96 
THE FLORIST. 
half-rotten manure mixed with rich loamy soil. Severe as the weather 
has been of late, Pinks do not appear to have suffered from the late 
severe weather. Those planted early, as recommended by us last 
autumn, look very strong and healthy. We hope to see the Pink 
exhibited fine and in true character this season ; seeing that there are 
Metropolitan shows on the 16th and 23rd of June, we may fairly 
expect them in all their beautiful colours at one or other of these great 
meetings—the 23rd being the more likely of the two. 
Pinery. —See that the plants swelling fruit have a good steady bottom 
heat of about 85 degrees ; give them liberal supplies of water; keep a 
moist atmosphere, except while the plants are in bloom; keep a 
temperature of 70 degrees by night, with a rise of 10 or 15 degrees by 
day. Take advantage of fine weather to pot the whole of the young 
stock ; give strong plants that are well rooted plenty of pot room; when 
potted, plunge them in a bottom heat- of from 85 to 90 degrees; keep 
them close for a week or two ; maintain a moist atmosphere, but do not 
water until they begin to fill the pots with roots ; keep a temperature 
of from 65 to 70 degrees by night, with a rise of 10 degrees in the 
daytime ; they will soon grow rapidly. 
Pleasure Ground. —Secure all newly planted trees against strong 
March winds, and mulch well over the roots, to prevent the soil from 
drying. Turn, clean, and roll walks ; roll the Grass frequently, so 
as to have it in proper order for the scythe by and bye. 
Stove. —Pot Achimenes and Gesneras ; start Gloxinias ; start the 
different kinds of Ixoras and Allamandas ; shift Clerodendrons, giving 
them plenty of pot room ; start Gloriosas. Pot everything that requires 
it, and tie out neatly ; give the plants plenty of room ; give them all the 
light possible; keep a moist atmosphere; ventilate freely in fine 
weather ; keep a temperature of from 60 to 65 degrees by night, with 
an increase of 10 degrees by day. 
Strawberry-forcing. —Introduce sufficient plants every fortnight to 
meet the demands ; keep them near the glass; give them all the air 
possible while in flower ; when sufficient are set for a crop, pinch all 
the rest of the blooms off. Plants that are swelling fruit should be well 
supplied with manure water. 
Vinery. —Keep a moist atmosphere in the early house; maintain a 
temperature of about 65 degrees by night; always give a little air in 
good time in the mornings, and increase gradually afterwards. Thin 
the berries in successional houses ; stop and tie down shoots. Keep the 
atmosphere rather dry when in flower. 
Tulips. —Protect the bed with canvass, frigi-domo, or mats, when¬ 
ever there is severe frost, snow, or excessive rain, but as a rule keep it 
covered as little as possible, as doing so obviously excites a weakly 
growth. Stir the surface of the soil between the bulbs as soon as it is 
in the best state for the operation, i. e., between wet and dry. All the 
beds we have seen, and they are not a few, promise a good bloom, the 
appearance above ground being very regular. We expect to see some 
fine stands at the Crystal Palace on the 19th of May, a day we look 
forward to as a red-letter one. 
