378 THE FLORIST. 



the spring, as indeed they are now. If a sowing of the Sangster's 

 No. 1 Pea was not made last month, no time should now be lost, 

 planting them on a dry warm soil, not over-rich, but where they can 

 be protected from the cutting blasts of March. Look to them after 

 sowing, for mice, which very frequently spoil the crop unobserved. A 

 small crop of Mazagan Beans may also be planted. 



Peach-house. — It will not be desirable to apply fire-heat by night, 

 unless the house falls below 40°, until the buds are well swollen and 

 ready to open ; but a little fire-heat may be given by day in dull cold 

 weather, so that it does not exceed 55°. When a sunny day occurs, 

 take advantage of it by closing the house early ; in other respects air 

 should be admitted daily, that the buds may break strong and produce 

 bold perfect blooms, when there will be no fear about their setting ; if 

 any part of the borders is outside the house, it should be protected 

 from wet and frost by a covering of leaves, and thatched. Dress and 

 train the next house, for bringing forward by the middle of the month. 



Pelargoniums. — Any plants which require shifting should be done at 

 once. Keep them close for a few weeks, until they have struck root 

 into the new soil. Avoid keeping much fire at this season ; a mode- 

 rately dry heat, just excluding frost, will be sufficient ; however, the 

 fancy varieties do best in an intermediate house. Water in the morning ' 

 for the house to become dry by the middle of the day. Look over fre- 

 quently and pick off any decayed foliage. Stand the plants as thin as 

 your room will allow, and also keep the shoots tied out frequently, so 

 that they may get a free circulation of air through them. Spare no 

 labour to keep the plants in a healthy vigorous state. 



Pinery. — Where fruit is required to ripen in May, those plants 

 which have been longest rested should now have additional heat to 

 induce them to throw up ; the bottom heat, too, should be in- 

 creased, either by turning up the bed, or replunging the pots ; or, if 

 heated by hot-water pipes, putting on more heat. When the plants 

 are well supplied with bottom and top heat water should be given to the 

 roots ; this excitement to grow will most probably result in the greater 

 part of them showing ; the top heat should be as dry as is practicable. 

 We know a good grower who always at this season puts his plants in a 

 fiued pit to get them up, and it certainly produces the effect more quickly 

 than pipes. For other Pines, consult our last directions. The stock of 

 fruiting plants intended for summer should now be kept quiet at about 

 60° night, 75° day. 



Vinery. — The Vines started last month will now soon break. Thin 

 out the buds as soon as the fruit is discernible, and stop these shoots 

 one joint above the fruit, when grown sufficiently long. The night 

 temperature may be raised by degrees to 60° night, increasing this to 

 65° and 6S° by the time the Vines get into bloom. To this may be 

 added 10° extra for the day temperature when the weather is bright, 

 but during dull weather work more slowly, that a suffiicient amount of 

 light may accompany the growth of the young wood. The second house 

 should be dressed, trained, and the heating apparatus got ready for 

 starting the Vines, so as to keep up the required succession. 



