286 
THE FLOEIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ December, 
as no digging or forking will benefit tbern; moreover, when once the foreground 
is judiciously furnished, the soil should be entirely hidden from view. 
Roses: The sooner these are now got and planted the better. Standards must 
be staked as planted, mulching the surface with rotten dung. Tea and Bourbon 
Boses must be protected ; dwarfs may be pegged down and covered with fern. 
Tender sorts upon walls or pillars should have a slight covering, perhaps for 
appearance’ sake. Spruce branches or yew, which answer well, are the least 
objectionable, as everything that is unsightly in the shape of protecting materials 
must be avoided. 
Conservatory: Flowering plants are at this season of the year more highly 
cherished than at any other time, as there is a scarcity of out-door blossoms, and 
to meet successfully the large and growing demand for flowering-plants and cut- 
flowers. Previous preparation and forethought are necessary, since we have an 
abundance of plants of the most varied and effective description applicable to 
this purpose. Camellias^ such as the Double White, Comte de Paris, Imbricata, 
&c., will now be in bloom without forcing, and will stand in a healthy atmo¬ 
sphere free from damp for a far longer period than they will do at a more advanced 
season. The general stock should be kept as quiet as possible for the present, 
being carefully looked over and cleansed of scale, should it exist upon them ; 
while just sufficient water is given to keep the soil in a healthy state, with 
free circulation of air. A genial temperature must be afforded to the great 
majority of plants in bloom, so that the conservatory night temperature should 
be kept at 50°, rising 5° or so during the day ; if it is allowed to drop below 
that, the beauty of any tender plants will be of short duration. 
Forcing-house: This important structure must now be kept in good working 
order ; and to lessen the necessity for so much fire-heat, it will be found more 
congenial to the majority of the plants to depend as far as possible upon ferment¬ 
ing material, which will avoid the scorching influence of the hot-water pipes, 
and promote the genial character of the temperature. Examine Bulbs that are 
buried in ashes, and remove such as are rooted. The Narcissus is apt to push its 
roots to the surface when not removed in time, and thus experiences a severe 
check when removed ; introduce fresh batches in succession,*and keep such as 
are showing flower near to the glass. Bring forward a good supply of Lily of the 
Valley ; one can never have too many of these. I do not know that imported 
clumps are at all or much superior to well-grown and ripened English roots. In 
lifting, cut them into squares to fit into boxes a foot or so in width, and a yard 
in length, disturbing the roots as little as possible, packing them firmly in the 
boxes with light soil, and bringing them forward in a dark cellar, or mushroom- 
house, as they start more freely when kept dark. Previous to starting, Amaryllises 
should be carefully shaken out of the old soil, and potted in ample drained 
pots, in equal parts of sandy loam and leaf-soil, and afterwards plunged in a mild 
bottom-heat, near to the glass, withholding water until they are well started, 
when they will require watering freely as they develop themselves. These much 
neglected and showy subjects are well worthy of a more extended cultivation. 
Greenhouses: Large specimen-plants must have frequent attention, to guard 
against their becoming unnaturally dry at the root, which they are apt to do 
when surface-sprinkling is adopted—a most unsafe practice, often resulting in 
serious loss. It is well to bear in mind that, under natural conditions, but very 
few plants are parched at the root when at rest. Vegetation is not, as one might 
be led to suppose by the treatment pursued, brought to comparative rest so 
much by extreme drought as by decline of temperature. The earliest batch of 
Herbaceous Calceolarias should now have the final shift, using a rather heavy 
