192 



TH E FLORIST -A N D POMOLOGIST. 



CALENDAR OF 



CONSERVATOR'S. 



Spare no pains to make tins house as gay and in- 

 viting: as possible at this season, when it will be most 

 appreciated. Chrysanthemums will be in perfection 

 the greater part of the month, but as soon as any of 

 the plants is past its best it should be removed. Pick 

 all dead leaves and flowers off immediately they show 

 symptoms of decay ; keep the plants well watered. 

 Water well Camellias coming into flower. Introduce 

 plenty of Primulas (of which there are now fine 

 strains), Cinerarias, Mignonette, Violets, Tulips, Jon- 

 quils, &c. ; also a few nice variegated plants. Attend 

 carefully to the watering. Pay special attention to 

 the arrangement of the plants and to cleanliness 

 G ve air freely in the early part of the day when the 

 weather is at all fair, and close-up early in the after- 

 noon. Fire heat will now be more or less necessary, 

 according to the state of the weather. In cold frosty 

 weather maintain a temperature of about 40° during 

 the night, and 50° in the day; in open weather a 

 higher temperature will do no harm. Always take 

 advantage of sun heat, and use no more fire heat 

 than is absolutely necessary. 



Greenhouse. 



Give air freely every day the weather permits, 

 always guarding" against cold draughts. Fire heat 

 should only be used when absolutely necessary. In 

 frosty weather use coverings as much as possible ; it 

 is preferable to too much fire heat, which only excites 

 and weakens the plants. Keep the plants constantly 

 cleaned and turned about, so that all sides may have 

 the full benefit of sun and air. Stake and tie-out all 

 specimens that may require it, and look carefully 

 over all the plants, and loose any ties that may be 

 rather tight. Attend carefully to the watering. 

 SrovEi 



This house should now be very gay with Begonias, 

 Euphorbias, Poinsettias, Justiciar &c. Attend care- 

 fully to the watering, and pick-off all leaves and 

 flowers that show signs of decay. Ventilate freely 

 in fine weather. Maintain a temperature of about 

 60° during the night, and 70° during the day. 

 Flower Gardkn. 



The protection of choice and tender flowers will now 

 be one of the principal things requiring attention 

 here, as we may expect more or less frost 'or some 

 time. Protect tender Roses, and proceed with plant- 

 ing hardy ones when the weather is favourable. 

 Clean and dig borders ; sweep and roll grass and 

 walks in open weather. Pleasure &rou*i ds.— Plant 

 trees and shrubs in mild weather, and secure them 

 well to stakes to prevent them being blown about by 

 the wind. Cover the soil round the roots with rotten 

 leaves or dung to Keep the frost ou r . Any good 

 specimens of choice plants, that are liable to suffer 

 from severe frost, should have a slight protection 

 during the depth of winter. Proceed with alterations 

 in favourable Weather. Dig borders. Now the ! 

 leaves are all off, every nook and corner should be 

 well cleaned out to prevent the leaves being blown 

 about. 



Forcing. 



Fruit.— Pine Apples.— Vmit that is ripening should 

 have a dry warm atmosphere, and liberal supplies of 

 air in fine weather. Plants that are intended to 

 start next month for the early supply of fruit should 

 still be kept at rest, in a temperature not below 

 G0 Q during the night. They should have air when- 

 ever the state of the weather permits ; it should be 

 given early in Ihe forenoon. Plants for autumn fruit- 

 ing should be kept steadily growing, not over-ex- 

 cited. A good bottom heat is the first point to be 

 well attended to. They will not require much water- 

 ing, but it is preferable to give a little at roots to 

 keeping the atmosphere of the house too moist. Give 

 air carefully. Plants in bloom should have a dry 

 heat, and all the light and air possible. Attend care- 

 fully to the succession plants. In severe frosty 

 weather use coverings as much as possible, in order 

 t > obviate the necessity of too much fire heat, which, 

 in the absence of solar light, weakens the plants. 

 Maintain a temperature of about 60° during the 



OPERATIONS. 



night, and 70° during the day, with an increase by 

 sun heat of 10°. Keep a tolerably dry atmosphere. 

