{)Zi GAKDEN MAITAGEilEXT. 



Stock of hyacintlis, crocuses, narcissuses, tulips, jonquils, and other haruy 

 bulbs. 



1979. Cold Fits and Frames. —Give all the air possible, unless it actually 

 freezes ; guard against damp and over-crowding ; carefully examine mignonette, 

 •stocks, &c., and remove every bit of mould the moment it appears. Provide 

 mats or reed covers in readiness against frost ; keep the glass clean, and let 

 vigilant attention to the minutest details be the keynote of your successful 

 cultui-e of flowers under glass in "brown October."— D. T. F. 



§ 6.— Culture of Fruit u^tder Glass. 



1980. In our climate, it must be cultivated under glass, if at all, at this 

 season of the year ; and those who wish for peaches or grapes on their tablo 

 in May must begin this month. The fii-st part of the old proverb of " Early to 

 bed, early to rise," &c., gives an excellent cue to the theory of the successful 

 culture of early fruit. The advantages derived from the practice commended 

 in this old saw ai-e not greater than the great truth taught that, as a rule, 

 the earlier we go to bed the earlier wo will rise. 



loSx. Early work calls for early rest; and where this call is refused, tho 

 work will either be badly performed, or the machine will speedily be woni out. 

 Hence, if plants are required to move to any good purpose earli/ in the autumn, 

 they must rest early in the summer. Only thus can they be endued with 

 sufficient momentum to overcome the dull, heavy inertia; of the dead season ; 

 forcing plants now, is like a steam-engine dragging a heavy train up a steep 

 ■incline : it will do it all the easier if it has just run down a rapid fall on tho 

 •other side. Analogous to the power of resistance thus acquired is the sleep 

 of vegetable life previous to the awakening of its energies. It will scarcely 

 move at all at this season unless its resources have been husbanded, and its 

 vital energies intensified by some such means as this. The decrease of the 

 •sun's enlightening, mellowing, and revivifying power ; the shortness of tho 

 day ; the intensity of the cold ; all exert a powerful— well-nigh all-powerful- 

 somniferous influence on vegetable life. How poor a substitute is artificial 

 heat and moisture (the only life-exciting agents in our power) for that intense 

 light and omnipotent energy which arouses with irresistible might all plants 

 from their sleep in the natural spring. However, if plants have had a good 

 lono- rest, and if they have first of all finished their summer work well by 

 thoroughly ripening their wood before they went to bed, it is astonishing 

 what an influence a warm bath has in arousing them to vigorous exertion. 

 Only it must not be too warm ; — water, at a temperature of 50°, applied at first 

 with a syringe all over, in the form of a shower-bath, will suffice. A tempera- 

 ture of 45° or 50° being maintained at the same time, and the bath being 

 repeated twice a day, the plants will begin to rub their eyes— push the bark 

 •off the buds, and open them and look about,— that is, the buds expand 

 •out of their case. No sooner do they become thoroughly awakened, than they 



