CALENDAR FOR APRIL. 
91 
the approaching months promise a richer 1 variety than usual in 
the amount of vegetable forms in their most attractive dresses 
at one time. The number of additional species this month it is 
impossible to state, for, whilst Lindley and others make the 
number of native willows not above thirty, more than seventy 
distinct forms are figured in “English botany;” so much do 
the plants vary according to soil and exposure. Again, the 
primrose, cowslip, and oxlip, are generally considered as distinct, 
yet the Rev. Mr. Henslow has seen them all growing from the 
same root. Nearly the whole of our forest trees will flower 
during the present month ; but, perhaps, a point almost as 
interesting in their economy as observing and securing speci¬ 
mens of their bloom will be found in noting the very great 
difference which occurs in the leafing of individuals of the same 
species. For instance, in a hawthorn hedge, or clump of oaks, 
very remarkable variations in the time of expansion and outline 
of the leaf may be noticed. The Glastonbury thorn and Caden- 
ham oak are extreme instances. 
The flower garden will be a busy spot this season. Hardy 
annuals should be sown, and herbaceous plants regulated, the 
grass and walks carefully looked after, and preparation made, as 
far as possible, for turning out the summer bedding plants. 
The destruction among these must be remedied, as far as 
possible, by continually propagating the survivors, and hardening 
them off as soon as well rooted. Half-hardy annuals should 
also be sown on slight hot-beds, taking care to draw the plants 
as little as possible. 
Many green-house plants may be propagated this month, 
where it is desirable to increase the collection by such means, 
and shifting the plants must also be regularly attended to ; but 
while avoiding to give the plants too small a shift, as some as¬ 
sume all old gardeners did, it will be as well, also, not to fill the 
houses with large pots and small plants: the medium in this, as 
in most other cases, will generally be found most satisfactory. 
A gradual increase of heat and air must also be allowed, taking 
care not to expose the plants to dry cutting winds. 
In the stove, re-potting the plants must also go on, and, in 
conjunction with increased light, heat, and moisture carefully 
administered, the plants can hardly fail to progress favour¬ 
ably. Any foreign seeds should also be sown on hot-beds, 
plunging the pots in tan, sawdust, or other similar material. 
