Continue to introduce for succession bulbs, Lilacs, Roses, Sweet Brier, and the many other plants previously recommended as suitable and useful for that purpose. A temperature of from 65° to 70° to be maintained, with plenty of moisture in clear weather.
FORCING-HOUSES.
Figs.—Trees in pots to have their shoots stopped when they have made three or four joints, and to be supplied occasionally with liquid manure.
Melons.—The fruiting-beds to be prepared and in readiness for the reception of the young plants as soon as they have nearly filled their pots with roots.
Peaches.—If a house were started, as advised at the beginning of the year, a second should now be set to work. Syringe the trees several times a-day in clear weather, and once or twice in all weathers until the flowers begin to expand. Attention to be given to the early house, when the fruit is set, to thin it partially, but to leave one-third more on the trees than will be required to ripen off. If Peaches are intended to be grown in pots for next season, the maiden plants should now be procured, and potted in nine or ten inch pots. The Royal George Peach and Violette Hâtive Nectarine are the most eligible for that purpose.
Pines.—If any indications of the presence of worms appear on the surface of the pots a watering with clear lime water will remove them. The same steady temperature to be kept up in the fruiting-house or pit as lately advised. Although it is sometimes recommended we would not advise to withhold water at the roots for the purpose of starting them into fruit; for if, by proper management, they are good, healthy plants, they will have formed their fructiferous parts before this time, and therefore should not be allowed to get dry, but be watered when they require it with tepid water.
Vines.—The successional houses to be treated nearly in all respects the same as the early houses; the temperature may now be increased in accordance with the increase of light rather more rapidly at an early stage of their growth than that of the house in which forcing was commenced in December. When Vines for the early crops are grown in pots, put the eyes in 60-sized pots, and plunge them in a dung-frame or pit, with a bottom heat between 70° and 80°. The Hamburghs, Black Prince, Muscadine, and Sweetwater are the kinds to be preferred for that purpose.
SECOND WEEK.
GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY.
As plants naturally, after their season of rest during the winter, now begin to grow, it is advisable to shift the young stock, and all others that require it, into fresh soil, by which they will be the better enabled to progress to a healthy-blooming state without check or hindrance. Although from this time to the middle of March is to be considered the most favourable season for a general shift, nevertheless it may be necessary to shift some plants more than once or twice during their season of growth.