68 
GARDENING CALENDAR FOR FEBRUARY. 
Cucumbers. — Temperature To to 80 degrees 
by day ; 60 to 65 degrees by night. Syringe, 
gently, those in stoves, at least twice a day, 
occasionally using soot, and liquid manure in 
a clear state : go over them every day, and 
stop and impregnate as required : earth up as 
the rootlets protrude through the soil, using 
equal parts turfy loam and leaf mould of the 
same temperature as that the plants are in. 
Pot off the successional sowings when the seed 
leaves are half an inch broad ; put one or two 
plants in a six-inch pot, planting them rather 
deep, and plunging the pots to the rim in a 
sweet heat. When dung beds are used, have 
the dung well sweetened by often turning be- 
fore it is finally put up ; allow the frame to 
remain close for a day or two, when first put 
on the bed to get up the heat, and after allow- 
ing the rank steam to pass off, form a hillock 
near the back of the frame of the same kind of 
soil as that used for potting ; when this is 
heated to about To degrees, plant out one plant 
to a light, which should have been stopped 
previously ; keep it about ten inches from the 
glass. When trained on a trellis, which is 
every way superior, allow the vine to run to 
six or seven joints before being stopped. Sow 
a few more seeds to meet emergencies. 
Figs. — Temperature 65 degrees by clay; 
55 degrees by night. Disbud moderately ; 
supply liberally with tepid liquid manure ; 
syringe often but mildly, and maintain a moist 
atmosphere ; place those in pots upon a stage 
or pit, where their roots may be allowed to 
run beyond the pots. 
Kidney Beans. — Temperature 65 degrees 
by day ; 55 degrees by night. Sow once a 
week, or according to demand ; syringe freely 
with liquid manure : the early plants may be 
put in the early vinery, or pine stove, and 
placed quite near the glass ; the younger 
plants will do best in such situations as the 
peach-house, and should be brought on in suc- 
cession. 
Melons. — Temperature 80 degrees by day ; 
65 by night. Give air every day, if possible, 
by tilting up the upper end of the sashes; this 
is preferable to putting down the sashes, as it 
prevents the draught of air being admitted at 
the bottom : water sparingly. Those in stoves 
or vineries must be syringed in the mornings 
regularly, or if a moist atmosphere can be 
maintained, so as to keep down insects, less 
syringing will do. .Sow a few of the Persian 
sorts ; plant them in heavy loam, well pressed 
together. The Ispahan should not be stopped 
until it has rambled to the extent of the 
frame. 
Mushrooms. — Temperature from 55 degrees 
to 60 degrees ; make up a succession bed with 
well prepared manure ; introduce the spawn, in 
small pieces, six inches apart, when the heat 
is spent to that of new milk : when the heat 
is declining, covering the beds with hay will 
renew it, and render watering the beds, with 
warm water, unnecessary. 
Musas. — Temperature 70 degrees by day ; 
60 degrees by night. Increase the amount of 
moisture in the air, and of water at the roots, 
using it in a tepid state : about once a week 
apply liquid manure. 
Nectarines. — Temperature TO degrees by 
day ; 55 degrees by night. Keep the house 
a little dry when the trees are in blossom ; 
shake them to disperse the pollen, using a 
camel-hair pencil to impregnate the sorts 
which are difficult to set ; fumigate at the 
first appearance of green fly, and shut up with 
a good degree of sun heat. 
Oranges. — Temperature 50 to 55 degrees 
by day ; 45 by night. Give additional, yet 
moderate waterings : have the plants per- 
fectly clean, and shift a few of those which 
most require it, using a strong loamy soil 
mixed with rotten manure. 
Peaches. — Temperature 60 to TO degrees 
by day ; 55 by night ; disblossom as well as 
disbud ; withhold water when in flower ; and 
have the blossoms impregnated ; give a good 
syringing when the fruit is set ; thin the fruit 
when of the size of peas. Fumigate, to destroy 
green fly, and it may require to be repeated ; 
the house should be dry when fumigated, as 
the smoke is apt to do injury when the plants 
are in a wet state. Cover the border outside 
with litter ; stir and rake the soil within to 
sweeten and enrich the whole. Maintain a 
steady heat ; shut up early, permitting the 
thermometer to rise five degrees by sun heat, 
after closing. 
Fine-Apples. — Temperature T5 degrees 
by day ; 65 degrees by night. In dull weather 
keep the fires going, and admit air every day ; 
let the bottom heat range from 90 to 100 de- 
grees ; apply a little liquid manure at the roots, 
giving it very weak at first, and increasing 
both the strength and quantity, as the season 
and the plants advance, until the fruit ceases 
swelling, when it must be gradually withheld. 
Rhubarb. — Temperature, from 60 to 65 de- 
grees. Force now in the open ground by 
placing fermenting material around the boxes 
or pots, with which the plants may be 
covered. 
Salading (as mustard and cress). — Tempe- 
rature from 60 to TO degrees : sow still, a 
little in boxes or pans, in rotten tan, keeping 
it near the glass : it requires no water. 
Seakale. — If fermenting material is scarce 
take up a few roots with good crowns, and put 
them amongst soil in the mushroom-house. 
Give additional covering with leaves or litter 
to the plants out of doors, which will soon be 
ready for use ; it is unimportant that the 
