MAY] THE HOT-HOUSE. 417 



it would be advisable to place them in a warm situation where the 

 wind can have but little power ; about ten or twelve days after they 

 will be somewhat hardened to the open air, and may then be removed 

 to the places where they are to remain during the season. 



Every plant, as soon as brought out, should be cleared from all 

 decayed leaves, dust and foulness of every kind, and the heads of the 

 whole ought to be watered all over by means of a watering pot or a 

 hand engine, which will greatly refresh and cause them to assume a 

 lively appearance. f,f 8 



If not done before, take out the earth from the tops of the pots or 

 tubs, and fill them up with fresh compost ; this will greatly encourage 

 their flowering and promote a free growth ; andjf their stems, &c., 

 had not been pruned and dressed in the former months, it should now 

 be done. 



It would be very advisable, immediately on bringing out, to place 

 the pots of small growing plants on a stage, and the larger kinds on 

 boards or planks, supported on bricks or pieces of timber, in order 

 to prevent the earth-worms from entering at their bottoms, which, 

 if once admitted, never fail to destroy the texture of the soil, and 

 render it like a honey-comb, consequently, it cannot long retain 

 moisture, and becomes more pervious than necessary to wind and 

 weather, to the great injury of the plants, and trouble of the gar- 

 dener; for the pots or tubs so perforated will require to be watered 

 double as often as those that are free from earth-worms. 



When pots are plunged in the earth there ought to be a piece of 

 shingle, board or slate placed immediately under the bottom of each 

 to prevent the roots from working out through the holes into the 

 surrounding earth ; for although their rooting in this way will cause 

 them to grow more vigorously, it, to many, when taken up, proves 

 very injurious ; therefore, to avoid this evil as much as possible the 

 pots should be turned around, at least once a week during the season, 

 to break off the extending fibres that may have pushed through those 

 apertures at bottom. 



The hard-wooded kinds are generally not so much injured by this 

 as those of a more spongy texture, but it is ultimately of more injury 

 than service to every plant, and, therefore, ought to be avoided as 

 much as possible. 



THE HOT-HOUSE. 



Fire-heat should now be totally discontinued, except in the more 

 northern parts of the eastern States, where a moderate fire at night, 

 during the first week of the month, may, in some seasons, be neces- 

 sary ; but still continue for the pine-apples a constant moderate heat 

 in the bark-bed agreeably to the intimations given last month. 

 27 



