In Door Garedning - William Keane (best new books to read txt) 📗

and to shut up early. They delight in a tan-bed where
the bottom heat ranges from 70° to 80°.

ORCHIDS will now require a regular looking over. Those on blocks of wood with moss should
have the moss renewed, and fresh turf to be supplied to those in pots in a growing state.

FORCING-HOUSES.

The general routine in these structures will comprise disbudding, tying-in advancing shoots,
thinning the fruit, watering, syringing morning and evening, airing, and shutting up early with
plenty of solar heat; and to be each and all attended to in good time to obtain satisfactory results.

CHERRIES.—Caution in the application of water is now necessary, as either too much or too little
will cause the fruit to drop.


CUCUMBERS.—The heat of the beds, which will be found to decline rapidly during cold winds,
should be kept up by fresh linings; and air to be given daily, to allow the superfluous moisture to
escape, taking care to prevent the wind from entering the frames by placing a mat or canvass
before the openings.

FIGS.—A free supply of water, with liquid manure occasionally, to be given to the most forward
crop. Where there is the convenience, the trees in pots are generally placed in a pit of rotten
leaves into which they root, and where they are allowed to remain until they have borne their
crops and ripened their wood, when the roots are cut back to the pot. Trees planted out succeed
best when confined in brick pits, where short-jointed fruitful wood is produced without root
pruning, which is necessary when the roots are allowed to ramble without control.

MELONS.—This is a good time to ridge-out plants, as the sun will have a powerful and beneficial
influence at the time when it will be most wanted to ripen off the fruit. Pot off young plants, and
sow seed for a succession.

PINES.—Continue to keep up a regular and moist heat; to be supplied with soot or other manure
water occasionally during the whole time they are swelling the fruit until they attain their full
size; watering and syringing overhead should be withheld when they begin to change colour, to
give flavour to the fruit. The succession-plants recently potted to be very moderately supplied
with manure water, and in a very diluted state until their roots reach the sides of the pots.

STRAWBERRIES.—Introduce succession-plants under glass, according to the demand. Keep the
atmosphere dry when the plants are in bloom and near the glass; admitting at all opportunities a
good supply of fresh air without currents.

VINES.—Persevere in thinning the bunches, as it is a mistake to leave more on the Vine than it is
likely to finish off to perfection. The borders to be examined that a gentle warmth may be
maintained at the roots. When the Vines are planted inside, apply good soakings of manure water
occasionally. Thin the shoots of the late Vines as soon as the bunches are perceptible.

THIRD WEEK.

GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY.

Proceed as diligently as possible with the repotting of such of the hardwooded greenhouse plants
as require it, so as to start them in good time to acquire a vigorous growth.

CACTI.—The chief point in managing these plants is to allow them an alternate period of rest and
growth. To be grown in a mixture of lime rubbish and loam, with a little cowdung, and in well-
drained pots. In summer to be fully exposed to the sun, and well watered; and from October to
March to be kept perfectly dry.

CALCEOLARIAS (Herbaceous).—To be shifted into larger pots in a compost of equal quantities of
decayed turf, leaf mould, good sandy peat, old cowdung, and silver sand, with plenty of drainage


and moss on the crocks. To be kept close for a week, after which air may be freely given,
avoiding currents of cold air.

HEATHS.—Every vigorous shoot that is taking the lead to be stopped, to produce a more uniform
and compact plant.

LILIUM LANCIFOLIUM.—To be potted either in a good peat, with a little silver sand, or in a light
sandy loam, using also some silver sand. The bulb to be placed two or three inches deep from the
top of the pot to allow room for the stem-fibres to penetrate the soil.

PELARGONIUMS.—The plants potted last month to be stopped back. The house to be kept rather
close for a week or ten days, to assist them to push out their eyes. Those intended to bloom in
May, that have not been stopped since cutting down, will be putting up their trusses, on sunny
days syringe them lightly, and shut the house up warm, with the sun upon it, about three or four
o’clock in the afternoon.

STOVE AND ORCHID-HOUSE.

Keep a lively growing temperature here during the day, with a plentiful supply of moisture.
Syringe, and shut up early, with 80° or more, allowing a fall of 20° during the night. Shake out
and repot in succession the stove plants that have been previously recommended to be headed
back, and encourage a free growth by plunging them, if possible, in bottom heat. Smaller pots to
be used until they have filled them with roots, they may then receive one bold shift that might
probably be sufficient for the season.

FORCING-HOUSES.

