60 
FLORICULTURAL HINTS, 
roots, as before stated, are carefully taken up, and potted in 
light soil, such as peat and loam, and kept where they may be 
just guarded from frost till spring, to be then returned to the 
borders, there will remain but little doubt of the flowering of 
every one having sufficient strength ; they do not grow to any 
appreciable extent in winter, and bear to be closely covered for a 
week at a time, if occasion should require it; yet from the ad¬ 
vance gained in autumn, they are strong plants at the time they 
would by the usual method have been only commencing their 
growth, and thus the summer is lengthened to them nearly two 
months. 
The smaller bulbs taken up at the same time with the others, 
but not deemed worth potting, may be returned to the bed, and 
with a thick covering of litter will go safely through the severi¬ 
ties of the season, and in the next year most of them become 
flowering plants. G. cardinolis delights in light yet moist soil: 
it must be light, to allow the roots an easy medium in which to 
spread in search of food ; it must be porous, to allow the escape 
of superabundant water, and at the same time it should not be 
liable readily to become dry; we cannot therefore give them a 
better kind of soil than that known as peat, which meets the 
requirements more nearly than any other. Theory teaches us 
the absolute necessity of repose to vegetation of all kinds; but 
practice sets the limits to be observed with each individual. 
FLORICULTURAJL hints. 
March is a busy month indeed with the florist; every member 
of his charge requires more or less attention. Where matters 
have been got forward, we shall find the Auriculas top-dressed, 
the Picotees and Carnations potted, and probably the Dahlias 
started; but if circumstances have prevented the completion of 
either of these operations, no time must be lost in getting them 
done. Auriculas after dressing, which may be done with almost 
any description of compost that is something richer than the soil 
they are growing in, should be stationed in a sunny sheltered 
spot, and must be very carefully guarded from frost and nipping 
