To many kinds shading will soon be necessary, and such should be got in readiness for using directly the plants show indications of suffering from excess of light. Attend to previous directions respecting potting or re-dressing, which should always precede the new growth. Many kinds, however, will from time to time require examining and the addition of fresh material. Do not permit water to lodge about the newly-formed roots, or rot they assuredly will. Increase the humidity of the house as the days lengthen. Remove plants in bloom to a drier house, to preserve them from spotting. Night temperature 60°, rising 10 or 15 by day.

GREENHOUSE.

If a mixed collection of plants is grown, remove the softwooded kinds to one end of the house, as they will require to be kept a little warmer than hardwooded sorts. Where separate houses can be afforded each, their management will be more easy. The cultivator must bear in mind that the successful growth of plants depends very much on a good start; and as the generality of greenhouse plants will now be commencing to grow, an abundance of both light and air is in the highest degree necessary to ensure a slow, steady, and progressive action. Not only must plants be kept as near the glass as circumstances permit, but the glass itself must be kept clean, and everything connected with the inside of the house in the same state. We said above a slight difference should be made in the management of hard and softwooded plants, but with both nothing like hurrying should be attempted; a short-jointed sturdy habit can only be obtained by the means above pointed out, combined with patience. Many things will now require repotting, and supposing a supply of peat, loam, and well rotted dried cow or other manure, is at hand, it may take place as opportunity offers; speaking in general terms, fibrous peat and silver sand are the principal ingredients for hard wooded plants, using more r less of loam, &c., for free-growing kinds. As some plants require pruning back at this season, allow them to form a new growth before shifting them. Let every attention be paid in potting to thorough drainage, as much of the after-success depends on this. Camellias are now in their greatest beauty, and will require rather more water than usual-manure water occasionally. As plants of these and Chinese Azaleas go out of bloom, place them in a cool house to recruit their energies, and to enable them to break strongly. Sow Mignonette for succession. Tuberoses should now be potted in light rich soil, in 32-sized pots, and when the plants are up a few inches repot them. Sow Balsams, Cockscombs, and other tender annuals for summer display. Cinerarias. -Late-struck plants should now be put into their blooming pots; these will succeed those now coming into bloom. Green fly will give some trouble this month; fumigate on their

first appearance, or the mischief will be done. Seedlings will now be fast coming into bloom. All will help to make the greenhouse gay; but in selecting those to be saved for another season compare them with the best already out. Pelargoniums.-March is an important month with this plant. Fumigating must be particularly attended to; as the plants begin to grow, aphides will make their appearance, and these must be kept under. Watering, too, at this season, requires more than ordinary care and judgment. As but little water is given during the dull winter months, the balls of earth become dry and hard towards the bottom of the soil; and as the general stock is started into growth at this season, care should be taken that, when watering, the water shall penetrate through the ball of earth. Training the plants into handsome shapes, as they progress, should be attended to, tying out the side shoots, and arranging them generally according to the instructions given on several previous occasions. If the foliage has become at all dusty, use the syringe freely until it is clean. Use weak liquid manure when the pots have become full of roots; give plenty of room, light, and air. Fancy varieties require much the same treatment as the other kinds; the warmest end of the house should be allotted to them.

CONSERVATORY.

This will now be at the height of its beauty by the addition to the ordinary stock of plants, of forced Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Roses, and other hardy shrubs, bulbs, &c. Allow nothing to detract from the interest attaching to select showy plants in the shape of faded or withered blooms, or negligence of any kind: a moderate temperature, say 48° or 50° by night, increasing 8 or 10° by day, should be maintained. Let the necessary watering be done early in the morning, that the house may become dry and enjoyable by the forenoon. Many of the best white Camellias will be soiled if exposed to damp. Water plants growing in the open border when dry.

PITS AND FRAMES.

Look over the stock of bedding plants, selecting such varieties as will require to be increased; remove them to a warmer temperature, where they will soon push young shoots, which will strike freely. Plants not required for propagation should be hardened off without delay. Keep them well stopped back, to form bushy plants by the time they are required for planting out. See to the coverings nightly, as the weather at this season being uncertain, one night's neglect may possibly cause much unnecessary trouble. Fumigate occasionally, and look well after mildew. Annuals required for bedding-purposes should now be sown. Peas should be sown in pots for turning out in May.

FORCING.

