298 THE GREEN-HOUSE. [MARCH. 



attention must be paid, in any sudden changes, which are very fre- 

 quent at this season, to preserve them from cold, cutting, or frosty 

 winds ; during the prevalence of which, the windows, Sec. should 

 be kept close, for such weather would ruin some of the tender 

 kinds, and would be of bad consequence to all. It need hardly be 

 said that the windows and doors must be kept close every night, 

 and should imperious necessity require it, in the early part of the 

 month, the flues heated at night to counteract the power of severe 

 frosts. 



Look over the tubs or pots every other day, and see where water 

 is wanting, and let such as require it be supplied therewith, taking 

 care to use moderation in that case. Water will be serviceable to 

 most of the plants, but especially to all the woody kinds, which will 

 now require more frequent refreshments, if fine mild weather, but 

 always in moderate quantities ; and be still careful, on the whole, not 

 to give too much water at a time, for that would prove the destruc- 

 tion of many kinds, and would be prejudicial to the plants in gene- 

 ral, especially if a cold season, and while they are confined in the 

 green-house. 



Keep every plant in the house free from decayed leaves ; that is, 

 where such appear let them be immediately picked off'; for these, 

 if generally permitted to remain would injure the plants ; besides, 

 they appear disagreeable. 



Any decayed or mouldy shoots should be cut clean off to the firm 

 live wood, and where dust, or any sort of filth, appears on the leaves 

 of the plants, let them be cleared therefrom : if those of the oranges, 

 lemons, and other large-leaved kinds, are foul, have a sponge dipped 

 in water, and clean them therewith, one by one, and let the small 

 leaved sorts be cleaned by watering, out of a watering-pot, all over 

 their heads. 



Oranges, Lemons, and Myrtles. 



Where any of the oranges, lemons, and myrtles, Sec. have naked 

 or irregular heads, you may now towards the latter end of the 

 month, if mild fine weather, begin to reduce them to some regu- 

 larity. The branches or head may either be cut close, or shortened 

 less or more to the place where you desire shoots to rise, to form the 

 head regular, for they will break out in the old wood. 



When any trees are thus headed down, it would also be an ad- 

 vantage to shift them, especially such as are of a weakly growth, 

 in order to add a little fresh earth about their roots > and the me- 

 thod is this : let the tree be taken out of its tub or pot, but preserve 

 the ball of earth entire ; then trim off with your knife any very 

 matted roots, or dry fibres round the outside, and also some of the 

 loose old earth from the bottom and sides of the ball ; and, having 

 fresh compost ready, put some into the bottom of the pot or tub ; 

 place the tree therein, fill up round the ball with fresh earth, and 

 give it a little water. 



But in heading down any of the green-house plants, if time will 

 not permit, or that you think it not necessary to shift them as above, 

 do not, however, fail to loosen the earth in the top of the tub or pots, 



