MA Y 339 



MAY 



THIS is the chief month for bedding, and the crowded state of pits 

 and houses creates a natural anxiety to push forward the work, yet 

 the exercise of a little patience may save many a valuable lot of 

 plants from being injured past recovery. Although the days are 

 long, and perhaps sunny, the nights are often treacherous, especially 

 in the early part of the month. The first business is to prepare the 

 plants gradually for the change, by free exposure whenever there is a 

 favourable opportunity. Take off the lights on genial days, and 

 by degrees open them at night, until they can be dispensed with 

 altogether. About the second week of the month it will generally 

 be safe to put the most hardy subjects on a bed of ashes, under 

 the shelter of a hedge or wall, before planting them. Begin with 

 Antirrhinum, Dianthus, Phlox Drummondii, Stock, and Verbena. A 

 little later on, others which are rather more delicate, as, for instance, 

 Balsam, Begonia, Dahlia, Petunia, Zinnia, &c., can be treated in the 

 same way, until the great bulk of them are in final quarters. Sub- 

 tropical plants, such as Ricinus, Solanum, Tobacco, and Wigandia, 

 had better be kept under control till the first or second week of June. 



ANTIRRHINUM is admirably adapted for a dry and sunny position, 

 in which it will thrive and flower freely. 



BALSAM. A final sowing early in the month may be made with 

 safety in the open ground. Former seedlings will need potting on 

 until they reach the 8-inch size, and at each transfer put the plants 

 in rather deeper than before, for this encourages the growth of roots 

 from the stems. While increasing the pot room not a bud will show ; 

 but immediately the roots are checked by the pots, flowering will 

 commence. The old method of stopping and disbudding not only 

 spoiled the plants, but robbed them of the finest flowers, which are 

 invariably produced on the main stem. Since the natural method of 

 growing Balsams has been in favour, it is usual to see grand speci- 

 mens covered with immense flowers. 



CINERARIA. Those who care to have Cinerarias in bloom during 

 November and December, may do so from a sowing made at the 

 beginning of April, but it is not usual to begin so early. Our own 

 practice is to sow twice, choosing the present month for the first 

 and from this we look for our finest plants and again in June to 

 insure a succession. The Cineraria is easy to raise and to grow, but 

 it will by no means take care of itself. It has so many enemies, that 



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