Pines.--Pot the succession plants. If the pots are full of strong, healthy roots, pick out the crocks carefully without injuring them, leaving the ball entire, and giving them a good shift. But if unfortunately many of the roots are dead, shake the ball entirely away, and cut out all that are dead, preserving such as are alive and healthy, and potting them in fresh soil.
Strawberries.--Keep up a succession by placing a few dozen pots in a gentle heat once every fortnight or three weeks.
Vines.--All laterals to be stopped in due time, and all useless buds and branches to be removed; the leading shoots to be tied in regularly, and the bunches to be thinned. No more bunches to be left on each Vine than it is likely to bring to perfect maturity. About one dozen bunches are a good average crop for each rod. The temperature to range from 55° to 60° at night, with an increase of 5° to 10° during the day, and even higher during sunshine.
The plants occupying the beds in the conservatory to be arranged, cleaned, and pruned. If the health or habit of a plant, or other considerations, should render it desirable to prolong the season of blooming, the pruning may be postponed for a week or two longer. Continue to pot Cinerarias, Calceolarias, Pelargoniums, and all other such plants when they fill their pots with roots. To be then kept close for some days until fresh root-action begins. Green fly to be kept down.
Verbenas.--Put them in heat, to get cuttings; as also Heliotropes, and all other such plants, of which there is a scarcity, for bedding-out purposes.
Increase the moisture and temperature gradually as the days lengthen. Start old and young plants of Clerodendrons, Dipladenias, and Stephanotis, in a sweet bottom heat. Rondeletias to be cut in, and started in the same manner.
Shift all Orchids that are starting into growth. As a high temperature causes a premature and unhealthy growth it is advisable to keep up a healthy atmosphere of from 55° to 65°, with an increase of a few degrees in sunshiny weather, when a little air, if only for a very short time, should be admitted; but be careful to avoid draughts at this early period of the year. All growing plants to be watered at the roots only, being careful not to allow any water to lodge in the axils of the leaves to cause decay. To preserve the roots of some Orchids in a healthy state it is necessary to grow them on blocks of wood; the blocks to be made proportionate to the specimens they are intended to bear; and the heel of the plant to be placed close to the end of the log, to give as much space as possible for the plant to grow upon. The following thrive well on blocks without moss:--_Barkeria spectabilis_, _Leptotes bicolor_, _Phalænopsis amabilis_, and _Sophronitis cernua_, the Brassavolas, the Cattleyas, nearly all the dwarf Epidendrums, all the Lælias, and nearly all the dwarf Maxillarias and Oncidiums, and all the Schombergias.