NOVEMBER. 
263 
breadth they have under cultivation. Of the no inconsiderable part arc exported to the 
Strawberries preserved by wholesale ‘ curers ’ continent, and some to India.” 
CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS. 
STOVE. 
The most important operations in this de¬ 
partment, at this season, consist in keeping 
the plants clean and neat, and well watered. 
All plants done flowering should be placed as 
much out of sight as possible, and all plants 
in flower should be brought as much as 
possible into view. 
CONSERVATORY. 
Give air liberally to those houses by opening 
the lights early on fine days; but be careful to 
shut up every evening, as severe frosts some¬ 
times come unexpectedly at this time of the 
year. Do not use more fire heat at present than 
is absolutely necessary. Water carefully when 
requisite. Pay the greatest attention to clean¬ 
liness and order. Do not let a decayed leaf 
or flower of anything be seen. Chrysanthe¬ 
mums, in which there has been of late years 
so great an improvement, will now be in all 
their beauty; they should have some weak 
manure water occasionally; all the small weak 
buds should be thinned out, and the others 
will bloom all the finer; these, with Camellias, 
Chinese Primroses, Gesneras, &c., will give 
these houses a gay and cheerful appearance 
at this season of the year. A few good speci¬ 
mens of plants remarkable for “ fine foliage ” 
will give greater variety and interest. 
GREENHOUSE. 
Hardwooded Plants. — After damp wet 
weather take advantage of a fine day to light 
a little fire, and give air freely. Do not use 
fire heat at night, unless severe frosts render 
it necessary. Ventilate freely on fine days, 
but be careful to guard against cold draughts. 
Softwooded Plants. —Do not pinch these for 
pot-room, they will then keep growing with¬ 
out requiring much watering. Azaleas .— 
Place a few of the forwardest of these in a 
temperature of from 50° to 60°; keep them 
well watered, and syringe them occasionally ; 
in a few weeks they will begin to unfold their 
beautiful flowers. Let the general stock have 
plenty of air on mild days. See directions in 
last month’s calendar. Camellias. —’The plants 
that were started early last spring will be now 
in flower; those whose blossoms are swelling 
should have plenty of water, as without it 
they are very liable to throw off the flowering 
buds, especially if the weather necessitates the 
use of fire heat. Cinerarias. —Mildew is often 
troublesome at this season ; dust with sulphur 
the parts affected as soon as it appears. Those 
for exhibition or home decoration will require 
a final shift this month, using a good rich 
co mpost, composed of good fibrous loam, well 
decayed leaves, and stable manure, with an 
admixture of sand. Look well to those intended 
for exhibition, and peg down the larger leaves 
so as to admit the light and air to the centre 
of the plants. Place thin, and keep as near 
the glass as possible. Fumigate occasionally 
to prevent the green fly ; and give all the air 
possible, avoiding cold draughts, which cause 
the leaves to curl. Pelargoniums. —The early 
specimen plants are now growing vigorously. 
Proceed with the training of the branches into 
shape where they require it; give every shoot 
as much room as possible. Give air whenever 
the weather will permit, avoiding as much as 
possible cold draughts. Make fires only in 
frosty and very damp weather, both of which 
may now be anticipated. Too frequent use of 
fire heat at this season will have a tendency 
in making too rapid and sappy a growth; how¬ 
ever, the temperature of the house should not 
be allowed to be below 40°. When air is given 
shut up early in the afternoon, so as to gain 
the advantage of a natural supply of heat. 
All the plants that require shifting should be 
attended to at once, especially seedlings and. 
young struck plants, using the next sized pot, 
a large shift at this late season being undesir¬ 
able. Watering is an operation at this time 
requiring very great care; they should be keep 
pretty dry, and especial care taken not to wet 
the foliage. Cuttings will now strike freely 
on a warm dry shelf. 
FORCING. 
Place the first batch of Sea-kale roots on a 
nice steady bottom heat, and fill in between 
the roots with soil. Place some Ehubarb 
roots in heat. Put a good batch of Asparagus 
roots on a steady bottom heat, cover with soil, 
and water freely. Asparagus should have 
plenty of air, and all the light possible. 
Where the old plan of forcing by fermenting 
materials is still carried on a good heap of 
materials should always be ready for all 
emergencies. Hardy Shrubs. —The principal 
thing to be aimed at here is to ensure the 
proper expansion of the flowering buds. For 
this the first point to be attended to is to 
plunge the plant in a steady bottom heat of 
about 75°; this will soon set the roots in 
action. The plants should be kept moderately 
moist at the roots, and the atmosphere should 
be kept moist. Syringe two or three times 
daily; give air freely in fine weather; they 
will not need any fire heat the first fortnight; 
after that the temperature should not fall 
much below 50S at night. Cucumbers. —If 
former directions have been attended to the 
plants for winter bearing will now be in a 
forward state; keep them thin of wood by 
stopping lateral shoots and removing some 
where crowded, so that they may receive all 
the light possible in every part of the house. 
