1870.I GARDEN RECORDS. 557 



economy is disturbed, and they suffer accordingly. Thus we find that smooth 

 and father large leaved plants— Planes, Aucubas, Camellias, Myrtles, Indiarubber, 

 and the like — always succeed better in the smoke of towns than the small-leaved 

 plants, as the Coniferse, Heaths, and woolly -leaved Pelargoniums, Cinerarias, &c, 

 as these collect the dust and hold it, rain only tending to increase its tenacity ; 

 while upon the smooth-leaved plant every shower washes it away. This is the 

 simple history of the natural condition of foliage to resist the injurious conse- 

 quences of a bad atmosphere. Last year, from November until the following 

 spring, we had in our sitting-room a plant of the beautiful-leaved subject 

 Dracrena ferrea terminalis, which, washed twice or thrice a week, resisted the 

 evil effects of a gas-poisoned atmosphere, and looked well at the last. During 

 the same time scores of Primulas, Cinerarias, Violets, and Mignonette, perished in 

 the same place. Having thus far explained the reasons why plant-houses should 

 be kept perfectly clean, we will only remark that, before large plants be taken into 

 their winter habitation, it would be well that each should be laid upon its side 

 and thoroughly washed by means of the syringe or garden engine ; and when 

 we say washed, we do not mean merely sprinkled, but the water applied with 

 such force as to wash the foliage thoroughly clean. For this purpose it will be 

 best to lay the plants upon a clean pavement, or, if that cannot be had, then lay 

 a clean mat for them to rest upon. Apply the water with full force to the stem 

 of each plant, and in that manner the pores will be opened, and the health be 

 materially improved. The plants being cleaned, there is a point or two to be 

 considered in their arrangement. Some in the greenhouse, for example, such as 

 Heaths, Epacris, and Acacias, will bear any amount of exposure, while to 

 Tropseolums, Boronias, Leschenaultias, Gompholobiums, a cold draught is almost 

 certain death. Hence in arranging the house it will always be best to place the 

 last-named section in the warmest part, where they will get a free circulation of 

 air without a cutting draught. Then, again, in the ordinary greenhovise you 

 have hard-wooded as well as soft-wooded plants to accommodate. The latter will 

 generally be found the most susceptible to cold, and must be provided for 

 accordingly. The fact is, the more hardily plants are treated from this time the 

 less likely will they be to sustain injury through the winter ; and hence, observ- 

 ing the rules we have laid down, it will be manifest that, secured from frost and 

 the cold draughts we have spoken of, the more air a greenhouse receives the 

 better will it be for the plants. Never apply a fire until it is necessary to exclude 

 frost, and then use no more than may be requisite to maintain the desired tem- 

 perature. W. P. A. 



GARDEN" RECORDS. 



NO. XII. 



MESSRS STANDISH & CO., THE ROYAL NURSERIES, ASCOT, 

 BERKSHIRE. 



Here, in what must have appeared at the time to be one of the most uninvit- 

 ing spots to be found in the whole county of Berkshire, Mr John Standish 

 set about the formation of a new nursery, when, a few years- ago, he dissolved 

 his business partnership with Mr Charles Noble of Bagshot. The nursery 

 at Ascot lies on the west side of the rising-ground on which is situated the 

 celebrated racecourse at Ascot, and is only divided from the Swinley Course by 



