THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[^January, 



a KEEN Bouse and Mouse Gardening. 



SEASONABLE HINTS. 



Roses, when they are forced, do much better 

 when the pots are phmgod in some damp mate- 

 rial. When no better plan offers, they may be 

 set inside of a larger pot, with moss between tlie 

 space around. All plants that come into flower 

 through winter should have those positions af- 

 forded them that have the most sunlight, espe- 

 cially the early morning light. Care must, how- 

 ever, be taken that the material about the 

 plunged pot does not get too cold. For winter 

 flowering, and Roses especially, the flowering is 

 best when the earth about the root is a little 

 warmer than the atmosphere. For watering, 

 water a little warmed is an advantage. 



We were speaking here chiefly of window 

 plants. The dry air of sitting-rooms is the great 

 obstacle to the perfection of window plants. The 

 plants should be sprinkled or syringed with wa- 

 ter as often as practicable, and the leaves washed 

 as often as any insects or dust appear on them. 

 In warm rooms, they should be kept in the cool- 

 est parts, and as near the light as possible. For 

 hanging plants chere is now an increasing taste, 

 as they afford so much scope for arranging the 

 forms, and for beautifying the windows. Linaria 

 Cymbalaria or the Kcnilworth Ivy, Variegated 

 Spider-wort [Tradescantia variegata), Money-wort 

 [Lysiviachianuminularia), the Creeping Saxifrage 

 {Sazi/raga sarmentosa), and Common Ivy, are 

 among the most useful of commoner things. 

 Then there is the Australian or German Ivy, as 

 well as the many varieties of the evergreen Ivy, 

 and many other things of a choicer character, if 

 gas is not bui-nt in the room. 



In the greenhouse, air may be given in fine 

 weather; but if the temperature is not allowed 

 to go much above 45°, much will not be required. 

 Tlie stereotyped advice to give air freely on all 

 occasions when not actually freezing, is about on 

 a par with the absurd practice that lays the 

 foundation of consumption in a child, by turning 

 it out almost naked in frosty weather to render it 

 hardy. Many strike their Fuchsias now,from which 

 they desire to make very fine specimen plants. 



All kinds of plants that are required for Spring or 

 Summer blooming, should be propagated when- 

 ever the time permits. All growing plants, as 

 Calceolarias, Cinerarias, Chinese Primrose, Ger- 

 aniums, and so on, should lie potted as often as 

 the pots become filled with roots. Plants which 

 have a growing season, and one of rest, as Rho- 

 dodendrons, Azaleas, Camellias, &c., should be 

 potted if they require it, just before they com- 

 mence to grow, which is usually about the end 

 of this month. In potting, a well-drained pot is 

 of great importance. The pots should be near 

 one-fourth filled with old potsherds, broken 

 small, and moss placed over to keep out the 

 soil. 



Daphnes like a cool, humid atmosphere, and 

 are very impatient of heat. The best we ever 

 saw were grown by a farmer's wife, who had an 

 old spring-house converted into a greenhouse to 

 preserve her oranges, oleanders and daphnes 

 over the winter. The natural heat from the 

 spring was quite sufficient to keep out frost, and 

 it was surprising how cliarmingly the plant* 

 throve in this, to a gardener, rough-looking plant- 

 case. 



It is better to keep in heat in cold weather by 

 covering, where possible, than to allow it to es- 

 cape, calculating to make it good by fire-heat, 

 which is, at best, but a necessary evil. Where 

 bloom is in demand, nothing less than 55° will 

 accomplish the object; though much above that 

 is not desirable, except for tropical hot-house 

 plants. Where these plants are obliged to be 

 wintered in a common greenhouse, they should 

 be kept rather dry, and not be encouraged much 

 to grow, or they may rot away. 



After Cyclamens have done blooming, it is 

 usual, at this season, to dry them off; but we do 

 best with them by keeping them growing till 

 Spring, then turning them out in the open bor- 

 der, and re-pot in August for winter-flowering. 



Mignonette is much improved by occasional 

 waterings with liquid-manure. 



In managing other plants, where there are 

 several plants or varieties of one species, and 

 command of different temperatures, it is a com- 

 mon plan to bring some forward a few weeks 



