1873] HARD-WOODED GREENHOUSE PLANTS. 105 



are at present. I do not think that they are adapted to the circum- 

 stances and necessities of all places. Small places, where the stock of 

 plants of all classes commonly cultivated and requiring greenhouse 

 protection is lodged in one or two houses, cannot devote any part of 

 their glass space to the special culture of these plants without sacrific- 

 ing much of the enjoyment which it affords as at present, stocked 

 in the main or w^holly with soft-wooded plants. The treatment re- 

 quired by shrubby and herbaceous plants is so opposite, that they can- 

 not well be grown together in the same house the year round. They 

 may be flowered together, but that is all they will submit to in the 

 shape of general treatment. The culture in each case must be somewhat 

 different up to this point, in order to grow them well and have a full de- 

 velopment of flower ; but for the time they are in bloom, they may stand 

 together in the same house without detriment to each other, provided 

 there are pits or houses to which they may be removed afterwards, and 

 be separated and put under the treatment they severally require. 

 Acacias are better adapted to being grown in collections composed of 

 hard and soft wooded plants than many other hard-vrooded subjects. 

 They are generally plants that are easy to cultivate, and require the 

 common treatment of greenhouse shrubs, without any of the niceties 

 that have to be observed in the case of some others. Good fibrous 

 loam, with a liberal allowance of sharp sand, suits them admirably. 

 Fibrous peat, if very good, may be used to lighten heavy close loams 

 where the lighter fibrous sorts cannot easily be got ; but indifferent 

 peat is a bad component in any compost, and should be used sparingly 

 for all pot-plants, except those which are known to require it specially. 

 Drainage is a point which should be attended to carefully. Young 

 plants are usually raised from seed or cuttings of the roots. The latter 

 make very good plants, but on the whole and in most cases the best 

 are got from seed, and with the least trouble. Plants that are a few 

 years old usually ripen plenty of seed, so that there is no difficulty in 

 keeping up fresh vigorous stock to any reasonable extent if care is 

 taken to save a sufficient quantity of seed when it is anticipated it 

 may be required. Cuttings of the shoots rarely succeed, except where 

 the means and the skill in propagating exceed the average about 

 private places. The plants are easily enough grown to considerable 

 dimensions in a year or two — some sorts, of course, growing more rapidly 

 than others ; but this end should never be sought after by means of 

 large shifts. It is better to give two small shifts in the year than one 

 large one, — a point to be borne in mind by all novices in the culture of 

 greenhouse shrubs ; for though things may appear to go on swimmingly 

 for a time, a foundation of difficulty is often laid in the circumstance 

 that the ball of earth is only half filled with roots, and therefore liable 



