THE LADIES' FLORAL CABINET. 
69 
commenced their growth, than during winter, while 
they are hibernating. Bulbs require more care and 
attention this month than all the year beside. Give them 
the amount required and they will bring beauty and 
promise, and not blight our hopes and prospects of bright 
and beautiful flowers. 
Remove every trace of winter' decay and death as 
soon as possible, if not already done. Clean up every 
bed and border, so that every new-born plant may have 
neat and pleasant surroundings, and not come strug¬ 
gling into life through the dead forms of the last year’s 
growth. The dead leaves and branches of the past 
should not cruelly afflict, by their presence, the bright 
blossoms of the present. The living and the dead are as 
uncongenial companions in the family of plants as with 
the family of men. 
The cleaning up of herbaceous borders and beds should 
be completed at once. Strong growing plants, such as 
Pajonies, Phloxes, Dielytra and Delphiniums, must be 
occasionally reduced into smaller clumps, and choice 
varieties multiplied by division. Although the proper 
time for division and propagation of herbaceous plants 
is in autumn, the parts that are cut off in reducing the 
size of the clumps may in part be saved. These opera¬ 
tions should be attended to annually, else there is great 
danger of the plants of the least worth and beauty 
monopolizing the greater portion of the space. Well- 
rotted manure should be liberally applied to the borders, 
and forked in as soon as the plants have made sufficient 
growth to show where the work can be done without 
injury to them. 
The pruning and training of all climbers should be 
completed as soon as possible. All hardy Roses may be 
pruned towards the end of the month. The chief rule 
is to cut the weakest growers most severely, The strong 
shoots can carry a good crop of Roses with impunity ; 
the weaker ones draw upon the stronger the sustenance 
they should retain for the perfect development of their 
own flowers. 
See that all stalks and ties are fresh and firm; loosen 
the surface of the soil, and, if possible, top-dress or 
mulch with rotten manure, just coveiing it with earth 
to save appearances. If you want good Roses, let no 
flowers glow over their roots—no, not one ; not even a 
Violet or Mignonette ; the latter, though so sweet and 
innocent-looking, will rob your Roses as greedily as a 
crop of cabbage. 
If possible, plant Lilies this month; wherever they may 
be they will have commenced their growth, which 
should not be wasted in the open air ; do not plant, 
however, unless the soil is in the proper condition—light 
and friable ; better not plant at all than to plant in a 
cold, heavy, wet soil. In spring-time do not disturb the 
ground until it is warm, and dry enough to work up 
light and mellow; if turned up wet and lumpy it will 
remain in the latter condition until another season’s 
frost disintegrates it, and your summer’s work will be 
lost. 
Gladioli can safely be planted this month, and tho 
■earlier the better, when tho soil is in the proper condi¬ 
tion ; it matters not if the ground freezes to the depth of 
two or three inches, it will not injure the bulbs, (conns) 
neither will a slight frost injure the plants when up. 
Seedlings of annuals, bi-ennials and perennials, that 
were started in the house last month should now be re¬ 
potted, or pricked out into cold frames and grown on as 
rapidly as possible, giving them plenty of air and light 
in order to have them strong and healthy ; do not let 
them grow up weak and spindling, from such condi¬ 
tions they never recover. 
Pansies that were started last autumn, and wintered 
over in frames, should now be transplanted into their 
permanent beds; give them a partially shaded situation, 
selecting a heavy, moist soil if possible, and the richer 
you make it the larger and more abundant will be your 
flowers. 
House plants will not be in their perfection of bloom, 
and will require proportionate care and attention. 
When the sun shines out brightly and warm give them 
all the air that is possible; syringe two or three times 
daily, but not at all when the days are dark and dreary. 
Exercise the greatest care in keeping all plants scrupu¬ 
lously clear of insects. Aphis and Thrip come seemingly 
on the wings of March winds. Fight them in all ways j 
either kill them or they will kill your plants ; you can¬ 
not compromise with them. Tobaccc-smoke will anni¬ 
hilate them if it can be confined around them. When 
that cannot be used, give the plant a bath in streng, 
warm soap-suds, and after a few minutes rinse in clean 
warm water. Follow this up for two or three days, 
each morning, and all signs of animal life will disap¬ 
pear, excepting the scale, which will not give up so 
easily; they must be removed by mechanical means. 
Rub them off with a soft, smooth stick, and wash the 
plant thoroughly afterwards. 
Tiie following very excellent and practical remarks on 
floriculture were made by John B. Moore, Esq., of Con¬ 
cord, Mass., at the Farmers’ Institute, New Bedford, 
Mass., January 10th, 1883 : 
, He said that one great difficulty in out-door growing 
of flowers comes from seed not germinating, which is 
oftener the fault of the planter than of the seedsman. 
Perhaps most of the seedsmen keep over the old seed 
which is not sold, but they endeavor to have as little as 
possible left over. Small seeds should be only lightly 
covered. They will do better sown in a cold frame. An¬ 
other good way is to take a box two or three inches deep, 
fill it half full of a hash of earth and swamp moss (sphag¬ 
num), cover a very little loose earth over the mixture, 
and a little more then over the seed. If seed is to be 
planted in open ground, wait for settled warm weather, 
and the blossoms will be produced just as early as if the 
seed had been put into the cold ground of early Spring. 
There is more satisfaction in growing perennials than 
annuals, but they should be moved once in two or three 
years after the roots have exhausted the soil in the spots 
where they have grown. Among the best perennials 
are the Delphiniums (Larkspurs), Phloxes, Hollyhocks, 
Pereunial Poppies, and hardy varieties of Clematis. 
But it takes a good florist to raise Clematis from seed. 
Then there are two varieties of Japan Grass (Eulalia 
Japouica), which the speaker had proved to be hardy 
Lilies, Giadioli, and hybrid perpetual Roses. The 
Roses should be three by four feet apart, and in Winter 
should be earthed up eight to twelve inches. The part 
above ground will be Winter killed, but this is only 
judicious pruning. There is no special difficulty in 
cultivating them. The land should be deeply ploughed, 
and well fertilized. A starved bush will not blossom. 
Capt. Moore was asked about Tea Roses, and said, What 
