ever plants grow which are their especial favourites, and try to catch the mice in traps before the crocus roots and other bulbs fall a sacrifice.

Look well through seedsmen's lists of plants to see what seeds should be sown, indoors or out, this month, especially remembering Stocks, Larkspurs, and all useful showy plants.

Consider the requirements of Hyacinths, Tulips, Carnations, Roses, Auriculas, and all choice flowers, and give them the protection, dressing, fumigation, pruning, and other treatment they stand in need of.

GARDEN OPERATIONS IN MARCH.

Now, in the garden, the "mirth and fun grow fast and furious." Not an hour of fine weather and daylight must be lost.

All the flower beds and borders should be forked and regularly set in order. Wherever there is space for it to be done without mischief to growing plants, shrubs, or trees, let it be deeply worked, putting in leaf mould deep down, for a deep soil in a garden is always good. Where beds stocked with perennials and roots of all kinds render deep working dangerous, fork the surface, finely pulverizing the mould, and taking care not to destroy. Gardeners' careless forking and digging often destroy plants which less careless owners find it very difficult to replace; and when a valued plant or group of bulbs has disappeared, the only explanation to be got, "I dug over the place, and I am sure I never saw it," gives very poor satisfaction. As the flower beds are forked over, have a mental eye to their future planting, and a bodily one to their present requirements, and as you progress put in the compost and the manure most likely to produce a good result for the coming floral season.

March winds are strong; none will deny that. After gusty days and nights it will be advisable to look over trained climbers and beds of choice flowers, and put in order whatever has been disarranged, especially taking care to fix and steady half uprooted plants. Where winter wet has rotted stakes and ties, they should be renewed.

Box and other edgings should be replanted and set in order, all the garden reduced to perfect neatness, and if any alterations in the planting be desired let it be done at once, for we may now expect the growing season to come upon us without loss of time, and when growth commences removals will be much less advantageous. This has reference to many miles round London, and similar localities. In Dorsetshire, beautiful Devonshire, west of that, and in the mild Channel Islands, work in the gardens will be more forward.

Continue to make cuttings, and to pot off growing cuttings, removing the well-established plants to cooler places, to make room for the new ones. Geraniums, Calceolarias, and Verbenas will strike readily now on a nicely made hotbed. Those who wish to use many bedding plants in their garden ought at this time to have a large supply on hand, from fine cuttings made in the autumn, to be continually reinforced this month by fresh-made cuttings.

Ilardy annuals, which were sown in February, should be hardened off

for planting out. Some Sweet Peas may be sown very thinly in pots, and raised in a gentle hotbed. Some may also be sown in the open borders, and if, when those which are a little forced come forward, one pot of the forced peas is planted close against a clump of those grown in the natural ground, the two will make a fine clump, which will come forward early and last in flower a long time. Prick out the plants of ten-week Stocks, and any similar seedlings in hand, and sow more seed for a succession.

This month there may be a general sowing of hardy annuals in the borders, and also seed of good perennials and biennials without stint. In fact, abundant provision of plants of all kinds must be made, and all our lists looked over and books consulted, to see that we forget nothing which we shall have reason to wish for when we come to plant out finally, for every fine week lost now will be doubly missed later in the year.

Half-hardy annuals may be sown in a hotbed, and when the seedlings are an inch or two tall they may be transplanted into another hotbed, or planted out in pots to remain until May, when they may be planted out in the borders. Tender or greenhouse annuals may also be sown in a hotbed, pricked out into another, and afterwards placed in a greenhouse. There are, however, many which, if planted out in warm borders in June, will flower freely, and even ripen sced.

GARDEN OPERATIONS IN APRIL.

The important work of making cuttings requires a few more detailed remarks, which will apply more or less to all the period during which they are made. Cuttings have the advantage of perpetuating the old plant, whereas seedlings may vary from it in appearance or character.

In quick-growing soft-wooded plants, take as cuttings young shoots or tops of the plants. Such are Anagallis, Antirrhinums, Calceolarias, Carnations, Chrysanthemums, Dahlias, Pinks, Wallflowers (only the double ones are worth growing from cuttings), Gorterias, Gaillardias, the low-growing Lobelias, Fuchsias, Geraniums, Petunias, Pentstemons, Salvias, and Verbenas. Pots of all these will do in a frame, on a very gentle hotbed, made of dead leaves, manure, or tan, or in a more artistically heated house; Geraniums and Fuchsias almost anywhere.

