288 THE FLORIST. 



Pelargoniums. — The plants ought still to be at rest, and watered 

 sparingly, and in the morning. Fires will be required on cold nights, 

 and then caution must be used not to have the houses too high ; a 

 temperature of 40° to 45° will be sufficient : if too much fire is used, 

 the first crop of flowers is generally lost. The latter end of the 

 month, or beginning of next, is the time for stopping the plants that 

 are intended to flower in June. Let them be moderately dry, and 

 keep them so till the wound is healed over, which will be in about a 

 week or ten days. If there is the convenience of a second house, 

 where they can be kept a little warm for a week or two, it will greatly 

 assist them in breaking. Seedlings will require attention this month. 

 Keep all decayed leaves picked off', and the surface of the soil just 

 stirred up. 



Pinks. — If the weather during this month continues open and 

 moist, worms will continue troublesome. Much mischief may be 

 prevented by placing a few small twigs round each of the weakly 

 and tall-growing varieties, to support them ; it will also protect them 

 from being broken by high winds. 



Polyanthuses (see Auriculas). — Same attention is necessary ; 

 but they will bear considerably more moisture with good eff'ect. 

 Keep the soil well up to the shoulder of the foliage of Polyanthuses 

 in pots, and in a tolerably moist state. Plants of this kind in 

 borders, if much troubled with insects, should be looked to at every 

 opportunity in fine weather. 



Ranunculuses. — Arrange roots for planting, little beyond this 

 will be demanded in respect to dry tubers. Seedling plants, how- 

 ever, will require some attention : probably a very thin sprinkling of 

 dry rich soil may be needed as a top-dressing. Give all the air prac- 

 ticable on every fine day, and protect from severe frosts. 



Roses in Pots. — Cut these at once for blooming in May. If for 

 exhibition, select from the best Hybrid Perpetuals, Bourbons, and 

 Tea- scented varieties; the whole of these are suitable for the partial 

 forcing they will require. Shorten the Hybrid Perpetuals to two or 

 three eyes. Bourbons a little longer ; and train the wood of the Tea- 

 scented varieties, just shortening the points. Do not use the knife 

 at all to the Persian Yellow, however long the shoots may be. Roses 

 of this class are peculiar in their flowering, and therefore require 

 peculiar pruning. They are very early bloomers, and make no wood 

 previous to flowering. They generally put forth the leaf and bud 

 about one time ; it is therefore necessary that as much as possible of 

 last year's wood be retained, particularly the ends of the branches, 

 from whence most of the flowers proceed. The method that must be 

 pursued, in order to get as much flowering wood as possible, is not 

 to prune them when other Roses are pruned, but shortly after they 

 have done flowering, leaving three or four branches a little shortened. 

 The rest must be cut well back, when they will make good flowering 

 wood the remainder of the season, and ripen it well. 



Tulips. — On the presumption that all Tulips are now planted, 

 nothing more is required by way of direction till they begin to near 

 the surface. 



