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

a cold pit,
where they can be protected from frost. It will make more room for the Cinerarias, Pelargoniums,
and other such plants.

AZALEAS.—Such as have done blooming to be repotted, and their fresh growth to be gently
promoted in a higher temperature for a short time.

CAMELLIAS.—Continue to keep a moist atmosphere about the plants making wood, with a
temperature of about 65° by day and 55° by night. Air to be given at all opportunities, to produce
sturdy, short-jointed wood. The plants in flower to be shaded during bright sunshine.

CINERARIAS.—Regular attention to be given to them, that they may not suffer by want of water.

CLIMBERS.—Regulate them as they grow, more particularly those in pots which are intended to
cover a wire trellis. Kennedyas, Thunbergias, Nierembergias, Tropæolums, and other such plants
of a slender and tender habit, delight in a soil the greater proportion being composed of leaf
mould.

CHRYSANTHEMUMS.—Strike cuttings, and pot off rooted suckers.

HEATHS.—Any requiring repotting, should receive that attention without delay, apportioning the
size of the pot to the vigour of their growth; as the free-growing kinds will require more room
than the less vigorous ones.

NEW HOLLAND PLANTS.—As many of them are now either in flower, or approaching that state,
they will, consequently, require a larger quantity of water,—more especially large specimens not
shifted since last season. Continue to pinch off the tops of the leading shoots, to produce bushy
plants.

PELARGONIUMS.—Attention to be given in tying up, watering, and fumigating, if the green fly
appears.


STOVE AND ORCHID-HOUSE.

As the soft-wooded stove plants will now be making rapid growth, the free admission of light is
necessary to prevent them from drawing; using shade only during scorching sunshine. When a
plant is shifted, give less water to the roots; as the fresh soil, after the first watering will be moist
enough for some time. Some of the free-growing kinds of Cattleyas, Calanthes, Phaiuses,
Saccolabiums, Stanhopeas, and Zygopetalums, should be encouraged to make kindly growth by
frequent syringings about their pots, blocks, or baskets.

FORCING-HOUSES.

CHERRIES.—The principal objects to be attended to are—abundance of air, with due precaution
against cold draughts, a moist atmosphere, and the free application of the syringe. The
temperature the same as last week. Particular attention in watering to be paid to the trees in
pots,—as too much is as bad as, if not worse than, too little.

FIGS.—Continue stopping the young shoots at the fourth or fifth eye. Keep the syringe in
frequent use until the fruits begin to change for ripening. Plenty of water, and occasionally a little
weak tepid liquid manure, to be given at the roots, more especially when they are confined in
pots or tubs.

MELONS.—As soon as a sufficient number of fruit blossoms for a crop are expanded, or are
likely to expand within a day or two of each other, they should be impregnated. As prevention is
better than cure, keep the plants in a healthy-growing state by frequent syringings in fine
weather, and closing early; insects will but rarely, if ever, attack thriving plants.

PEACHES and NECTARINES.—As soon as the stoning of the fruit in the early house is completed,
give them a good watering with clear, weak liquid manure; keep the shoots tied in regularly, and
pinch off all laterals. If the fruits in the late house are set, partially thin them; as more
dependence may now be placed on a crop than at an earlier period of the season.

PINE APPLES.—Fruiting plants will be greatly benefited by strong solar heat, as, under its
influence, evaporation will be rapid; therefore, water must be applied to both roots and leaves.
Succession plants to be shaded during sudden bright sunshine or sunbursts; and be guided in the
application of water by the active or inactive state of the roots.

VINES.—Thinning the fruit is an operation of primary importance. The first thinning to be
performed when the berries are the size of Peas; the second when they begin to be crowded; and
the third after the berries are stoned. A piece of strong wire, eight or ten inches long, crooked at
one end, is useful to draw the bunches backward and forward, as the operator may require. The
Vines in the late house to be tied up as soon as they begin to break. Syringe them every fine
afternoon, and close the house early. Give air early in the morning, that the leaves may become
gradually dry before the sun acts powerfully upon them.

THIRD WEEK.


GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY.

Keep the conservatory as cool by day as is consistent with the health of the plants. By such
means they will remain longer in bloom, and will be more enjoyable for parties inspecting them.

CAMELLIAS.—Continue to encourage the growth of those that have done flowering by increasing
the temperature, by frequent syringings, and by a liberal supply of water at the roots. If any have
made their growth, and have formed their blossom-buds, they will require more light and less
moisture for the future.

CINERARIAS.—To continue them in a healthy blooming state it is necessary to attend to them
carefully, that they may not droop for want of water, nor be saturated with it. When the sun is
powerful, slight shading is necessary for a few hours in the middle of the day, to prevent the
blooms from losing their brilliancy; and plenty of air to be given when the weather is mild.