Vines in bloom require a dry temperature,

accompanied by a little extra heat, in order to enable them to set well and form handsome bunches. 65' will be a good average temperature, but Muscats require 70° to do them justice; stop the shoots at one joint above the bunch, leaving a leader. If the Vines have been cut back shorter than the rafter, tie down the shoots neatly, and thin the berries which are likely to swell, as soon as possible after they can be seen. Keep the air of the houses humid, by syringing the walls and damping the heating apparatus, when the Grapes are swelling and the Vines breaking. When the weather is mild, give air freely, using more caution when cold or frosty, so as to avoid exposing the foliage to chilling currents of air. Peaches.-In the early Peachhouse, disbud when the fruit is set, taking off a few of the extra buds at a time to prevent giving the trees a check; leave the shoots intended to form the wood for next year's crop regularly over the tree. After the fruit is set, the syringe should be again put in use on fine mornings, to keep the foliage clean and healthy; and the air of the house may be kept moister than when the trees were in bloom. Water the inside borders of vineries and other forcing-houses. Strawberries in bloom must be kept fully exposed to light; those swelling may be removed to more heat, to finish them off; supply with liquid manure, and keep down green fly by tobacco. Melons should now be ridged out on a nice sweet bottom heat. Let the loam be free from dung, and moderately strong. Keep a top heat of 70° or thereabouts. When the plants have started, pinch out the ends of the shoots, when they will produce laterals, the strongest of which should be selected to fill the frame. Do not permit them to produce fruit till they have a good stock of leaves. Sow for succession. Cucumbers should receive the same treatment as Melons, only they require a lighter soil. A moist heat is necessary for both in their early stages. Assist those in bearing by manure water and top-dressings, and maintain a steady bottom heat of 85°. Pines showing fruit, keep dry. Like most other things, a dry atmosphere causes their bloom to open more freely, and results in regular-shaped fruit; water them when they are dry at the root, and keep the bottom and top heat steady; from. 80° to 95° for the former, and from 60° to 80° for the latter, with air at all opportunities. The young plants will now require shifting into larger pots; use, for growing them, half rotten turfy loam, to which may be added a little soot or well decomposed manure. If the loam is tolerably rich, this will not be necessary; plunge in a brisk bottom heat, and keep rather close till they begin to grow; afterwards, air and light in abundance. Keep on sowing Dwarf Kidney Beans. A pit planted with the above now will produce a valuable crop in April and May. Continue making Mushroom-beds according

to the supply expected. Afford air freely, to give colour and flavour to Asparagus forcing in frames.

KITCHEN GARDEN.

With the advance of spring, the number of things requiring to be done in this department daily increases. If our previous directions for trenching and working the land have been attended to, it will now be in good order for the principal crops of the two former should sowing Parsnips, Onions, and a few Carrots; be got in without delay. Carrots in dry soils if sown too soon. are apt to become maggotty in hot weather Dwarf Mammoth and Champion Peas may now be sown, to be succeeded by the taller Marrowfats towards the end of the month; the Long-pod and Green Windsor Beans should likewise be planted to succeed the Fan and Mazagans. Plant out, as time permits, the early and principal crops of Potatoes. Avoid the use of fresh, rank manures; but where manure is necessary, let it be well decomposed, and add dry ashes, guano, or soot as auxiliaries; lime, in moderation, on some soils produces Potatoes of excellent quality. Towards the middle of the month transplant from the frames Cauliflowers, Lettuces, &c., to warm borders; give the autumn-planted crops a good hoeing, or if the soil is very firm, slightly dig it over with a fork. Fresh plantations of Rhubarb, Horseradish, Sea-kale, and Artichokes may in the same place for some years, let the now be planted; as the above are to remain ground be deeply trenched and well enriched with manure. Spring-sown vegetables in frames should have the sashes taken off on mild days, to gradually harden them for pricking out. Autumn-planted Cabbages, encourage by well soaking, in mild weather, with liquid manure, and keeping the soil about them well loosened. To have Leeks in perfection, sow them on a slight bottom heat, and treat them like Celery.

FRUIT GARDEN.

Hardy Fruit-The pruning and nailing of fruit trees should now be brought to a close without delay. In our last Number we recommended materials to be applied by way of keeping the trees from blooming till as late a period as possible; coverings must, however, be removed when the flowers open, as full exposure will then be necessary each day, replacing them at night. The above supposes canvas or netting of some kind to be used; but as the spray of evergreen trees is sometimes employed as a substitute, a portion must be removed so as to admit light and air to the blooms, adding more at night, should the severity of the weather demand it. Break down with the garden fork, the ground rough dug among fruit bushes, and give as tidy an appearance to the ground as possible.

FLOWER GARDEN.

