352 THE FLORIST. 



the month, aud at the same time a few rows of Mazagan Beans may be 

 planted. Trench and ridge up vacant ground to take the weather. 



Peach House. — The sashes may be placed on the earliest house when 

 Peaches are required in May. Dress over the trees and train them 

 regularly, and surface over the border with fresh loam. Fires need not 

 be applied for a fortnight, and then only by day, as artificial heat to a 

 small extent will be required. 



Pelargoniums. — These will require much care to prevent their 

 getting drawn, as many of them are growing freely, and therefore will 

 want plenty of air at all favourable opportunities. Make fires only in 

 frosty and very damp weather, both of which may now be anticipated. 

 If previous directions have been attended to with early specimen plants, 

 little can be done this month, except with the training of the young 

 shoots ; let them be tied out carefully, as it will greatly benefit and 

 strengthen them. Avoid crowding the plants ; let them have all the 

 room that can possibly be spared. Be careful in watering at this 

 season ; only water those that are really dry, and avoid wetting the 

 foliage. Continue to repot any plants that require it, and also stop 

 young struck plants. Cuttings will strike freely now in heat, and 

 withal attend strictly to cleanliness. 



Pinery. — Plants swelling their fruit should be supplied with a moist 

 warm atmosphere, more especially by day. When the sun is bright 

 close the house early, but allow air to be given freely soon in the 

 mornings when the weather is mild ; the night temperature may be 

 65°, with a steady bottom heat. Successions should now be kept drier, 

 but do not allow either the bottom or top heat to fall below the point 

 which would check the plants. 60° and 80° are safe points for the 

 night and day thermometers to range, and the bottom heat should not 

 be much less than 85°. 



Pinks. — If not already done, a few pairs should be potted up, to fill 

 vacancies in beds that may occur during the winter, as well as some of 

 the more tender growing kinds, to ensure them against eventualities. 

 A small bed of such planted out in spring will be very useful, and will 

 in some seasons produce the finest flowers. 



Tulips. — Complete planting without delay, the beds having been 

 prepared as previously recommended. The beds may remain open and 

 unprotected till after Christmas. 



Vinery. — If, as directed last month, the Vines in the early house 

 have been dressed, border covered, &c, gentle fires may be lighted on 

 dull cold days, so as to keep the temperature to 45° by night and 60° 

 by day, with a pretty liberal admission of air. We prefer the border 

 being covered only with leaves, Fern, or dry straw, and afterwards 

 coated over with coarse mortar or concrete to exclude wet, to putting 

 fermenting dung on the borders. Keep a dry atmosphere to ripe 

 Grapes, and remove all superfluous leaves to admit the air to the 

 bunches. In wet weather let the fires be lighted in the morning to 

 dry the air of the house, and let go out in the evenings, air at all times 

 being admitted. 



