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

the flowering-pans,
putting six plants into a pan.

ORCHIDS.—Increase the temperature, and ply the syringe among them, as they will now grow
rapidly. Be careful not to throw too much water over those sending out succulent flower-stalks,
for they may damp off. Ferret out and destroy cockroaches, woodlice, and snails. Calantha
veratifolia, Neottia picta, N. elata, Phaius of sorts, some varieties of Stanhopea, Zygopetaltum
Mackayii, and other such Orchids that are now making their growth, would be benefited by an
application of clear, diluted manure water occasionally; a kindly humidity to be kept up, and the
shading to be in readiness for use during bright mid-day sun.

PITS AND FRAMES.

Sow tender and half-hardy annuals; pot off those already up; give air daily, and never allow the
plants to flag for want of water. Pot off cuttings of Dahlias, and continue the propagation of
Fuchsias, Heliotropes, Petunias, Verbenas, and bedding-plants generally.

FORCING-HOUSES.

BEANS (French).—Give them, when in a bearing state, a liberal supply of manure water, and see
to keeping up a succession of them.

CHERRIES.—When you are sure that the fruit is finally stoned, the temperature may be raised a
few degrees; air and water overhead to be liberally supplied.


CUCUMBERS.—As soon as the frames are uncovered in the morning give a little air for an hour,
to let the stagnant and foul air pass off, when they may be closed again till the day is further
advanced. As soon as the principal shoots have reached the side of the frame, never allow any of
the laterals to grow more than two joints before being stopped. Stop frequently, and thin
liberally; where two fruit show at a joint pinch one away.

FIGS.—If red spider should be observed, wash the flues or the walls exposed to the sun with lime
and sulphur.

MELONS.—Those lately planted out to be encouraged with a close, moist heat, to get them into
free growth as quickly as possible. The plants that are fairly established to be kept cooler,
admitting air at every favourable opportunity, to produce short-jointed fruitful wood. The shoots
to be kept thin and regular, pinching out any that are not wanted. The night temperature not to
exceed 65°, and air to be admitted as soon as the thermometer rises to 75°; but to be given very
cautiously during cold winds. Prepare for raising plenty of young plants for succession crops,
and endeavour to have them strong and vigorous by keeping them near the glass; to be provided,
when they require it, with plenty of pot-room. Keep up the heat in the beds by renewing the
linings; the coverings at night to be regulated in accordance with the heat of the beds, taking care
that the mats do not hang over either the front or back of the frames.

MUSHROOMS.—Collect materials for fresh beds, and give those that have been some time in
bearing good soakings of manure water; sprinkle the floor and heating apparatus occasionally.
The conditions of success are to have the materials for making the beds well prepared and
sweet—that is, free from rank steam, and the spawn to be put in whilst the heat keeps regular and
moderate, and the beds are coated over to keep it so until the spawn is well established.

PEACHES.—Remove all superfluous shoots, and tie in neatly those that are left; thin the fruit that
is swelling off before stoning, leaving more than may be ultimately required, as, in stoning, it is
liable to drop off. Syringe the trees daily in fine weather. Where it is intended to force Peaches,
Cherries, &c., in pots next season, and some suitable trees have to be provided, it should be no
longer postponed. It is a good plan to pot some maiden plants every year, to succeed any that
may become useless.

PINES.—Give plants swelling their fruit plenty of manure water, and a humid atmosphere. The
fruiting-house may range from 80° to 85° during the day, and as near 70° as possible at night; the
succession-pits from 75° to 80° during day, and 60° to 65° at night. These particulars to be
modified by the state of the weather, whether sunny or dull.

STRAWBERRIES.—They require plenty of light and air to set their fruit, when they may be
removed without fear of injury to a stove, or any other house or pit possessing a higher
temperature. The plants swelling their fruit require a liberal supply of water, and a sprinkling
overhead daily. When the fruit begins to change colour the sprinkling to be dispensed with, and
the supply of water at the roots to be given sparingly.

VINES.—If the Grapes are colouring, a free circulation of air, accompanied with a high
temperature, will be advantageous. Attention to be given, where fermenting materials have been


used for warming the borders, that the heat is not allowed to decline at present under the
influence of the March winds. Attend to last week’s advice as to tying, disbudding, &c., and
proceed with the thinning the fruit in the succession-house as soon as the berries are fairly set.
When thinning be as careful as possible of the bunches—neither pull them about with the hand,
by which rust on the berries is frequently produced, nor with whatever the shoulders may be held
up by at the time of thinning, as, by the twisting of the stalks, shanking is not unfrequently
produced. Attention to be given in stopping all laterals, and breaking off all useless shoots for the
more free admission of light, which is most beneficial in every stage of their growth. Look over
houses where the fruit is swelling, and see if any of the bunches would be improved by tying up
the shoulders. Any healthy Vines, but not of good kinds, should be inarched before the wood
gets too old.