FUCHSIAS.—Having been treated with plenty of heat and moisture, they will now be making
rapid growth, and will be fit to shift into their blooming-pots, using a light, rich soil for the
purpose.

NEW HOLLAND PLANTS.—Top and syringe frequently all such plants as are growing freely. Stake
and tie them as they may require.

PELARGONIUMS.—Continue to stake and tie the shoots that require it in due time. Some clear
liquid manure (cowdung water, for instance) may be given to plants that are well established
with roots and showing their trusses of bloom; and sufficient space to be given for each plant to
develope its natural beauty. We would advise shading only when there is a fear of scorching
from the usual sudden sunbursts of April weather. Ply the syringe every fine evening to refresh
the plants, and to keep down insects, until the flowers expand, when syringing should be
discontinued.

STOVE AND ORCHID-HOUSE.

The stove plants recently potted will now be making fresh growth. Allow no diminution of
bottom heat, and keep up a warm, moist atmosphere. Give air when the thermometer indicates
90°. Continue to shift Gesneras, Clerodendrons, and other such free-growing plants, as they
require it. The Brassias, Cattleyas, some of the Dendrobiums, Gongoras, Peristerias, Phaiuses,
Sobralias, Zygopetalums, and other such Orchids, will now be growing freely, and will therefore
require a considerable amount of atmospheric moisture. If the roof is covered with climbers, a
little management in trimming them will obviate the necessity of outside shading, and will give
an additional feature of interest to the house. The plants on blocks, or suspended in baskets, will
require very frequent syringings to keep them in a healthy-growing state. Plants in bloom may be
removed to the conservatory, or any other house with a drier atmosphere, to prolong their period
of blooming.

FORCING-HOUSE.


CHERRIES.—When they begin to change they will require free exposure to light, and abundance
of air, to bring out their colour; and, at the same time, a diminution in the supply of water.
Carefully examine all curled leaves, and destroy the grubs they contain. If the trees are very
luxuriant, and are making strong foreright shoots, stop them to within a few buds of the main
branch.

FIGS.—Give the trees in pots some clear liquid manure when they are swelling off. Stop the
shoots at about six or eight inches, and thin out any useless shoots. Syringe and water freely.

MELONS.—Keep the vines thin, and stop regularly. Shade only in very hot weather. Water
sparingly overhead. Plant out succession crops.

PEACHES and NECTARINES.—When the fruit in the early house has gone through the critical
process of stoning, the final thinning should take place; the borders—if inside, or out, or both—
should be copiously supplied with water; using liquid manure whenever a weak habit, from poor
soil or over-exhaustion, shows it to be necessary. Syringings to be given twice a-day—early in
the morning and at shutting-up time. The night temperature to be no more than 50°; but during
the day it may range to 85°, if accompanied with air in liberal quantities.

PINE APPLES.—Lessen the moisture amongst the fruiting plants when they approach maturity.
Shift and grow on the young stock in a moist atmosphere; admit air freely in fine weather;
prepare beds, and turn out the plants, if preferred.

STRAWBERRIES.—They should be kept near the glass: temperature, 65° to 70° by day, and 55° to
60° by night; succession crops rather cooler. Reduce the water to those ripening. Support the
stems, and thin the fruit where superior produce is wanted. Keep them clear of runners and
decayed leaves, and give an abundance of air.

VINES.—Continue to thin the Grapes in the early houses: a few berries may require to be taken
out of some of the bunches up to the time of their changing colour. Keep up a high
temperature—about 75° by day and 60° by night: in later houses, where the bunches are in
course of formation, it is a great object to bring them out well. In later houses, where the bunches
are formed, or in bloom, let the heat be moderately increased, and admit an abundance of air at
all favourable opportunities. Shift pot Vines often, and keep them near the light.

FOURTH WEEK.

GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY.

The plants that are introduced to the conservatory from the stove, forcing-pit, or any other such
structures, merely for the blooming season, will require particular care to be taken in the
application of water that they may not become sodden and diseased. Continue to stop, prune, or
pinch back all rambling and luxuriant shoots in due time. Stir the surface of the bed in the
conservatory, and apply fresh soil, to maintain the plants in good health.


AZALEAS, CHINESE.—Supply them liberally with water at their roots during their blooming
season, and prevent damp and drip from injuring the bloom.

CALCEOLARIAS.—The herbaceous sorts that have been pushed along in a gentle heat will now be
showing bloom, and will require to be grown in a cool, airy place, to prevent the flower-stems
from being too much drawn. Keep down green fly. Shift on young stock, keeping the plants well
down in the pots as they throw out fresh rootlets from the stem. Cuttings taken off now will root
readily in a gentle bottom heat.

CAMELLIAS.—Apply shading the moment it is necessary, to protect the young leaves.

FUCHSIAS.—Grow them steadily on in a moist, warm temperature.