14. 



THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



roots find it, the vigour of the plants will 

 be increased wonderfully. If plunged in a 

 dung-bed they will require very little 

 watering at present. 



Asparagus. — See that the soil of the 

 forcing beds is sufficiently moist. A beat 

 of 55' to 60' will be sufficient, but it must 

 not decline below 55'. Straw hurdles are 

 of o-reat service to prevent a cooling of the 

 bed during severe frost and north-east w inds . 



Mushroom beds for an early supply 

 should now be commenced. Save, for the 

 purpose, fresh horse droppings, spread 

 thinly or in very small heaps, as the more 

 slowly it ferments the better while collect- 

 in<>\ Keep it dry, and when the bulk is 

 sufficient, mix with it an equal quantity of 

 road sweepings and dry chippy dung from 

 the stable. Throw the material together 

 to ferment, and if too dry sprinkle with 

 water. Turn it two or three times, and 

 then make up the bed, beating it firm with 

 a fork. In seven or eight days it will be 

 fit for spawning, but if it is then in a 

 violently heated state, turn it, and leave it 

 loose for a clay, and then make it up again, 

 when the heat will rise gently and the 

 spawn may be inserted. Small pieces, not 

 larger than walnuts, are more effectual 

 than large cakes, therefore the spawn 

 should be well broken up. Beds in bear- 

 ing must be kept as dry as possible with 

 coverings of straw, which must be changed 

 occasionally. 



Pits and Frames. — Cucumbers. — Bear- 

 ing plants will require occasional watering 

 with liquid manure, and as much light as 

 possible to keep them in health. Remove 

 male blossoms as fast as they appear. Keep 

 the atmosphere moist; temperature 60 by 

 night, 70° to 75' by day, 80 1 with sun 

 shine. Sow singly in pots for succession 

 plants ; we can particularly recommend for 

 present sowing Carter's Champion, Cut- 

 hill's Black Spine, Highland Mary, and 

 Ipswich Standard. Choice sorts, may be 

 kept on from cuttings to avoid the risk of 

 deterioration. Plants that have been in 

 fruit during the winter will furnish cuttings 

 for succession, if the sorts are approved of 

 for the purpose. Give air as often as the 

 weather will permit. During mild weather, 

 a little air may be left on all night, with a 

 mat over the opening to prevent too cold a 

 draught. 



Caulijloivrs are apt to die off now un- 

 less kept dry : a little peat dust will be 

 useful to sprinkle amongst them where 

 they are suffering from damp. Dry sand 

 and wood ashes may be used for the same 

 object. If the plants are crowded, they 

 will only kill eacn other, so thin atouce if 

 necessary. 



Auriculas. — Remove the old decayed 

 leaves, but in doing so be careful not to 

 injure the plants. The plants must never 

 be dust dry, let the weather be ever so 

 severe. We mention this because during 

 hard weather good collections are occa- 

 sionally ruined, the growers forgetting how 

 hardy the plant is, and how much its con- 

 stitution is injured by drought. But be- 

 ware of damp, and, during frost, avoid 

 watering until a favourable change occurs, 

 if possible. 



Capsicums, Tomatoes, and Ef/g Plants, 

 to be sown at once and placed in heat. 

 Use light rich soil, sow thin, and prick the 

 plants out to strengthen as soon as they are 

 large enough. 



Annuals sown now in pans, and placed 

 in a cucumber pit or in a vinery, will make 

 a good start for early bloom. They should 

 be sown thinly, the pans should have 

 plenty of drainage, and a libry soil should 

 be used, so that in pricking them out they 

 may be lifted with bundles of fibres with 

 little injury. Mignonette is one of the 

 most useful to sow now, as it will come into 

 bloom by the time the weather is suffi- 

 ciently genial to allow of the pots being 

 placed in windows. The Californian sorts 

 offer the gayest flowers for early display in 

 the conservatory and drawing-room. 



Melons for a first crop to be sown at 

 once. Sow them singly ; it is no gain in 

 the end to have to divide them when 

 several seeds are sown in one pot ; it is too 

 great a check. 



Greenhouse Plants in Flower. — 

 Abtitiliin insigne, Malvaceos. — Greenhouse 

 evergreen shrub from New Granada ; 

 sod, rich loam and peat; propagates by 

 cuttings in summer. Winter tempc ature, 

 40' to 55 . The whole family is a favourite 

 one. A. striatum very nearly hardy, and 

 capable of enduring winter under a warm 

 wall in the southern counties. The hand- 

 some foliage and fine bell-shaped flowers 

 are very attractive. 



Amlersonia Sprengelioide<:. Natural 

 Order, Enacridaceas. — Beautiful greenhouse 

 New Holland shrub of small growth, re- 

 quiring sandy peat and plenty of drainage. 

 Cutting- strike readily in a hot-bed. Pro- 

 duces pink flowers in June in a cool 

 house ; to bloom in Januaiy, should be 

 well ripened and put into an intermediate 

 house in October. 



Correit speciosa and pulcliella, Rutacece 

 or Rue-worts. — Showy, scarlet flowered 

 New Holland shrubs, requiring sandy peat 

 and fibry loam. Gratidifiora, a rich crim- 

 son may also be had in bioom now. They 

 are very hardy, and bloom abundantly all 

 the winter months with proper attention ; 



