Fourth Week

GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY.



The plants that are introduced to the conservatory from the stove,

forcing-pit, or any other such structures, merely for the blooming

season, will require particular care to be taken in the application of

water that they may not become sodden and diseased. Continue to stop,

prune, or pinch back all rambling and luxuriant shoots in due time. Stir

the surface of the bed in the conservatory, and apply fresh soil, to

maintain the plants in good health.



Azaleas, Chinese.--Supply them liberally with water at their roots

during their blooming season, and prevent damp and drip from injuring

the bloom.



Calceolarias.--The herbaceous sorts that have been pushed along in a

gentle heat will now be showing bloom, and will require to be grown in a

cool, airy place, to prevent the flower-stems from being too much drawn.

Keep down green fly. Shift on young stock, keeping the plants well down

in the pots as they throw out fresh rootlets from the stem. Cuttings

taken off now will root readily in a gentle bottom heat.



Camellias.--Apply shading the moment it is necessary, to protect the

young leaves.



Fuchsias.--Grow them steadily on in a moist, warm temperature. Use the

syringe freely. Stop any that have a tendency to be long-jointed, to

produce uniform and bushy plants.



Heaths.--Admit air liberally to them, and such other hard-wooded plants

that are now in bloom, or approaching that state.



Pelargoniums.--Shift on young plants. Any that are wanted for late

blooming should now be stopped.



Rhododendrons, Hybrid Indian.--Treat as advised for Azaleas.





STOVE AND ORCHID-HOUSE.



Continue a kindly moistness amongst the Orchids, and slightly increase

the temperature. Shade with tiffany, or close-meshed netting, in bright

sunny weather; removing it early in the afternoon. Water liberally all

that are making free growth. Repot any that may require it as soon as

they have fairly commenced their growth. Continue to give liberal shifts

to the free-growing young stock of stove plants, slightly shading for

a few hours in hot weather, shutting up early in the afternoon, and

producing a kindly humid atmosphere by damping the walls, floors, pots,

&c.



Begonias.--Repot and propagate. This is one of the most useful tribe of

plants that can be grown, both for the stove and the adornment of the

conservatory.



Clerodendrons.--Encourage by a moist heat.



Climbers.--Keep them neatly tied up, and give them liberal supplies of

water, if in pots.



Gardenias.--They delight in a close atmosphere; a pit with dung linings

is most congenial to them.



Gesnera zebrina.--Pot bulbs for late flowering.





FORCING-HOUSES.



Cherries.--Thin out the fruit where in large clusters; admit plenty of

air at favourable opportunities, and never allow the trees in tubs, or

pots, to become dry.



Figs.--The same as last week.



Peaches and Nectarines.--Keep the leading shoots regularly tied in, and

pinch out the points of some of the stronger ones.



Pine Apples.--It is advisable to keep all that are starting, or have

already started, into fruit, at one end of the house, or pit, that more

air may be admitted to them than to the others more advanced, to produce

a more robust growth, and to avoid the necessity of using stakes to

support the fruit. Air to be admitted freely to the succession plants at

every favourable opportunity.



Strawberries (in pots).--Where fruit are colouring, keep a rather dry

atmosphere, with a liberal supply of air, in order to secure flavour.

When the plants are in bloom, keep them near the glass, and the

atmosphere dry, with a good supply of fresh air; but avoid currents of

frosty air. Introduce succession plants under glass according to the

demand. Do not expose those from which fruit has been picked to the open

air till well hardened off. Give them the protection of a cold pit for a

time, as they are invaluable in open-air plantations.



Vines.--Where the fruit is on the change to colouring admit air on every

favourable opportunity, not forgetting to give it in the morning before

the sun shines on the house, to prevent the condensed vapour, which

would affect them injuriously, from settling on the bunches. Attend to

stopping the laterals, thinning the young shoots, tying in leaders, &c.,

in the later houses. Remove the top dressing from the outside border, to

allow the increasing power of the sun to act beneficially upon it.