1900 SUPPLEMENT—RECENT INTRODUCTIONS, &C. 689 
Stoking—continued. 
again at night before banking-up, the less the fire is in- 
terfered with, the better. In fact, with that excellent fuel, 
anthracite coal, it is most unwise to turn the fire over 
unnecessarily,- as it will go black and be a long 
time in becoming bright again. During very cold 
weather, when the fires must be kept going continuously 
to maintain a proper temperature, the stoker will secure 
the greatest heat by getting a big fire, and replenishing 
it frequently with a small amount of fuel, thus always 
keeping a bright, hot fire playing on the boiler. If 
the fire is permitted to burn low, and is then heavily 
charged again with fuel, it is astonishing how qnickly 
the hot-water pipes cool while the fire is burning 
up. Again, it is always advisable to have the body of 
the fire as near to the furnace-door as possible, so that 
the fire may travel over the whole of the boiler. When 
far back in the furnace, much of the heat is lost, 
va a front part of the boiler is scarcely touched by 
e fire. 
Indirectly connected with Stoking is the feeding of the 
boiler. In many gardens the snupply-cistern is filled by 
hand, and not by a ball-tap, and it is important that 
the water is never allowed to become low; not only is it 
dangerous, but when there is a large, fierce fire, the 
sudden addition of a mass of cold water to a heated 
boiler is very liable to cause it to crack, and thus 
become useless at a time when it is most needed. 
STOPPING. The operation of Stopping, or pinching 
back, the growth of fruit trees and plants in pots is a 
very important one, and requires both care and judgment ; 
but no hard-and-fast rule can be laid down. The Grape 
Vine usually has its laterals stopped one or two leaves 
beyond the bunch; but if there is space for further 
extension of the lateral growth, it is advisable to allow 
three or fonr leayes to be made before Stopping. In 
training trees in fancy forms, shoots may be made to 
appear almost anywhere they are desired by judicious 
Stopping; and plants that would otherwise be tall and 
leggy are made bushy and compact by timely Stopping. 
with trained fruit trees there is a danger of doing more 
harm than good by summer Stopping of the shoots. If 
done too early, a mass of young wood is produced, thus 
ad congested spurs and unripened wood with little 
ruit. ; 
STOVE. For maintaining the proper atmospheric 
temperature hot-water pipes may be laid under the paths, 
with iron gratings above to allow the heat to pass readily 
through ; or they may be arranged up the side walls or 
above the staging. The side walls of the house about 3ft. 
from the ground level should be glazed so as to make the 
structure as light as possible, as for seyeral months of the 
year all the light that it is possible to obtain will be 
necessary for the proper development of the plants 
growing inside. 
Where only one house is used as a Stove, it should 
be divided across the middle by a glazed partition. The 
two divisions may then (at certain seasons of the year) 
be kept at slightly different temperatures, and the 
atmosphere of one may be kept drier to ripen the wood 
and’ also to allow that period of rest which is so necessary 
to a large number of plants. 
Good loam is essential, and this should be the top spit 
from a pasture, with plenty of fibrous roots in it. It 
should be stacked for several months before it is required 
for use in a good-sized heap, with the grassy side down- 
wards. r : 
Good fibrous, turfy peat, of a sandy nature, is another 
requisite, and when used should be broken into lumps with 
the hands. For some plants, such as Anthuriums, it is 
desirable to remove a quantity of the fine matter. This 
may Pe done by slightly beating the broken lumps with 
a stick. 
Leaf-monld, when obtained by collecting the leaves of 
Oak, Beech, Elm, &c. (avoiding those of a poisonous 
nature, such as Lanrels), putting them in a large heap 
and occasionally turning it over to sweeten it, is very 
useful for many plants. It is highly important that it is 
sweet and free from fungus. 
Cow-dung, when well decayed, is a very safe manure to 
use for plants that require a little stimulant. 
Coarse silyer-sand is extensively used for 
Vol. V. 
striking 
Stove—continued. 
cuttings and for mixing in composts to keep them sweet 
and porous. 
