JANUARY. 



585 



JANUARY. 



January. Glasshouses for fruit, 

 &c., Work in. 



Vines in Ground already started. Vines, 

 where they form a feature in the cultivation, 

 are usually cultivated on some principle of 

 succession, either by dividing the house by 

 partitions or by having a succession of 

 houses. Supposing the plants to have 

 been started in October, they would break 

 last month with a temperature in house of 

 about 70. This should now be the point 

 aimed at, the minimum being 60 during 

 the night. The actual heat, however, 

 should be regulated by the state of the 

 external border. If the heat is falling 

 there, then fresh heating materials must be 

 applied there ; for on that depends the 

 result. Later sections may follow for suc- 

 cession, beginning at a lower temperature, 

 and increasing the heat gradually as the 

 vines break and advance. 



Vines in Pots already Started. Vines in 

 pots, if started in October and exposed to 

 regular heat, will now be setting their fruit. 

 They may be pushed on vigorously ; for the 

 roots being entirely under control, there is 

 less danger of the plants being injured by 

 over-forcing. Fresh plants should be 

 brought forward. This may be done by 

 plunging them into a hotbed and frame, 

 and adding linings to keep up the heat 

 until they break, when the heat of the 

 vinery will be found sufficient. The plants 

 showing fruit should be assisted by occa- 

 sional applications of manure water in 

 bright weather. 



Vines yet Dormant. The stems of vines 

 not yet started should be kept dry, but the 

 roots which are not in a quiescent state, 

 but growing, must be kept moderately 

 moist. To retain the vines in their present 

 state of rest, plenty of air must be given 

 when the weather is mild, and the tempera- 

 ture of the house should not at any time be 

 raised above 40, nor permitted to fall 

 below 32*. 



January. Greenhouse, Work 

 in. 



With the opening year and the lengthen- 

 ing day the busy season in the greenhouse 

 commences; plants of all kinds begin to 

 move, and most of them may now be assis- 

 ted with a little heat. Soft-wooded plants 

 maybe stimulated by it, and, when they 

 begin to grow, moved into the larger pots 

 in which they are to flower, while those 

 which are more advanced and showing 

 bloom may be introduced into a warmer 

 place. 



Azaleas. Azaleas should now be grow- 

 ing freely, if they were shifted and promoted 

 to a warm place last month. To get early 

 flowering plants, some of the more advanced 

 specimens should be introduced to greater 

 heat, while others are retarded for a succes- 

 sion, to supply the conservatory or window 

 cases. 



Calceolarias. Calceolarias require great 

 attention as to watering. Remove all 

 decaying leaves as they appear, peg down 

 the shoots to the soil, that they may root 

 up the stems and thus strengthen the plant. 

 As seedlings advance, shift them into larger 

 pots, and prick off those sown for late 

 blooming. In potting, use a compost of 

 light turfy loam, well decomposed manure 

 and leaf mould, and a liberal portion of 

 silver sand, with an ample drainage of 

 potsherds and charcoal, and keep them free 

 from insects. 



Camellias. Camellias should now be 

 advancing into full bloom, and the young 

 expanding buds should be protected from 

 cold currents of air, but without much fire 

 heat. With camellias and other plants of 

 similar habit advancing into bloom, occa- 

 sional doses of manure water in a tepid state 

 should be given, and the plants syringed 

 with tepid water every other day, until the 

 flowers begin to expand. Camellias should 

 not be watered too liberally when coming 

 into flower or when in bloom. It is after 



