THE GARDENERS' - AND NATURALISTS’ CALENDAR FOR JANUARY. 201 
FLOWER GARDEN.— IN-DOOR DEPART¬ 
MENT. 
Conservatory .—A finer autumn and early winter 
than we have just experienced in the departing year, 
hare rarely been seen in our changeable climate; and 
hence, where plants have been properly attended to, 
they ought to he in excellent condition : when we say 
excellent condition we do not mean they should he in 
free growth, hut should look fresh and healthy, with 
the season’s growth thoroughly matured. Some of the 
Acacias will now he advancing into bloom, and when 
the conservatory is kept tolerably warm, or it is planted 
in the most sheltered part, the Luculia gratissima will 
begin to unfold its delicately coloured and exquisitely 
scented blossoms, than which, at this festive season, 
nothing can he finer, or more deserving of extensive 
cultivation. Camellias will also he advancing into 
bloom, and care must he taken that they do not know 
the want of water, or the buds will he cast off without 
opening. These, with the plants from the stoves and 
orchid-house, the Hyacinths, Tulips, and other bulbs 
from the forcing-house, with a few Heaths, Epacrises, 
and other plants from the greenhouse, to say nothing 
of Cinerarias, Violets, Mignonette, &c., from the frames, 
will impart a gay and very interesting appearance to 
the conservatory at this season. To preserve the flowers, 
keep the atmosphere moist, hut not wet; water when 
necessary, more especially the bulbs, and keep a tem¬ 
perature of from 40° to 50°, rising a few degres by sun- 
heat. Ventilate daily if possible, if only for a short 
time; hut avoid draughts, more especially if the atmos¬ 
phere is at all frosty. 
Orangery .— The trees will now he in a dormant 
state, and hence little can he added to former directions. 
Do not, however, neglect to prune and clean the trees 
thoroughly during the winter, recollecting that the 
more you do at this season, the less you will have to 
attend to when the busy season of spring comes round. 
The temperature must not fall below 40°, for though 
we read of snow-clad Orange groves, my experience of 
nearly thirty years, enables me to say that a very low 
temperature is not good for them. Where new borders 
have to he prepared for planting the orange, now is a 
good time to proceed with the work, and no tribe of 
plants is better suited to cover the walls of conserva¬ 
tories. If the stock of small Orange trees is large, 
some of the forwardest of them may he introduced into 
the forcing-house, for the sake of a little early blossom. 
Forcing Flower-house. — Here business must now 
commence in earnest, and if not already done, a few 
plants of all kinds, American plants, Indian Azaleas, 
Bulbs, Boses, Lilacs, &c., &c., must he introduced, and 
started gradually, while towards the end of the month 
a good stock of Pinks, Sweet Williams, and Lily of the 
f alley, may be started gradually in any pit or other 
favourable situation. In the forcing-house the tempe¬ 
rature should not fall below 50°, and as the days in¬ 
crease in length the temperature may increase about 
F or 5° a-week, until it attains a minimum temperature 
of 60° and maximum of 70° by fire-heat, allowing the 
temperature to increase 10° by sun-heat. Give air 
daily, if only for a-short time; syringe the plants every 
fine morning, and keep the atmosphere at all times 
moist and genial. W. P. Ayres. 
GREENHOUSE—HARDAVOODED PLANTS. 
In this month when we generally expect hard frost, 
it is necessary to exclude it by employing as little fire- 
heat as possible. A temperature of about 40 should he 
the mark ; hut in the day it does not matter if it rises a 
little higher, particularly where the house contains 
flowering plants. Be very careful not to open the front 
sashes when the wind is cold and cutting, and be sure 
to sprinkle the floor and shelves occasionally after much 
fire-heat. Although for the most part the plants will 
be at a stand-still; yet no time should be lost in ma kin g 
preparations for the coming spring. Get plenty of peat 
chopped, crocks broken, pots cleaned, and have in 
readiness a good quantity of clean small pebbles for 
mixing with the soil used in potting. Many cultivators 
are fond of charcoal; hut it is of no use to hard-wooded 
plants; in fact, it does more harm than good. Finish 
training, or tying anything that requires it; and re¬ 
member that you cannot begin to train a plant too soon 
if you wish to make it a good specimen.— John Phaser, 
Lea-Bridge Boad Nursery, Leyton, Essex. 
Keathery .—But little can be added to the directions 
of last month; the same general principles prevail, and 
must be observed. If fires are obliged to be used, take 
care to remove..the early flowering kinds, as Physo- 
des, Ardens, Vernix eoccinea, Aristata major, Elegans, 
Mirabilis, and the like, as far from its influence as 
possible, or they may be too far advanced before the 
shows come on. Take care that none of the plants 
know the want of water even at this season, hut take 
equal care that they receive no more than is absolutely 
necessary. Fires in heath-houses should he avoided as 
much as possible, but stiU we are no advocates for the 
freezing system. A few degrees of frost may do no 
injury to a lot of half-starved and indicated plants, 
but yoimg free-growing specimens will not be benefited 
thereby, more especially if they are in houses where 
fires are sometimes used. Though there is not much 
to do among the specimens, the time will soon arrive 
when the young plants will require potting, and hence, 
preparation must be made for the operation. Pots 
must be washed, crocks and charcoal may be broken of 
various sizes, mould can be prepared, and all these 
things will facilitate the work when longer days and 
the busy season arrives, and the soil will be benefited 
by a thorough aeration, and even a little frost will not 
do it any injury. ’W. P. Ayres. 
GREENHOUSE SOFT-WOODED PLANTS. 
Pelargoniums .—Those plants which are strong and 
well-rooted may now be shifted, to encourage a free 
growth. A stronger soil may be used, taking care to 
drain the pots thoroughly, and that they are quite clean 
and dry. Stop some of the plants for a succession of 
flowers, and thin out all small shoots; look carefully 
for decaying leaves, which harbour damp, and are very 
injurious. One or two waterings of lime and soot-water 
may now be given with advantage, as it will destroy 
the worms that may be in the soil, and impart a fine 
dark green colour to the foliage. Stake those that 
require it, and tie out as thin as possible, to admit the 
air and light to the centre of the plants, which will 
greatly strengthen them. When the plants are dwarf, 
pegs may be used to bring the shoots down to the 
edges of the pots, for the pots to be well furnished with 
the foliage of a Pelargonium is a great desideratum. 
Stir the surface of the soil occasionally, and top-dress 
any that may require it. If early flowers are required, a 
few may now be removed to a stove or warm house, 
taking for the purpose Admiral Napier and Alba Multi- 
flora, which are the very best for early forcing ; Anais 
and Jenny Lind, in the fancy class, wffl also be found 
good for that purpose. Should there be any indication 
of frost, a fire should be lighted in the afternoon; in fact, 
it is better to shut up the houses before the sun has left 
them, which saves pushing the fires too hard in the 
early part of the evening; for the less fire that is used 
