JULY. 
168 
CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS. 
STOVE AND ORCHID-HOUSE. 
If the nights are seasonably warm, little 
fire heat will be required; nevertheless for 
plants from the hottest tropical parts, as much 
should be given as will prevent the ther¬ 
mometer from falling below 70°, making 
allowance for a little air being given at the 
same time. This will render the growth 
firmer, and induce the formation of blossom- 
buds, for without air a high temperature will 
tend rather to produce wood than bloom. 
Begonias , Euphorbias , Justicias, Poinsettias, 
and such plants as will be required for winter- 
flowering should be shifted into larger pots as 
they require it, keeping them slightly shaded, 
and rather close till they strike fresh root, 
and commence new growth. Keep these and 
all the other plants clear of insects. For 
Orchids , keep up the former temperature, air, 
and moisture ; shade from too hot sun. Shift 
Vandas and others when past flowering. 
GREENHOUSE. 
For the next two or three months, the place 
of Pelargoniums and Calceolarias may be 
taken by Fuchsias, Kalosanthes, Tliunbergias, 
Lilium auratum , &c. Some showy annuals 
grown in pots may be introduced for contrast 
of colour, so that with these, and various 
plants from pits and frames, there will be no 
difficulty in still maintaining the house in a 
gay state. Pelargoniums that are nearly past 
flowering should be well exposed to sun and 
air in order to ripen their wood; previously 
to being cut down, and some time before and 
after this is done, the soil in the pots should 
be dry. Du3t with flowers of sulphur Heaths 
and other plants attacked by mildew. Give 
air abundantly, and shift immediately any 
plants that require more pot room. 
CONSERVATORY. 
Plants in the border will now be growing 
strongly, and will much drain the soil of its 
moisture ; this ought to be timeously supplied, 
in order that the foliage may be kept in good 
health. Plenty of air should be given, 
and this will cause a corresponding loss of 
moisture from the air of the house, which 
must be provided against by syringing the 
foliage, and also the surface of the soil. By 
these means good substantial growth will be 
ensured; but at this season it will also be 
rapid, and will require to be regulated, so as 
to be developed where it is desirable, and 
prevented where it is not so. In this way 
the energy of the plants will be nowhere mis¬ 
directed ; no growth should be made to waste 
at any period of the season, but, more especi¬ 
ally at this, the most favourable for the com¬ 
plete elaboration of the sap, for originating 
blossom-buds and the latent rudiments of 
flowers. Many of the usual inmates of the 
conservatory may now be placed out of 
doors. 
PITS AND FRAMES. 
These will now be cleared of bedding 
plants, and the best opportunity is afforded 
for taking off the lights, painting the sashes 
and rafters, and whitewashing the walls. 
Previously to this, the interior might be fumi¬ 
gated with sulphur, provided the pit is well 
exposed to air, and a strong fire occasionally 
kept on before plants are introduced; for 
greater security some delicate-foliaged plants 
of various kinds might first be tried, for even 
recently-built walls have proved, before they 
were seasoned, injurious to plants. When 
all is safe the pits may be occupied with 
seedlings, or with cuttings, and pots of any¬ 
thing that requires to be placed near the light. 
FORCING. 
Pine Apples. —When succession plants fill 
their pots with roots, shift them into fruiting- 
pots. Give plenty of air with sun to plants 
of which the fruits are ripening. Supply no 
more water than is just sufficient to prevent 
suffering from dryness. Let the temperature, 
top and bottom, be about 85°, but the top 
heat may rise to 90° by sun heat. Plunge a. 
thermometer, and watch carefully that the 
bottom heat never gets too high ; if likely to 
do so remove the pot, and place it on a smaller 
one plunged mouth upwards. Plant crowns 
and suckers, as soon as their twisted-off end 
becomes dry, into three-inch pots. Vines .— 
Keep the house dry wherein the fruit is ripe or 
ripening. Dryness is at that stage natural to 
the Vine in its native climate, and from this 
condition two important results are obtained— 
the fruit acquires good flavour, and the wood 
is firmly ripened. But with regard to later 
vineries where the fruit has yet to swell, the 
leaves should also be kept in a growing state, 
for on the good growth of the leaves mainly 
depends not only the swelling, colour, and 
flavour of the present year’s crop, but also 
the success of the next and future ones. The 
richest border, then, can be of no use without 
leaves ; but grow plenty of leaves well, with 
sufficient light, air, and moisture, and the 
whole plant will grow ; the roots in that case 
will push in almost any soil, and the spongioles 
will insinuate themselves and grow in crevices 
of rocks, and thence collect juice to an amaz¬ 
ing extent in countries so hot and dry at 
certain seasons that, according to parliament¬ 
ary evidence, wine was used instead of water 
to make mortar, the former being plentiful, 
cheap, and at hand, and the latter scarce and 
the dearer of the two from expense of 
carriage. Briefly it may be stated, that the 
berries cannot draw up and elaborate sap for 
iheir own use, nor for any other purpose: 
that is specially the office of the leaves. Since, 
therefore, the motion of the sap from its ab¬ 
sorption from the soil in its crude state by the 
spongioles, to its return in an organisable 
condition from the leaves, depends on the 
