GREENHOUSE PLANTS. 
Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 3 
house plants in such quantity as they re- 
quire at the different seasons, and under the 
varied conditions of weather in a climate 
so changeable as ours, is an important 
matter, and one on which success or failure 
much depends. A knowledge that plants 
with few exceptions cannot be kept in 
health unless they have a considerable 
amount of air admitted to the houses in 
which they are grown, frequently leads to 
much being given when only little, or 
none at all, should be admitted. Tothecold- 
chilling draughts allowed to sweep through 
cool plant houses may be attributed much 
of the stunted, indifferent condition in 
which the inmates are often seen. 
We have never met with a single culti- 
vated plant that could, for any length of 
time, with impunity be submitted to a 
draught. Even Heaths, much as they dis- 
like a stagnant atmosphere, will not long 
bear draughts. Except in mild weather, 
front air ought never to be given at the 
same side of the house on which the wind 
comes—not even in the autumn, when the 
wood and leaves are hard and ripe. Let 
any one who has a, vigorous growing plant 
of anything he happens not to care about 
try the experiment of placing it in a cold 
draught ; then after a time let him examine 
the roots, and he will find that they are all 
stagnant, showing at once the sympathy 
that exists between the leaves and roots of 
plants. 
In the spring especially, when the 
weather often changes completely in the 
space of an hour, the intelligent cultivator 
will at once close the lights on the side of 
the house where the current comes in, giv- 
ing air at the opposite side, or none at all 
according to the external temperature. 
After the plants begin to move freely in 
spring, air, proportionate in quantity to 
the external warmth, should always be 
given. This should be done early in the 
morning, before the sun has run up the 
heat of the house too much, closing be- 
times in the afternoon before the tempera- 
ture gets too low. Even in summer we 
often have winds of such force as to be in- 
jurious to plants if the lights are opened 
much in the direction from which it comes. 
In warm summer weather air should be 
given freely through the day, and as the 
season advances, and growth approaches 
completion, some should also be given in 
the nights. 
SHave.—Little shade is required by the 
generality of greenhouse plants, even in 
summer, except when they are newly pot- 
ted, or whilst they are in flower, to 
preserve the bloom. In all cases it 
should only be applied when the sun is on 
the glass. In the case of young stock 
whilst in small pots, with the consequent 
lability of the soil to dry up quickly, it is 
often necessary to use a thin shade during 
bright weather in summer, but this should 
always be dispensed with when the sun is 
not powerful. 
WaterR.—We now come to the question 
of watering, which is by far the most im- 
portant operation in the cultivation of 
plants. A plant may be put in unsuitable 
soil, or the potting may not be well done, 
yet it may struggle on better than circum- 
stances would lead us to expect if it is pro- 
perly managed as to water. Not so if the 
watering is unskilfully or negligently 
done. It is difficult to treat on this sub- 
ject in any but general terms, inasmuch 
as, in many cases, each species and variety 
of plant requires a difference in the de- 
gree of dryness to which the soil should be 
allowed to get before applying water, 
which can only be learnt by practice and 
close observation, assisted by a geographi- 
cal knowledge of the countries where each 
individual species is indigenous—know- 
ledge which consequently gives some clue 
to the conditions it exists under, especially 
as to moisture. But this, as will be seen, 
can only apply to natural species ; with 
the great numbers of garden hybrids of 
hard-wooded plants that exist there is no 
guide excepting practical experience. 
Take, for instance, numbers of Heaths: 
Erica Cavendishiana, if kept as dry at the 
roots as any of the aristata hybrids ab- 
solutely require to be, would die the first 
summer ; and the same difference as to 
their requirements exists in numbers of 
other plants equally nearly allied. 
As a rule the slower a plant naturally 
grows, and the finer its roots are, the less 
water it requires. When any plant is in 
active growth it is necessary to keep the 
soil more moist than when it is at com- 
parative rest, and also when the roots have 
full hold of the soil much more water may 
be given than would be advisable for some 
time after potting. When a plant is watered, 
see that it receives enough to run through 
the bottom of the pot ; but in the case of 
plants that have been recently potted, 
only give sufficient to just appear through 
the bottom. Never water a plant in the 
middle of the day in hot weather when 
the sun is on it—many deaths are caused 
by this. When it happens to be neces- 
sary to give water under such conditions, 
the plant should be shaded for an hour or 
two afterwards. For greenhouse plants 
use water of the same temperature as the 
house they are grown in. 
Always use rain-water where it can be 
