JANUARY. 



31 



Every plant requiring to be trained and tied out should now be trained. 

 Prepare now for the busy spring time : get plenty of stakes made and 

 tied up in small bundles of different lengths ; get pots cleaned, some 

 crocks broken, and some turf chopped. (Soft-wooded plants.) — Venti- 

 late freely whenever the state of the weather permits. Water carefully. 

 Fumigate for green-fly. 



Hollyhocks. — Roots potted from the ground in autumn for the pur- 

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

 however, be gentle at first. When the shoots have obtained the length 

 of about three inches, cut them off similar to the method adopted in 

 propagating Dahlias. The cuttings should be put into thumb pots, 

 using sandy soil, and placed in mild bottom heat. The plants struck 

 now will flower well in September. Seeds sown in heat, and the 

 plants grown under glass until late in May, will flower in the autumn. 



Kitchen Garden. — All wheelbarrow operations should be done in 

 frosty weather, when the ground is hard and frozen. Look carefully 

 over Lettuce plants in frames, also over Cauliflower plants under glasses 

 and in frames ; pick off the decaying leaves, and dust with lime or soot 

 to prevent the attacks of slugs. When the ground is in a nice working 

 state sow some Early Beans and Peas on a warm sheltered border. 



Melons. — Sow for a first crop a few seeds of some good, hardy, early 

 sort ; they are best sown singly in pots at this season. Give them a 

 nice bottom heat ; when " up," attend carefully to the young plants. 



Pansies. — Prepare the soil, and keep it dry for repotting those 

 intended for blooming in pots, which operation should be performed 

 towards the beginning of February, if the weather is mild. Seedlings 

 should be looked after, pressing the soil and roots of those that may 

 have been loosened by worms, &c. Should severe frost set in a little 

 covering will be necessary, but grow Fansies as hardy as possible. 



Peach-forcing. — The artificial heat in the early house may, after 

 the middle of the month, be increased six or eight degrees in the day, 

 but not quite so much at night ; the night temperature should not rise 

 above nor fall much below 50° whilst the Peach-trees are in flower. 

 Keep the atmosphere dry whilst they are in bloom, and ventilate at all 

 times as freely as the state of the weather permits. Start successional 

 houses. Begin with a night temperature of 40° for the first fortnight, 

 and then rise 5°. Syringe two or three times daily. Water inside 

 borders and keep the atmosphere moist. 



Pelargoniums. — This is a convenient and proper time for tying out 

 the shoots of plants intended for specimens, so as to admit air and light 

 — precaution should be taken not to allow the shoots to become drawn. 

 Give plenty of room, and air freely on every favourable opportunity. 

 Water carefully, giving only to those that thoroughly require it, and 

 avoid wetting the foliage as much as possible. The temperature of the 

 house, by night, should range about 42°. Attend to cleanliness. 

 Watch narrowly for green-fly, and fumigate directly it is observed. 

 Keep the soil in a good state for repotting the July plants, which should 

 be done towards the end of the month. Let everything be done to keep 

 the plants in a healthy and vigorous state. 



Pinery. — Plants that are intended to fruit during the next summer 



