164 



Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 



no side air ; and, if the weather is bright 

 and dry, sprinkle the surface on which 

 they stand so as to counteract the lo^s of 

 moisture from the leaves given off by 

 evaporation. It may be well to state here 

 that although they are essentially air- 

 loving plants, and are able to bear a freer 

 admission in direct contact with them 

 than the generality of the subjects grown 

 in greenhouses, side air during the time 

 the cutting March winds are . blowing 

 should be admitted to the house with 

 caution — even to such as do not receive a 

 shift at this time. If care is not taken the 

 leaves will most likely be injured so as to 

 become of an unhealthy bronzy colour, 

 from which they rarely recover, dying and 

 falling off before their allotted time, and 

 this, as a matter of course, is alike detri- 

 mental to the health and appearance of 

 the plant. As soon as they are potted all 

 the stronger branches should again be bent 

 well do^^Ti in a horizontal position ; if this 

 is not attended to while the plants are 

 young the omission can never afterwaids 

 be remedied, as the shoots of many sorts 

 get too strong to bend, and the requisite 

 outline cannot be preserved, as the strong 

 growths, even if repeatedly stopped, have 

 such a tendency to take the lead in an 

 uj)right direction tliat the weaker branches 

 are starved and i;ltimately die off, leaving 

 the plants naked and unsightly at the 

 base ; for this there is no remedy, as few 

 Heaths will bear cutting back far into the 

 old wood. Whatever stopping is required 

 in the shoots should be done at this stage, 

 as the object with this young stock is the 

 laying of a foundation of future shapely 

 specimens rather than any bloom they 

 make this season. In a few weeks the 

 roots will have begun to enter the new 

 soil, when more air may be given. Each 

 plant must now be daily looked over so as 

 to ascertain if it requires water, and this 

 should be continued all through the 

 summer ; many fail to grow these plants 

 satisfactorily through erroneous impres- 

 sions entertained as to the water they 

 need. It is generally understood that 

 if a Heath flags tlirough want of water 

 death is likely to follow, and from this 

 impression those in charge are often in- 

 duced to give water before it is absolutely 

 needed. This is equally certain to bring 

 about an unhealthy state, fatal in its con- 

 sequences. Taking the family collectively 

 they require the soil to get drier befoie 

 water is applied than other plants, and the 

 harder-wooded and slower-growing the 

 variety the more necessary is it to treat 

 in this way. But in all cases when Avater 

 is given enough should be applied to 



moisten tlie whole of the soil, but not to 

 saturate it, as the roots, from their ex- 

 tremely line delicate nature, cannot bear 

 any excess. As a matter of course the 

 more vigorous the condition the more 

 necessary is it to see they do not get too 

 dry before watering. The same holds 

 good in the case of the softest free-grow- 

 ing kinds, and with all, the soil during the 

 summer sea-son should never be allowed 

 to get so dry as in the winter when com- 

 paratively little growth is in progress. 



Through the summer the stage on which 

 they stand should be freely sprinkled with 

 the syringe daily ; the plants themselves 

 should not be syringed, for although this 

 promotes growth, it makes them so soft 

 as to render them more liable to the 

 attacks of mildew. Nor should they now 

 be shaded in suuny weather, as the eft'ect 

 would be similar. They should be kept 

 under glass until the beginning of August, 

 at which time they ought to be stood out in 

 the open air on a bed of ashes sufficiently 

 thick to exclude worms ; let them stand 

 close enough so that each plant may screen 

 the pot of the one behind it from the sun 

 during the middle of the day. The direct 

 action of the sun on the pots has the effect 

 of injuring the roots that, in a healthy 

 plant, lay in quantities against the inner 

 surface. Should there be an appeai'ance of 

 drenching rains, lay them down on their 

 sides. Take them in about the middle of 

 September, for if left out ;intil the nights 

 are frosty the young giowth will suffer. 

 Winter as befoie in a light airy situation, 

 attending to their wants as previously. It- 

 all has gone well they will need more root- 

 I'oom the following spring ; give a 3 or 4 

 inch shift in the case of those witli plenty 

 of roots, and less to such as are not so 

 strong. Most of the plants will flower 

 during the spring, summer, or autumn, 

 according to their season of blooming, and 

 will make nice decorative objects ; but if 

 used in this way they must not be put in 

 dark houses or crowded among other 

 plants, or they will suffer thereby. Where 

 it is deemed more desirable to grow them 

 quickly to a larger size, it will be well to 

 pinch out the jioints of the shoots about 

 the beginning (jf February ; this will cause 

 them to break out bushy, to further assist 

 which tie out the strongest shoots as- 

 advised in the spring previous. Treat 

 through the summer and the following 

 winter as previously. They will by this 

 have foi'med nice compact plants, and 

 should be let to bloom, after which the 

 freest-growing kinds ought to liave their 

 last simimei''s shoots shortened back to- 

 about two thirds of their lenirth ; but all 



