THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Max 10, 1859. 73 
WEEKLY CALENDAR. 
Day Day 
of 1 of 
M’nth Week. 
1 
Weather 
near London in 1858. 
MAY 10—10, 1359. 
* 
Barometer. 
Thcnnom. 
Wind. 
Rain in 
Inches. 
Sun 
Rises.- 
Sun 
Sets. 
Moon 
R.andS. 
Moon’s 
Age. 
■ Clock 
afterSm 
Day of 
Year. 
10 
Tu 
S truth iola OA’ata. 
30.070—30.022 
60—36 
E. 
— 
18 af 4 
34 af 7 
43 
1 
8 
3 
47 
130 
11 
W 
Syrnplosus sericea. 
29.934—29.840 
65—34 
N.E. 
— 
17 4 
36 7 
58 
1 
9 
3 
49 
131 
12 
Tit 
Tctratheca liirsuta. 
29.743—29.094 
64—30 
N. 
.12 
15 4 
37 7 
12 
2 
10 
3 
51 
132 
13 
F 
Teucviura abutiloides. 
29.717—29.042 
07-38 
N.W, 
.08 
14 4 
39 7 
24 
2 
11 ‘ 
3 
52 
133 
14 
S 
Triclionema ccelestinuin. 
29.710—29.450 
67—44 
s. 
.18 
.12 4 
40 7 
38 
2 
12 
3 
53 
134 
15 
Sun 
3 Sunday after Easter. 
29.429—29.379 
04-47 
s.w. 
.10 
11 4 
42 7 
54 
2 
13 
3 
53 
135 
16 
M 
Triomphe de Gaud. 
'29.890—29.543 
66—47 
8.W. 
.14 
9 4 
43 7 
rises. 
© 
3 
53 
136 
Meteorology op the Week.— At Chiswick, from observations during the 
last thirty-two years, the average highest and lowest 
temperatures of these days are G3.7° and 40.9°, respectively. The greatest heat, 86°, occurred on the loth, in 
on the 15th, in 1850. During the period 129 days were fine, and on 85 rain fell. 
1833 
and the lowest cold, 
25°, 
IN-DOOR GARDENING OPERATIONS EOR 
THE WEEK. 
GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 
A free ventilation is of importance, an<l by closing 
with a humid atmosphere early in the evening a vigorous 
growth will be promoted. Liberal shifts to be given to 
such plants as may now require them, before their roots 
become matted. Remove all plants intended for bedding 
out, and let them remain for a short time under the pro¬ 
tection of a cold frame, or in beds hooped over, and 
covered at night with mats, or other such protecting 
materials. This gradually-hardening-off will better en¬ 
able them to withstand unfavourable weather, if it should 
occur after they are planted out. 
Azaleas.— All irregularities of growth should be cor¬ 
rected by pruning. AVe have lately seen the beneficial 
effects of close pruning on such plants; they had been 
cut in severely last season by removing strong, straggling 
branches of old wood, to give some a spherical and others 
a pyramidal form. AVhen pruned, the ball was reduced, 
the plant fresh potted in a smaller-sized pot, find the peat 
soil rammed as hard as it was possible to make it ; then 
watered, and introduced to heat. The plants treated in 
that manner are now covered with bloom, and in a high 
state of vigour. 
Heaths. —Keep the tops pinched off, to form bushy 
plants. 
New Holland Plants. — Some of them of weak 
growth, and which naturally make long, straggling shoots, 
are much improved by bending down the branches, and 
fixing them to a wire hoop, or string attached to the rim 
of the pot. By such means the nakedness of the plant 
at it? base is hidden, and the check imposed on the ascent 
of the sap will induce an increased supply of shoots. 
Pick off the seed-pods as the plants go out of bloom. 
Cut back and arrange the shoots in the best manner, to 
produce compact growth. 
Pelargoniums. —All that are showing bloom, unless 
of very gross habit, will receive benefit from a supply of a 
little weak manure water. For that purpose put cow, 
horse, or sheepdung into a tub, and to one peek add five 
gallons of rain or other soft water. AVhen taking it for 
use draw it off clear, and give the plants a watering twice 
a week. Give air freely, shut up early, and syringe the 
plants overhead till the flowers expand, when syringing 
should be discontinued. As the petals are apt to drop 
very soon in hot weather, it is recommended to touch the 
centre of the flower with a camel-hair pencil, or small 
feather, dipped in gum water, which will stick the petals 
together and prolong the blooming. Such is the general 
practice at our metropolitan exhibitions. 
STOVE AND ORCHID-HOUSE. 
As the stove plants grow, allow them more space, 
especially such plants as are prized for the beauty of 
their foliage. Give frequent attention to stopping and 
training. Look to the climbers frequently, to regulate 
their growth and to prevent entanglement, and a world of 
trouble and confusion. Put in cuttings of such plants as 
No. 554.— Yol. XXII. No. 6. 
Brugmansias, Clerodendrons, Eranthemums, Erythrinas, 
Poinsettias, and those winter-flowering plants Euphorbia 
jaquinijlora and the Gemera bulbosa. Where there is 
only one house in which to grow Orchids, a compromise 
as to temperature must be made to suit the natives of the 
hot and moist valleys or shady woods of the East, and 
those which inhabit high and airy regions in the AVestern 
hemisphere. To accomplish this it is advisable to allow 
a free circulation of air during the early part of the day, 
with an abundance of atmospheric moisture, and to shut 
up early in the afternoon with a high degree of tempe¬ 
rature. 
Achimenes. —They delight in a moist heat, and a par¬ 
tially-shaded situation. More air to be given as they 
advance in growth. The shoots to be staked out neatly. 
Gesneras to be treated similarly, with the addition of 
more light. 
Gloxinias.—T he same as Achimenes . 
FORCING-HOUSES. 
Cherries. —Give more air, and keep a drier atmosphere 
when the fruit is ripening. Give plenty of water to the 
trees swelling their fruit. Keep them free from insects, 
or the fruit will be of little value. 
Eigs. —Air freely, to give flavour to the fruit now 
ripening. Avoid wetting the fruit when it begins to 
soften. 
Melons. —Keep up the heat of the beds by renewing 
or turning the linings. Slightly shade the plants when 
the sun is powerful, to keep the foliage in a healthy state, 
without which good fruit cannot be produced. AVhen 
the frames are at liberty, Melons may be grown in them 
with a little assistance from dung heat at bottom. 
Peaches.— Give a liberal supply of air, with less water, 
to trees, the fruit of which are ripening. 
Pines. — Continue the previous instructions in the 
management of the plants in tho different stages of 
growth. 
Vines. —Thin and stop the shoots, and thin the berries 
in good time. Attend to the late crops, and set, by hand, 
the blossoms of Muscats, West’s St. Peter’s, and other 
shy setters. Be sure that inside borders are properly 
supplied with w^ter, giving sufficient quantities to tho¬ 
roughly moisten the v. hole mass of soil. 
William Keane. 
SPERGULA PILOSA AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR 
GRASS — ACCLIMATISING PLANTS — MR. 
MONGREDIEN’S GARDEN. 
The day after the horticultural anniversary I had an 
engagement to see Sir Joseph Paxton’s new portable 
houses in his own garden; but the elections interfered, 
and I did not see Sir Joseph. I saw enough, however, to 
make up for the dry shells and husks of the previous day ; 
and having a standing invitation from the Crystal Palace 
neople to call in and take pot luck whenever I was 
passing, I was in time for the pudding. But once on the 
rail, I thought the best thing would be first to see the 
