MONTHLY CALENDAR. 473 



to harden their foliage sufficiently to bear the full sun ; or the sudden change 

 from a house to full sunshine might cause their leaves to turn brown or burn. 



1445. Orange and lemon trees will now be in bloom, and should be supplied 

 with water at least three times a week in dry weather, and be occasionally 

 supplied with liquid manure after stirring the surface of the soil and top- 

 dressing. Orange-trees when too full of bloom should have the flowers thinned 

 out. They are always in request for drying or distilling. The young fruit 

 when too thickly set should also have a thinning. In order to procure dark 

 glossy foliage, water with clear soot-water. 



1446. Pelargoniums. — June and July are the best months for increasing this 

 plant. Cuttings struck at this season from plants which have been forced, 

 and the wood thoroughly ripened, produce fine plants for autumn-flowering 

 and early spring forcing, supplying the want of flowers in the conservatory 

 in winter and spring, the pots being prepared in the usual manner, and well 

 supplied with drainage and other loose material ; for one-third of its depth 

 fill it up with a compost composed of equal parts turfy loam and silver sand 

 well mixed, and sifted so as to keep back the large lumps. Select cuttings from 

 strong short-jointed shoots three or four inches long, removing the lower 

 leaves so as to leave the base of the cuttings clear ; place them round the edge 

 of the pot about an inch or an inch and a half deep. When planted, water 

 freely to settle the soU round them, and place them in a cold pit or 

 frame. Sprinkle them occasionally overhead till rooted ; afterwards give air 

 gradually to harden them for potting off into 3-inch pots. 



1447. For autumn-flowering, the most desirable are the free-blooming and 

 strong-growing kinds, as Lyne's Forget-me-not. Beck's Meteor, Negress, and 

 Sultana are better adapted for spring forcing ; and, among scarlets. General 

 Ayres, the Queen, Eoyal Dwarf, and Compactum will stand the high tempe- 

 rature well. 



1448. When well established in the small pots and about six inches high, 

 stop them, that they may throw out lateral or side shoots. When they have 

 made their shoots, re-pot them in 48's, in equal parts turfy loam, peat, and 

 decomposed cow or stable dung, with a good proportion of road or river sand, 

 the pots being thoroughly drained with potsherds or oyster-shells : thin out the 

 leaves and small shoots occasionally, to throw the whole sap into the shoots 

 which are to produce flowers. When plunged into the border to flower, these 

 plants will be benefitted by being lifted occasionally to prevent them from root- 

 ing through the bottom of the pots. Those for spring forcing will require a 

 further shift in September ; and the fancy varieties, being more delicate 

 growers, will require more drainage ; and a little charred cow-dung in rough 

 placed over the potsherds wiU be found beneficial. 



1449. Fancy Pelargoniums. — When autumn-flowering pi.ints are required, 

 take cuttings in early summer, when they will strike freely ; fill the pot half 

 full of broken potsherds, and fill up with a compost of equal parts of good 

 turfy loam, peat, and well-decomposed cow-dung and leaf-mould, with a 

 good portion of silver sand. By the end of July the plants will require to be 



