THE COTTAGE GARDENER 
200 
the sun will be diffused before reaching the leaves ; 
otherwise blotches will take place, more especially if 
any damp should rest upon their upper surface. 
Where there is a vinery, the plants may be started 
there, and either bloomed there or in the greenhouse ; 
placing them at first in the warmest end of the latter. 
The shade of the vines will tend to increase the size 
of the leaves, at the expense of their colour, if not 
kept as much as possible in the light. 
With the assistance of a dung-bed they may also 
be successfully forwarded for the greenhouse or win¬ 
dow ; only, as they grow in the bed, they must be 
kept at a distance from the glass ; no steam allowed 
to touch them; and air left on night and day, that 
the leaves on their upper surface may always be dry 
before the sun shines upon them. 
By shutting in a space at the warmest end of a 
greenhouse, over the heating apparatus, and covering 
with a hand-light, plants may be obtained towards 
the end of summer to bloom either in the greenhouse 
or window. Make all changes of temperature gradual. 
A similar system will suit other gesneras, either 
with scaly or bulbous tubers, but few will require so 
much attention, so far as moisture and light are con¬ 
cerned. 
Gesnera Elongata. —This flowers chiefly in winter 
and spring. When done flowering, cut or prune the 
plant, and the fresh growth will furnish plenty of 
bloom when the proper season arrives. It dearly likes 
beat ; in its most dormant state, the temperature 
should never be below from 45° to 50°. It may be 
taken a.s a type (so far as management is concerned) 
of the shrubby kinds; propagates freely from cuttings. 
Begonia Augykostigjia.— A species of easy ma¬ 
nagement, where you can command a temperature of 
from 45° to 50° in winter. 
Soil .—Loam and peat; may either be pruned in, 
or cut down every year. The white spots on the 
leaves are its only attraction; the flowers are white, 
and nowise captivating. In a limited space it is not 
worth its room. II. Fish. 
HOTHOUSE DEPARTMENT. 
EXOTIC OUCHIDACE/E. 
OPERATIONS IN THE ORCHID-HOUSE I'OR MARCH. 
The greater part of the orchids will now be beginning 
to grow. Continue to pot all such, giving plenty of drain¬ 
age, and increase the heat; give water at the roots, 
■moisture in the air, and frequently syringe. These sti¬ 
mulants to growth must only be applied when the weather 
is fine; in dull, dark, rainy weather it will be advisable to 
withhold them in a great measure. In using the syringe 
care must be taken that no water lodges in the hearts of 
the young shoots; should that be observed, tlie water 
must either be sucked out with a tin pipe or the plant 
held upside-down to allow it to run off. If the water is 
allowed to remain in the hollow of the young leaves it is 
almost sure to he the death of them, especially at this 
early season of the year; we always make it a rule, and 
have practised it ever since we commenced cultivating 
orchids, to allow them to become dry once a day. Our 
readers who are orchid growers will be wise to attend to 
and practise this rule, even in the heiglith of the growing 
season. If they are kept constantly soppy and wet, depend 
upon it you will lose some of the shoots that ought to 
grow this year and produce flowers. Give them, when 
the bulbs are nearly full grown, abundance of water. 
There is not so much danger then, hut, we must repeat it, 
let them become dry once a day. 
Plants in bus/ods, when dry must he dipped in the warm 
tank or cistern : see the 70th number of this volume, 
page 235, where, in describing the routine work for 
February, we entered fully into dipping baskets, and at 
[February 28. 
the same time recommended washing the leaves. If 
this work has not been done delay it no longer ; the 
plants must feel uncomfortable, and will become un¬ 
healthy with such dusty, dirty skins. Bushels will require 
dipping at least once a fortnight now, and oftener in 
summer. The operator will be guided by circumstances : 
when a basket is taken down and found not to be dry, it 
must, of course, be lmng up again; but this will very 
seldom be the case. If a basket does not dry in a fort¬ 
night the compost in it must be too close, and require 
stirring and opening. 
Phalcenopsis amabilis and P. y rand [flora will now be 
growing both in roots and leaves, and ought to be dipped 
in tlie tepid cistern ahnost every morning. When the 
day is promising to he fine and sunny dip them quite 
over-head (excepting the flowers); on dull or rainy morn¬ 
ings dip them only up to the leaves. 
Syringing the blocks, generally, will be more necessary 
now as tlie days increase in length, but be careful of the 
young shoots that tlie water does not lodge in them for 
any length of time ; blocks can be easily turned upwards 
and the water discharged. In their native places these 
plants grow on branches of trees, hanging downwards, 
and so the young shoots never suffer from excess of 
moisture. 
Air .—This necessary element may now he given in 
large quantities, and for longer periods, especially to the 
cooler or Mexican house ; care being taken that the air 
does not blow directly upon tlie plants, especially at this 
time of tlie year. Remember however the Barkerias ; 
they will bear a moderate draught even now. Shade .— 
If shade has not been used hitherto, let it now be placed 
upon the house to be ready whenever the sun breaks 
forth upon the plants. We may certainly expect it before 
tlie end of tlie month to be too strong for the leaves of 
orchids, therefore delay no longer, or your plants may 
suffer for your procrastination. 
FLORISTS' FLOWERS. 
Tulips. —These gay ornaments of tlie florists’ garden 
will now lie peeping out of the ground. The anxious 
owner will watch them every day to find out which are 
shewing bloom, and whether that is likely to be bold, 
strong and healthy; if all is right in appearance, bis 
great care and attention must be directed to keep them 
so in reality. Though the tulip in general is a perfectly 
hardy plant, yet they (the finer varieties) have been so 
high-bred by crossing, that some of them are more 
tender than the original species; hence arises the ne¬ 
cessity of protection, especially in our changeable climate. 
Some fine afternoon a gentle shower may fall, leaving in 
tlie hollow of the rising leaves large drops of clear, 
pellucid water; a frost may follow, and if the fine tulips 
are uncovered and exposed to its influence tlie water left 
by tlie shower will freeze, and the effect will be crippled 
flowers, spotted leaves, and every symptom of disease 
and destruction to tlie hopes of the florist winning a first 
prize. These sad effects may be prevented by protec¬ 
tion ; a slight covering will suffice, provided it is raised a 
distance from the plants. Our able friend, Mr. Fish, lias 
sufficiently explained the philosophical effect of covering 
plants with a stratum of air between the covering and 
tlie plants to be protected, therefore we need not enter 
into it, but refer our readers to his excellent paper on 
the subject. The only tiling that we insist upon is a 
constant watchfulness in applying the coverings, from this 
time till at least the middle of April. It may be safe to 
leave them sometimes, but it is never certain to be so; 
on that account when a florist lias a valuable stock of 
tulips, and wishes to keep them in perfect health and 
bloom them to the greatest perfection, we advise him by 
all means to cover up securely every night till the time 
we mentioned above. By that time it will be necessary 
to place over tlie shading canvas to protect the opening 
blooms. Should the surface of the soil appear baked or 
beaten bard with the rain, let it be stirred with a small 
short three-pronged fork; this will refresh them greatly. 
T. Appleby. 
