First Week

GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY.



Now that the dull, foggy days and sharp frosty nights have arrived, it

is necessary to keep all plants that have finished their growth free

from excitement, and rather dry at their roots. A gentle fire to

be applied during the day, which will allow the advantage of a free

circulation of fresh air, and, by closing up early in the afternoon,

will retain sufficient heat to resist the encroachments of ordinary

frosts during the night. But if the frost should set in severely, night

coverings, if possible, should be applied in preference to fire-heat.



American Plants, &c.--Pot, if not done, Rhododendrons, Kalmias, hardy

Azaleas, Lily of the Valley, and other plants usually required for

winter forcing.



Chrysanthemums.--They will require an abundance of air to prevent the

flowers expanding weakly. Keep them well supplied with water, and the

leaves in a healthy state; for a great portion of their beauty depends

upon so doing. They may sometimes be seen almost entirely denuded of

leaves when in flower, which considerably detracts from what should be

their ornamental appearance in the greenhouse or conservatory.



Primroses (Chinese).--Give a few of the strongest and most forward a

shift into larger pots. The double varieties are very useful for cutting

where bouquets are much in request, as they do not drop the flowers like

the single varieties.





STOVE AND ORCHID-HOUSE.



Great caution will now be necessary in the application of atmospheric

heat and humidity, as an excess of either will cause a premature and

unseasonable growth which no after-care could thoroughly rectify. The

thermometer for the majority of stove plants need not at any time of the

day exceed 60 deg., with a fall of 8 deg. or 10 deg. during the night.



Begonias.--They deserve a place in every stove, as they are plants of

easy cultivation, and bloom at a season when flowers are scarce; they

can also be introduced to the conservatory or sitting-room when in

bloom.





FORCING-HOUSES.



Hotbeds.--Keep up the heat of dungbeds by adding leaves and dung to the

linings; but not sufficient of the latter to cause a rank steam in the

frames.



Peaches.--If any vacancies occur in the late houses they should now be

filled up. We have before recommended trees of large size to be taken

from the walls for this purpose, but in so doing care should be taken

to select such sorts as the Murray, Elruge, and Violette Hative

Nectarines; Noblesse, Royal George, Grosse Mignonne, and

Chancellor Peaches, being the best adapted for forcing. Some sorts are

of little value as forced fruit, although they may bear abundantly.



Pines.--Coverings to be used, and as little fire-heat as possible,

to keep up the required heat during the night. The heat of the

spring-fruiting and succession-houses to be gradually decreased, so

that it may range from 60 deg. to 65 deg.. The winter-fruiting plants to

range 10 deg. higher.



Vines.--The Grapes will require unremitting attention to keep the

house dry, and to cut out the decayed berries. It will, we suppose, be

generally observed that the fruit that was ripe before wet weather sets

in will keep better than the more backward ones, which may be a useful

hint "to make hay while the sun shines," or, in other words, to

ripen the fruit in good time. Prune and dress the Vines in the

succession-houses as recommended for the early ones. When Vines

have been taken out of the house they should be protected from the

vicissitudes of the weather, as they are sometimes greatly injured by

being exposed to excessive wet and severe frosts.