THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 153 



they may be put into thumbs singly at once, which is a gain of time and strength 

 to the plant. 



Epacrises that have flowered must now be repotted, the soil to be sandy fibry 

 peat. The strong-growing kinds must have a large shift. U.-;e plenty of drainage 

 carefully packed, and place the plants in a turf-pit for the summer, and shade during 

 midday. 



Fruit kipening under glass must have a comparatively dry air and plenty of 

 ventilation, or they will lack colour and flavour. 



Hardy Hf.p.baceous Plants that have bloomed should now be propagated. 

 Take cuttings of Double Wallflowers, Alyssum, Arabis, and Iberis sempervirens, the 

 latter is perbaps the best of all the white-flowering plants for early bloom out of doors. 



Melons in fruit to have less water as soon as the fruit begins to ripen. Let them 

 have the full sun, no matter how it may roast them ; shut up early with a good 

 heat, and sprinkle the leaves at the same time. 



Orchard House Trees are now swelling their fruit, and need the help of liquid 

 manure. Use it rather weak at first, for fear of causing stone fruit to fall. After 

 two or three doses, alternating with plain waterings, increase its strength. Stone 

 fruits not yet beginning to swell should be kept without it for the present. 



Orchids. — Most of the Indian species will now require an abundance of water 

 and a moist atmosphere. It is their heydiy, and if they do not thrive now they 

 never will. Stanhupeas, Dendrobiums, brides, Saccolabiums, and Vandas are now 

 especially thirsty, and their wants must be supplied by dipping or watering. 



Paxsies. — This is a good time to strike cuttings for a good autumn bloom, and 

 to secure pot plants of choice kinds to keep over winter for spring cuttings. The 

 side-shoots and very young tops of the leaders root quickest, and make the best 

 plants. 



Peaches ripening to have a liberal supply of air during the day and a little 

 during the night. Keep the atmosphere pretty dry, but the border must be moist 

 while the trees are still growing. As soon as the trees show that they have made 

 sufficient growth, assist them to ripeu the wood by letting the border get rather drj', 

 and the more the sun roasts the wood the better. 



Pelargoniums now require much attention. See that stakes and ties are in 

 order to keep the plants in the required form as they come into bloom. Judicious 

 stopping, plenty of light and air, and a sound compost, are points of great import- 

 ance towards growing plants that will not need scaffolding. Give shade as the 

 plants show flower, and keep the whole stock as cool and airy as possible, avoiding 

 damp and cold draughts. 



Petunias left over from the bedding, and double varieties struck in spring, will 

 now want shifting, to make specimen plants for autumn bloom in the conservatory. 

 The same with all other soft-wooded summer-flowering plants. A little timely care 

 will now put value into every scrap that has a leaf and a root. 



Phloxes. — Strong stools in the birder will need thinning, to reduce the number 

 of shoots to a few manageable leaders, which are to be staked neatly and separately. 



Rockeries may be brightened up now by turning out in suitable places such 

 plants as Saxifrages, Phlox subulata, Dianthus fragrans, Antirrhinums, Columbines, 

 Festuca elauca, Elymus glauca. Crimson Thrift, Campanula garganica, and rotun- 

 difolia, Potentillas, etc., etc. 



Stove.— This is the best time to propagate a supply of Begonias, Euphorbias, 

 Justicias, Poinsettias, and other quick-growing soft-wooded plants for display during 

 winter. Specimen plants to be assisted with liquid manure, and the shoots to be 

 stopped of all shrubby and branching kinds, Justicias especially should be freely 

 grown now, to get the wood well ripened for a good bloom at tbe turn of the year. 

 Sow for succession beans, marrow peas, lettuce, cabbage, cauliflowers, Walcheren 

 broccoli. Stone turnip, and turnip radishes. 



Tiii.N- every kind of crop where there is anything like crowding. Spinach, 

 beet, turnip, parsley, etc., etc., will be the worse for remaining thick. 



Vegetable Marrows and Ridge Cucumhers to be planted out underhand- 

 glasses on moderately warm bods. 



Vines to be again thinned in cool houses, and the operation accomplished without 

 handling the berries. Crops ripening to be kept rather dry, and with a temperature 

 not less than 90" with sun heat, and 65" by night. 



Wall-teees to be nailed in, and the shoots thinned as they grow, that there 



May 