 Vines.— If the early house was started in October as 

 recommended, theVineswill nowbebreaking. Remove 

 at once all the weak buds, and such as are not wanted ; 

 when sufficiently long, tie-in carefully. As the shoots 

 advance in growth, raise the temperature gradually 

 up to 60° by night and 70° by day, with an increase 

 of 10° by sun heat. Give air freelv when the state of 

 the weather permits, and always as early in the fore- 

 noon as possible. Avoid keeping too moist an atmo- 

 sphere, which is decidedly wrong at this season of 

 the year. Attend to the proper watering of the in- 

 side borders. See there is a proper heaUn the out- 

 side borders. The directions given last month for 

 the early house will apply to the second house this 

 month. Towards the end of the month a third house 

 should be started. Keep the late vineries as dry as 

 possible without using too much fire heat; examine 

 the bunches frequently, and cut out all decaying 

 berries. Peaches and Nectarines.— To have "ripe 

 fruit in May, the early home should now be starred. 

 Give all the inside borders a good watering. Main- 

 tain a healthy moist atmosphere ; syringe the trees 

 two or three times daiiy with tepid water, and venti- 

 late freely in fine weather. Keep the temoerature 

 from about 40° to 45° during the night, and 5*5° to (i0° 

 in the daytime, with an increase of 8° or 10° by sua 

 heat. Keep a nice steady heat in the outside borders 

 by fermenting materials or other means. Dress and 

 tie trees in the late houses in bad weather. Figs. — 

 In frosty weather use sufficient fire heat to keep out 

 the frost. This is a good time to shift any plants in 

 tubs or pots that may require it. Use a compost of 

 turfy loam and leaf soil, and put plenty of drainage 

 in the tubs and pots. Cherries.— Those plunged out 

 of doors must have the roots well protected from 

 frost by a good covering of leaves or dung. Straw- 

 berries,— If these have been ridged as recommended 

 last month, the roots will be safe from injury. In 

 frosty weather, some protection should bepbeed in 

 front of the plants to protect, the crowns from injury. 

 A batch of plants for early forcing should be put on 

 shelves near the glass in a cold house, where they 

 can have abundance of air when the state of the 

 weather will admit of its being given. No more heat 

 will be required at present than is sufiMent to keep 

 out the frost. Cucumbers.— See the bottom hen t is 

 regular and uniform. Keep the shoots and foliage 

 thin ; never overcrop. Let them have all the light 

 possible, and plenty of air when the weather permits. 

 Maintain a temperature of about C5 P during the 

 night, and 70° to 75° in the day. 



Hardy Fruit. 



Keep the fruit-room as diy and cool as possible. 

 Look daily over the store of fruit, and pick out all 

 decaying ones. Plant trees of all kinds in open 

 weather; it is better done now than put off till 

 spring, when good plants are difficult to get in the 

 nurseries. Give all newly-planted trees a good 

 dressing around the roots of rotten dung. Prune 

 and nail wall trees in fine weather. Gooseberry and 

 Currant bushes may be pruned in frosty weather, if 

 it be not too severe and cold; also standard Apple 

 and Pear trees. British Queen and other tender 

 Strawberries should have a good dressing ot dung to 

 protect the crowns from injury. 



Kitchen Garden. 



See there is a sufficient quantity of Parsley pro- 

 tected in case of bad weather. Cover Celery-ridges 

 in frosty weather with dry straw. Cauliflowers that 

 are heading will be best taken up or laid-in in cold 

 pits. Kndive and Lettuce should also be taken up 

 and put into cold pits or frames. Cover well the 

 roots of Globe Artichokes with dung; alsoRhubaib 

 and Sea-kale. In open weather dig, trench, or ridge 

 vacant ground. In frosty weather all wheelbarrow- 

 operations should be pushed lorward. In bad 

 weather, when no out-door work can be done, get all 

 things in readiness that may be wanted later in the 

 season. Sharpen and dress stakes of all kinds, also 

 pegs. Cut shreds, dress nails, prepare labels, make 

 brooms, and all other things of this kind.— M.S. 



