APRIL.] THE GREEN-HOUSE. 353 



the weather is mild and calm, and let them continue so, till the cold 

 of the afternoon begins to increase ; provided, that the air conti- 

 nues moderately warm all the time. ,Too much confinement at 

 this season, especially towards the end of the month, when the heat 

 of the weather increases, would do infinite injury to the plants in 

 general, but especially to the early shooting kinds ; for if drawn up 

 weakly in the house, they would not be in so good a condition to 

 bear a removal into the open air in the early part of next month, as 

 if their vegetation had been retarded by the admission of a due and 

 salutary circulation of air, in the house, at all favourable opportu- 

 nities. 



Watering. 



The plants will now require frequent waterings, giving only a 

 little at a time ; but especially the oranges, lemons, myrtles, olean- 

 ders, African heaths, jasmins, coronillas, justicias, arbutus, laurus- 

 tinus, and most of the woody kinds : and also the herbaceous green- 

 house exotics, will require to be occasionally refreshed with mode- 

 rate waterings. 



Let the whole plants, in general, be often looked over, to see where 

 water is wanted, and let such as need it, be supplied therewith, ac- 

 cording to their respective necessities ; for it is now an indispensi- 

 ble article. But moderation and discretion ought to be observed, in 

 the dispensing of it, especially, while the plants are in the house, 

 and particularly to the succulent tribe. The latter, such as Aloes, 

 Agaves, Euphorbias, Cactuses, Crassulas, Stapelias, Mesembryan- 

 themums, &c. being naturally replete with moisture, do not require 

 much water ; to those and other plants of the same nature, it should 

 be given, only when the earth in the pots appears very dry, as too 

 much would rot them. 



Shifting Plants into larger Pots and Tubs. 



Such of your plants as require to be shifted, into larger pots, or 

 tubs, may now be brought out in a mild warm day, and taken out of 

 the pots or tubs in which they have stood, with the balls of earth 

 entire, about their roots ; then cut away such roots, on the outside, 

 as are matted or appear dry or decayed, and also, some of the earth 

 round the ball. 



Having good, sound, fresh earth, in readiness, put some into each 

 new pot or tub, previously, placing a hollow oyster shell, or such 

 like, with the concave side under, over each hole in the bottoms ; 

 then set each plant, with its ball of earth, prepared and dressed as 

 above, into the middle of the pot or tub, and fill it up with fresh com- 

 post, so as that the new earth may cover the crowns of the roots, 

 an inch deeper than before. 



According as the plants are thus potted, let them be immediate- 

 ly watered, and returned to their places in the green-house, admi- 

 nistering the water occasionally afterwards, as their respective ne- 

 cessities may require. 



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