GARDENING CALENDAR FOR MAT. 
233 
Gardenias. — Keep these plants well syringed, 
as the red spider is very destructive to the 
foliage of all the species. 
Gesneras, Gloxinias, &c. — Shift as fast as 
they require it, and keep them near the glass 
in a strong heat, with a good supply of mois- 
ture ; shade them from strong sunlight, and 
never allow them to flag from any cause. 
Hippeastrums, Cr interns, Pancratiums, &c. 
— Be careful of the foliage ; give plenty of 
room at the root, also plenty of moisture and 
heat. 
Hydrangeas. — Pot off any rooted cuttings, 
and shift those raised last summer for blooming 
this season ; water plentifully while they are 
growing ; and when they come into flower 
remove to a cooler house. 
Ipomceas. — Shift the free growing kinds, 
and train them as may be necessary ; syringe 
constantly to keep down the red spider. 
Txoras. — Remove such as are in flower to 
the conservatory, and bring the others steadily 
forward by shifting, and other means, as re- 
quired. 
Jasminums, Mondeletias, Brunfelsias. — 
Grow on in strong heat and a damp atmo- 
sphere ; train them as they advance into the 
neatest shapes ; any that have completed their 
growth should be gradually removed to a cooler 
place, reducing the supply of water at the same 
time. 
Lantanas. — Remove to a cooler house as 
they come into flower ; cut some in to keep 
them bushy, and to take the place of those in 
flower as they become straggling. 
Luculia gratissima should be kept growing, 
shifting as requisite, and guarding against 
insect enemies. 
Lycopodiwns only require to be left to 
themselves in a damp shady place ; they may 
be propagated to any extent by small pieces, 
and most of them also produce abundance of 
seeds or spores. 
Malvaceous plants, as hibiscus, will, many 
of them, be getting almost unmanageable, but 
most of them flower in very small pots ; keep 
them free from insects, to whose attacks they 
are very liable. 
Ifanettias, and other tender climbers, re- 
quire constant attention to regulate their 
shoots. See that they never suffer from 
drought or insects. 
Melastomas. — Shift as they advance, and 
remove them to cooler quarters as their flower 
buds approach full size. 
Melo Cacti. — Pot off seedlings in sandy soil 
as soon as they can be handled, shade them 
until they take root, and then treat them like 
the others, with occasional shade in very bright 
weather. Keep the old plants growing in a 
hot damp atmosphere. 
Musas should be kept growing ; and, espe- 
cially if turned out, should be abundantly 
supplied w r ith water, and occasionally with 
liquid manure ; be careful not to wet the 
blossoms after they appear, as they are very 
liable to rot. 
Nepenthes (Pitcher plant), keep these in 
the dampest and hottest part of the house, and 
syringe often. 
Neriums, in flower, should be removed to 
cooler quarters ; such as have flowered may be 
brought in again and forwarded in their growth 
for a second crop of blooms. 
Nymphceas, (Water lilies), should be so 
kept on the tanks or pipes as always to receive 
a genial bottom heat ; the water in their pans 
or pots should be constantly changed, and the 
plants kept clear of confervas and dirt. 
Palms. — Attend particularly to watering at 
their roots ; and syringe well to keep the leaves 
clear of dust. 
Polianthes (Tuberose). — Remove such as 
are becoming drawn to a cooler house ; reduce 
the supply of water a little, and give them an 
airy situation. 
Thunbergias. — Shift, stake, and train as 
necessary, and remove the flowering plants to 
the conservatory. 
Vincas grow freely, but require constant 
stopping to keep them bushy, and great atten- 
tion to keep them free of red spider. 
THE OKCHID HOUSE. 
Temperature. — The warm-house from 80 
to 90 degrees by day, or more by sun heat ; 
about 70 degrees by night. The cool, or 
Mexican house, may range about 75 degrees, 
or a little more with sun heat ; 65 degrees at 
night. 
Ventilation may be pretty freely indulged 
in, if care be taken to avoid all strong draughts, 
and not to lower the temperature too much ; 
shut up in good time in the afternoon. 
Watering. — Keep a thoroughly damp atmo- 
sphere, by syringing and the use of evaporating 
pans ; let the house be well filled with steam 
morning and evening ; see that the soil in none 
of the blocks or baskets becomes dry. 
Insects. — "Woodlice and cockroaches are sad 
depredators, as are also two or three very 
minute snails, as well as the common snails 
and slugs ; an incessant war must be carried 
on against these and no doubt many others. 
Potting. — Some few may require shifting, 
but the majority ought to be growing fast. 
Many species, both East and West Indian, 
do well on naked blocks, even on the sawn 
surfaces ; and their tender roots under those 
circumstances are not so subject to rot from 
stagnant moisture as when sphagnum is used 
about them. 
Shading. — A screen composed of several 
folds of coarse w r oollen netting has been found 
