40 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
and pot in very rich soil. If this is done in 
October, and the pots are plunged in a frame, 
with a little bottom heat for the roots, they 
will answer admirably the first season, if not 
worked too hard. Add Honeysuckles, the 
common and scarlet Thorn, Sweet Briar, and 
Mock Orange. The hardy Chinese Azalea 
amoena, and seedlings from it, are among the 
prettiest and freest to flower of all forced 
shrubs. Teach .—Disbud .he early house when 
forward enough, doing a little at a time. 
Fumigate if green fly appear. After the fruit 
is fairly set, the trees may be syringed with 
tepid water daily. Pinery .—A brisk heat 
must be maintained to fruiting plants to get 
them up, say 70° night temperature, and rising 
10° or 15° during the day. Pines in bloom 
should have a very dry temperature at this 
season, to cause the blooms to open regularly 
and form handsome fruit hereafter. Keep 
succession plants in a mild growing tempera¬ 
ture, that they may start into growth as slowly 
as possible. Give as much air as you can every 
opportunity, and do not allow the bottom heat 
to decline, or the plants will get a check, 
which may throw them into fruit in April. 
Strawberries .—The first batch will bloom this 
month; as they show their trusses, increase 
the heat slightly, to draw the flower-stems out 
from the foliage. Keep the plants near the 
glass, and free from green fly. As the blooms 
open, raise the temperature to 60° by night, 
and give air on all occasions. Water sparingly 
when in bloom, but as the fruit sets, increase 
the supply. Manure water will not be needed 
till later. Bring on successional crops in pits 
or frames as gently as possible, and remove 
them to more heat and air when the trusses 
appear. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
A busy time is approaching, and it will 
much facilitate the operation of sowing and 
planting, and benefit the future growth of the 
crops, if the ground has been previously well 
prepared by deep cultivation. All ground for 
spring cropping, if not already dug, should at 
once be dug or trenched, as requisite, adding 
the necessary manure for incorporating with 
the soil during the operation. Cabbage and 
Lettuce may be planted out on warm borders, 
if not done in the autumn. Sow also Peas 
and Beans, Badish, and Horn Carrot, in 
sheltered situations. When the quarters are 
clear, trap all the slugs you can, by laying 
down a few leaves here and there, or half a 
shovelful of fresh grains, to entice them; this 
step will save much trouble and annoyance 
hereafter. Plant Bhubarb, Sea-kale, and 
Artichokes, on deep-trenched and well manured 
soil. As these are plants intended to remain 
for some time on the same ground, a good pre¬ 
paration is necessary. 
PRTIIT GARDEN. 
Hardy Fruit .—Filberts may be pruned 
towards the end of the month, when the 
blossoms appear. Cut out all very weak and 
unproductive wood, allowing a good share of 
the male catkins to stay on. Where new 
fruit trees are wanted, lose no time in procur¬ 
ing and planting them. Our pages contain 
much valuable information on making borders, 
&c., and also of lists of the most suitable kinds 
for various parts of Britain. Pruning and 
nailing should be forwarded at once. Bush 
fruits, after pruning, should have good dress¬ 
ings of manure spread over the surface, to 
allow the rains to wash it in. 
PLOWER GARDEN. 
A fine time now for carrying out any alter¬ 
ations in this department. Prepare soils for 
the beds, to be ready for digging in in March. 
Take care of Crocuses and other early bulbs 
of which mice are very fond. Cold Frames. _ 
Now will commence a busy time for the pro¬ 
pagator of bedding stuffs, which at present we 
presume are wintering in frames. The stock 
should be looked over, and of any kinds likely 
to prove short of the expected demand, remove 
to where there is a gentle heat, to force them 
into growth for cuttings; this will be more 
immediately the case with Verbenas, Petu¬ 
nias, Ageratums, and Lobelias. 
ELORISTS’ PLOWEES. 
Auriculas .—There has of late been suffi¬ 
cient moisture in the atmosphere for these 
plants, but as the days lengthen, more water 
will be required. Towards the end of the 
month they may be placed on the blooming 
stage, if not wintered there; our plan being 
to keep them cool during the two first months 
of the year, that the plants may swell gradu¬ 
ally, and not be brought prematurely into 
bloom. Top-dress, and keep clean of insects 
and dead foliage. Carnations and Picotees .— 
These are also on the move, from the mildness 
of the season. However, be sparing with water 
for a time : but towards the end of the month 
let them have a good washing, should there 
be a mild rain. The frames should be kept 
open as much as possible. As potting-time is 
at hand, and the soil prepared, care should be 
taken not to let it get too wet. Early potting 
is preferable, but planting in beds must be 
deferred till March. Old pots should be washed 
before using. Dahlias. —Boots, particularly 
ground roots, have kept very badly this 
season; but as the propagation will now have 
very generally commenced, the extent of the 
losses will have been ascertained. Cuttings 
will now strike readily, but should the roots 
be secured by being started, the forcing should 
be moderate, not to exhaust the root, as March 
is the best time for making healthy plants 
easily ; some make sufficient by dividing the 
root only. Pot roots should not be started 
for a month to come or seed sown. Pansies. 
—Plant into large pots, from those they have 
been wintered in such as are intended to 
bloom in pots. A month hence will do for 
planting beds. 
