Down in the lower pastures there are already some flowers in bloom.
Aloes are common; in part of the midland zone they form when in bloom with abundance of orange and scarlet flowers a most picturesque sight.
Spring is supposed to begin in February when, according to the old calendar, the new year sets in, but th only flowers then in bloom are the camellia japonsca and some kinds of daphne.
When the length of the flowering season is considered, it will be obvious that it is impossible to keep up the show of a single border or plot for six months together, since plants, as they are commonly arranged, come dropping into and out of flower one after another; and even where a certain number are in bloom at the same time, they necessarily stand apart, and so the effects of contrast, which can be perceived only among adjacent objects, are lost.
When in bloom they may be kept at about 55° by night, and so placed will last longer than if kept in a higher temperature.