32 



THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 



fruit must have a rather dry atmosphere and a steady 

 bottom heat of at least 80", with a temperature of 

 from 65° to 70° by night, and 70" to 75° by day, with 

 an increase of 10 J to 12° by sun heat. Give'a little 

 air when the weather permits. Plants intended for 

 fruiting next autumn and winter should be kept 

 steadily growing. If the young stock have a bottom 

 heat of 80°'and arc growing satisfactorily, do not be 

 in too great a hurry to pot them. Fines.— Never 

 neglect to thin the bunches as soon as they are fairly 

 set, cutting off all that are not wanted ; the crops will 

 in consequence be finer and the Vines will not be un- 

 necessarily exhausted. Maintain a moist atmosphere 

 during the time the fruit is swelling until it begins to 

 show signs of colouring, when a drier atmosphere 

 will be required. The outside borders of the early- 

 houses should be kept at a uniform temperature of 

 about 70 9 . The inside borders should be well watered 

 when they require it. Stop and tie down shoots in 

 succession-houses. Keep a dry atmosphere while 

 in flower, and a night temperature of about G5- for 

 Hamburghs, and a few degrees higher for Muscats. 

 Keep a moist atmosphere ia houses that are break- 

 ing, and give plenty of air if the weather permits, 

 always early in the forenoon, and close up early in 

 the afternoon. Start late-houses, beginning with a 

 night temperature of 45°. Keep a moist atmosphere. 

 Tenches and Nectarines.— Do not exceed a night 

 temperature of 55° until after the fruit is set, then 

 raise it to 00" which will be sufficient until the stoning 

 of the fruit, when it should be raised to from 65° to 

 70° by night, and to 75° during the day, with a rise 

 of 10 a or more by sun heat. After the fruit is set, 

 syringe the trees" twice daily with water the tem- 

 perature of the air of the house, and keep a moist 

 atmosp'here the whole time the fruit is swelling, 

 otherwise the red spider will be troublesome. Give 

 plenty of air -when the weather permits. Attend 

 carefully to disbudding and tying down the shoots. 

 See directions in last Calendar for late-houses. Figs. 

 — As these advance in growth they will require large 

 supplies of water. Syringe two or three times daily, 

 and keep a moist atmosphere. When the shoots are 

 five or six join.s long, pinch out the terminal bud. 

 Keep the temperature 60° at night, and 65° to 70° 

 in the day. Cherties. — See these have a steady 

 bottoar heat and as much air as the weather will 

 permit. Be careful in watering, and do not keep the 

 temperature at night above 50° until the fruit are 

 stoned. Strawitrries.— Plants swelling off fruit 

 should have a moist atmosphere and a warm tem- 

 perature with good supplies of water. Introduce a 

 fresh lot of plants once a-fortnigLt. For treatment 

 wh°n first brought in, see last month's Calendar. 



Vegetables. — Asparagus. — With the increase of 

 light this will now come strong and tine, provided 

 the bottom heat does not exceed 70 Q , and plenty of 

 air be given. M ake fresh beds to keep up a ; uccession 

 until it comes into use out cf doors. Rhubarb and 

 Sea-kale.— Keep up a succession as directed last 

 month. Sidney Beans.— Sow twice during the 

 month; pinch the tops of the shoots off to make 

 them branch out; keep them near the glass, and 

 attend to watering. Syringe to keep down red 

 spider. Carrots and Radishes.— Sow on slight hot- 

 bed. Mustard and Cress. — Sow once a-fortnight. 

 Potatoes.— Plant Ash-leaved Kidneys on a gentle 

 heat in frames and pits. Capsicums and Tomatoes. 

 — Sow a few in pots. Cauliflowers, Lettuce, Celery, 

 and Onions.— Sow in pots or boxes, and put into a 

 little heat ; when up remove to a cool frame. Tarra- 

 gon and Mint. Put in a few more roots for succession. 

 Cucumbers and Melons.— Shift young plants into 

 larger pots, and when fit plant out on well-prepared 

 hotbeds. Sow for succession. 



Hardy Frvit. 

