MAY. 
9 
expanding their flowers. Shade for these will 
be a very essential requirement, and plenty of 
water must be kept about the paths and stages. 
The top and bottom ventilators should also be 
•opened when the weather is warm so that the 
house may be kept as cool as possible. Den- 
•drobiums of the densiflorum type, that is, all 
those with persistent foliage, will be going out 
of flower. As soon as the flowers are faded the 
plants should be potted in order that their roots 
may be as little injured as possible. After this 
operation they should be subjected to a tem¬ 
perature of 70° by night and from 80° to 90° by 
day, according to the weather. Syringe the 
plants over the foliage twice daily during warm 
weather, and shade should be afforded at all 
times when the sun is bright. 
Hothouse. —-Most of the plants that were 
potted in March will by this time have got 
well rooted, so that liquid manure may be given 
where it is intended to keep them growing. 
Plants of Allamandas, Stephanotis, Dipladenias, 
•&c., will produce more flowers if liberally treated 
thus. Many of the fine-foliaged plants and 
palms will also be benefited by applications of 
some description of stimulant. With increased 
heat various insects will become troublesome. 
It will therefore be necessary to prevent their 
ravages. Syringe or dip the plants frequently 
with some insecticide. Start plants of Poin- 
settia, and when the young shoots are forward 
enough they should be taken off and l’ooted in 
•close, moist heat. Euphorbia jacquiniceflora may 
also be propagated now. The temperature at 
night should be about 70° Fahr., with an in¬ 
crease of 10° to 20° by day under sun-heat. 
Shade in bright weather, but draw up the 
blinds early, and close the house so as to main¬ 
tain a good night temperature without the 
assistance of much fire-heat. 
Intermediate House. —Pot on Bouvar- 
dias as they require it, and towards the end of 
the month, when they are well rooted, remove 
them to a cooler structure where they may get 
more air. Gardenias will be flowering freely, 
and Avhen new growth is made cuttings should 
be taken off and rooted to give young plants. 
Many Ferns will now be resuming active 
growth. Shade should be afforded these, or 
the young fronds may get scalded. Pot up 
any which require it, and keep remainder well 
watered. 
Forcing House. —It Avill not be found 
necessary this month to push forward any hardy 
shrubs for decorating the conservatory, as plenty 
of flowers Avill be in bloom under the natural 
influence of the sunshine. There is, hoAvever, a 
number of useful plants that may be caused to 
floAver which Avould not othenvise do so till a 
much later period of the year if not forced. 
Take, for example, Tuberoses, Lilium Harrisii, 
and some other choice floAvers. It Avill there¬ 
fore be necessary, if a quantity of flowers are 
required for cutting, to bring them forward 
artificially. 
Greenhouse and Conservatory. —Hard- 
Avoocled plants of various kinds will hoav be in 
bloom, and when their floAvers are over the 
plants should be cut back to induce them to 
make a clean growth for another season. The 
potting of plants of this kind should be attended 
to, especially Azaleas, Pimeleas, Cassias, Heaths, 
&c. The soil must be pressed down firmly, as 
othenvise the roots Avill not take hold of it. The 
plants must be Avell syringed to keep doivn in¬ 
sects. The conservatory should be kept shaded, 
and air admitted night and day, in order that 
the floAvers may last as long as possible. Any 
plants, as, for example, Pelargoniums, that are 
subject to the attacks of aphides, should be 
cleansed thoroughly before their introduction to 
the conservatory, as at this time of the year 
these pests increase very rapidly. 
Pits and Frames. 
Violets that Avere rooted in these should be 
planted out in the open ground early in the 
month, and their places reoccupied Avith bed¬ 
ding plants. Perpetual Carnations, which Avere 
rooted early in the season, Avill hoav require to 
be potted, and various plants from the green¬ 
house may be placed in the pits, &c., as space 
becomes vacant. Begonias of the tuberous- 
rooted section Avill need potting, and no more 
suitable place can be found for them than in 
these structures. ToAvards the end of the month 
Chrysanthemums Avill require to be put into 
their floAvering-pots and removed to the open. 
See that these pots are properly drained, for 
Avithout this precaution they may become water- 
logged. Various kinds of herbaceous plants 
Avhich Avere propagated from cuttings put in 
during the autumn should uoav be transferred 
to the open. This Avill give space for other 
occupants of a more tender nature, such as 
Balsams, Celosias, Solanums, Ricinus, &c. 
Flower-garden and Pleasure Ground. 
The present is a busy time Avith gardeners 
as many summer-floAvering plants may now be 
placed in their permanent quarters. In warm 
and sheltered situations Calceolarias, Verbenas, 
