96 
OPERATIONS FOR MAY. 
season is watering, and in no case should water be applied indiscriminately tlirongh 
the rose of a pot, — a practice very generally adopted, but always more or less injurious. 
Air must be freely admitted to the greenhouse by all practicable means, except 
during heavy rains or very rough winds. Cactce that have not yet flowered should 
now be placed in a moist heat, and rather liberally watered, to enable them to 
flower in perfection, and also to induce them to grow. Pelargoniums should also 
now be placed in a slightly humid heat, as near as possible to the glass, and they 
will produce their flowers much finer and better. Cuttings of any species of green- 
house plants may now be struck with facility if required. Plants that have been 
forced into flower, and have now ceased flowering, should be freely exposed to 
light, to enable them to ripen their wood ; they should also have an abundance of 
water. About the end of the month, greenhouse plants may be placed out in the 
open air ; but this practice should never be adopted unless due precaution is taken 
to preserve the roots from drought, by placing moss or litter round the pots. With- 
out this or some similar preventive, this system is extremely injudicious, and is 
highly prejudicial to the plants that are subjected to it. 
In the flower-garden, many important particulars will require attention this 
month. Pelargoniums^ Calceolarias and other greenhouse or tender plants, may 
now be planted out in the beds or borders of the flower-garden, as also may Verbenas 
and Petunias ; they must be well watered in dry weather till they become estab- 
lished, and any tendency to flower prematurely should be timely checked, which 
will enable them to acquire sufiicient strength for producing their flowers in greater 
perfection at the proper time. Those which require supporting, should be at once 
neatly fastened to a stake, and such as are of trailing habits, or are desired to be 
kept dwarf, should be pegged down at the time of planting, as they will remain 
unsightly throughout the whole season, if these particulars are long neglected. 
Dahlias may be planted out about the middle or latter end of the month, and these 
should also be staked at the time of planting. Annuals that have been sown in 
patches, should be properly thinned, and the thinnings, if taken up with care, may 
be transplanted into other parts of the garden if required ; those which have been 
raised in hotbeds must now be planted out, and these, as well as herbaceous plants, 
should be timely trained or supported, as mucli of their beauty, in the ensuing 
season, depends on attention to this important point. Rhododendrons should be 
abundantly watered during this month if the weather is dry, otherwise they 
will not flower well. 
