This is the best season for planting hyacinths, tulips, crocuses, and other bulbs and corms, and the different varieties of Anemone hortensis; taking care when planting the latter to keep the eye of the tuber uppermost. All the kinds of Pæonies, as well the Pæonia Moutan as the herbaceous species, should be planted in this month. The leaves that fall in great abundance in October and November should be regularly swept up, and carried to a rotting heap, that they may decay, and make the earth so valuable to florists, which is generally called vegetable mould.

In the kitchen-garden the remaining fruit should be gathered. Towards the end of the month some fruit-trees may be planted if their leaves have dropped; and the autumnal pruning may begin, unless the trees should be still in a growing state.

November.

In the beginning of this month the appearance of the flower-garden is extremely desolate. The dahlias have generally been seriously injured by the frost, but not quite so much so as to warrant their removal; and a few lingering flowers of other kinds recal melancholy ideas of what has been, but is passed. A mild November is indeed the old age of the floral year; and a sharp frost that kills all the remaining flowers is felt positively as a relief. The tubers of the dahlias should be taken up as soon as the frost has changed their flowers. The names should be attached to the roots by string, or the Chester metallic wire; and they should be laid on dry boards in a cellar, and covered with sand, or in some dry place, not too warm, in a green-house. The temperature at which they should be kept, should be between 35° and 45°. The autumn-flowering bulbs should be taken up in the same manner, and kept in dry sand or moss. All the plants that require protection, should be carefully covered or matted up.

In the kitchen-garden the beds should be cleared of all haulm, &c., and dug over and dressed; and the trees which were not before planted should be put into the ground.

December.

This month is a perfect blank both for the flower and the fruit garden; except for collecting soils, making composts, preparing labels for names or numbers, sticks or stakes for tying up plants, nails and list for fastening them; and in mild weather, for pruning the larger and more hardy deciduous trees and shrubs, &c.

INDEX.

Transcriber’s Notes: