MAY. 
119 
stopping of the shoots, training, &c.; they j 
will also want liberal supplies of water—do 
not let them get too dry, and do not saturate 
them. Pick off seed-vessels from all plants as 
soon as they go out of flower. Shift such 
plants as require it; stop back and regu¬ 
late the shoots. Softwooded Plants .—If not 
already done, the specimen plants of all 
kinds should be shifted into the pots they 
are intended to flower in, and they should 
not be stopped very much after this. Azaleas. 
—Examine carefully for thrips, and if you 
discover any, fumigate immediately. As soon 
as the large specimen plants go out of flower, 
pick off the seed-vessels; if any of them 
require a shift they should have it as they 
will be commencing to grow; when potted, 
keep them rather close for a time and 
syringe daily. Young plants will require 
attention in stopping and training of the 
shoots. Camellias .—Keep a tolerably high 
temperature to assist the formation of flower- 
buds. Give liberal supplies of water, and 
occasionally some liquid manure; syringe 
daily. Cinerarias .—Procure seed from the 
finest kinds, a little of which should be sown as 
soon as ready, and the plants will bloom about 
Christmas next, giving plenty of bloom at a 
time when flowers are scarce. As soon as the 
named kinds are past their best, stand them 
out on a shady border to produce cuttings, 
which should be taken off in a young state, 
and struck in sand in a cool situation. Pelar¬ 
goniums .—The directions given last month 
will apply to the plants generally. The early 
or May plants will require shading during the 
brightest part of the day, as the bloom ex¬ 
pands. Bees must be carefully excluded from 
the house ; muslin or thin garden netting may 
be used for this purpose at the openings. 
This, with careful and judicious shading and 
watering, prolong the bloom to a considerable 
time. No plant, in fact, lasts longer in flower 
than the Pelargonium if “ well done.” 
forcing. 
Plant about the middle of the month Ridge 
Cucumbers and Vegetable Marrows under 
glasses, on a bed of fermenting materials. 
TVe generally plant ours in turf pits where we 
grow early Potatoes. As soon as the Potatoes 
are taken up in May we plant the Cucumbers, 
and on the same bed, placing glasses over 
them ; but the following plan answers equally 
well. Take out the soil in any open situation 
about 1 foot deep, 4 or 5 feet wide, and as 
long as may be required. Fill this trench 
with the fermenting materials, and raise the 
bed 12 or 18 inches above the soil; on this 
place the earth that was taken out of the 
trench* always putting about a barrowful of 
fresh soil under each glass for the young plants 
to strike root into. If the weather be bright 
and sunny, the plants will require shading for 
a few days, and air must be admitted freely 
on fine days. Cucumbers. — Regulate the 
growth of the plants, and never let the shoots 
become crowded. Water freely, and do not 
let the plants carry too many fruit at one 
time. Prune back plants that have been in 
bearing for some time, and when they make a 
fresh growth regulate the shoots, but do not 
stop them too freely. Keep a watchful eye 
to insects, particularly red spider, which if not 
kept down, will soon over-run old plants. 
Keep a steady bottom heat and a moist atmo¬ 
sphere. When grown in pits and frames, 
attend to the linings, and renew them when 
the heat declines. Melons. —See the directions 
in last month’s Calendar. Peach-forcing .— 
See our directions in previous Calendars. 
Pinery. —Attend carefully to the bottom heat, 
and see it does not fluctuate. Plants in fruit 
will now require liberal supplies of water and 
occasionally some liquid manure. Give air 
according to the state of the weather; always 
close up early in the afternoon, and syringe 
well overhead all fruit done flowering; sprinkle 
paths well with water; keep up a moist atmo¬ 
sphere. The young plants will now be begin¬ 
ning to grow freely, and will require more air 
and water. Syringe daily. Towards the end 
of the month many of them, if not all, will re¬ 
quire shifting ; and at this season of the year 
strong well-rooted plants should have a liberal 
shift. Strawberries. —If the early-forced plants, 
instead of being thrown away, are planted in 
a south border, and well watered for a time, 
they will produce a good crop in September 
next. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Keep the hoe always going when the state of 
the soil permits; hoe deeply and frequently 
among crops, weeds or no weeds. Thin young 
growing crops—as Carrots, Parsnips, Turnips, 
Beet, Onions, Parsley, &c. Dung and dig 
deeply ground as it becomes vacant, for the 
winter crop of Greens, Broccoli, Brussels 
Sprouts, &c. In the early part of the month 
go daily over the early Potatoes, and draw 
some dry soil over such as are above ground; 
this will save them from frosts if any should 
occur; towards the end of the month the early 
crop of Potatoes will require regular soiling- 
up. Sow Scarlet Runners ; sow successional 
crop of Peas and Broad Beans; sow also 
French Beans. Sow also for succession, Cauli¬ 
flowers, Lettuce, Turnips, Radishes, Spinach, 
&c. Transplant from seed-bed the strongest 
plants of Lettuces and Cauliflowers. Plant 
against a wall, or other warm situation, To¬ 
matoes and Capsicums; plant Sweet Marjoram 
and Basil on a warm border ; plant Celery in 
trenches well filled with good manure, and 
plant Leeks in a somewhat similar manner. 
Rod Peas and Scarlet Runners. Water freely 
in dry weather. Give the Strawberry plants 
two or three good soakings of water. Cut 
Box-edging and bring up all arrears of work. 
FRUIT GARDEN. 
Hardy Fruit .—Apricots are with us, this 