CHERRIES.—These may now want thinning if too thickly set; but the operation must be
influenced by the energies of the tree and the action of the roots. Endeavour to keep the
atmosphere like fine mild weather in May. During the period of the stoning of the fruit, give the
trees no water at the roots, as this is generally one of the chief causes of so much of it falling off
at that time.

FIGS.—When the fruit is swelling off, the trees to be liberally supplied with water. The young
shoots to be stopped to four or five eyes, with the exception of those that are required to fill up
vacancies.

MELONS.—Continue the thinning, stopping, training, &c., as required. Set the early crops when
in blossom, keeping a dry and lively atmosphere during that period. Air to be given freely in
favourable weather, but cautiously, with some contrivance to break cold winds. Do not allow a
plant to swell a fruit until sufficiently strong to sustain it.

PEACHES.—Be moderate in the application of fire heat to those that are stoning (they make little
or no progress in swelling during the period)—say 65° by day and 60° by night; but when they
commence their second swell increase the heat moderately. Stop all luxuriant shoots, and thin out
in the second house all clusters of fruit when about the size of Peas.


PINES.—The fruiting plants will be benefited by a watering with manure water as soon as the
bloom is set. Succession plants, if recently shifted, to be shaded in the middle of the day if the
sun is powerful; to be kept rather close and dry, except slight sprinklings over the tops, until they
have taken root, when they may be watered freely, and will generally require no more to be
given for a week or ten days.

VINES.—The atmosphere in the early house, where the bunches have been thinned, to be kept
pure by a gradual increase of air and moisture. The night temperature to be kept up to 65°, with
an increase of 10° by day, and even more in bright sunshine. The second house may now be in
bloom, and will require attention in tying the shoots and keeping up the necessary amount of
heat, with less moisture. Where the fruit is set, give the Vines a good syringing, to wash off the
flowers; after which the leaves and fruit should not be again wetted, but to be supplied with
atmospheric moisture by watering the floor of the house, and sprinkling the flues or pipes, or
from evaporating-troughs or pans. Give plenty of tepid manure water to the Vines fruiting in
pots.

FOURTH WEEK.

GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY.

As the great proportion of greenhouse plants are now commencing, or are in active growth,
constant attention will be required for the judicious regulation of temperature, and for the
admission of fresh air during fickle and ungenial weather, and in the supply of water to the roots,
and atmospheric moisture.

When settled fine spring weather has arrived, every plant which inhabits a pot should be brought
at once under review, and put in proper condition for the growing season. No fear need then be
apprehended from potting. Keep up a moist atmosphere by sprinkling, &c., and admit plenty of
air, bearing in mind former directions as to draughts, &c. If the plants in the borders, or any of
the climbers, are dry, give them a good soaking of weak, tepid manure water. Trellis climbers to
be frequently attended to—stopping, training, and arranging their shoots.

BALSAMS.—Encourage the growth of them and other such tender annuals by potting them when
the roots begin to cluster round the side of the pot.

CALCEOLARIAS (Herbaceous).—Shift on the young stock, keeping the plants well down in the
pots, so as to bring the earth in the pots up to the lowermost leaves, to induce the plants to throw
out fresh rootlets from the stem. Keep a sharp look out for green fly.

CLIMBERS.—Prune off superfluous shoots; stop or pinch out the tops of gross leaders, and keep
them neatly tied and trained.

COCKSCOMBS.—To remain in small pots until they begin to show flower.

DAHLIAS.—Pot off cuttings as soon as struck.


FUCHSIAS.—Continue to shift young plants into larger-sized pots, according to their height and
strength; to be kept growing by placing them in a brisk, moist heat. Cuttings to be potted off as
soon as they are sufficiently rooted; to be placed in a temperature similar to that in which they
were struck.

Sow in heat seeds of stove and greenhouse plants.

STOVE AND ORCHID-HOUSE.

Attend to regular shifting, watering, and a free and healthy circulation of air, without draught,
early in the morning to stove plants. Continue to cut down, disroot, and repot, as advised last
week, those which have been flowering through the winter. To be then favoured with a bottom
heat of from 75° to 80°, and slightly shaded during bright sunshine.

Some of the young plants in the stove which are growing on for specimens will probably require
a second shift, see to them in time; and if they are in good health treat them liberally by giving a
large shift, especially to plants of free growth. Give plenty of air at all favourable opportunities,
and saturate the atmosphere with moisture. The surface of the tan to be stirred once or twice a-
week, and sprinkle it occasionally with manure water, to produce a moist, congenial atmosphere
about the plants. Shut up with plenty of sun heat. Look sharply after mealy-bug and thrips.

ACHIMENES.—The plants established in small pots may be removed into