JULY. 



670 



JULY. 



and frames as are devoted to flowers will 

 now be employed only for the purpose of 

 ripening bulbs, &c., and maturing plants 

 for late blooming, or for striking cuttings. 

 Cuttings of geraniums and most greenhouse 

 shrubs may now be struck, and forwarded 

 by plunging in a gentle hotbed, taking as 

 cuttings only strong and healthy shoots 3 

 to 5 or 6 inches long, according to the size 

 of the plants. These cuttings should be 

 planted in pans, boxes, or pots of rich light 

 compost, a few inches apart, moderately 

 watered, and placed in a frame shaded 

 from the midday sun till they are rooted. 

 Soft-wooded plants like the geranium 

 hardly require such delicate treatment, 

 although they strike sooner under it. 



Hotbeds in Jtily> Management and Pur- 

 poses of. The purposes of hotbeds are 

 limited at this time of the year, at least in 

 most places. Cucumbers, melons, &c., 

 are usually grown in houses and pits that 

 are otherwise unoccupied at present ; and 

 as their culture is more cleanly, and with 

 greater comfort that way, hotbeds may be 

 dispensed with for a time ; but those 

 already in operation will require attention. 

 The weather is usually hot this month and 

 next, but is often changeable, and the 

 manager of frames must be ruled by it. 

 We sometimes have sudden and heavy 

 showers, which would drench the plants 

 and beds through if they were uncovered, 

 probably to the destruction of the plants ; 

 yet plenty of fresh air is necessary ; and 

 the sudden changes produced by the sun 

 being obscured by clouds for a time, and 

 then bursting forth hot and fierce, must be 

 provided against. It is in such cases that 

 a little shade may be advantageous ; but 

 it must be very slight, and not be left 

 on a moment longer than is really required. 



Melons. Plants raised at the beginning 

 ot this month may be put out in the 

 ordinary manner hi a common melon pit, 

 with a good body of dung ; but, if planted 1 



later, it must be so that heat can be applied 

 to ripen the fruit, which, occurring in the 

 shortening days, will want assistance from 

 artificial heat. Plants that are ripening 

 their fruit must have very little water. 

 For melons and cucumbers in houses, &c., 

 keep up a steady bottom heat and afford 

 free ventilation, more especially in wet 

 weather. Keep the strictest watch for 

 red spider and mildew ; for both of which, 

 sulphur, properly applied, is the best pre- 

 ventive, in addition to keeping the roots 

 in action by a well-adjusted bottom heat. 



Roses y &c.y Propagation of. Many gar- 

 deners make hotbeds at this time tor 

 propagating plants, as roses and green- 

 house plants, and also for other purposes 

 connected with the flower garden, &c. 

 Hotbeds made in the ordinary way are 

 very suitable, and have their advantages, 

 and where the material is plentiful, they 

 are probably the best ; but a very useful 

 bed for propagating and raising seeds, 

 &c., is made as follows : Having pre- 

 pared the dung as usual, lay the foundation 

 as lor an ordinary bed, but commence from 

 the bottom an opening which leaves the 

 bed hollow in the interior, the sides and 

 ends of the bed being sloped upwards all 

 round from a point in the centre ; drain 

 pipes are laid to conduct the heat from the 

 linings into this hollow, which is covered 

 by boards laid across, on which the frame 

 rests ; the boards may then be covered with 

 soil, ashes, tan, or dung ; while the heat 

 of the bed lasts the pipes must be plugged 

 up, but opened when lining is applied, to 

 conduct the heat into the bed. 



Strawberries for Forcing. Proceed to 

 pot strawberries for forcing ; as soon as 

 the pots in which the runners were layered 

 become filled with roots, pot them in 6- 

 or 7-inch pots, using rich loam of medium 

 texture and well-rotted dung, and drain 

 well. The kinds intended for early forcing 

 need not have quite such large pots as those 



