44 THE FLORIST. 



The unrooted should be planted round the sides of small pots, and 

 plunged in a south border up to the rim ; place a piece of tile or 

 slate between each to prevent the entry of worms, and cover them with 

 small Carnation- glasses. Keep the soil only moderately moistened ; 

 they will root more quickly than if kept in a wet state : neither 

 night-covering nor shading will be required. Secure the plants 

 from slugs, by pressing the soil firmly round the rims of the glasses. 

 Let the composts for offsets be, three measures of leaf-mould, one of 

 medium loam, and one of silver- sand ; and that for top-dressing equal 

 parts of decomposed sheep-manure, cow-manure, and loam of me- 

 dium strength ; or nightsoil, cow- manure, and loam equal parts. 

 Horse-manure may be used as a substitute for either of the above, 

 if not at hand. The best and safest mode of taking offsets is care- 

 fully breaking them out of the old stem, and filling the wound with 

 a little finely-pounded charcoal. If the knife can be dispensed with, 

 all the better. The sap flows from a cut wound for a considerable 

 time, weakens the plant, quickly decomposes, and in many instances 

 ultimately destroys the plant ; while from the broken wound the sap 

 dries up immediately, and becomes sound, although presenting a 

 rough appearance to the eye. Seed, if not already sown, should be 

 put in at once. See that the soil in the seed-pans last month is 

 kept moistened. As soon as it makes its appearance, give a slight 

 sprinkling now and then of manure-water, i. e. an ounce of saltpetre 

 of the oil- shops dissolved in a gallon of clean soft water, but carefully 

 avoid exceeding these proportions. 



Calceolarias. Shift all plants required for exhibition, as in 

 this month they will commence growing freely, and must not be 

 allowed to get pot-bound. Draw the syringe over them occasionally 

 towards evening when shut up, as they enjoy it, and repay sucli 

 little attentions. 



Carnations and Picotees should be entirely open on every 

 favourable occasion, and may be allowed to receive a little soft rain ; 

 take care, however, that they do not get too much ; as the time is 

 near at hand that they will be exposed to all weathers, the more 

 hardy and exposed they are grown, the better. Keep the mould 

 and pots dry, in readiness for potting ; and free the plants from de- 

 cayed foliage. 



Cold Frames. The long continuance of mild weather during 

 the past month has tended to encourage a degree of growth in the 

 occupants of these structures; the consequence of which is, that 

 their tissues are full of sap, particularly in instances where air has 

 been admitted rather sparingly ; and in this state they are less able 

 to resist either frost or damp, than if they had experienced harder 

 treatment. Precautionary measures, as regards protection, must 

 therefore still be adopted ; have sufficient covering materials at hand, 

 "wherewith to bid defiance to frost ; water sparingly and carefully ; 

 remove decaying leaves the moment they make their appearance ; 

 and admit air freely whenever the weather will permit. Should 

 green-fly r.ppear, fumigate ; but be careful in performing this opera- 

 tion not to admit smoke in too warm a condition ; better fumigate on 

 two successive evenings than run any risk of injuring the plants by 



