In Door Garedning by William Keane (tools of titans ebook .TXT) 📕

/> at Christmas, or a little after, they should be kept in heat until the bloom-buds have swelled to a
good size, when they will require but very little forcing to start them into bloom.

BULBS.—Procure and pot them as soon as possible, as much of the success of early forcing
depends upon early potting.

CAMELLIAS.—Treat them as advised for Azaleas.

HEATHS.—Look sharply after mildew, as plants that have been growing freely in a shady
situation in the open air, and are in a rather succulent state when taken indoors, are liable to be
attacked by this pest, which should be removed on its first appearance by an application of
sulphur.

STOVE AND ORCHID-HOUSE.

Commence a gradual reduction of the temperature in correspondence with the decline of external
heat; by such means the plants will be better prepared to withstand the gloom and other
vicissitudes of the winter season.

BEGONIAS.—Encourage the different kinds for winter flowering by shifting them, if necessary,
into larger pots. They succeed best in a compost of half leaf mould and half loam. They grow
luxuriantly in a soil composed entirely of decayed vegetable matter; but in that they are liable to
rot off at the base of the stem.


FORCING-HOUSES.

FIGS.—Trees in tubs or pots still bearing to be assisted with a little liquid manure when dry.
Withhold water gradually from the borders, to induce an early, but not a too premature, ripeness
of the wood and an early rest.

PEACHES.—The flues of the early house may now be cleaned, and, if not yet done, the lights
washed and painted, if necessary.

PINES.—If there are some of the spring fruiting plants still remaining in the fruiting-house, they
should either be placed at one end of the pit, or removed to a small house by themselves; the
house should then be prepared for the best of the succession plants for the second crop next
summer. Plants showing fruit after this time, although they cannot be expected to produce as fine
fruit as if earlier in the season, will, nevertheless, be found very useful, and should have every
attention given to them while the season continues favourable. To be placed in the warmest
corner of the house, and to be supplied when dry with a little liquid manure. Continue to grow on
the young stock while the weather continues favourable; for fine sunny days and moist growing
nights are all that we can desire. A good portion of solar heat to be secured by shutting up early.
On cold nights gentle fires will be necessary to keep up the temperature to 70° towards morning.

VINES.—The Vines that are to be forced early, if the wood is well ripened and all the leaves
nearly off, may be pruned without much fear of bleeding, keeping the house as cool as possible;
but if, from appearances, the sap is not considered to be sufficiently at rest, the pruning should be
postponed. Continue to forward the Grapes not yet ripe by giving a little fire heat during the day.
Air to be given to the house as soon as the sun shines upon it, as the vapour that ascends, if not
allowed to pass off by ventilation, will cause the Grapes to become mouldy and worthless.

FOURTH WEEK.

GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY.

The plants that have been in the open borders during the summer to be taken up, the roots
carefully cut back, and repotted; to be placed in a gentle bottom heat, or in some close place,
until they have made fresh roots, the better to resist the vicissitudes of the dull, dreary months of
the approaching winter.

AMERICAN PLANTS.—If a rich display of bloom is desired in early spring, the plants should be
now potted in rather small pots, to be plunged in the warmest part of the garden, and introduced
to the forcing-house from November until February, as they may be required. The most suitable
for such a purpose are the Azaleas of the nudiflora class with various hybrids, Andromeda
pulverulenta, Daphne cneorum, Kalmias, of sorts, Ledum latifolium and L. thymifolium,
Polygala Chamoebuxus, Rhododendrons, and Rhodora Canadense.

CALCEOLARIAS (Herbaceous).—Remove them to a shelf as near the glass as possible, with plenty
of air at all favourable opportunities. To be duly supplied with water.


CAMELLIAS.—Water to be given carefully, to prevent the dropping of the buds. The late-
flowering plants to be thinned of their buds, leaving not more than two buds on each shoot, and
retaining the largest and smallest to get a long succession of bloom. The leaves, if necessary, to
be washed clean.

CHINESE PRIMROSES.—Place them as advised for Calceolarias.

CINERARIAS.—Protect them from the ravages of green fly by the application of the Gishurst
infallible compound.

FUCHSIAS.—Continue to encourage the late stock for bloom. Seeds may be sown at once, where
there is a greenhouse or other means of sheltering them from frost and damp; but if you have no
such convenience, it is advisable to postpone the sowing until spring. The seed is separated most
easily from the pulp by bruising the berries amongst dry sand, and allowing it to stand in the sun,
or in a warm place, until the moisture has evaporated, when the seed and sand will be intermixed,
and in a fit state to be sown.

