250 THE GARDENER. [June 



Melons, or Vines, it soon tells a similar tale, and red-spider pounces 

 on them and helps to complete what a cruel war from the stokehole 

 has been the chief instrument in beginning. 



Of course, when such conditions as we have been condemning are 

 forced upon us, as they sometimes are, action must be taken on their 

 first signs of approach. The fire must be as summarily dealt with as 

 possible. The ventilators should be opened a little and a little more 

 at intervals, and before the heat gets very much too high, and not 

 neglected and kept closed too long, and then more extensively opened. 

 The latter practice allows the moisture inside the pit to be taken up 

 by the atmosphere in suspension, and the plants are first subject to a 

 vapour-bath much too hot, and w'hen full ventilation is given all at 

 once, then to a violent reaction, which goes on, as has already been 

 noticed, till they have to contend with a rush of dry killing air. 

 Especially after some successive days of dull cold weather is this state 

 of things most injurious, from the fact that a growth made in a more 

 moist and dull atmosphere is more tender and sensitive. Under such 

 circumstances, it is best to partially shade when suddenly overtaken 

 with brilliant sun, and to give less air than would otherwise be neces- 

 sary. In houses which are accessible, every available spot, except the 

 plants, should be damped occasionally, and the plants themselves 

 dewed over at "shutting-up time," to counteract so sudden and 

 violent a change. And by anticipation of such ordeals, all hothouses 

 and pits should have more or less air in the dullest of weather for a 

 short time every day, not only to change the air, but at the same time 

 to prevent as much as jDossible a thin flabby growth, and to counteract 

 the mere attenuation of tissue which takes place in the comparative 

 absence of light. Under such circumstances most especially, a maxi- 

 mum night-temperature is to be deprecated. A high night-tempera- 

 ture and sunless days cause growth, certainly, but growth of the most 

 useless and undesirable kind, and which is sure to suffer under the 

 circumstances we have been describing. When sun-heat can be stored 

 by shutting up early in the afternoon, evening and night growth is 

 then desirable, but should be so looked upon and encouraged only in 

 proportion to the extent that it can be promoted with as little fire-heat 

 as possible. Regarding the points we have touched upon as of great 

 importance in horticulture, we should be glad to have the views of 

 our correspondents regarding them, for we are certain few, if any, of 

 the daily operations of the garden rank higher in importance, or play 

 a more important part, either for good or evil, in the culture of tender 

 flowers and fruits. 