Digging and dressing flower-beds and

borders for summer flowers should be at once proceeded with. Prepare compost required for bedding plants; replant and divide all kinds of herbaceous plants as early in the month as possible. Tigridias, Gladiolus, &c., should be planted towards the end of the month. Gravel walks should be swept and rolled frequently in fine weather. Level down, and rake over ground which has been forked up during winter, to give as neat an appearance as possible to this department. Roses may be planted even up to the end of the month; and although we have done this successfully as late as the first week in May, when the weather continued open, we cannot recommend planting being delayed a day longer than is necessary. We would advise that only the wood which is to be entirely removed be cut out at present; leave shortening the shoots (always to an outer bud) till all chance of severe frost is quite over. The directions given last month respecting pot Roses apply equally well to this.

FLORISTS' FLOWERS. Auriculas.-These will require more moisture now that they are throwing up their trusses of bloom, but give plenty of air. Cover carefully during frosty nights; being in a growing state, they are much more likely to be injured in March by frost than at any previous time. If some of the varieties appear to be throwing up their bloom too early for exhibition, remove such to a shady northern aspect; this will afford a better head of bloom at any given time. Clean the glass if it has become dirty from covering up during winter. Carnations and Picotees.-The soil having been prepared, frosted, well-turned, and kept dry, and the pots having been washed, potting for bloom may be proceeded with, commencing with strong-growing varieties, such as will stand a little bad weather, which we must yet expect to experience. Two, three, and sometimes four plants are put into an 11-inch potwe prefer three-and a pair of plants in eightinch pots. In potting, press the soil firmly with the hand. Plants of upright-growing kinds require securing at the time of potting, with neat small deal sticks, or the chances are they will suffer before the time arrives for permanently staking them. As long as the plants remain in small pots, in pits or frames, look closely to watering them: their pots being full of roots, they soon dry, and will suffer considerably from the March winds if this is not attended to.

Those who have a large stock, which takes a considerable time to pot or plant out for blooming, would do well to remove their plants to a northern aspect, reversing the frames, and plunging the pots, however temporarily, in ashes. By remaining in a warm, southerly aspect at this season, the plants are prematurely started into growth, and their bloom much weakened. Dahlias. -During this month propagating the Dahlia

will be at its height, being the best time for the general stock. New or scarce kinds may be continued to be increased for a considerable time later. The reason we prefer plants from cuttings taken in this month is, that being in good time, they do not require forcing to make them forward enough, and are not too early to become stunted Towards the end of the month start pot-roots in gentle heat, moistening them once a-day. As soon as the shoots have pushed from half an inch to an inch pot them into four-inch po's, using rich soil; draining the pots with a little coarse leaf mould, instead of broken pots. The tuber should be covered with soil, and care should be taken not to fill the pots with earth above an inch from the rim, as the tubers increase in size so rapidly that it is difficult to water them unless this has been attended to the water runs away instead of into the soil. Those who can afford room for potting off their seedlings into single pots when up, may sow seed this month; if not, it had better be deferred till April. A strong moist heat is best for raising it. Fuchsias.-The first-struck young plants should now be pushed along, repotting them into five or six-inch pots, using light rich soil. Fuchsias, as grown generally, are too thin of shoots, and too tall; close-growing and short-jointed varieties do well as pyramids, grown with a single stem. Coarser-growing kinds should be stopped once, tying the laterals, when long enough, to form a compact bush; grown in this manner, they will be found much more effective. Hollyhocks -Harden the plants well this month preparatory to planting them out in April. Plants struck during winter, or this spring, should have a good shift, and be planted out about a fortnight after the first batch. Seedlings may be planted out in the end of the month, but should be secured from slugs or snails. Pansies.-Those in pots should be allowed to have gentle, mild showers; the frames should be kept open as much as possible. Peg out the shoots as the plants progress; small side shoots may be put in as cuttings. Any stock left in pots should be turned out into beds. If a few plants are planted in a shaded border it prolongs the bloom, by keeping them in colour during the month of June. Seedlings wintered in pans should be planted out. Sow autumn-saved seed. Pinks.-Topdress the beds with a mixture of half-rotten manure and half good rich soil, choosing a day when the beds are tolerably dry on the surface. If any plants have been loosened by frost, press them firmly into the soil before they are top dressed. Tulips.-Generally these will now be above ground, and will require care in protecting them during frosts, cutting winds, or hail; on all other occasions keep them open. Mats, stout canvas, or what is better than either, frigi-domo, makes a good covering during winter, or at night during the spring months.