The cuttings of some plants should be the partially ripened wood. Such are Camelias, Cape Pelargoniums, Conifere, Erythrina, Echites, Gardenias, Gordonias (something like Camelias), Magnolias, Oleanders, and many

others.

Many plants may be propagated by cuttings of leaves with a bud at the base. Cinerarias, the tall Lobelias, Statices, and most herbaceous plants are increased by offshoots from the base of the parent plants. Some plants do best from cuttings of the roots, and the Rockets, Lychnis, and suchlike, by cuttings of the flower stems. Cuttings of hollow-stemmed plants should be cut at a joint.

The leaves should be removed from the part of the cutting which is to go in the earth, and generally some at the top removed and cut, to reduce evaporation. For the same reason, to reduce evaporation, they are covered

with a bell-glass, and shaded. Shade is, however, a necessary evil, tending to weaken and enervate, and to make them shoot upwards instead of root downwards. Give as little shade as possible.

If pots and pans are at all scarce, as they are in most establishments at this season, cuttings will do in just anything that will hold earth. Our children picked up on the sands one day a worn-out tin baking-dish, with holes in it, and begged that it might not be thrown away, as they were 66 sure it would come in handy." Now it, and other things about as incongruous, are full. For striking the cuttings use light sandy soil, with good drainage. A little heath soil or leaf mould may be added, great care being taken that the last is thorough mould; for if any rotten leaves remain in it they will cause damp and mouldiness. Do not take cuttings until the parent plants have begun to make their spring growth, and then try to make the cuttings continue that growth without interruption. To effect this, do not wet the cuttings, nor let them flag. As soon as they are planted, take them at once to the place prepared for them, where they may have a little more heat than they had before they were cut, moist atmosphere, a little air at night (weather permitting), and as much light as they will bear without flagging. If they flag at all they must have shade, or a taste from the syringe.

Recently-planted or transplanted trees should have their welfare cared for. If the weather turn warm and dry, a little sprinkling overhead with the watering-pot will do good, with less danger of giving a chill than watering the roots. A hay-band wound round the stems and a little hay scattered about the roots will prevent injuriously chilling evaporation. Wherever the roots seem shaken by the wind, make the earth firm round them, and look to the stakes.

Continue to sow plenty of hardy annuals if the requirements of your garden will need them, and if the weather should become mild a good many may now be sown out of doors. In forking over the flower beds and borders take especial care not to destroy any fine little self-sown plants; for Nature, which has led them on so far, will often produce in them finer plants and better bloom than we can get in those which we rear with greater pains.

The hotbed may, when ready, be brought into use, by being filled with tender annuals, such as French and African Marigolds, Asters, Zinnias Nolanas, Canary Creepers, Morandyas, Lophospermums, &c.

Much planting out and pricking out into the open borders can scarcely be depended on in our climate with safety yet; so if the indoor accommodation get over-crowded, and turning out become necessary, protection must be provided. We need scarcely fear worse weather in April than a simple pit or frame will provide for, if it have a cover of calico stretched on a wooden frame, to put on at night. Frigi domo has been much used and recommended, but white calico has the advantage of letting through more light.

The early-flowering bulbs will now be getting into full beauty, and the garden will be gay with all the early flowers, which in planting should never be left out, for when do we feel so greedy after flowers as we do when we have lost sight of them for months?

As the weather gets mild take care that indoor plants do not get too much warmth, watch for green flies and other insects, and destroy as they appear with fumigation, washing, and hand picking. Too much warmth and plenty of insects go hand in hand. Watch for aphides on indoor roses.

GARDEN OPERATIONS IN MAY.

In May planting out may go on with spirit, for even in our late springs frost scarcely ventures into the "flowery month." Mignonette should be sown in full tufts, which will come in nicely, as those raised indoors and planted out, and the self-sown plants, sure to come fine and early, get a little passés.

