208 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
the sashes from the late houses, and fully ex¬ 
pose the trees. Pinery. —Finish potting the 
plants to fruit next year; as the succession 
pits are cleared, to fill up the fruiting-houses; 
set the young plants wider apart. Fruit 
swelling should he kept moderately moist, and 
will require a little fire heat when the night 
temperature falls below 60°. Renew the 
linings to plants grown by dung-heat, so as to 
keep the night temperature 60°, as above. 
The largest fruiting plants required to pro¬ 
duce fruit next March, April, and May, should 
now be kept comparatively dry, and have a 
large share of air, to throw them into a state 
of rest. Vinery. —Late Muscats should at 
once have fire heat applied, to assist their 
ripening; and this will also apply to the St. 
Peter’s, if not likely to ripen without artificial 
assistance. Let the air of the houses be kept 
dry, with as much air as can be admitted safely. 
Now is the best time to prepare composts for 
new borders. 
3UTCHEN GARDEN. 
The sowing of vegetable crops will be nearly 
over. A few Radishes, Lettuces, Cauliflowers, 
and Spinach, may be sown early in the month; 
to stand a chance, should anything occur to 
the regular crops, for it is always well to be 
provided against contingencies; and, there¬ 
fore, all that remains in this way is to see well 
to the growing crops, and more especially to 
fill up all vacant ground with Greens, Broccoli, 
&c. ;~thin out winter Spinach, Lettuce, Tur¬ 
nips, and prick out the winter Cauliflowers 
and Cabbages, &c., hoe and keep clean all ad¬ 
vancing crops, earthing up Celery and Car- 
doons, and blanching Lettuce and Endive as 
they advance. Tomatoes against walls should 
be stopped, and have a few of the leaves taken 
from before the fruit, to assist to ripen it. 
The Potato crop may be taken up as soon as 
the tops are ripened off. 
FLOWER GARDEN. 
The work of propagation will now; require 
much attention, as, on the early striking of 
the stock for next year, the health and hardi¬ 
ness of the plants wall mainly depend. For 
all kinds of Geraniums, no better plan can be 
adopted than what we advised in our last, in 
sticking the cuttings in the open ground (at 
any rate for the middle and south of England): 
a south border, over which. spread a few 
inches in depth of light soil mixed with sand, 
is all that is necessary; it will assist some of 
the tender kinds, as Mountain of Light, Golden 
Chain, and Lady Plymouth, to put a sprink¬ 
ling of white sand at the bottom of the drill, | 
for the base of the cuttings to rest on; make ; 
the cuttings firm. When a large stock of soft 
things is required, as Petunias. Verbenas, 
Senecios, Agcratums, Lobelias, Anagallis, &c., j 
a cheap way is to make a slight hotbed, 2 or 
3 feet high, to hold a number of hand-glasses; 
cover over with 2 or 3 inches of sandy soil, 
and then, when the soil gets slightly warmed, 
insert the cuttings in squares, and cover them 
with the glasses. Shade in bright sunshine 
and, when the plants commence growing, give 
air gradually, and when fully rooted, remove 
the glasses altogether. Plants struck in this 
way are remarkably strong and stocky. As 
we winter this class in shallow propagating- 
pans, we have only to lift the plants in bunches 
sufficient to fill a pan, when they are rooted 
and place them in a sheltered place, to harden 
off for the winter. All the above may likewise 
be struck by inserting the cuttings in shallow 
pots, and placing them in an empty frame. 
Take care of the seed of choice annuals as it 
ripens, and mark all good seedling plants for 
further trial. For routine see our last, as to 
keeping all clean, &c. 
florists’ flowers. 
Auriculas. —Those that have not been re¬ 
potted should be done so at once. Little atten¬ 
tion will be required for some time to come. 
The plants should be placed in a nice cool 
frame, fixed on a well-drained border, giving 
as much air as possible, and a moderate supply 
of water. Protect from rains, and pick off all 
dead foliage, and look carefully after the green 
fly. If any start for bloom, pinch off the buds 
only when above the foliage. Carnations and 
Picotees. —The soil required for wintering the 
plants in small pots should be kept well turned 
and tolerably dry. The principal attention 
required will be to remove all dead foliage 
from the layers. Water regularly and care¬ 
fully. Pot the young stock from the stools 
any time after 15th of the month, if sufficiently 
rooted. Dahlias. —Protecting the blooms for 
exhibition, if grown for show, or enjoying their 
gay colours and noble form, if cultivated for 
decorative purposes only, will be the principal 
work of this month. In shading for exhibition, 
avoid doing so more than six or seven days 
before the time required, as it spoils the richness 
of the colour, and causes many varieties to 
quill. When confined from the air in too 
young a state, they do not so freely developc 
or grow into their true character. Seedlings 
will require constant attention, particularly if 
they have not proper distance afforded them 
in growing, or some of the finest flowers may 
be overlooked. Hollyhocks. —Continue to 
put in cutting-s or plant them out in beds ; by 
these means, a large stock of plants may be 
procured if diligently attended to. If the seed 
is sown as soon as ripe, and pricked off into 
thumb-pots, one in a pot, they will be ready 
to plant out in April, and will flower well the 
following August and September. Pinks .— 
Plant out into beds, towards the end of the 
month, for next season’s blooming ; should the 
weather be wet, defer it for a little. Pinks 
thrive best in a good rich soil, and should be 
planted about 6 inches apart. Tulips. —The 
soil should now be prepared for blooming these 
in. Look carefully after the roots, the green 
fly being so apt to attack them. Fumigate if 
necessary. Finally, arrange the roots prepara¬ 
tory for planting. 
