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OPERATIONS FOR MAY. 
Melanthium triquetrum. A pretty native of North America, and now flowering profusely in 
the Royal Gardens at Kew ; the plant has rush-like foliage, eighteen inches long, bursting about 
midway, to allow the flowers to exhibit themselves. The flowers are a delicate white, having a 
slight tint of pink upon them, with a deep purple spot at the base of each petal ; they are about an 
inch and a half in diameter. The spike is three or four inches long, holding eight or ten flowers. 
When a mass is seen in good perfection, it has a very lovely appearance. 
Salvia spe. Two new species (one scarlet, the other blue), have shown their inflorescence in 
one of the stoves in the Royal Gardens, Kew. The scarlet one, though brighter, is very nearly 
allied to S. splendens (without the large bracts), both in form of flower and habit of the plant. 
The blue one has much the habit of S. patens, while the flower is much smaller, though of a very 
brilliant colour, which we fear will not be a sufficient attraction for cultivation, when contrasted 
with S. patens. The flower is neat, and apparently produced in abundance. 
OPERATIONS FOR MAY. 
In this month vegetable nature is generally in full and vigorous growth ; unabated attention is 
daily required, especially in the stove, to afford every assistance in rendering the various develop*- 
ments as healthy and perfect as possible. This, if the plants are placed in proper soils and 
situations, may now be chiefly effected by strong heat, great humidity, partial shade, watering, 
syringing, air judiciously admitted, keeping down insects, and freeing the leaves from accumu- 
lations of dirt. Much of the first can be accomplished in fine weather by the natural heat of the 
season during the day time, but fires will always be requisite at night. The thermometer may be 
allowed to range, generally speaking, from 80 to 95 degrees, (according to the weather), by day, 
with abundance of moisture, and not lower than 70 degrees by night. Humidity may be obtained 
by tanks, throwing water about the floor, and other parts of the house, and by syringing. Shading 
is only generally necessary on very bright days, or with some particular plants which will not bear 
the sunshine, as Brownea, &c, unless there -is a deficiency of moisture in the air ; then every 
plant will be more or less affected by the strong light and heat. Air, though very beneficial, should 
be given with judgment ; high temperature must be obtained, nor can humidity be, in any respect, 
dispensed with ; the admission of air, therefore, must be regulated by these two requirements, 
which a judicious cultivator will easily understand. — Any dirt on the leaves not removable by 
syringing, must be washed off with a sponge. 
These are some plants whose state of growth might merit especial notice in this place, viz., 
the various species of Hibiscus ; these are all now in vigorous growth, and with care will be fine 
spectacles by and bye. They are exceedingly liable to the attacks of Aphis. Syringe often and 
keep them as clean as possible. Passifioras of various kinds will now be expanding their blossoms ; 
where it is desirable to have a good show of fruit hanging upon them in the autumn, fertilise with 
the pollen of P. edulis and P. cosrulea, no other kinds appear to answer so well ; by this means 
P. quadrangularis, P. alata, P. Buonapartia, &c, will be perfect pictures during the autumn. 
The various kinds of Achimenes must now have particular attention if a good bloom is to be had. 
Barnadasia rosea will be better now placed in the greenhouse. 
In the Orchidese house the same routine of treatment should be proceeded with as for last 
month, that is, heat, moisture, and shade. 
In the Greenhouse Chinese Azaleas should be potted as they go out of flower, and cuttings put 
in as soon as the young wood is ready. Epacrises, and other plants of similar habits, may be now 
increased by cuttings. The Chirita Zeylanica, now coining into flower, must be well shaded. 
Where it is desirable to have a quantity of plants flowering late in the autumn, some Pelargoniums, 
Calceolarias, &c, may be set apart for the purpose, and if the flowering buds be carefully picked 
off as they appear, and the plants be kept in a fine vigorous growth, the greenhouse will be rendered 
very gay at a time when flowers in the open air begin to be scarce. This is also the very best 
time to put in cuttings of Pelargoniums, Proteas, Leucadendrons, Passifioras, Fucluias, &c. 
Watering is now of considerable importance, and should be administered liberally. 
In the open air this is a busy month, being the proper time for filling up the beds of the flower 
