Thrid Week

GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. Proceed as diligently as possible with the repotting of such of the hardwooded greenhouse plants as require it, so as to start them in good time to acquire a vigorous growth. Cacti.--The chief point in managing these plants is to allow



them an alternate period of rest and growth. To be grown in a mixture of lime rubbish and loam, with a little cowdung, and in well-drained pots. In summer to be fully exposed to the sun, and well watered; and from October to March to be kept perfectly dry. Calceolarias (Herbaceous).--To be shifted into larger pots in a compost of equal quantities of decayed turf, leaf mould, good sandy peat, old cowdung, and silver sand, with plenty of drainage and moss on the crocks. To be kept close for a week, after which air may be freely given, avoiding currents of cold air. Heaths.--Every vigorous shoot that is taking the lead to be stopped, to produce a more uniform and compact plant. Lilium lancifolium.--To be potted either in a good peat, with a little silver sand, or in a light sandy loam, using also some silver sand. The bulb to be placed two or three inches deep from the top of the pot to allow room for the stem-fibres to penetrate the soil. Pelargoniums.--The plants potted last month to be stopped back. The house to be kept rather close for a week or ten days, to assist them to push out their eyes. Those intended to bloom in May, that have not been stopped since cutting down, will be putting up their trusses, on sunny days syringe them lightly, and shut the house up warm, with the sun upon it, about three or four o'clock in the afternoon. STOVE AND ORCHID-HOUSE. Keep a lively growing temperature here during the day, with a plentiful supply of moisture. Syringe, and shut up early, with 80 deg. or more, allowing a fall of 20 deg. during the night. Shake out and repot in succession the stove plants that have been previously recommended to be headed back, and encourage a free growth by plunging them, if possible, in bottom heat. Smaller pots to be used until they have filled them with roots, they may then receive one bold shift that might probably be sufficient for the season. FORCING-HOUSES. Cherries.--These may now want thinning if too thickly set; but the operation must be influenced by the energies of the tree and the action of the roots. Endeavour to keep the atmosphere like fine mild weather in May. During the period of the stoning of the fruit, give the trees no water at the roots, as this is generally one of the chief causes of so much of it falling off at that time. Figs.--When the fruit is swelling off, the trees to be liberally supplied with water. The young shoots to be stopped to four or five eyes, with the exception of those that are required to fill up vacancies. Melons.--Continue the thinning, stopping, training, &c., as required. Set the early crops when in blossom, keeping a dry and lively atmosphere during that period. Air to be given freely in favourable weather, but cautiously, with some contrivance to break cold winds. Do not allow a plant to swell a fruit until sufficiently strong to sustain it. Peaches.--Be moderate in the application of fire heat to those that are stoning (they make little or no progress in swelling during the period)--say 65 deg. by day and 60 deg. by night; but when they commence their second swell increase the heat moderately. Stop all luxuriant shoots, and thin out in the second house all clusters of fruit when about the size of Peas. Pines.--The fruiting plants will be benefited by a watering with manure water as soon as the bloom is set. Succession plants, if recently shifted, to be shaded in the middle of the day if the sun is powerful; to be kept rather close and dry, except slight sprinklings over the tops, until they have taken root, when they may be watered freely, and will generally require no more to be given for a week or ten days. Vines.--The atmosphere in the early house, where the bunches have been thinned, to be kept pure by a gradual increase of air and moisture. The night temperature to be kept up to 65 deg., with an increase of 10 deg. by day, and even more in bright sunshine. The second house may now be in bloom, and will require attention in tying the shoots and keeping up the necessary amount of heat, with less moisture. Where the fruit is set, give the Vines a good syringing, to wash off the flowers; after which the leaves and fruit should not be again wetted, but to be supplied with atmospheric moisture by watering the floor of the house, and sprinkling the flues or pipes, or from evaporating-troughs or pans. Give plenty of tepid manure water to the Vines fruiting in pots.

Previous: Second Week
Next: Fourth Week

SHARE

ADD TO EBOOK