Charcoal, in lumps, is another useful material for mixing 
in the soil to keep it open, and for the roots of plants to 
cling to. 
Live sphagnum should have all the grass, leaves, and 
refuse picked out before using. 
Cocoa-nut refuse is a clean and snitable material for 
hot-beds, and for plunging plants that require bottom- 
heat (if hot-water pipes are supplied to provide the 
necessary heat). 
Artificial manures are offered in abundance. Many of 
them are of good quality, and are of great benefit if used 
judiciously. 
Stove plants should be encouraged to make most of their 
growth during the spring and summer months, when 
there is plenty of sunlight to develop it. They should 
be repotted in the spring, just as they are commencing 
to grow, and the heat and moisture in the house increased. 
In repotting, clean, dry pots, with efficient drainage, 
should be used, and soil in a proper state as regards 
moisture, and sufficiently warmed to prevent chilling of 
the roots. In ventilating, cold dranghts must be avoided, 
and the ventilators be closed as early in the afternoon 
as is consistent with safety to economise the sun heat, 
which will be found to be more beneficial to the plants 
than an indiscriminate use of fire-heat. 
The water used both for watering the soil and for 
syringing overhead should be of about the same tem- 
perature as that of the house. In watering give suffi- 
cient to wet the whole ball of earth quite through, but 
be careful not to apply any water unless required, or the 
soil will become sodden and sour. Clean rain-water is much 
the best when it can be obtained in sufficient quantity. 
If well-water is used it should be exposed to the air for 
some time beforehand. 
During the bright days of spring and summer most 
plants require a little protection from bright sunshine. 
For this purpose a material called ‘‘hothouse shading” is 
made into blinds, and fixed to rollers to cover the roof. 
Care should be taken to draw up the blinds when the 
weather becomes cloudy, to prevent the plants from 
becoming drawn and weak. 
In the following genera may be found the chief deco- 
rative subjects for the Stove, exclusive of Ferns, an 
enumeration of which appear under that heading. 
Flowering Plants. 
Achimenes Franciscea ( Brun- Pereskia 
Aichmea Telsia) Peristeria 
Brides Gardenia Pescatorea 
Alschynanthus Gesnera Phaius 
Agalmyla Gloneria Phalenopsis 
Allamanda (Psychotria) Phyllocactus 
Amasonia Gloxinias Pilea 
Angraecum Goldfussia Pilocereus 
Anhaloniumn Goodyera Platyclinis 
Aneectochilus Grammatophyliuom — Plumbago 
Anthurium Hedychium Poinsettia 
Aphelandra Heliamphora (Euphorbia) 
Arachnanthe Hibiscus Posoqueria 
Ardisia Hippeastrum Promenea 
Ataccia (Tucea) Imantophyllum Reinwardtia 
Begonia (Clivia) Renanthera 
Bollea Impatiens Rhipsatis 
Bulbophyllum Txora Rhododendron 
Burbidgea Justicia Rivina 
Burchellia Lasiandra Rondeletia 
Calanthe Leuchtenbergia Russelia 
Centropogon Libonia Saccolabium 
Cereus Linum Saintpaulia 
Clerodendron Luculia Seutellaria 
Clivia Magnolia Sericographis 
Crinum Mammillariae (Jacobinia ) 
Dendrobium Medinella Strelitzia 
Dendrochilum(Platy Melocactus Tabernemontana 
clinis) Miltonia Thyrsacanthus 
Diacrium (Epiden- Monochetwin Tillandsia 
drum) Musseenda Torenia 
Didymocarpus Neegelia Toxicophlea 
Echinocactus Oncidiuwm Tydeas 
Epidendrum Opuntia Urceolina 
Epiphyllum Pancratium Vanda 
Eucharis Paphinia Vinca 
Eupatorium Pelecyphora Vriesia 
Euphorbia Pentas Warscewiczella 
4T 
