526 VILLA GARDENING part vii 



as the house cannot well be too cool for them. If they must 

 remain, place them at the coolest end. The Climbers and wall 

 plants should be regulated as they advance in growth, to prevent 

 entanglements. 



SxdVE. — Complete the potting of all specimen plants without 

 delay. Large specimens should have a large proportion of fibry 

 loam used in the compost. Keep the house a little closer for a 

 week or two after the potting is finished, to encourage growth. 

 Pot off Achimenes. Repot Caladiums, Anthuriums, and Alo- 

 casias. Pot on Crotons, and keep them as near the glass as 

 possible to give colour. Put in cuttings of winter -flowering 

 Begonias, Justicias, Euphorbias, Poinsettias, and other winter- 

 flowering plants. Do everything possible to keep down insects by 

 sponging and fumigating. Keep up a good supply of atmospheric 

 moisture. 



Forcing Flowers. — Successions of everything required should 

 l)e introduced at regular intervals. Paul's double Scarlet Thorn 

 forces well, and so will most of the hardy deciduous flowering 

 shrubs if rightly managed. 



Propagating. — All kinds of bedding plants may be rooted 

 with ease and certainty now in a hotbed with a temperature of 75° 

 to 80°. Roses may be grafted in heat, and cuttings of Tea-Roses 

 obtained from forced plants, which on getting firm will root freely 

 at this time. Seeds of tender and other annuals should be sown 

 now. Cuttings of Tree Carnations planted in saucers of moist 

 sand, standing on a warm sm-face, will shortly take root. All 

 cuttings should be shaded from bright sunshine. 



Forcing Fruit. — Under the influence of lengthening days the 

 early Grapes ■will be making rapid progress. Disbud as soon as 

 the best bunches can be seen, leaving in a general way only one 

 lateral to a spar, and only one Inuich of Grapes on each lateral ; all 

 others in each case should be removed. Stop all laterals at the 

 first or second leaf beyond the bunch. Thin the Grapes as soon as 

 those berries which are taking the lead can be seen. If the Graj>es 

 are expected to keep long after they are ripe they must be well 

 thinned. Some Grapes, notably the Black Hamburg, set freely, 

 others require a little help. Shaking the I'ods when the pollen 

 grains are dry is useful. Drawing one's hand gently down the 

 bunches when in flower, or using instead, for the same purpose, a 

 light hair brush, are all expedients which have been tried with 

 good results. The vines in the late vinery will now be just break- 

 ing their buds. The disbudding and other work should be carried 

 out as in early forcing. The night temperature of the early house 

 should now be from 60° to 65°. In the afternoon at closing time 



