FORCING HOUSE FOR FLOWERS. 
163 
strong heat until October, when it may be 
rested. 
Stanhopea. — Those plants which have not 
been growing lately, may be expected to flower 
shortly, and ought, therefore, not to be dis- 
turbed or repotted, for fear of doing injury to 
the growing flower-buds. The same remark 
applies to all the plants of similar habit, 
namely, which protrude their flower-stems in 
a downward direction. 
Cyrtopodium, and Catasetum, will, in most 
cases, be making fresh growth, and should be 
repotted, and forwarded as much as possible. 
When they have perfected strong stems, they 
may be expected to flower finely. One of the 
most successful instances of culture which has 
been achieved in this country, was in the case 
of Cyrtopodium punctatum, grown by Mr. 
Scott, gardener to Sir G. T. Staunton, at Leigh 
Park, and exhibited at one of the Royal 
Botanic Society's fetes. These plants were 
several feet high, growing in large tubs, and 
producing prodigious panicles of their spotted 
yellow flowers. 
Oncidium, Brassia, Odontoglossum, Mil- 
tonia, and Cyrtochilum. — Many of the species 
of these genera will require repotting, &c, 
and setting to grow. AVhen they are in a 
growing state they require to be freely watered 
with tepid water; they require only a moderate 
degree of heat. Other kinds, which show in- 
dications of growth, should be watered and 
reshifted as may be necessary. 
Slugs. — The young growing shoots of these, 
plants are liable to be injured by a very small 
slug, which secretes itself about the pots, and 
will soon injure the plants materially, . unless 
prevented. A little lime water thrown among 
the pots by a syringe would, perhaps, check 
them ; or traps made of potatoes or turnips, 
scooped, and laid about the plants with the 
hollow sides downwards, but placed so that the 
slugs can get beneath them, may be adopted. 
It would be necessary to search them daily, 
and destroy those that are caught. 
FORCING HOUSE FOB FLOWERS. 
Temperature. — The season is advancing, 
and with it the solar heat is increasing daily ; 
due care must therefore be taken to so regu- 
late the temperature of this house, as to avoid 
drawing the plants up weakly, or causing them 
to expand their flowers prematurely. This is 
to be effected by the admission of air in 
sufficient abundance to reduce the tempera- 
ture to a moderate standard, say about 85 
degs. with sun-heat. The night temperature 
may still be allowed to vary considerably 
below that maintained by day, as explained at 
p. 105. 
Watering. — The supply of water to the 
roots must increase with the increase of tem- 
perature. Maintain a damp atmosphere, and 
mark that none of the plants under treatment, 
flag, or droop for want of water. 
Insects. — Incessant war must be carried ou 
against all kinds of insects which are injurious 
to plants. Fumigate every ten days or fort- 
night, if there be the least sign of green fly, 
for they breed so fast that a very little neglect 
will prove highly injurious to the plants. 
Roses. — A very few will be required to be 
forced now, merely to maintain a supply to 
meet those advancing in any sheltered spot. 
Search carefully for the various insects which 
infest these plants. 
American Plants, Lilacs, Deutzias, tyc, 
will be sufficiently advanced without the heat 
of this structure. Care should be paid to such 
as have been forced, and all available means 
applied to assist them in their growth. 
Hydrangeas, Cacti, and any plants ad- 
vancing to bloom, may be forwarded by a 
little additional heat, so as to lengthen the 
season of flowering. 
Achhnenes, and similar plants, should also 
be encouraged as much as possible in their 
growth ; and, if any plants remain which have 
not been placed in heat, they should be excited 
now, for late blooming. 
Pinks. — Propagate these by pipings from 
the forced plants, choosing the stronger shoots, 
and putting them in pots, or pans, filled with 
a sandy compost, having a layer of sand at 
top deep enough to allow the heel of the piping 
to nearly reach the soil beneath. Water them 
well, and place them under hand or bell- 
glasses, as near the roof as the pit in the 
house will allow, plunging the pots so as to 
secure a mild bottom heat. 
Violets should also be propagated by putting 
in strong cuttings, in soil similar to that re- 
commended for pinks, and placing them in a 
very gentle heat. 
Crassula falcata should also be increased 
by taking off the strongest tops of some of the 
old plants, and potting them in sand, plunging 
the pots in a moderate heat, where they will 
soon root. 
Heliotropes, Aloysias, Cinerarias, and 
many other plants of a similar character, 
should be propagated this month, and grown 
through the summer, with a view to their 
being forced in the ensuing winter. 
After treatment. — Continue to shelter, and 
attend regularly to all forced plants, as they 
go out of bloom. Repot such as require it, 
and be careful to damage the foliage as little 
as possible. As the plants have a whole season 
to re-establish themselves, they should be 
kept in the smallest pots into which they can 
conveniently be placed ; reducing the ball of 
earth, and roots, by shaking out the former, 
and cutting away or shortening the oldest 
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