HEATHS.—On fine mornings syringe them, and Epacrises and Pimeleas, and give all possible
ventilation, both night and day, while the weather continues favourable.

NEW HOLLAND PLANTS.—Place them in situations to enjoy a considerable share of air and light.
All luxuriant shoots to be stopped, to maintain symmetry and uniformity of growth. A vigilant
eye should be kept upon them almost daily, to see that neither mildew, green fly, nor other such
enemies be allowed to injure them.

ORANGE TREES.—If they have been standing out during the summer, the sooner they are returned
to their winter quarters the better. Clean the leaves, if necessary, and fresh surface the soil in
which they are growing.

SUCCULENTS.—Cacti, Euphorbiæ, and other such plants to be gradually curtailed in the supply of
water as they approach the winter and their season of rest.

TROPÆOLUMS.—If any of this beautiful tribe, particularly T. tricolorum or T. Brachyseras that
have flowered early in the season, begin to grow, they should not be checked, but allowed to
grow slowly through the winter; but if there is no appearance of growth—which is best for their
future success—the roots should be kept dormant, in a cool place, with the soil about them quite
dry, and protected from mice.

STOVE AND ORCHID-HOUSE.

Stove plants cannot be too cautiously watered late in the autumn. Nothing is now wanted but to
keep the soil from getting quite dry. Slight fires to be made in the forenoons of dull and rainy
days, not so much for the purpose of raising the temperature as for drying the house. Air to be
given at all favourable opportunities, to maintain a healthy atmosphere. Several of the Orchids—
viz., Aërides, Dendrobiums, Saccolabiums, Vandas, &c., may be encouraged by the application


of a high temperature, with much moisture and less shading, to make further and sometimes
considerable growth.

CATTLEYAS.—Young plants may also be encouraged to grow for some time longer; but older
specimens should be reduced to a comparatively dormant state by a gradual diminution in the
supply of water, and a decrease in temperature, with less shading.

STANHOPEAS.—To be treated as advised for Cattleyas.

FORCING-HOUSES.

Continue to make fresh beds as formerly directed, and prepare fresh material for successional
ones. To ensure success it is advisable never to allow the manure to be put together in a dry state,
nor to get too far exhausted, but in that medium state when the strong fermentation has passed
off, and a moderate heat is likely to remain in it for some time. The temperature to be kept from
60° to 65°, with the admission of air for several hours daily.

CHERRIES.—Whether they are in pots or in borders, and have arrived at, or are only approaching,
a comparatively dormant state when but little attention will be necessary, still that little will be
required to keep them clear of insects and of the leaves as they become sufficiently ripe, when
they come readily off with a touch. The old surface of the soil of those grown in pots to be
removed, and the same quantity of fresh, in a rough state, put in its place. Remove them without
further delay, if not already done, as advised in the early part of the month, to the north side of a
wall or hedge until wanted; or if not wanted until a sharp frost sets in, they should be protected
from its icy grasp.

FIGS.—Trees in pots to be treated as advised for Cherries.

MELONS.—Although the weather may have been favourable for ripening the late fruit, they will
in some places still require the assistance of a good top and bottom heat, and a large portion of
air in the middle of the day.

PEACHES.—Trees in pots to be pruned, and treated as recommended for Cherries. No time should
be lost if fresh trees are to be planted in the place of any that may be worn out. The choice should
be made of young trees that are in a bearing state, and all the better if they had been moved last
autumn. In pruning the trees, after the leaves have dropped, be sure not to leave them too
crowded; but if the summer pruning, as frequently advised, have been properly done, but very
little, if any, will be required now. To remove the leaves from the trees in the early houses it is
advisable to shake them daily, and sometimes to brush them gently with a few pieces of birch-
spray tied in a bundle. All foreright shoots to be removed, and the trees in the late houses kept
free from insects.

PINES.—Persevere in former directions as to general routine management. Whilst fine weather
continues air may be given liberally; and shut up earlier in the afternoon to secure as much sun
heat as possible. Plants swelling their fruit to be assisted with a brisk temperature, both at top and
bottom, from 65° to 70° at night, allowing it to rise to 80° on sunny days with a steady bottom


heat of about 80°. When watering is necessary let it be given in sufficient quantity to moisten the
whole of the soil. The suckers and crowns that were potted in the summer months should now be
shifted, if they have grown freely; they should then be plunged in a brisk bottom heat in the
succession-house or pit, from which the plants have been removed, to the fruiting-house. Any
remaining suckers on the old stools to be taken off, potted, and plunged in a brisk heat in the
nursing pit.

VINES.—The early house, or the first lot of Vines in pots, if it is intended to start them in