APRIL.

FIRST WEEK.

GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY.

The shifting and repotting of all specimen plants in these houses have been completed, I hope,
before this time; but if not, the sooner they are done the better. Keep up a moist atmosphere,
sprinkling the plants with tepid water twice or thrice a week; and pay attention to the destruction
of insects the moment you can perceive them.

CAMELLIAS.—As the plants go out of bloom, it is advisable to syringe them freely, shutting up
early with solar heat, and maintaining a kindly humidity during the time they are making their
growth.

FUCHSIAS.—Supply them liberally with water when in full growth, and shade slightly during
bright sunshine.

HEATHS.—To be kept free from strong currents of dry air; rambling growth to be stopped.

LILIUMS.—Give them a liberal supply of water, and a top dressing of turfy peat, sand, and well-
decomposed cowdung.

NEW HOLLAND PLANTS.—Give such plants as young Boronias, Dillwynias, Dracophyllums,
Eriostemons, Leschenaultias, Pimeleas, Polygalas, &c., a tolerably-close corner of the house;
stop the young growth as it may require it; keep them clean, and repot them when necessary.

PELARGONIUMS.—Tie and stake the larger plants neatly, without loss of time, and shift the
smaller ones into larger pots. The roots will feed greedily on oyster-shells, broken very fine at
the bottom of the pot. Put in cuttings for flowering in September and October.

STOVE AND ORCHID-HOUSE.


Keep up a sweet, moist atmosphere with a regular circulation of air, using an abundance of water
about the floors; and syringe frequently air plants and others suspended. Shut up a solar heat, if
possible, of 80° towards three or four o’clock.

ACHIMENES.—Shift them, and also Gesneras, and pot others for succession.

BEGONIAS.—When the flowers begin to decline, the plants may be reduced, and potted into
smaller pots, and be kept close for some time afterwards. Put in cuttings of them, if not attended
to before; and also cuttings of Eranthemums, Euphorbias, Gesneras, Justicias, Linums, &c.

CLERODENDRONS.—Give them plenty of room and encouragement to grow.

ORCHIDS.—They should have a mild, but regularly moist, atmosphere for a few weeks until they
begin to grow; no water to be applied until that period, and then with moderation.

FORCING-PIT.

Get in Balsams, Cockscombs, Globe Amaranthuses, and other such plants from the dung-frame,
that will be useful for the summer and autumn decoration of the greenhouse and conservatory.

FORCING-HOUSE.

CHERRIES.—If all the petals have dropped, and the fruit is set, the temperature may be raised to
60° by day and 50° by night, and syringed in the evening three or four times during the week. A
sharp look out should be kept for curled leaves, and the grubs that nestle in them destroyed.

FIGS.—If the fruit is swelling off, supply the trees liberally with water; stop the young shoots at
the fourth or fifth eye. Temperature, 65° by day and 55° by night.

MELONS.—The supply of air and water must be regulated by the state of the weather and the
temperature of the bed. The plants sometimes show one or two fruit at an early period of their
growth, which should be picked off, as they would prevent the swelling off of others. The vines,
or shoots, after being frequently stopped, and when they have nearly filled the frame, or other
allotted space, several fruit should be impregnated at one time. Sow for successional crop.

PEACHES and NECTARINES.—Pinch off laterals, and tie in the shoots as they advance in growth.
If green fly makes its appearance, fumigate the house; but if only a few shoots are infested, dip
them in tobacco water. When the fruit in the early house are stoned, thin them to the number you
wish to retain, and use a pair of scissors, which is better than pulling them off.

PINE APPLES.—The plants should now be making rapid growth, and, therefore, will require a
liberal supply of water. Fruiting plants may now be turned out of their pots into prepared beds,
selecting those that are not very forward. The fruiting-house may range from 80° to 85° during
day, and from 65° to 70° at night. The successions from 75° to 80° by day, and from 65° to 70°
at night.


STRAWBERRIES.—When out of bloom, give them a liberal supply of water, syringe freely, and
keep down insects by fumigation.

VINES.—If forcing were begun early in December, whether with Vines in pots or established
vines, the colouring process will have now commenced. When such is the case, admit air freely
on all favourable opportunities; but avoid draughts, or cutting winds, which frequently cause rust
and other imperfections in the bunches. In the later houses, attend to thinning, tying, and
stopping laterals. The last house to be closed early in the afternoon. As the buds, in most cases,
will be considerably advanced, it is advisable to syringe frequently; to apply plenty of moisture
to the floors and paths; and to postpone the application of fire-heat as long as possible.

SECOND WEEK.

GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY.

Some of the most hardy and woody plants may be removed from the greenhouse to