FEBRUARY. 



103 



|oi1ituthirnI Dptnitians 



FOR FEBRUARY. 

 FRUIT DEPARTMENT. 



The month of January has been unusually cold, "with several severe 

 snow storms. The thermometer has not ranged above the freezing point 

 more than three or four days during the month. The coldest morning was 

 the 9th, when the temperature fell to 8° below zero. The range has been 

 from zero to 10° above, upwards of half the month. A continuation of 

 such unfavorable weather for so long a period, at this season of the year, 

 is rather uncommon, and the labors of the gardener have been more than 

 ordinarily severe. The repeated snows and continued cold have rendered 

 early forcing extremely hazardous, and a change of milder weather is anx- 

 iously awaited. 



Grape Vi.nes have made slow progress the last month; but, as the sun 

 gets higher, and the days longer, they Avill improve rapidly. The earliest 

 vines will now be setting their fruit, and by the last of the month will need 

 thinning. Keep up an even temperature, and be more liberal now in 

 the use of water, damping the house in bright weather. Tie in and stop 

 all laterals. Vines in the greenhouse will now begin to swell their buds, 

 and should be frequently syringed to assist them in breaking evenly. Vines 

 in pots, for a succession, may now be introduced into the grapery or green- 

 house. Cuttings may be put in now, and the pots placed in a hot bed, 

 where they will soon begin to grow. 



Peach and Fig Trees, in pots, may be brought in for a succession. 



Scions of trees may now be cut, and preserved, till wanted, in a cool 

 cellar. 



Pruning may be commenced now, where there is a great deal to be 

 done. 



Root Grafting should be attended to now, as there is other work next 

 month which will occupy all the leisure time. 



flower department. 



Colder weather has required the keeping up of large fires, in order to 

 counteract the effects of severe frost. Thi 5, together with the darkness of 

 the houses, caused by the accumulated ice from the melting of the repeated 

 snows, has induced a somewhat tender and forced growth, which it should 

 be the endeavor of the zealous gardener to harden off at the earliest op- 

 portunity. This can only be done by the admission of all the air possible, 

 as soon as fine weather sets in, still keeping up a moderate temperature. 



As the season advances, work accumulates ; more potting will need to 

 be done, and propagation will commence in earnest. All the hard wooded 

 plants, which soon commence a new growth, will need looking over in order 

 to prune them into shape. Seeds of many kinds should be planted, frames 



