60 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



required to flower early should go through two or three temperatures before they 

 are finally landed in the forcing-house. Unless this can be done, they had better 

 be allowed to come along in the greenhouse, for there will be but small chance of 

 getting the flowers to open. Ferns must be kept rather dry, as they are now at 

 rest, and unable to absorb a large amount of moisture. Tie and train all plants 

 intended for exhibition, whether hard or soft-wooded, if they require it, for there 

 will be little time for this kind of work next month. Look after green fly, thrip, 

 and iuildew. Fumigate with tobacco or tobacco paper for the two former, and dust 

 with sulphur for the latter. All hard-wooded plants require free ventilation, and 

 soft- wooded kinds to be near the glass, with sufficient air, to prevent their drawing 

 up weakly. This is a very good time to re-pot all the liliums, if it was not done in 

 the autumn, which was the best time, as the pots would now be full of roots, and 

 the bulbs able to start away stiong, instead of having to make roots. 



Stove. — All the orchids which have thick fleshy bulbs like the Cattleyas and 

 Dendrobes, and which are also at rest, will require very little water now, not more 

 than enough to keep the bulbs plump. Others in the way of the Aerides and 

 Vandas, which have no bulbs to fall back upon, will requite rather more ; but the 

 watering must be done carefully, as too much will do more harm than good. This 

 remark applies with equal foice to those in growth. All should be kept as quiet as 

 possible, as there is not sufficient light to properly elaborate the sap. Flowers of 

 orchidaceous plants are susceptible to damp ; therefore, those plants in bloom must 

 be placed in the driest part of the house, and if it can be done without injury to 

 the plants, they will last fresh much longer if placed in a temperature a few degrees 

 lower than that in which they are now growing. Hard-wooded plants, such as 

 Ixoras, Rondeletias and Franciscas intended to be cut back should have attention 

 at once. They will break stronger, and the young growth will be more thoroughly 

 matured than would be possible were the pruning leit until they get into full growth. 

 Plants of this class must not be " dried off" like bulbous plants, but they must 

 have no more water than is sufficient to keep them in good health. This is a good 

 time for starting Achimenes, Caladiums, and Gloxineas. Good fibry loam, peat, 

 and leaf-mould, in equal quantities, with a sixth part of sharp silver-sand, will 

 grow all these plants to perfection, if they receive good management in other 

 respects. The Caladium pots should be covered with a layer of cocoa-nut refuse to 

 keep the soil moist without its requiring to be watered. Shake out ornamental- 

 leaved Begonias, and re-pot in the same compost as above. Allamandas should be 

 pruned and re-potted some time this month. Do all the watering in the morning. 

 In bright frosty weather sprinkle the floors with water early iu the day. This is a 

 capital time for waging war against white and brown scale and mealy bug. If all 

 the plants are gone over in a thorough manner at this season, there will not be half 

 the trouble with them during the remaining part of the year as there otherwise 

 would be. 



Kitchen Garden. — Continue to prepare the ground ready for the summer 

 crops, so that there may be no delay in getting each crop n at its proper season. 

 With this object in view, every plot of ground should be manured and dug directly 

 it becomes vacant. It evinces a great want of neatness and order to see whole 

 quarters covered with old stumps of broccoli and winter greens until the moment 

 they are required for other crops, apart from the injury arising to succeeding 

 crops through the non-pulverization of the soil. This is a good time to plant chives, 

 garlic, horseradish, Jerusalem artichokes, rhubarb, and shallots, and also to pro- 

 pagate all the perennial herbs by division and offsets. Sow in sheltered positions 

 Walcheren broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Early York and red cabbage, Early horn 

 carrots, chervil, leeks, lettuce, parsley, long and turnip radishes, early Ulm savoys, 

 spinach, turnips, and a good breadth of Veitch's Perfection Pea. Towards the end 

 of the month a sowing should be made of Windsor beans to succeed the Mazagan 

 sown last month. Plant out autumn sown cabbage and lettuce if the soil is in a 

 nice friable condition. All the seed potatoes should be spread out to enable them to 

 form hard purple sprouts by planting time. 



Fruit Garden. — The planting of all kinds of fruit-trees must be finished at 

 once, for when left until vegetation commences, they suffer a considerable check, 

 and make but little progress unless they receive attention in the way of being kept 

 well watered. Finish off the pruning of all classes of fruit-trees, whether growing 

 in the open borders or trained to walls. In nailing wall-trees use new shreds, and 



