FLORAL OPERATIONS FOR THE MONTH. 47 



surface at the time, but after a few days, if the soil be dry, a gentle 

 sprinkling may be given, and afterwards, till the plants are up, great 

 care must be taken to keep it moist, for when once softened, if the 

 seeds become dry, destruction soon follows. 



Cuttings of Fuchsias, Alonsoas, Ragwort, Calceolarias, Cupheas, 

 Salvias, Heliotropes, Geraniums, Lotus, Bouvardias, Anagallis, Ver- 

 benas, Petunias, and such like plants for the open beds in summer, 

 should immediately be struck, or the plants will be too weak to answer 

 the purpose. If cuttings were put off in autumn, they should now be 

 potted off singly into small pots, they will then be well established by 

 turning-out time ; any long ones amongst them should be stopped, to 

 induce laterals and make bushy plants. 



Dahlia roots should be immediately put to force for stock. 



Dahlia seed should be sown in pots, and only just covered. Lobelias 

 should be potted singly to have tliem vigorous by turning-out time. 

 Boxes and pots of Mignonette for succession should be sown. 

 Achimenes, Gesnerias, Gloxinias, &c, should be introduced, to pro- 

 mote their immediate growth, and as soon as the plants have pushed, 

 pot them, singly or otherwise, as desirable. Amaryllis, &c, may be 

 excited in like manner. Hyacinths, &c, approaching bloom, must be 

 placed in an airy, light situation, and to those in glasses give a change 

 of water every three or four days. Pot singly Tigridia pavonia and T. 

 conchiflora into small pots. Sow, in pots, seed of the Chinese Prim- 

 rose, and as soon as the plants are fit to pot off do so in a rich compost ; 

 keep them in heat for a short time, and never water them over head. 

 Calceolarias, too, should be encouraged, to have them large ; they, as 

 well as Cinerarias, succeed best when grown in a warm, moist, airy pit- 

 frame, kept at about 56° of temperature ; thus kept, and temperature 

 increased with the season, they will bloom luxuriantly, and when 

 coming into bloom may be removed to the greenhouse, &c. Mignonette 

 should be sown in pots for early summer blooming. Fuchsias required 

 for exhibition should now be cut. in, so as to have them a good shape, 

 and after having pushed a little be re-potted, thinning away all un- 

 necessary shoots. 



IN THE GREENHOUSE, &c. 



Pelargoniums, to be superb specimens, should be repotted into their 

 blooming pots (read the several Articles on their culture in previous 

 volumes) ; they must have a free circulation of air around the plants ; 

 it gives vigour to the shoots and prepares them for a higher tempera- 

 ture afterwards without injury, and a stronger bloom is produced. The 

 one year old plants headed down last autumn will have produced young 

 shoots, now a few inches long ; thin them. In order to have a suc- 

 cession of bloom, now stop the shoots ; this will induce the production 

 of lateral ones, which will come into bloom after the first race of plants 

 has ceased, and continue to a late period of the season. A few more 

 plant--, stopped a month later, will supply to the end of the year. 

 (See Vol. xvi., p. 199.) The surface soil in all pots should be stirred 

 up ; it tends to health. Epacris, Correas, Coronillas, Acacias, Cine- 

 rarias, and other plants, will now be coming into bloom ; water seldom 

 as possible, but when given Jet there be as much as will moisten all the 

 soil. Ericas will still be inactive, give but little water. If any mildew 

 appears, dust with sulphur. Camellias, too, should occupy an airy 