All the showery or damp weather must be made the most of for planting out the hardier kinds of choice bedding plants, such as Calceolarias, Verbenas, Scarlet Geraniums, and suchlike, leaving Heliotropes, Petunias, Anagallis, Nierembergia, and all that may be hurt by very slight night frosts, until the end of the month. It is better to be rather late in planting out, than to run risk from late frosts, provided the plants, when they are put out, are moved with care to take a large undisturbed ball of earth with each root.

It is very well worth while to make and have ready in May a slight hotbed for the cuttings to have all to themselves, and it can be done with very little trouble. Place a foot and a half thickness of stable litter, lay on 9 inches of decaying leaves, and tread them down well; then add 2 inches thickness of well decayed leaves, and after that 2 or 3 inches of sandy loam and leaf mould mixed. Beat the surface smooth, water it with warm water, and finish it with a layer of silver sand. Cuttings will strike quickly in this, and it will be found very useful.

Dahlias and many other tender roots and plants may be turned out this month, when once there is safety from more frost. Florists' flowers will want plenty of work bestowed upon them throughout the spring months. The beds may be finished off with final neat arrangement and planting, and sowing seed of hardy quick-growing annuals wherever gay patches of bright colour are wanted.

As groups of annuals grow, care must be taken that they are not so thick as to crowd each other, or they will never be fine, either in the plants or in the flower. Plants which are growing tall enough to need it should have good stakes.

All the litter that has been used about the garden for giving early protection will scarcely be wanted longer, and it may as well be turned to account for helping to make yet one more gentle hotbed, which will be sure to come in handy for some purpose or other.

Plants which are in luxuriant growth, and are blooming very abundantly, may have a little manure water if they are of kinds which require rich nourishment.

GARDEN OPERATIONS IN JUNE.

As early this month as possible all the planting out should be completed, and all the planted out will for some little time after require constant

watching and careful attention. Of course some failures will occur, even under the most favourable circumstances. It is well, therefore, to make provision by having a few plants in reserve. A garden of even very small size should have a little piece set aside as a nursery, to be kept stocked with a few fine plants, to be always ready to fill up vacancies, wherever they may occur. Trained plants on walls and trellises (if any fall to your share) should be gone over carefully, training and tying whenever necessary. The early-flowering bulbs will be very much in the way, as we want to arrange and plant the garden finally for the year, but we must on no account sacrifice the roots by cutting off the leaves too soon of those which would be injured by such precipitance. Many may, however, be taken up carefully with large unbroken masses of earth, and planted in any out-of-theway corner to die off at their leisure. Other roots which have lost their beauty for the season, may many of them be transplanted, with great care, in damp weather.

In clearing off stocks of cuttings, seedlings, and young plants of all kinds by planting out, it is a good way to pot a few fine ones of each kind, and to range them on beds of ashes (to keep off insects) in the nursery, or any place where they will be ornamental rather than the contrary. They will require little attention beyond watering in dry weather, and they are pretty sure to come in handy at a future time. If they should happen not to be wanted for filling up vacancies in the garden, the greenhouse, in boxes, or vases, or anywhere else where deaths or failures may make vacancies, how very few people there are in flower-loving England to whom a pretty flower in a pot is not an acceptable present, and how many persons there are owning small gardens to whom a nice plant is at any time most welcome!

Where the present gaiety of the garden will admit of losing some flowers, a great many plants may be encouraged to grow very fine by nipping off the flower buds. Some groups may be induced to remain longer in bloom, by serving some of the plants only in this way.

Unless we get very nice showery weather all the time the planting out is going forward, watering is a laborious item of the garden work, for until the young plants take to the ground they would die without this necessary evil. The water should be taken from an open tank, where from exposure to the air it will not be below its temperature. For delicate plants in chilly weather it should be a few degrees above it. The collars of plants should not be wetted, but the water so bestowed as to be taken up by the extremities of the roots; a little sprinkling overhead with a fine rose refreshes them. When liquid manure is given, take care that it is not too strong, and give it to no plants but such as are in active growth. When they are in full vigour of growth, and in danger of exhausting themselves with abundant flowering, the manure water may be given, good and without stint. Put it in at a little distance from the roots, so that the rootlets may take it up. Hydrangeas, Balsams, Cockscombs, Chrysanthemums, and suchlike plants of a vigorous growth will benefit by manure water. Do not give it to Heaths and similar hair-rooted plants. Never humour plants