First Week

GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY.



Proceed with the potting of the young plants in the greenhouse, and the

small specimens of all kinds, using the soil tolerably rough, with a

liberal sprinkling of sand, and good drainage. To be kept rather close

until they make fresh roots.



Azaleas (Indian).--Introduce a few into heat; to be fresh potted before

starting them, giving a rather liberal shift into good peat and sand,

with thorough drainage. A moist-growing temperature between 60 deg. and

70 deg. to be maintained, with plenty of air in favourable weather. Sow

seed, as likewise Rhododendron, in a gentle bottom heat.



Kalosanthes.--To be started into growth, potting them in a compost of

half turfy loam, one-fourth turfy peat, and one-fourth decomposed leaf

mould, with plenty of coarse gritty sand, and an admixture of charcoal

and pebbles or potsherds broken small. A liberal shift to be given, and

to be kept in a temperature of from 45 deg. to 50 deg..



New Holland Plants.--Select young plants of the Boronias and other such

families, and give them a liberal shift; they delight in good fibrous

heath soil, with a good portion of sharp sand, and plenty of drainage.

It is advisable to pick off the flowers, and to pinch off the tops of

the young shoots during their growth, to form handsome specimens.



Orange Trees.--Be vigilant that scale and all insects are removed from

them and from Neriums, and other such plants before they begin to grow,

as young wood and foliage are more difficult to clean without injury.





STOVE AND ORCHID-HOUSE.



Stove plants in general will now require an increase in the amount of

atmospheric moisture, and a slight advance in heat; such an advance to

be made, more especially on bright afternoons, when solar heat can be

enclosed in good time, and with it a moist and congenial atmosphere.



Crinums.--Pot them if they require it, but without disturbing the ball

of earth about their roots; to be favoured with an increase of heat

to start them afresh, and during their active growth to be liberally

supplied with water.



Gloriosa superba.--Shake out the roots, and repot in good fibrous loam,

with a sprinkling of sand, and place them in bottom heat. No water to be

applied to the tubers until they have commenced their growth.





FORCING-PIT.



Continue to introduce for succession bulbs, Lilacs, Roses, Sweet Brier,

and the many other plants previously recommended as suitable and

useful for that purpose. A temperature of from 65 deg. to 70 deg. to be

maintained, with plenty of moisture in clear weather.





FORCING-HOUSES.



Figs.--Trees in pots to have their shoots stopped when they have made

three or four joints, and to be supplied occasionally with liquid

manure.



Melons.--The fruiting-beds to be prepared and in readiness for the

reception of the young plants as soon as they have nearly filled their

pots with roots.



Peaches.--If a house were started, as advised at the beginning of the

year, a second should now be set to work. Syringe the trees several

times a-day in clear weather, and once or twice in all weathers until

the flowers begin to expand. Attention to be given to the early house,

when the fruit is set, to thin it partially, but to leave one-third more

on the trees than will be required to ripen off. If Peaches are intended

to be grown in pots for next season, the maiden plants should now be

procured, and potted in nine or ten inch pots. The Royal George Peach

and Violette Hative Nectarine are the most eligible for that purpose.



Pines.--If any indications of the presence of worms appear on the

surface of the pots a watering with clear lime water will remove them.

The same steady temperature to be kept up in the fruiting-house or pit

as lately advised. Although it is sometimes recommended we would not

advise to withhold water at the roots for the purpose of starting them

into fruit; for if, by proper management, they are good, healthy plants,

they will have formed their fructiferous parts before this time, and

therefore should not be allowed to get dry, but be watered when they

require it with tepid water.



Vines.--The successional houses to be treated nearly in all respects

the same as the early houses; the temperature may now be increased in

accordance with the increase of light rather more rapidly at an early

stage of their growth than that of the house in which forcing was

commenced in December. When Vines for the early crops are grown in pots,

put the eyes in 60-sized pots, and plunge them in a dung-frame or pit,

with a bottom heat between 70 deg. and 80 deg.. The Hamburghs, Black

Prince, Muscadine, and Sweetwater are the kinds to be preferred for

that purpose.