CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS FOR MAY. 



3Q3 



CameU'ia Japonicn. — These are 

 now making their growth, and 

 should be examined to see that 

 they are not raral)ling out of shape. 

 The pruning of the Camelha is a 

 subject on wldch few growers for 

 sale agree \vith us. They should, 

 however, be as carefully pruned as 

 a wall tree. Shoots coming in 

 places where they are not wanted 

 ought to be taken oflp; branches 

 that are too long should be cut 

 back. Regard sliould be had to 

 beauty, and not to size. The grower 

 for beauty does not care for -wood 

 except wliere it is wanted, and 

 therefore the instant the bloom is 

 gone he should cut tlie plant into 

 a form that will, with one year's 

 wood on it, become handsome; and, 

 though he may lose half the plant | 

 by the operation, he will be pleased j 

 ■v\^th the result, however great the 

 sacrifice may be. They will grow 

 the better if placed near the light, 

 being shaded, while the young 

 wood is tender, during the hottest 

 hours of the day, if the sun be too 

 powerful ; and they should not on 

 any account suffer a check while 

 growing. Many place them in the 

 stove or a warm greenhouse, but 

 they are infinitely better without 

 artificial heat. They should be 

 turned every two or three days to 

 prevent their growing one-sided. 



Chinese Primroses. — We are not 

 sufficiently interested in the single 

 kinds to think them worth grow- 

 ing from seed ; but there are some 

 worth perpetuating, such as the 

 double ones and remarkably large 

 single ones. Shake the earth all 

 out of the roots, separate the 

 hearts so as to get a good root 

 with each, and pot them in the 

 sized pot best adapted for their 

 roots, without regard to the head, 

 which will soon spread. 



Cinerarias. — These are now in 



perfection, except seedlings, many 

 of which bloom later. They re- 

 quire plenty of air and water, and 

 their flowers may be shaded from 

 the hot sun. Seedlings in smaller 

 pots than they are to bloom in 

 should be shifted when the pots 

 are full of roots, and be well 

 watered. They will grow double 

 the size that they would acquire if 

 starved, and you can hardly judge 

 a flower that has been starved. 



Climbing Plants. — The rapid 

 growth of climbers renders con- 

 stant attention necessary. The 

 principal object is to guide the 

 young shoots daily, and fasten 

 them in their places as they ad- 

 vance, for, if this be not done, the 

 leaves all turn according to the 

 position in which the growing 

 shoots hang or lay; and when, after 

 they have been neglected, you be- 

 gin to train them, the leaves are 

 twisted out of their places, and 

 the plant requires a long time to 

 recover a good appearance. The 

 necessity of constant watching will 

 be observed the very first time they 

 are neglected a few days in their 

 growing season. Those which are 

 meant to cover any given space , 

 should be occasionally stopped 

 when more lateral branches are 

 required. 



Erica. — This beautiful family 

 should always occupy the coldest 

 place in the greenhouse or a cold 

 pit. All artificial heat is injurious. 

 Twenty - four hours' neglect of 

 watering after they want it will 

 either quite kill or greatly damage 

 a plant, because the leaves of the 

 lower part would fall as if they 

 were deciduous, or whole limbs 

 would die back. Examine every 

 plant, therefore, daily, give plenty 

 of air, and carefully observe the 

 drainage : too much water would 

 be just as dangerous, just as mis- 



