92 THE FLORIST. 



manufactured from a great variety of products. But vegetable fibre, 

 in one shape or other, is almost universally employed ; cannot the 

 half-drained bogs of Ireland, and many waste grounds in England, be 

 turned to account to supply the fast increasing demand ? Rushes, and 

 indeed any cpiick-growing plant, with not too fleshy foliage, will 

 answer ; and it remains to be proved whether the fallen leaves of 

 autumn may not yet be made conducive to this end. 



Having looked over many of the Catalogues and Lists of the present 

 spring, I observe how rapidly novelties increase. Surely, we shall 

 this season see some new colours imported into our parterres and 

 flower gardens. What seems most wanting are, delicate blues, 

 oranges, and pinks, to soften down the ever recurring blues, reds, and 

 yellows. G. F. 



CALENDAR FOR THE MONTH. 



Auriculas. — These will now be much more tender, from the amount 

 of young growth they bave made. Protect from frost, and water more 

 frequently, as well as more liberally; weak liquid manure once a week 

 will strengthen the trusses now being thrown up. Give plenty of air, 

 and fumigate occasionally; greenfly generally appears with the young 

 growth. 



Azaleas and Camellias. — Forced Azaleas, which have done blooming, 

 should have all the decayed flowers picked off; and if thrips or scale 

 infest the plants, let them be well cleaned by washing them with diluted 

 tobacco-water, to which, in case of scale, may be added a small quan- 

 tity of soft soap. The roots should be next examined, and if the pots 

 are either very full of them or these not in a satisfactory state, let all 

 the old soil be first shaken from the roots, and then wash away the rest 

 by working the ball backwards and forwards in a pail of water. When 

 the remaining soil about the roots has dried a little, pot in smallish 

 sized pots comparatively, in fresh sweet compost (see back articles on 

 Azaleas), and place the plants where a slight fire-heat is kept — as a 

 fresh started Vinery or Peach-house — and they will quickly commence 

 growing, and ripen their wood early for forcing another season. The 

 above remarks as to root treatment apply equally to Camellias, or indeed 

 to any kind of shrubby greenhouse plants, when their roots are not in a 

 healthy state, or where it is desirable the size of the pots should not be 

 increased at potting time. Keep Azaleas for late blooming as shaded 

 and cool as possible, or the present unprecedentedly mild season will 

 bring them into bloom before they are wanted. Cultivators will find 

 north houses fully as useful as south ones, for the purpose of retarding, 

 which is as often wanted as forwarding into bloom, Let the whole stock 

 of Azaleas, old and young, be well cleaned from insects before growth 

 commences. Stocky old plants of bad kinds should be headed back, to 

 make young wood for grafting by-and-by ; these make fine specimen 

 plants in quick time, when properly done. 



Calceolarias. — Any plants struck during the winter should be re- 

 potted into four-inch pots to succeed the first plants. If not so large 



