1880.1 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



201 



ment they will grow stocky and produce large 

 and bright colored flowers. It is safest in all the 

 stages of growth to be fearful of giving too much 

 water rather than too little. The earth should 

 become very dry occasionally, even to the extent 

 that the foliage begins to wilt. This is rather a 

 benefit and in nowise an injury. Then give a 

 copious supply of water, completely saturating 

 all the earth in the pot ; this will start the plants 

 into new life and fresh vigor, and will keep them 

 in a healthy condition, and prepare them for a 

 much finer bloom than when kept wet at all 

 times. The foliage should be frequently sprink- 

 led, particularly the under sides of the leaves, to 

 keep off the red spider. This should be con- 

 tinued until they commence blooming, but no 

 water should be allowed on the flowers. 



As soon as these small pots are filled with the 

 roots, the plants must be shifted into other pots 

 one size larger (3-inch). Do not disturb the 

 roots in shifting from one pot into another ; they 

 are very small and are easily broken. Now give 

 them water, and treat them as you did when in 

 the small pots. When these pots become filled 

 with roots, which can be seen by the lower leaves 

 turning brown, they must be turned into larger 

 pots. The lower leaves should now be cut off, 

 and a small portion of the roots at the bottom of 

 the pot may also be scraped off, and the plants 

 set deeper than they stood before. For this 

 planting use a four-inch pot. About this time 

 the flower buds appear, and they seldom require 

 larger pots the first season, though if the roots 

 should become too much packed in the pots, and 

 the lower leaves turn yellow, they must be 

 planted into five-inch pots, or they will lose 

 their vigor and produce smaller flowers. 



At the time they are turned into the four-inch 

 pots, or earlier, say 1st of November, they should 

 be set in the place where they are wanted when 

 in bloom ; they then become adapted to the 

 place, and will do very much better during the 

 winter than when a new place is given them 

 after they are in full bloom. When set on a 

 window always put the Primroses next the glass. 

 They thrive best in a cool place and. a full share 

 of light. 



To keep Primroses over the summer, place 

 the pots in a frame or under a tree ; will need 

 little attention during the summer. About the 

 1st of September take them out of the pots and 

 cut nearly all the roots off, also the leaves- plant 

 into smaller sized pots, and start them into 

 growth ; later shift them into four or five-inch 



pots. The flowers are seldom as fine and large 

 as they are on young plants. 



HEATING GREENHOUSES. 



BY S. F. TEKWILLIGER, SARATOGA SPRINGS, X. Y. 



In answer to W. D. Phillbrick in April No., I 

 would make the following statements of green- 

 houses No. 1 and 2. 



No. 1. No. 2. 



2000 feet glass. 500 feet glass. 



550 " pipe. 100 " pipe. 



14 " to peak. 9 " to peak. 



4 " to eaves. 4 " to eaves. 



60° temp. 60° temp. 



Exposed to all winds. Exposure same. 



Both houses run north and south, but are 4* 

 feet apart, pipes being carried in boxes under- 

 ground. 



Boiler used Hitchings Corrugated, No. 16; 

 average temperature winter 78 and 79, (5 mos.) 

 25° ; 14 tons coal used; highest temperature 60°; 

 lowest 20° ; average temperature for 79 and '80, 

 (5 mos.) 30 2-5°; highest 64°, lowest 10°; 13 tons 

 coal used. 



Would have used less coal this season had the 

 weather been even, but it was so changeable you 

 could not keep even fires, besides the winds have 

 been very high. Think I've got in all the points 

 needed, will allow him to draw his own conclu- 

 sions, simply stating that I am satisfied. 



FRAGRANT FLOWERS. 



BY WALTER ELDER, PHILADELPHIA. 



The pleasures of gardening, both indoors and 

 in the open air, are greatly promoted by the in- 

 troduction of sweet scented flowers. At the pre- 

 sent time in many collections, the Olea fragrans. 

 Daphne Indica, Orange and Lemon give grateful 

 perfume; and how pleased we all are to meet 

 these old favorites when in bloom. Later on the 

 Gardenias, Rhyncospermuras, &c., blossom, and 

 by a little judgment it is easy to have some 

 sweet scented plants in flower the whole season 

 through. To those acrustomed to walk through 

 the woods in the spring-time, the pleasure de- 

 rived from the fragrant flowers need not be told. 

 And many of us know how positively beneficial 

 to the invalid is a bunch of delicately scented 

 flowers. It gives instant pleasure by its sweet- 

 ness, and awakens a desire to be able to be about 

 to enjoy nature's gifts more fully. 



We cannot do without our gay colored flowers 



