTS THROUGH THE WINTER; 
WITH A SELECT LIST OF PLANTS ADAPTED FOR THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
By Mr. W. Ansell. 
/ 
The month of September, or as early as possible in October, is 
the best time for placing half-hardy plants^under protection ; for 
not only the coldness, but also the dampness of the weather, as 
it usually occurs after this period of the year, is very hurtful to 
delicate plants in pots, when they are fully exposed. The in¬ 
fluence which the state of the weather has on these kinds of 
plants is very great: if they are exposed, the pots become 
saturated with water; the consequence of this is, that the roots 
perish, and the plants are, therefore, rendered sickly, and fre¬ 
quently perish on the arrival of winter. 
In providing a pit for their protection through the inclement 
season of winter, a place should be selected for it, which may 
be rendered as dry as possible, and where at the same time it 
would be sheltered from the north winds ; it should be so con¬ 
structed, that the plants would be elevated above the surface of 
the exterior ground, and not sunk beneath it, as is frequently 
the case, and this will provide for the more ready emission of 
dampness and free circulation of air. The bottom should be 
concreted to the thickness of six inches, and the surface should 
form an inclined plane towards the back, for the damp will more 
readily escape there ; a channel should be made to extend the 
whole length of the pit, connected with a small aperture through 
the wall at the lowest extremity; above the concrete put on a 
layer of coarse gravel or stones, regulating its thickness by the 
height of the plants; and on the top of this place a thin layer of 
coal-ashes. In making these arrangements, always bear in mind 
that plants require to be placed near the glass, not only to secure 
a due share of light, but also to secure an additional advantage 
