258 THE amateur's geeenhoxjse 



good heads. "Water and liquid manure must be more freely 

 given, and vigilant efibrts must be made to keep down green 

 fly and thrips. Many of the less tender things may be removed 

 to cold pits, to increase the room for other things that want 

 continued protection to make fine plants. Young stuff from 

 the propagating-house should be potted as fast as rooted, and 

 kept close till started afresh, and then be gradually inured to 

 air and light, so as to be strong by the middle of May. All 

 tropical plants required for summer blooming in the house 

 should be got on without delay, and a quick growth pro- 

 moted, so as to allow them as long a season as possible for 

 blooming, and ripening their buds for next season. Average 

 temperature this month, 55° by night, 60° to 65° by day. Where 

 desirable, the house may be shut up with sun-heat, to render 

 fire unnecessary. 



Mat. — Hard-wooded plants will want plenty of air, and 

 specimen plants in flower must have shade. Allow nothing to 

 form seed, unless seed be specially desired. Cut back all kinds 

 of shrubs that are out of shape, and keep them rather close 

 afterwards, to get good breaks, so as to bring them into decent 

 shape, and get the wood well ripened for next year's bloom. 

 Where plants are crowded, many may be removed to frames, 

 so as to allow of a freer circulation of air. Shift, stop, and tie 

 out all the soft-wooded plants that are advancing in growth ; 

 but if required to bloom shortly they must not be disturbed, 

 merely kept in shape, and have plenty of water and free ven- 

 tilation. Continue to strike bedding stock for late blooming. 

 Fuchsias, geraniums, verbenas, and petunias make beautiful 

 specimens for pot blooming in the autumn, if struck now and 

 kept regularly stopped till July. They should not have a high 

 temperature, fuchsias especially, which like shade and mois- 

 ture. Camellias and azaleas that have made their young 

 shoots should have a little more ventilation to prepare them to 

 go in the open air next month to ripen their wood. Pelargo- 

 niums out of bloom to be cut in and allowed to break before 

 repotting them, and the syringe and fumigator kept in use, as 

 may be necessary, to destroy red spider and green fly. Fire- 

 heat should be dispensed with as much as possible, preparatory 

 to clearing and cleaning out the house. 



June. — To prolong the beauty of plants in flower, put up a 



