THE GAKDENEES' AND NATURALISTS CALENDAR FOR PEBRUART. 
for a stock ; but all the strong-growing varieties 
are best on their own roots. It is, however, too early 
to shift them yet, unless you have plenty of heat at 
command. 
Camellias advancing into bloom will be benefitted by 
syringing about twice a- week, particularly in frosty 
weather, when it is necessary to employ fires. 
Routine. — Towards the end of the month is a good time 
to make a selection of young hard- wooded plants, such 
as Chorozemas, Pimeleas, Dillwynias, &c., and to give 
them a good large shift. If they do well, they will be 
ready for shifting again about June, and wtU make 
beautiful flowering plants for next year. Be quite siffe 
that the roots of the plants are moist at the time of pot- 
ting. Keep a sharp look-out for insects and mildew. 
Some plants, such as Leschenaultias, Sollyas, Pimeleas, 
&c., are very subject to green fly. During winter, re- 
move them from the house into some box or close 
shed, and fumigate them, but be careful not to do it 
too strong. The house should now be gay with the 
diff'erent varieties of Epacris, Correas, Acacias, Daphne 
indica, fcc. Be sm-e to avoid crowding them together. 
Lose no opportunity for tying and cleaning the 
plants under your care. You may often see a plant 
that looks dirty : take it out of the house some true 
morning, and give it a good syringing. Minute atten- 
tion is very essential to the well-being of plants gene- 
rally ; in fact, good plants cannot he gi-own without it. 
J. F. 
Seathery. — ks, during the late severe weather, fires 
have been obliged to be used, it will he necessary to 
look the plants carefully over, and see that none of 
them are snflering for the want of water. It will fre- 
quently be found, after using fires, that the bottom of 
^e pots are quite dry, though the surface-soil is com- 
paratively wet ; and to ascertain th i s it will be necessary, 
in some cases, to turn the plant out of the pot, to ex- 
amine the state of the ball. If it should be found dry, 
place the plant immediately three or four inches deep in 
water, and let it stand for tM'elve or twenty-foui' hours, 
until you are quite sure it is thoroughly saturated, then 
set it to di-ain. To ascertain whether a plant in a large 
pot is dry, give the pot a sharp knock upon the side, 
with the knuckles, and if it rings qmte clear, be sure 
it is dry and requires a thorough watering ; but, if it 
has a dull heavy sound, no water is required, but, on 
the contrary, it may be necessary to place it in a dry, 
airy situation, to disperse some of the supei-fluous mois- 
ture. Avoid fire-heat as much as possible, and, if it 
should he found necessary to use it, never allow 
the house to exceed a temperatm-e of 40 degrees. 
Give air plentifully at aU times, but guard against 
cold, north-east winds; for even Heaths, hardy as 
they are, do not approve of them. Some of the 
plants will now be showing bloom, and, where they are 
required for exhibition piUT^oses, it may, probably, be 
necessary to retard some kinds, and to promote the 
growth of others, so as to have them out in time. Pick 
off the flowers of such kinds as E. mutatiles ; and young 
plants intended for gro"\vth, and not for blooming, should 
also have the flower-buds removed directly they are 
perceptible. AYinter blooming kinds, such as E. hie- 
maUs, Linnaeoides superba, and the like, which have 
done flowering, should have the faded flowers removed, 
and also be thoroughly cleaned; and as soon as they 
show symptoms of growth, cut them closely in. Avail 
yourself of every leisure moment to clean and tie the 
specimen plants, using small green-painted sticks ; but 
remember, sticks are only a necessary nuisance, and, 
therefore, the fewer you use, the more likely you will 
be to produce something like a perfect plant. Keep a 
sharp look out for mildew, especially among the downy 
kinds, as E. Massonii, Ferrugeinea, and others of similar 
habit, and desfa'oy it by sulphur directly it appears. 
Abstain from syringing at present ; but when the winds 
are very drying, or you are obhged to use fire-heat, 
damp the paths, and among the pots on the stage, twice 
or tlirice a week. 
Heath Pit. — Toung plants in pits will require to he 
carefully protected from frost, and guard particularly 
against any accumulation of damp ; ventilate freely at 
eveiy favourable opportunity, and, indeed, remove the 
sashes entirely daily, when it is not freezing ; water 
cautiously, and keep a close watch upon, and desti'oy 
mildew. 
Jio'itine. — As March will be a busy month for shift- 
ing the specimen plants, and most of the young stock, 
take care to provide lots of pots of various sizes, with 
plenty of broken potsherds, and charcoal in large and 
small pieces. Prepare soil also, and lay in a good stock 
of sand. J. F. C. 
GEEEiraOUSE SOFT-WOODED PLAA^S. 
Fehrgoniiims. — As the season is advancing, this class 
of plants wiU require considerable attention. 'Where 
large plants are required every care must be paid them, 
remove all decaying leaves, to admit a free circulation of 
air. AVheu the plants ai-e well rooted, re-pot them forth- 
with into pots, well drained, one size larger, using a rich 
compost of good turfy loam, cow-dung, and leaf- 
mould, with a Utile well decomposed night-soil and 
silver sand. Keep the plants rather close, for a short 
time, hut ventilate freely afterwards, of course avoiding 
cold draughts at all times. Plants which do not reqmre 
shifting must be thoroughly cleaned, thinning out the 
small leaves and branches, and have the surface of the 
pots stirred, and top-dressed. Pay timely attention 
to tying and thinning, and guard against insects. 
Water cautiously for the present, hut never allow the 
plants to flag. Temperature, 45 to 50 degi-ees, mth a 
little increase by sun heat and free ventilation. 
Fancy Felargotiiums. ■ This class of Pelargoniums is 
not quite so hardy as the former ; therefore, it is neces- 
sary that more caution be used in potting them, always 
taking care that the collar of each plant is above the 
surface of the soil, as they are very susceptible of 
damp, and frequently shank off if this is not attended 
to ; di-ain the pots plentifully with charcoal and pot- 
sherds. Thin the shoots, and tie out to admit the air 
freely, and water sparingly for the present. Tempera- 
ture, 50 degrees, with a little increase by sun. heat and 
free ventilation. 
Cape Felargoniums. — A few of these should now be 
started, to mix in the greenhouse with the other kinds, 
such as ardens, flexuosum, fulgidum, quinquavulne- 
rum, Blandfordianum, triste, a night-scented variety, 
&c. Pot these in equal parts turfy loam and peat, with 
a small portion of cow-dung and silver sand, and drain 
the pots thoroughly. Temperature, the same as for the 
fancy class. 
Calceolarias. — These, if well-rooted, should now be 
shifted into larger pots ; remove aU decaying and super- 
fluous leaves, peg the shoots down that they may root 
up the stem, which will greatly sb'engthen the plants ; 
give free ventilation every favourable opportunity, and 
guard carefully by timely fumigation against insects. 
Temperature, 45 to 50 degrees. 
Cinerarias. — Pick off all decaying leaves, and give 
afr freely, as they are very subject to mildew, and fumi- 
gate occasionally to prevent green fly. Remove a few 
of the more forward to a warm house, as they will be 
found useful for bouquets and other ornamental pur- 
poses. When large plants are required, a few may 
be shifted into good rich compost. Temperaturi 
to 50 degrees. 
