286 THE FLORIST. 



cipal attention required will be to eradicate all dead foliage from the 

 layers. Water regularly and carefully. Pot the young stock from the 

 stools any time after the 15th of the month, if sufficiently rooted. 



Cinerarias. — Those that have been struck early will now require 

 every attention. Pot off into small pots, say small 60's, using a nice 

 turfy loam, with an admixture of well decomposed manure and leaf- 

 mould, a little silver sand being necessary to drain the soil. Shift into 

 a size larger pot such seedlings as are ready, and prick off the second 

 crop; as soon as established, give all the air possible, to prevent mildew. 

 Select from the first struck plants for specimens ; take care that these 

 have good strong stems, as they will require stopping in due season. 

 Shift into larger pots as soon as they reach the outside of the pots. When 

 about three or four inches long, pinch out their centres, and as soon as 

 broken sufficiently, pot deep into flowering pots. Fumigate occasion- 

 ally, to prevent the green-fly, and sulphur whenever mildew makes its 

 appearance. 



Conservatory. — This house should be got ready for receiving plants 

 by the end of the month. Let any repairs which may be requisite for 

 the roof or heating apparatus be completed at once, that every prepara- 

 tion may be made for arranging the pot plants, now standing out, when 

 bad weather arrives. Attend to the creepers on the roof, which at this 

 season are growing fast, and require frequent attention. Avoid 

 formality, and do not overcrowd the roof, to obstruct too much light. 



Cucumbers. — Attend to last directions. The best road to success in 

 growing winter Cucumbers is to get the plants sown early and kept 

 hardy by a cool temperature and abundance of light. When the plants 

 have good foliage and a hardy constitution, they withstand the attacks 

 of mildew and other diseases much better than weakly overforced plants, 

 and will produce fruit through the dark days of winter much better. 

 Plants in dung frames, exhausted by long bearing, may be well cut in, 

 and six inches of fresh compost spread over the roots. The renewal of 

 the linings will also give a stimulus to the roots, and induce a fresh 

 growth, which will keep the plants in bearing for some time to come. 



Dahlias. — Protecting the blooms for exhibition, if grown for show or 

 enjoying their gay colours and noble form, if cultivated for decorative 

 purposes only, will be the principal work of this month. In shading 

 for exhibition, avoid doing so more than six or seven days before time 

 required, as it spoils the richness of the colour, and causes many varieties 

 to quill. When confined from the air in too young a state, they do not 

 so freely develope or grow into their true character. Seedlings will 

 require constant attention, particularly if they have not proper distance 

 afforded them in growing, or some of the finest flowers may be over- 

 looked. Dahlias are coming fine this season ; many of the new varieties 

 are great improvements on existing kinds of the same colour. Of 

 seedlings, it is too soon to speak, yet there has been some promising 

 kinds sent to the Floral Committee of the Horticultural Society. Before 

 this is in the hands of our readers, the result of the seedling competition 

 at Salisbury and Reading will be known. The third great meeting for 

 seedlings will be at Birmingham on the 20th, when a great meeting of 

 Dahlia growers is expected. 



