DECEMBER. 
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and the plants nicely arranged, giving each ample room, and keeji- 
ing them near the glass. Ventilate freely on every favourable 
op]3^rtunity, but through ventilation during cold winds only tends 
to browu the foliage and cause it to drop prematurely; and this 
should be avoided as long as the plants appear to be making up, 
giving air on cold rough days on the sheltered side of the house 
only, and this but sparingly. Attend carefully to the plants with 
water, for although they will require but comparatively little for 
some time, they should be examined twice a week so as to avoid 
the chance of any of them being neglected, and when a plant is 
found to be dry it should be watered thoroughly, giving enough to 
moisten the ball throughout. Plants which set their bloom buds 
early in the summer, and have had a long rest, may, if wanted in 
bloom as soon as possible, be placed in a moist warm house, where, 
if properly attended to, they will bloom as finely as could be 
desired, and may be had in flower by the new year, or even by 
Christmas, if a high moist temperature can be maintained. But 
plants forced into bloom in a high moist temperature must not, if 
they are expected to last long in beauty, be removed to a house 
where the temperature falls much below 50”, for the flowers would 
soon perish in a cold dry airy house. Camellias in bloom must be 
carefully guarded from drip, and should also be afforded a free 
supply of air on every fixvourable occasion, using fire heat when¬ 
ever this may be necessary to expel damp, for these soon droop in 
a close damp atmosphere. If any of the plants of these are in¬ 
fested v/ith scale, these should be thoroughly cleaned before the 
bloom buds are so far advanced as to be liable to be inj ured by the 
operation, and if too late for this, see that they are thoroughly 
cleaned before the wood buds push. Attend carefully to the plants 
with water, particularly those well furnished with bloom buds, as 
any excess, either way, might cause these to drop prematurely. 
Conservatory .—Every possible effort should be used to maintain 
a good display of bloom here, for as flowers in the open garden 
are destroyed, and the weather not likely to be favourable for out¬ 
door exercise, this house will be more resorted to, and its inmates, 
if attractive, valued much more than they would be at any other 
season of the year. At present the house will be gay with Chry¬ 
santhemums, but the beauty of these will, in most places, have 
passed away before the end of the month, and every means should 
be used in order to be prepared to occupy their place with equally 
showy plants. And where there is a good stock of Camellias 
properly prepared for winter blooming. Azaleas, Epacrises, Acacias, 
Daphnes, Chinese Primulas, Mignonettes, Tree Violets, and the 
many other plants which might be named, it will not be difficult 
to keep this house well furnished with gay plants in full beauty 
for some months to come. If not already done, trim the twiners, 
cutting back freely such things as Passion-flowers, and reducing 
the dimensions of all as far as can consistently be done, so as to 
admit as much light as possible. Such things as Camellias, 
Acacias, Luculias, &c., planted in the borders, which bloom about 
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