848 



CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS FOK AUGUST. 



tlie more delicate things, by put- 

 ling crocks and mould above them 

 to within half an inch of the top, 

 and fill that half-inch with silver 

 sand thoronglily soaked in water, 

 so that, without the help of any 

 dibble, you can stick the cuttings 

 in as far as the soil, and just 

 through the sand; a little water 

 will close the sand about the 

 stems, and a bell-glass, just a 

 trifle smaller than the ])ot, to cover 

 them, completes the business so 

 far : they may then be put into a 

 hotbed not too powerful. All the 

 hard-wooded plants will do for this 

 treatment. 



Geraniums. — The plants cut 

 down last month, if kept ratlier 

 dry and exposed to the sun, will 

 now have broken out a supply of 

 young shoots. As soon as these 

 can be distinguished commence 

 regulating the shaj)e of the plants 

 by .thinning such as come in in- 

 convenient places, or are too much 

 crowded together, in order to give 

 the others more air and light. As 

 soon as they are well broken the 

 plants may have their roots re- 

 duced, and repottef? into smaller 

 pots, after which they should go 

 into a cold frame. 



{ Plants in Flower. — Free-grow- 

 j ing subjects in blossom, that may 

 j be getting in any measure ex- 

 hausted, but wliich it mny be de- 

 siral'le to maintain longer in a 

 state of bio )ra, may be assisted by 

 the use of weak manure water. 

 This may be made of various in- 

 gredients, but the simplest and 

 generally most easily obtained 

 material is the rotted horse-dung 

 from an old hotbed. Of this a 

 spadeful may be put to a dozen 

 gallons of water, and after be^ng 

 stirred up and allowed to settle, 

 the clear liquid may be used, 

 diluting it with half its bulk of 

 pure water. 



Red Spicier. — This is one of the 

 most disagreeable of all visitors. 

 It insinuates its poison into the 

 plants, and sucks out their natural 

 juices, and when once they have 

 a fair hold a plant is sacrificed ; 

 besides, it is a pest even to vines. 

 The most effectual remedy is to 

 sprinkle the flues with sulphur, 

 and heat them so as to raise a 

 moderately strong fume in the 

 house ; and we are not to be told 

 this remedy is a bad one because 

 it is possible to destroy a plant 

 by excess of it. 



