HINTS FOR FEBRUARY. 
The pleasure derived from house-plants continues un¬ 
abated, in fact, increases, now as the plants are fully 
awake to active life and growth. Now the develop¬ 
ment of leaves and flowers is very rapid, and with every 
bud comes a new pleasure, not only an additional one, 
but in reality a new one; for if a thousand buds were to 
develop in a day, there would be a special thanksgiving 
for each. No two would be exactly alike, and if they 
were, each would receive a special love, one that could 
not be shared by any other bud. Some new plant is 
now coming into bloom: how eagerly we watch its 
daily development! Some new fantastic form is present¬ 
ing itself that is charming the whole household. How 
anxiously we watch the colors as the petals unfold, 
wondering if it will really prove true, to the name given 
it! Our joy is complete and our faith in human nature 
grows stronger, as we find the new plant is even more 
than we had anticipated. 
We must not overlook the fact that this is the insect 
season, and that we must watch the plants carefully, to 
detect the earliest signs of thrip, aphis, red-spider, and 
all other insects injurious to vegetation. We must be 
after them at once: it will not do to delay at all this im¬ 
portant work, for their power of reproduction is won¬ 
derfully great, and the sooner they are attacked the 
easier it will be to exterminate them. 
Use the syringe constantly on the upper and under 
sides of the leaves : unless the room is very warm and 
sunny, nearly all the moisture the plant will require, 
may be given in tins, the more natural way. 
During the later part of the month, preparations 
for Spring work should commence in earnest. Having 
completely devoured the catalogues at hand, and en¬ 
joyed to the fullest extent imaginary gardening, now 
come right down to the hard-pan of reality. If you 
have not selected such seeds, bulbs, and plants, as you 
intend to buy, do so at once, bearing in mind that he 
who buys early buys best, for then there is the best 
to select from, and you will not be annoyed at .the an¬ 
nouncement, that, “your order coming so late, we were 
obliged to substitute. 1 ’ Do not buy cheap or low-priced 
seeds; the best are none too good, and the very best are 
usually scarce. Be cautious when you read, “our facilities 
enable us to give you as much for ten cents as many do 
for a dollar.” There is a dark object beneath the fence 
that hides from your vision the whole truth; or at least 
an important part of it. 
For early flowers, planting season should soon com¬ 
mence. Many annuals should be started at once, others 
by the first of March, that is for localities where plant¬ 
ings in the open border can be made soon alter the first 
of April; and where they cannot be made with safety 
until after the first of May, sow seeds about a month later. 
If the seed of Pansies and Verbenas are sown by the 
middle of this month, good strong plants can be secured 
by planting time, plants that will bloom the entire 
season. Asters for early flowering should be started 
this month, and if they can be two or three times shifted, 
it will add to their strength, which will give an increase 
of bloom. For late flowering, the seed should be sown 
in boxes, about the first of July, and transplanted into 
the beds or border as soon as the plants have four or five 
leaves. Zinnias and Petunias should also be started 
this month, which will greatly prolong their season of 
bloom. Cockscombs should be started early, and the 
young plants grown on in thumb-pots until they 
have set their “ combs;” then, when turned out into the 
open border, they will spread out and give immense 
heads, besides keeping the plants dwarf, an important 
feature in their cultivation. Many other annuals will 
repay the trouble their early starting costs. But do not 
force them too fast: as far as possible imitate nature. 
Do not allow your plants to become drawn up by too 
much heat and too little light and air. 
Biennials and perennials, together with some of our 
half hardy climbers should now be started. Antirrhinums, 
if the seed is sown now, will come into flower in July, 
continuing the whole season, and make a far better dis¬ 
play than can be had from old plants. The Delphinium 
formosum and its varieties, will give an abundance of 
flowers in Autumn, if the seeds are started this month. 
In the whole list of hardy herbaceous plants, there are 
none more satisfactory than this; by sowing a few seeds 
annually, a succession of bloom can be kept up nearly 
all Summer, as the old plants flower in June, continuing 
on, if cut back until September, at which time the young 
plants will commence. Cobcea Scandens, the most rapid 
grower of all the climbers, must be started early in 
order to have the plants well established before the 
weather becomes hot and dry. Nasturtiums will repay 
the trouble an early start causes. All the annual varie¬ 
ties of ornamental grasses will do much better if the 
seed is sown this month, and the plants get well 
established before planting out. 
THE WONDERS OF THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 
NO. V. 
. Climbing Plants, in all their movements, manifest a 
degree of intelligence as marked and subtle as do 
plants in search for food. Plants are said to become 
climbers in order, as it may be presumed, to reach 
the light, and to expose a larger surface of their 
leaves to its action, and to that of the free air—an 
arrangement classed with the various economics of 
nature. We accept the supposition with indifference, 
because we cannot, from any real knowledge we have 
on the subject, say why some plants climb and others 
creep, trail, or grow strong and erect, any more than 
we can say why some men were born black, others 
’»x 
