THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



SO" 1 by day and 5S° by night. Pot vines 

 in free growth now should be shifted, if 

 necessary ; it will never pay to starve 

 them. 



Orchid House. — Raise the temperature 

 to 65° by night, and 85 J by day during 

 sunshine. Most of them aie advancing 

 rapidly, and therefore the atmosphere must 

 be kept thoroughly moist by means of 

 water on the shelves and walks, and by 

 evaporation. The house must be shaded 

 on bright days, syringing overhead must 

 not be resorted to till the growth is some- 

 what more advanced. 



Greenhouse. — A general clearance may 

 now be made of all such plants as can be 

 removed to turf pits, frames and other 

 cool receptacles. This will make more 

 room for spring flowers, and give a better 

 chance to pelargoniums and other speci- 

 men plants now growing into shape and 

 size. The best shading for plants in flower 

 is tiffany hung inside in large bag-like 

 festoons. Hitherto shading has not been 

 wanted, but it will be henceforth, and 

 should be got up while the house is in 

 process of re-arrangement. 



Bedding Plants to be exposed as much 

 as possible now, night and day, during 

 warm weather. Be in no haste to plant, 

 as we may yet have frosts and cold rains. 

 Pot off plants newly rooted, and let them 

 taste a little bottom-heat to induce new 

 roots to form. Shift any that are wanted 

 large for centres of beds and back rows of 

 ribbons. Now proceed to propagate all 

 the variegated geraniums and silvery- 

 leaved plants, which, as bloom is not of 

 much consequence, need not be got on as 

 early as the flowering kinds. Cerastium 

 tomentosum, cut up into bits two inches 

 long ; the lower leaves of the cuttings 

 removed, and dibbled into pans of very 

 sandy soil, will be in prime condition for 

 planting at bedding-out time. It may be 

 delayed another week if work presses hard. 

 The same with variegated mint — much 

 better when struck late in spring from 

 shoots truly coloured than if got forward 

 too early. The variegated arabis may 

 be rooted quickly in the same way hy 

 dividing it into separate crowns. It is said 

 to be shy of rooting now that it is in 

 flower, but that is a mistake, as we know 

 from having raised thousands of plants at 

 this time of year. If there is a mode- 

 rate quantity of old stools, they may be 

 divided and planted in tufts, with a bit of 

 root to each, four inches apart, at the end 

 of this month, and will meet and form a 

 lovely yellowish grey line by the middle of 

 June. Verbenas and petunias struck now 

 will make good bedding plants, if en- 



couraged to grow after potted off. This 

 is tae l»a~C time also to put in cuttings 

 of bedding tropasoluir.s, which flower best 

 and grow more moderately when struck 

 late and planted out in poor soil. Make 

 sure of Cerastium Biebersteineii, which is 

 vastly superior to C. tomentosum for 

 edgings; Agathea caflestis variegata, now 

 to be had very cheap ; Stachys lanata, 

 which is quite hardy and a most effective 

 silver-leaved plant ; Centaurea candi- 

 dissima, almost snowy-white, and a strong- 

 growing hardy herbaceous plant. Others 

 of this class have been recommended as 

 suitable for amateurs from the ease with 

 which they can be kept and propagated ; 

 and these are mentioned as being at present 

 little known, yet of the highest value 

 in decorative gardening. 



Azaleas. — Keep shaded while making 

 their new growth, and syringe frequently. 

 Remove all seed pods and the few remain- 

 ing flowers that abstract vigour from the 

 new wood. Like ourselves, plants cannot 

 well do two things at a time ; when grow- 

 ing, they don't need to be bothered with 

 flowers, and vice versa. 



Camellias require careful attention 

 now. As soon as the new growth begins 

 there is an end of bloom, and any un- 

 opened buds that may remain may as well 

 be removed. The temperature, for growing 

 .plants is Go' by day and 55 5 by night ; 

 the atmosphere moist, and the position 

 shad}'. But there must be no coddling ; 

 give air at all favonrable opportunities, or 

 the new growth will be long and weak, 

 and the next season's bloom of necessity 

 inferior. 



Chrysanthemums should be propagated 

 now lor autumn beds and blooming in 

 pots ; if delayed any longer, it will be im- 

 possible to make fine plants, or to secure 

 bloom before the autumn frosts occur. 



Heaths and New Holland Plants. — 

 Repot as required. Newly-potted plants 

 to be carefully watered until they begin to 

 make new growth, which is always a sign 

 they have taken hold of the new soil. 



Tomatoes, Capsicums, etc.— Pot off as 

 fast as needful, and keep them growing 

 vigorously. It is not too late to sow if 

 they have been neglected hitherto. 



Fruit House. — Figs will need stopping 

 the young shoots at the fourth eye, and 

 plenty of syringe, to help the swelling of 

 the fruit. "Cherries of good size must have 

 plenty of light to give colour and flavour ; 

 also syringe, liquid manure, plenty of air, 

 without cold draughts; and as soon as they 

 show colour, less water. Strong foreright 

 shoots to be stopped back to live buds. 

 Peaches and nectarines may have clear 



