30 THE FLORIST. 



Greenhouse : Hard Wooded Plants. — The chief work in this house 

 is careful attention to giving air and watering, and proper attention to 

 fires where they are rendered necessary by severe frosty weatlier. In 

 frosty weather a night temperature of 40° is quite sufficient. Give all 

 the air possible in mild weatiier. Be careful in watering, but do not 

 let anything suffer for want of it. Soft Wooded Plants. — No time 

 should be lost in pruning and repotting Fuchsias, if they are intended 

 to be large plants. Young plants sliould be potted and put into a 

 moist genial atmosphere of from 45 to 55 degrees artificial heat. 

 Pelargoniums require considerable attention at this season. Large 

 plants will require tying out ; remove all dead leaves, and those small 

 ones at bottoms of the shoots ; the air by this means circulates more 

 freely through them. Plants that require it should be shifted into 

 larger pots forthwith ; keep them close for a short time, but ventilate 

 freely afterwards, always avoiding cold draughts. Water carefully, but 

 do not let them want it. Watch for insects, and fumigate. Keep up 

 a temperature of from 45 to 50 degi-ees. A similar treatment will suit 

 fancy Pelargoniums, only they will do with little warmer temperature. 



Hollyhocks. — Roots potted up from the ground in autumn, for the 

 purpose of producing cuttings, may be excited with a little heat ; it 

 should, however, be very gentle at first. When they have pushed 

 shoots to about three inches long cut them off, similar to the method 

 adopted in propagating the Dahlia. The cuttings should be put into 

 thumb pots, using sandy soil, and placed in mild bottom heat. The 

 plants struck now will tiower well in September. Seed sown in heat, 

 and the plants grown under glass till late in May, will flower in the 

 autumn. 



Kitchen Garden. - Drain, trench, manure, and dig vacant ground 

 when the weather permits. Where not done already, throw up into 

 rough ridges vacant ground. Plant Box edgings. In frosty weather 

 push forward all work connected with the wheelbarrow. Place heaps 

 of manure on spots where it can be made available for dressing those 

 quarters that are soon to become vacant. Prepare composts and 

 manures ; also Pea sticks and other sticks requisite for kitchen 

 garden purposes. Prepare labels for naming vegetables. There are 

 innumerable little jobs that may be done under cover in severe weather 

 that are as necessary as some of apparently greater importance. Protect 

 Cauliflower plants. Lettuce, and Parsley in frosty weather ; Artichokes, 

 if not already done, should have a good mulching of half rotten leaves. 

 Before severe weather take up some Turnips ; top and house them. 

 Take up some Horseradish and house it. Broccoli showing flower 

 (which Snow's, litrue, will), take up with a ball, and put in a shed or 

 other place of shelter. Sow a crop of early Peas and Broad Beans on a 

 warm sheltered border. Sow also some Radishes and Horn Carrot, 

 and cover with litter in frosty weather. 



Melons. — Most people have their favourite sorts of these. For an 

 early crop, sow at the beginning of the month some of the scarlet- 

 fleshed kinds ; many of these are of a much hardier nature than the 

 green fleshed sorts : they set their fruit more freely, and do not require 

 so high a temperature ; but they all require a good steady bottom heat. 



