FEBRUARY. 
39 
vious to this his health had long been failing, 
and partly to relieve his asthma, and partly 
for scientific purposes, he went to the Canary 
Islands for two years. His health seemed 
re-established, when death unexpectedly 
snatched him away. 
CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS. 
CONSERVATORY AND SHOW-HOUSE. 
The mildness we have had during the 
winter, has continued almost up to the pre¬ 
sent time, and has produced the best effects 
on winter-flowering and forced plants, which 
are blooming freely, owing to the large 
amount of air which the season has permitted 
to the conservatory and forcing-house. G-uard 
against damp and cold cutting winds, but in 
other respects keep down the night tempera¬ 
ture to 45^, unless you have a mixture of stove 
plants in the house, when 5°. more may be 
allowed. 
GREENHOUSE. 
Uardwooded Plants. — Winter flowering 
Heaths and Epacrises should have a light 
situation; hiemalis, Wilmoreana, rubra calyx, 
mutabilis, vernix, are valuable at this season. 
Look well over New Holland and Cape plants, 
to prevent damp. Keep the surface soil free 
from moss and lichens, which prevent evapo¬ 
ration, and ultimately ruin the plants. Water 
only when dry, and then effectively. Keep 
the house cool and rather dry, and do not 
allow the plants to get excited into growth 
for some time. Softwooded Plants .—Guard 
against the attacks of green fly by timely 
fumigating. Shift Cinerarias, Calceolarias, 
and Pelargoniums, for late blooming; these 
plants should be kept rather warmer than the 
above. Azaleas and Camellias .—We class 
these together, for although there are several 
points of variance in their culture, they do well 
enough together for the present. Camellias, 
if at all forward, will now be coming into 
bloom ; to retain these in perfection for some 
time, keep the air of the house as dry as 
possible, and shaded from bright sun, as the 
least damp or drip will soon spoil the blooms 
of the light-coloured varieties. Camellias at 
this season, if full of flower-buds, should be 
watered with weak guano water, alternately 
with common soft water; this will much 
improve the size of the blooms, and induce the 
plants to break stronger when their annual 
growth commences. Azaleas for blooming in 
May and June should be retarded as much as 
possible; bring on a succession in the forcing- 
house by introducing a few free-blooming 
varieties every fortnight. The common white, 
Triumphans, Optima, Rosea punctata, Spe- 
ciosissima, Yivicans, Duke of Devonshire, 
Murray ana, we find among the best for 
forcing, while the Yariegata class are more 
difficult. Azaleas, like Camellias, are bene¬ 
fited by weak guano water when very prolific of 
bloom. Calceolarias , shrubby or half shrubby, 
will now propagate freely from old stock 
plants. Those intended for specimens should 
be struck in autumn, stopped now, and receive 
a liberal shift as soon as they have broken. 
Herbaceous seedlings should now be repotted. 
Cinerarias .—Continue to thin out all super¬ 
fluous leaves and small suckers from show 
plants, and peg down or tie out, so as to admit 
the light and air freely to the centre of the 
plants; keep them on a nice cool bottom in 
a pit that is heated, as near the glass as pos¬ 
sible, or if the pit is too deep, place them on 
inverted pots, so that the air may have free 
access to the foliage. Fumigate occasionally 
and with great care, as the young shoots 
and flowers are tender at this season. Sulphur 
immediately on the appearance of mildew. A 
little weak liquid manure may now be given 
to such as are full of roots. Throw the lights 
open every favourable opportunity. Pelar¬ 
goniums .—The specimens intended to flower 
early, if not already done, should be tied out 
to their proper shape. Increase the tempera¬ 
ture a little as the season advances, and water 
more freely; be careful that enough is given 
at a time to penetrate the ball. Air should 
be admitted daily, the state of the weather 
permitting. Take care to close early in the 
afternoon, with a little sun heat if possible. 
Plants that have been wintered in small pots 
should now have their final repotting; and, if 
convenient, a little fire heat will greatly assist 
the bad-growing sorts, and especially the 
fancies, in giving them a gentle start in the 
fresh soil. Also this is a good time for stopping 
plants to flower late, that are established in 
their blooming pots. Seedlings should be 
well looked to, giving them sufficient room, 
not to draw each other up weakly. 
FORCING. 
No better pi an of procuring forced Asparagus 
economically exists than by taking up three 
or four-year-old plants and placing them in 
pits or frames over a gentle bottom heat. 
Where beds are arranged to admit of linings 
being applied to the roots, and the surface 
protected, now is a good time to begin to have 
the Grass early in March. Bring forward 
succession of Sea-kale and Rhubarb, and plant 
a quantity of good forcing kinds of early 
Potatoes in a little heat, to sprout ready for 
transferring to frames towards the end of the 
month. Shrubs .—'There is nothing in this 
way half so beautiful as forced Roses, which 
are universally admired. If you wish to 
succeed well, strike the plants yourselves from 
cuttings, or at any rate buy plants on their 
own roots. Our plan is to grow these in a 
good open situation for two or three years, 
till they get to a good size, and then take up 
