GARDENING CALENDAR FOR MARCH; 
117 
which are just past blooming, allow to rest for 
a little. 
Lantanas. — Shift, before they grow much; 
use a soil of sandy peat alone ; pot off the 
cuttings, and by topping they can be formed 
to any shape. 
Luculia gratissima. — Syringe with tobacco 
water if green fly appear ; grow in a steady 
heat. The old plants may be slightly cut back 
if a large stock is required, not otherwise; 
slightly water when not growing freely. 
Lycopodiums are very accommodating, for 
any situation not extreme (in the stove) will 
suit many of them. Suit the watering ac- 
cordingly, and if the atmosphere is quiet, 
damp, yet pure, there is no danger. 
JIalvaceous Plants, as hibiscus, must be 
kept growing : pot off the seedlings, and let 
them have sufficient air to prevent a lanky 
growth, and secure a sturdy one. 
3Ianettias, and other tender climbers, must 
be preserved from insects; keep tying them 
in neatly, but not too often ; cuttings in pure 
sand will strike freely under a bell glass. 
Melastomas. — Supply largely with heat, 
moisture, light, and space; they are seldom well 
grown, for want of these. 
31 eh- Cacti may have increased moisture 
and heat as the season advances ; liquid manure 
is found to push them on satisfactorily if not 
applied in excess. 
JIusas. — Let them have liquid manure at 
the roots, and moisture and heat in abundance. 
The 31. chinensis, or Cavendiskii suits low 
houses best, and can now be shifted into their 
fruiting pots or tubs. 
Nepenthes (Pitcher Plant). — Maintain a 
rising heat and humid atmosphere ; these are 
not difficult to strike if care be taken, but they 
can be propagated by layering. 
Neriums. — Now the most of them can be 
taken into heat and moisture, increasing it 
gradually and lavishly. 
Nym/phceas (Water Lilies) may be shifted 
into a rich soil, and afterwards kept warm ; they 
will flower in a pot if covered with water. 
Palms. — If confined at the root should have 
a shift, if not done; keep them close, moist, and 
shaded after ; give the whole a high temper- 
ature, although many will live in a very tem- 
perate degree of heat. 
Pollanthes (Tuberose.) — Give plenty of 
light, and a moist heat, and increase the pro- 
portion, and water as they grow. 
Thunbergias — Syringe twice a day, and 
keep them from a dry heat. Eemove some of 
the early plants to their flowering pots, and 
put stakes or trellis to them ; give the young 
shoots a clear direction and they will take it, 
without being tied. Pot off the last sowing ; 
peat, loam, and leaf mould equally divided, 
grows them well. 
Vincas. — If possible, keep them from flow- 
ering when other flowers are plentiful. Bring 
them into luxuriance ; then top them, and 
perfect their shape ; cuttings may be struck 
at any time. 
THE ORCHID HOUSE. 
Temperature. — The warm house for the In- 
dian species, 80 degs. by day, 70 degs. at night ; 
the cool, or Mexican house, 75 degs. by day, 
and 60 to 65 degs. at night ; allow a few de- 
grees more or less, according to the weather. 
Ventilation. — Admit air cautiously yet 
pretty freely by the top, especially in the 
cool house ; give and take it off by degrees, 
and shut up soon enough to cause the thermo- 
meter to rise 5 degs. by the natural heat. 
After shutting up see that the fire heat will 
meet the decreasing temperature in due time. 
Watering. — Supply the growing plants in- 
creasingly with moisture, not so much at the 
roots as in the atmosphere ; syringe gently in 
bright weather, twice a day, and not at all if 
dull ; every part of the house should be kept 
damp. It will be found that the terrestrial 
species require more every way than the epi- 
phytes. Always use tepid water. 
Insects require constant efforts to destroy 
them, even when the plants are considered 
clear. It is a good plan to mark the places 
where the plants are damaged, and look over 
these at night, when the enemies may often be 
detected. 
Potting. — A number of the plants may re- 
quire shifting ; and the earlier in the month this 
is done the better. Let the pseudo -bulbs of the 
terrestrial species be covered an inch or so. 
Shading. — Towards the end of the month, 
and as the sun gets brighter and stronger, it 
will be necessary to apply shading to the roof 
of the house on the sunny side. Those plants 
which have been shifted, and are making ten- 
der shoots, most require this attention. 
Soils. — The cyrtopodiums, and allied kinds, 
do best with liberal treatment in every re- 
spect ; broken bones may be intermixed with 
the turfy loam. Sticks of charcoal, also, may 
be mixed with the turfy peat, which is a 
standard medium suitable to the roots of these 
plants. Many of the cattleyas, lrelias, pha- 
lasnopsis, &c, must have little else than a 
bare block of wood ; any kind of wood will 
suit, if not resinous. Experiment with some 
plants if practicable, for there is much to 
learn respecting them ; for instance, the 
Catasetunilongifolium does best when turned 
upside down. 
Imported Plants. — Keep rather cool than 
otherwise ; allow them generally to make their 
first growth on blocks. Syringe occasionally, 
but regulate this by the heat ; once a day is 
not too often in warm weather. 
