SEPT.] THE HOT-HOUSE. 529 



Any green-house plants propagated in the open ground, or in beds, 

 during the course of the summer, should be taken up in the first 

 week of this month, with balls of earth, potted and treated as above. 



About the middle of this month you should plant your ixias, wal- 

 chendorfias, oxalises, gladioluses, Watsonias, cyanellas, babianas, tri- 

 tonias, Massonias, melasphserulas, antholizas, moreas, Laperousias, 

 lachenalias, melanthiums, geissorhizas, with all the other different 

 kinds of the more tender bulbs, either obtained from the Cape of 

 Good Hope or elsewhere ; especially such of them as show the least 

 disposition to produce fibres from the roots ; for if kept out of the 

 ground much longer, after this appearance, they would be greatly 

 injured thereby. 



The proper compost for the generality of the above kinds, is one- 

 hajf rich fresh loam, one-half bog earth, or earth of rotten leaves, 

 and a small portion of drift or river sand. 



They are to be planted in pots of quart size, from one to five roots 

 in each, a greater number if very small, and covered about an inch 

 deep ; the pots are then to be placed in the green-house windows, and 

 to get but very little water till the foliage appear above ground, and 

 even after, it is to be but sparingly administered, for too much mois- 

 ture would infallibly rot the bulbs. 



Towards the end of the month take into the green-house all your 

 succulent and other tender plants, such as stapelias, cactuses, aloes, 

 cycas revoluta, agaves, &c., and place them in front near the win- 

 dows, where they can have the benefit of the sun and air. Collect 

 your geraniums, at the same time, and all other plants that tend to 

 succulency, and arrange them in front of the green-house, there to 

 remain till it is found necessary to take them in. (See next month.') 



THE HOT-HOUSE. 



REPAIRING THE LIGHTS AND CLEANING THE HOUSE. 



If the roof-lights had in the course of the summer been taken off 

 any of the hot-house departments, they should be replaced early in 

 the month, and all the glass-work of the entire house or houses put 

 in the best possible repair. Examine the wood-work and see that all 

 is tight and in good condition. If new painting of the timbers, 

 sashes, or any other part is necessary, and it has not been done in the 

 preceding months, it should be no longer neglected. 



Indeed it would be of considerable advantage at this time, pre- 

 vious to the taking in of the plants, to give a complete and thorough 

 cleaning, painting, and white-washing to the entire house ; and if in- 

 fested with insects, to fumigate it effectually ; and also to wash the 

 entire of the inside with a very strong solution of corrosive sublimate, 

 and, if thought necessary, to clean away every morsel of old bark out 

 of the pits, carry it off to a considerable distance, and replace it with 

 fresh tan. Any plants remaining in this department may be removed 

 34 



