AUGUST. 
187 
CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS. 
STOVE AND ORCHID-HOUSE. 
Owing chiefly to the natural heat of the 
season, stove plants will now he growing 
freely ; but the temperature should be main¬ 
tained so as to allow of plenty of air being 
given, in order to ripen the growth ; at the 
same time a little air should be admitted at 
night. The plants likewise must be inured 
to more light by reducing the shading. Thus 
the summer growth will be rendered almost as 
perfect as in the native climate of the plants. 
Plants intended to flower late in autumn 
should be repotted, and their growth kept in 
check to induce early bloom; and with this 
view they may judiciously be fully exposed. 
Many plants will now be in flower, and to 
preserve their beauty should have shade and 
plenty of air; if, however, they could be re¬ 
moved to a house by themselves, others not 
in flower would have the aivantage of more 
room, and young plants could be kept in a 
moist growing temperature. Orchids that have 
nearly completed their growth should have the 
moisture and shading gradually reduced, so 
as to prepare them to go to rest, not, however, 
by cold, for this is a condition almost foreign to 
their latitude; they may have a temperature 
of 75° at night, and 80° to 90° by sun heat, 
closing early in the afternoon. 
GREENHOUSE. 
Camellias will be mostly out of doors, and 
Azaleas which have formed their flower-buds 
may be set out in a sunny exposure, but the 
pots should be protected from strong sun—a 
remark which applies to all plants in pots. 
The tender fibres creeping close by the sides 
of the pots are very differently situated from 
those not in pots, in regard to the heat of the 
sun’s rays. In the former case the rootlets 
are liable to come in immediate contact with 
a hard substance intensely heated, and con¬ 
sequently very dry, opposite where the sun’s 
rays directly strike the outside of the pot; 
but when in the free soil, more than the thick¬ 
ness of the side of the pot, is interposed between 
the spongioles and the sun’s rays, and conse¬ 
quently the force of latter is proportionally 
weakened, whilst moisture will be raised by 
capillary action from below, even from the 
subsoil. Cinerarias. —Pot off cuttings, as 
soon as struck, into small pots, and put in 
more for succession ; repot as soon as the roots 
have reached the sides of the pot; seedlings 
should be similarly attended to. Pelargoniums. 
—Cut down for young stock, or it will be too 
late. When those plants that were first cut 
down have sufficiently rooted afresh, take 
them out of the pots, shake off the soil, shorten 
straggling roots, and repot; they will have 
time to make considerable growth this autumn. 
Pot off young plants when fit. Sow seed as 
it ripens, shading slightly from bright sun. 
Forcing sorts require lighter soil than the 
others. Mildew is especially to be guarded 
against; apply sulphur for prevention, lest it 
should appear, prevention being better than 
cure. 
CONSERVATORY. 
Shift any plants that require more room, so 
that they may be re-established before winter. 
Camellias may be shifted as soon as their 
flower-buds are sufficiently formed. Bring 
forward a supply of Fuchsias , Gladioli, 
Liliums , Balsams , Scarlet Pelargoniums , <Pc., 
for the show-house. Regulate the shoots of 
creepers and other plants where the growths 
are too strong; but reduce their vigour in a 
way that will not render them unsightly, nor 
injuriously affect their health and soundness 
of constitution. In some cases the sudden 
removal of a gross shoot may cause an exces¬ 
sive derangement of the flow of sap, the force 
of which should previously be gradually dimi¬ 
nished, so that amputations may be safely 
effected. It should be recollected that the 
stoppage of one main stream will overgorge 
many small channels. Therefore, in all cases, 
before cutting out a strong-growing shoot, its 
power of attracting sap should be dimi¬ 
nished ; this power resides in the leaves—re¬ 
duce them, and there will then be no unman¬ 
ageable torrent of sap to control. 
FORCING. 
Vines. —In late vineries the Grapes should 
be finally thinned. Whilst the Grapes are 
swelling syringe freely, and give at all times 
plenty of air, even at night; but it should be 
recollected that when the external air is cold, 
a comparatively small opening equals in effect 
a large one when the air outside is hot. If a 
full well-coloured crop of Grapes is the aim, 
keep the foliage clean and healthy, and re¬ 
duce it with the most sparing hand. “ Go to 
the ant, and consider her ways,” was the 
advice given by a wise man nearly three 
thousand years ago ; at the present day we may 
derive wisdom from the doings of another 
insect—viz., the Gooseberry caterpillar. The 
leaves of the bushes are stripped by it to the 
midrib, and mark the consequence—the berries 
swell a little, but they do not colour, and 
remain sour as verjuice. Knowing this to be 
the result of privation of foliage in the case of 
the Gooseberry, should it not strike us that 
the Vine, deprived of its foliage by any means, 
would be in the same condition, and that 
similar bad results would follow ? Experience 
proves that, as in the case of the leafless 
Gooseberry, the leafless Grapes remain colour¬ 
less and sour, and if they sometimes shrivel 
like a raisin, still they taste like verjuice—a 
fit dessert for those who are too obtuse to take 
a lesson from the case of the Gooseberry, or 
who do not thence learn to respect foliage. 
