THE FLORAL WORLD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 



85 



north situation is the best place for them 

 now, where the climate is not severe. 



Azaleas clone flowering must be kept 

 rather close, and in a moist atmosphere to 

 favour a quick growtb, as it is important to 

 get the new wood well ripened when the 

 growth is completed. Those that are 

 cramped at the roots must be repotted in 

 good peat and silky loam. Artificial peat 

 is wholly unfit for such plants in pots. 



Borders should be forked over now 

 that herbaceous plants are all visible and 

 there is no clanger of destroying any. 



Calceolarias coming into bloom must 

 have plenty of water and free ventilation. 

 Syringe the lower leaves and branches, but 

 wet the blossoms as little as possible. 



Camellias done blooming treat the same 

 as advised for azaleas. Those coming into 

 bloom must have occasional strengthening 

 with liquid-manure. Lanky plants will be 

 improved by removing the top buds before 

 they expand, to throw vigour into the lower 

 branches. 



Chrysanthemums may be planted out 

 towards the end of the month if previously 

 hardened in a cold pit. The supply of cut- 

 tings for beds need not be taken till the 

 middle of May, and will then strike with- 

 out heat. 



Cinerarias are very fine this season, and 

 some good seedlings have made their ap- 

 pearance. It is a good time for beginners 

 to pxirchase sorts in bloom to propagate 

 for stock, as directed in a former number 

 by Mr. Holland. Green-fly will annoy the 

 plants, unless kept down with gentle smok- 

 ings. Dung, three parts rotten, and mel- 

 low hazel-loam should be chopped over 

 and laid up at once for potting the next 

 lot, so as to be sweet and friable when 

 wanted. 



Conservatory should now be very gay 

 with bulbs, camellias, and forced decidu- 

 ous shrubs and trees. Look out at once 

 for the summer supply. Gannas are now 

 fashionable for their fine tropical-looking 

 foliage, and some new varieties of Ricinus 



will be much used to help the foliage effects 

 of Caladiums, etc. Datura Wrightii is a 

 charming annual for a warm house, and 

 delightfully scented. 



Dahlias ought now to be strong in 60- 

 pots, and kept growing slowly. Cuttings 

 put in now will make good plants. For 

 large specimens use old plants, to be 

 started now at the bottom of a vinery or 

 a cool part of a pine-pit. 



Dandelion, grown in Pascall's seakale- 

 pots in a gentle dung-heat, forms an ele- 

 gant and acceptable salad. Strong plants 

 may be forced the same as seakale and 

 asparagus, and must be thoroughly 

 blanched, to prevent bitterness. Any old 

 plants in odd places about the garden may 

 be blanched where they are by turning a 

 pot over them and stopping the hole with 

 a piece of tile. 



Forcing must be continued with lettuce, 

 mint, asparagus, and potatoes. Many of 

 the complaints of failure which reach us 

 are attributable to high night temperatures. 

 All sources of heat that are under full con- 

 trol, such as hot water and flues, admit of 

 being reduced or increased, as required, 

 and the temperature should always fall 

 from five to ten degrees at night in heated 

 structures of all kinds. 



Kitchen Garden. — The first surfacing 

 of weeds should be the signal for a general 

 stirring of the ground between the crops, 

 so as to kill weeds, and hasten the growth 

 o { . the crop at the same time. Sow a small 

 lot of Newington Wonder beans on a warm 

 border at once, and in ten days make another 

 sowing. Sow Negro or Speckled Dun the 

 third week, and Runners the last week of 

 the month. Sow successions of all ordi- 

 nary saladings, and thin seed-beds sown 

 last month before the plants get drawn. 



Pelargoniums to be encouraged to grow 

 freely by the use of the syringe and regular 

 tying out. Fumigate as soon as fly appears, 

 or much mischief may ensue. Plants show- 

 ing for bloom to have weak manure or soot- 

 water at every other watering. 



TO COKBESPONDENTS. 



Pinks and Pansies.— Young Sid.— Tour letter l 

 came on the 21th, when the nnmber was made 

 up. We can onlv now advise you to get a ) 

 Fupply of turves from a loamy pasture, and i 

 Fome one year old cow-dung. Chop them over 

 together, one-third dung to two-thirds turfy 

 loam, and lay in a ridge lor future use. Mean- 

 while, get a supply of good seed, and sow a 

 pinch of each in pans fiiied with loam 2 parts, 

 leaf-mould 1 part, very powdery dung 1 part, 

 sifrer sand 1 part. Place the pans in a one- 

 light box, with a square of window-glass laid j 

 loosely over each pan to prevent evaporation, 



and you will soon have seedling plants to begin 

 with. Next month we will help you a step 

 further. You should obtain the treatises on 

 these two flowers in " Garden Favourites." 

 Set of Beds. — E. P. — You give no measure- 

 ments and no aspect. If the sun falls full on 

 the house across the beds at mid-day, the plant- 

 ing should be different to what it would be if 

 the beds were in shadow, with sun morning and 

 evening only. Therefore, the following must bo 

 taken as offered, on general principles only: — 

 The centre pattern to be worked out in varie- 

 gated mint, variegated alyssum, blue lobelia, 



