APRIL. 



626 



APRIL. 



Strawberries. Give plenty of air when 

 in bloom, maintaining a drier atmosphere 

 during that process. After they are fairly 

 set, they will bear a temperature of 70 to 

 swell off; but 60* to ripen, with abundance 

 of air, is quite enough. When on shelves, 

 place each pot in a pan, or within a second 

 pot half filled with rotten manure. Water 

 with manure water, syringe twice a day, 

 and keep the plants clear of insects. 



Temperature, Troubles in- The change- 

 able temperature of the early spring months 

 is a source of immense anxiety to the gar- 

 dener. From cloud to sunshine, and from 

 sunshine to storm ; warm days succeeded 

 by frosty nights, and cold winds by perfect 

 calms, are constant occurrences, and keep 

 the gardener and his assistants continually 

 in a state of uncertainty. 



Ventilation, Management of. With 

 every attention and skill, proper ventila- 

 tion is a work of great difficulty, from the 

 fact that on the brightest days the air is 

 often only a few degrees above the freezing 

 point. Unless provision is made for intro- 

 ducing the external air through a heated 

 chamber, no front air should be admitted 

 until the end of April or beginning of 

 May. In fact, it is better not to give 

 direct air in front of vineries until the fruit 

 is ripe. In the absence of some better 

 means of partially heating the air admitted 

 at the back or top of the house, before it 

 reaches the plants, a close woollen net, or 

 some protective material of this kind, 

 might be fixed over the ventilators or open 

 spaces where the lights run down. The 

 force of the current would be broken, and 

 the air would be partially heated as it was 

 sifted through the fine meshes of the 

 netting. If it were practicable to 'keep 

 this netting wet, the rapid evaporation 

 from it would tend largely to moderate 

 the temperature of the air, and prevent 

 its being raised so rapidly by the influence 

 jf the sun. But an equable temperature is 



scarcely more important than the amount 

 of moisture contained in the air. Hy- 

 drometers, although not yet common, 

 will soon be felt to be as necessary as 

 thermometers. 



Vinery. As soon as the grapes begin to 

 swell again, a rise of 10 may take place, 

 which may be continued until the first 

 spot of colour appears. The minimum 

 may then be from 60 to 65, with a 

 little air constantly in the house, never 

 omitting to close it at night. 



Vines for Succession. Successional 

 houses will now require great attention, 

 disbudding, thinning, and tying the shoots, 

 &c. Raise the temperature, through the 

 different stages, as recommended last 

 month. Stop the young shoots a joint 

 beyond the bunches, excepting always the 

 leading shoots on young vines. After a 

 few stoppings, if the leaves become 

 crowded, take the young wood off at the 

 same point at every stopping, as two or 

 three large leaves beyond the bunch are 

 sufficient to supply its wants, and more 

 useful than a number of small ones. 



April. Greenhouse, Work in. 



Azaleas. Late-blooming azaleas will be 

 coming forward. Where there is a good 

 stock of plants, the bloom of some should 

 be retarded by placing them on the shaded 

 side of the house. Plants that have been 

 forced should have the seed vessels picked 

 off, and shifted, if the pots are tolerably 

 Full of roots. 



Calceolarias. These should now have a 

 final shift. Use a light rich compost, and 

 peg the plants down to encourage roots up 

 the stem. Water cautiously when dry, and 

 umigate for green fly. Ventilate freely 

 whenever suitable opportunity offers. 



Fuchsias. This is a good time for buying 

 in plants, and for striking cuttings, which 

 should be inserted in pots filled with loam 

 and leaf mould, or peat and silver sand. 



