junk. 143 



HINTS FOR THE MONTH. 



Auriculas. These should now be placed out of doors on a cool 

 north border, but not a damp one; a slight shading only is necessary 

 during the heat of the day. If green-fly appear, place the plants in 

 a close pit, and fumigate them two nights in succession. Gather 

 any seed that may ripen, water rather freely during the early part of 

 the month, and keep clean of dead leaves now as well as at all other 

 seasons. 



Bedding Plants. By this time these will be in their summer 

 quarters ; Verbenas, Petunias, and plants of similar habit, should be 

 pegged; water any fresh planted bed if the soil is light, and the 

 weather continues hot and dry : a good starting will lengthen the 

 blooming season. 



Calceolarias. This is the month for this gay plant to be in its 

 greatest beauty ; a few of good shape and dissimilar in colour should 

 be placed apart from the general stock, and crossed to seed from. 

 The earlier the seed is procured the better, and it should be sown as 

 soon as it is well ripened. These make much finer plants, and they 

 are more easily wintered than old kinds raised from cuttings. Cut 

 down the old blooming-stalks, and place the plants in a cool shady 

 situation to throw up cuttings, but let them be protected from rain. 



Cinerarias. Seed should be sown as soon as it is ripened, in pans, 

 in very fine soil. After cutting down the blooming-stalks, the old 

 plants should be placed in frames facing the north, and they should 

 be raised near the glass ; some will require a shift to encourage them 

 to throw up their cuttings, which should be taken off as soon as they 

 are long enough, and struck in the sand ; dividing the root never 

 makes such fine plants as cuttings. Aphides and mildew must be 

 kept under. 



Carnations and Picoiees. Top dress and stake them without de- 

 lay, and trim off all dead foliage, also proceed with thinning the 

 shoots. There are but few kinds, except it be an old plant, or one 

 that did not bloom the preceding season, which should have more 

 than one blooming-shoot left, the weaker ones should be removed. 

 Disbudding will also have to be attended to as soon as the side-buds 

 are sufficiently forward to be displaced ; remove all but the leader and 

 two side-buds at first, to ascertain which are the kindest and most 

 likely to produce good flowers, when, if a thin variety, one more may 

 be removed, or even two, leaving only the leader if size is required, or 

 such varieties as Admiral Curzon, Splendid, or Lord Milton, will not 

 look well in the same stand as Garland, Princess Royal, &c. Aphides 

 should be looked after and kept down, either by brushing them off 

 the points of the shoots, or by fumigating. 



Dahlias. Plant out into quarters that have been previously pre- 

 pared 5 ft. by 5 ft. 6 in. apart. Secure the plants at once with one 



