258 



CULTIVATION OF GREEN-HOUSE PLANTS. 



king." But on this subject I will make 

 some remarks in my next paper. 



In staging the plants, they should receive 

 as much room as the structure will admit; 

 and those that are less hardy than others 

 should be placed where they will be less 

 exposed to currents of cold air during the 

 months of winter. The plants ought to be 

 systematically arranged ; for, simple as this 

 matter may appear, much of the beauty and 

 interest of the house, as well as the well 

 being of the plants, depends upon the man- 

 ner of their arrangement, — placing them so 

 as to harmonise with each other, — keeping 

 an eye at the same time to the placing of 

 those plants in those parts of the house 

 which are best adapted for them. When 

 the house is filled, it should continue to be 

 freely aired night and day, until severe 

 weather renders it necessary to shut up at 

 night. And this ought to be done gradu- 

 ally, otherwise many of the plants will be 

 started into growth by the sudden stimulus; 

 and Camellias in particular are very likely 

 to drop their buds, and their leaves to as- 

 sume a yellowish hue. This is a common 

 occurrence ; and it is with severe and un- 

 controllable reluctance that we ascribe this 

 sickly appearance to the cause which pro- 

 duced it. We are too apt to forget that it 

 is one of the most valuable qualifications 

 of a good gardener ; and one, too, that 

 ought to receive credit for its worth, to 

 be able to attribute each effect to its own 

 cause, without manifest confusion, and ques- 

 tionable reconciliations of discrepancies. 



In a geographical range, (if I may so call 

 it,) so wide and so varied as that enjoyed 

 by your excellent journal, let it not be ex- 

 pected that any given routine of practice 

 therein inculcated, can be equally applicable 

 to all sections, in the culture of fruits, flow- 

 ers or vegetables ; and in offering these re- 

 marks, my object is chiefly to direct the 



attention of gardeners to those primary and 

 important questions in the first paragraph 

 of this paper, — questions so intimately con- 

 nected with successful culture ; for unless 

 our minds are very much occupied with the 

 things about us, we shall derive but little 

 advantage from either, for the guidance of 

 our actions and the forming of our princi- 

 ples. It is but little use for a gardener to 

 possess a smattering of scientific knowledge, 

 unless he can associate it with proper ideas 

 of things around him, and reduce it to prac- 

 tice in his daily operations. We must raise 

 the standard of gardening by our own exer- 

 tions, and chiefly through practical perse- 

 verance. Meantime, I will conclude by ob- 

 serving to those who may read these pa- 

 pers, that they are solely intended for those 

 who are young in the art, and whose prac- 

 tical knowledge may not be equal to their 

 zeal. I am aware some will cavil at many 

 of my remarks ; but it is difficult to please 

 every one, and it's idle to try. If I have 

 made any mistatements, I shall be glad, 

 and thankful, to be set right; but I have 

 neither time, taste, nor talent for recrimi- 

 nating controversies, being convinced that 

 those who resort to such quibbles manifest 

 that they argue more for a controversial 

 triumph than the elucidation of truth ; 

 probity is frequently overlooked, and use- 

 fulness has nothing to do with the matter. 

 These remarks are the result of hard earned 

 experience, and what I conceive to be true. 

 I do not write for those who are too know- 

 ing to learn, and too prejudiced to be con- 

 vinced; but for those who are willing to be 

 instructed, and whose minds are open to 

 advice. I trust my good intentions will be 

 appreciated by those whose good opinion is 

 worth having; and as for the other class, I 

 neither dread their opinion, nor court their 

 applause. R. B. Leuchaes. 



October 10, 1849. 



