==Zephyranthes Candida== can be grown in any soil, and if possible the bulbs should be planted in some spot where they may remain unmolested through several seasons.  The flowers appear about the end of July, resembling a White Crocus in form, and the blooming continues until cold weather sets in.  Planting may be done between November and March.

==December==

Only the idle or the half-hearted gardener will complain that he has no work to do in the short dark days of this month.  Although there may be little or nothing to plant or sow, and few flowers need repotting, yet there are soils to obtain and store for future use; former heaps to turn over and remake; dead leaves to remove from plants in pits and houses; stakes and neat sticks to prepare for subjects which will need support by-and-by; beds and borders to enrich, and many other duties to perform.  In the evenings, too, there are new combinations and fresh harmonies in colour to be designed for beds and groups in borders; the requirements for the coming season to consider while experience gained during the closing year is still fresh in the memory; the position of plants in pits and frames and houses to forecast, so that the plan of the summer campaign may be clearly understood, and all the resources of the garden be under intelligent control.  The fluctuations of the thermometer have also to be watched, and means adopted to save plants from injury by a sudden fall of temperature.  Altogether, there are abundant sources of profitable employment for those who have a mind to work.

==Bulbs==, such as Hyacinths, Tulips, Crocuses, &c., which have not been planted, will have commenced growing, notwithstanding the precautions taken to prevent it, thus showing that they ought to be in the ground.  The growth has been made at the expense of the bulb itself, for there are no fibrous roots from which to draw support.  Therefore it can scarcely be expected that the flowers from very late plantings will be quite so good as the same bulbs would have produced had they been put in at an earlier period.  Still there are cases when the delay is unavoidable, and it is reassuring to know that sound bulbs carefully set at the proper depth will produce flowers only in a degree inferior to those from earlier plantings.

==Bulbs in store==, such as Begonia, Dahlia, Gladiolus, and Gloxinia, should be passed in review.  Examination will almost certainly reveal some unsound specimens, and their removal may save valuable companions from their contaminating influence.  This practice should be followed up about once a fortnight until all are eventually planted.

THE PESTS OF GARDEN PLANTS

The life-history of plant pests and ground vermin, with the best means of saving various crops from their ravages, are dealt with in a series of valuable leaflets issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.  These leaflets embrace a very large number of subjects, several of which belong to the farm and the orchard and are beyond the scope of the present volume.  Others are rarely met with, but concerning those which are common to the majority of gardens we offer information which will, we hope, enable readers to safeguard their crops from disaster.