THE MANAGEMENT OF GREEN-HOUSES. 



when the cutting has just struck, or the 

 seedling, if the plant be from seed, be only 

 three or four joints high ; but those plants 

 which grow pyramidal in form musi have 

 the leaders preserved, and should only have 

 such branches stopped as are inclined to 

 come too long ; such as shoot out faster 

 than the rest. 



Deciduous plants should not be watered 

 after they drop their leaves ; but when they 

 begin to swell their buds, they may be sup- 

 plied with a little moisture, to be increased 

 in quantity as soon as they shoot out their 

 branches. 



Seeds of green-house plants are best sown 

 as soon as they are ripe. Nature points out 

 this for all seeds ; but artificial culture, or 

 a change of climate, suggests various 

 changes in the plan of doing many things; 

 for instance, a tender plant maybe sown in 

 the open borders in the spring ; and as it 

 will meet with no frost until autumn, it is 

 quite proper to do so ; but if the seeds were 

 sown directly they were ripe, they would 

 come up only to be killed by the frost. Not 

 so with greeen-house plants ; they are in a 

 droper climate. If they come up they will 

 grow without interruption ; and if they are 

 in the habit of lying in the ground till ge- 

 nial, or, we ought to say, till warm wea- 

 ther,where they grow naturally, they will do 

 the same in a green-house, unless the tem- 

 perature be prematurely raised. In all 

 matters of doubt, we ought to make sure 

 on the safe side. Foreign seeds, therefore, 

 ought to be sown the instant we get them ; 

 because, next to sowing them at the time 

 nature herself sows them, it is well to do 

 so as soon after as possible. 



All seedling plants are the better for 

 pricking out, or transplanting, as soon as 

 they have three or four leaves ; and the 

 most effective of all methods is to get small 

 sized pots, say sixties, and plant the seed- 

 lings round the edge, close to the side of 

 the pot, about three in a pot, or four, or 

 even five, if they are small slow-growing 

 things. They derive the greatest benefit 

 from their roots reaching the sides of the 

 pot. 



As you may be at a loss for the soil in 

 which a new plant grows, use a compost 

 that everything will live and grow in, and 

 leave to time and experience any improve- 



VOL. IV. 



ment you may make. Take loam (No. 9) 

 which is presumed to have no dung or oth- 

 er exciting matter in it, droppings (No. 10,) 

 or, for want of it, dung (No. 5,) peat (No. 

 1,) and leaf-mould (No. 4,) in equal quan- 

 tities ; and if it be too adhesive, take halt 

 a part of sand to make it more pervious 

 to water, or at the most a whole part. Mix 

 these well together. It will suit everything 

 a little; and if the plant does not do all 

 you wish, you can at least grow it well 

 enough to get cuttings from, and try them in 

 lighter, poorer, or richer composts ; but as 

 we know camellias, geraniums, heaths, and 

 succulents will grow in it, — and these are 

 very much opposed in their natures, — it is 

 fair to presume that any plant will grow in 

 it enough to answer the temporary purpose 

 of saving it to grow others from. Keep all 

 shelves free from wet and dirt ; have grooves 

 cut along the middle of them for the water 

 to run along, instead of dripping ofT along 

 the edges, and provide for the drip at the 

 end, so that it does not make any mess, or 

 dirt, or litter, at the part it runs down. 



Provide, if possible, the means of shading 

 the greenhouse in any hot or bright wea- 

 ther, as, in the spring, when the azaleas, 

 hoveas, and many other fine plants are in 

 bloom, a few hours' sunshine would short- 

 en their duration some days. A canvass 

 roller-blind outside is very easily contrived ; 

 or a thinner blind of calico, or some such 

 material, inside, would have as good an ef- 

 fect, and be somewhat lighter. But shade 

 from excessive heat of the sun will make 

 several week's difference in the lasting of 

 the blooms. It must, however, be recollect- 

 ed, that, as whatever excludes the light in 

 any part of it is an evil, — and, therefore, 

 shading a choice of evils, — the blind must 

 not be down an hour more than necessary. 

 When the bloom of a plant is over, you 

 have to make up your mind whether you 

 intend it to seed or not. If not, pick off all 

 the remains of flowers, that the pods may 

 not swell ; for the seeding of any plant 

 stops, in a great measure, the growth. If it 

 be past the middle of May, you may turn a 

 plant out in a sheltered part of the garden, 

 for want of better accommodation ; but if 

 you can give plenty of air in the green-house 

 and shade from the extreme heat of the 

 sun, plants may as well complete their 

 8 