 Take advantage of fine weather to push forward 

 the nailing of wall trees ; see there are no overtight 

 shreds; prune all descriptions of trees, thinning well 

 the branches in trees that are crowded. As there is 

 a great promise of blossom this season, the spurs 

 should be well thinned out. Plant any time during 

 the month when the weather is favourable, but the 



earlier the better. Before planting see the borders 

 are properly drained, and the soil is in a fit state: 

 the roots striking into cold, wet soil, is the great 

 evil with fruit trees in this climate. 



Kitchen Garden. 

 All operations, such as manuring, digging, trench- 

 ing, &c", ought now to be in a forward state in 

 consequence of the very long continuance of favour- 

 able weather. Take advantage of the present time 

 to prepare Pea-rods, and all other stakes that may 

 be required during the season. Do everything you 

 can this month, as the succeeding ones bring plenty 

 of work. When the land is in condition make 

 plantations of Horseradish, Jerusalem Artichokes, 

 and .Rhubarb. Plant Chives, Garlic, and Eschallots. 

 Make fresh plantations of Balm, Mint, Tarragon, 

 and herbs of Ul kinds. Plant autumn-sown Cab- 

 bages. Tea s.— Sow, the beginning of the month, 

 Dillistone's Early Prolific, Daniel O'Rourke, and 

 Early Warwick. Towards the end of the month 

 sow the Auvergne, Dickson's Favourite, and Cham- 

 pion of England. Beans. — Sow Johnson's Wonderful 

 and Early Mazngan at the beginning, and again 

 towards the end of the month. Carrots, — Sow a few 

 Early Horn on warm borders. Radishes. — Sow 

 Wood's Early Frame, Long Scarlet, and White 

 Turnip, on warm borders. Spinach. — Sow some 

 Round. Parsley.— Soy? towards the end of the 

 month.— M.S. 



Florists' Flowers. 



The Cineraria. —Little can be said of these other 

 than that recommended last month. Still continue 

 to tie out as wide as possible, and let them stand 

 thin and as close to the glass as convenient. Top- 

 dressing will now greatly assist them ; fumigate 

 frequently, which will prevent the green fly attacking 

 them. Be careful and remove every decaying leaf, 

 as these are very apt to affect the main stem. Give 

 all the air possible every favourable opportunity. 

 Syringe now and then on bright mornings, and 

 sulphur immediately on the appearance of mildew. 

 Some may now be removed to an intermediate-house 

 for early flowers. Telargoniums. — As the season ad- 

 vances increase the heat a little, and attend with 

 regularity to the tying out and training tho shoots 

 as they progress. It will be occasionally necessary 

 to water more freely, a matter which requires careful 

 attention. Avail yourself of every favourable oppor- 

 tunity to give aii- freely, and close sufficiently early 

 in the afternoon to retain a little of the sun heat 

 whenever that is possible. Plants which have yet 

 to be finally shifted should have the operation 

 performed without delay, and this is a favourable 

 time for stopping those" plants which you wish to 

 flower late. Carefully avoid everything like crowd- 

 ing, and examine your plants otten so that they 

 may be kept free from insects and in all re- 

 spects quite clean. Apply the same rules to the 

 management of the fancy varieties with scrupulous 

 care— Charles Turner, Slough. 



Roses in Pots.— Continue to introduce to the forcing- 

 house at intervals of about a month a portion of the 

 reserve stock of Roses in pots, hitherto kept out of 

 doors. Those introduced in December will be flower- 

 ing now; those introduced in January will flower in 

 March ; those brought in now will flower from the 

 end of March to the middle of April. It is a good 

 plan with all forced Roses to remove the plants to a 

 cooler house when the buds show colour, with the 

 view of increasing the size and quality of the flowers. 

 As the days lengthen a higher day temperature may 

 be employed; if fir any reason it is desirable to 

 accelerate the period of blooming without injury to 

 the plants or flowers ; but a temoerature of 40° or 45° 

 by night is sufficiently high at this season. Syringe 

 more copiously as the sun acquires more power. 

 Fumigate as often as a live aphis is seen. Water 

 with weak liquid manure so long as the plants cen'inue 

 growing. If mildew appear, dust the leaves with 

 sulphur on both under and upper surfaces, and for 

 this purpose the " sulphurator " b invaluable— no 

 lover of Roses should be without one,— William Patjl, 

 Waltham Cross, 



