BBE: THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 
evening, the fire should be lighted in the afternoon, and be allowed 
to burn just sufficiently to warm the water in the pipes, or the 
brickwork forming the flues, as the case may be; and in the evening 
it can be started on briskly, if necessary. What the amateur must 
particularly guard against is the very common—and it must be 
added, most hurtful—practice of allowing the thermometer in the — 
house to go down to the freezing point before lighting the fire, and 
then, with the aid of the fire-heat, to push the temperature up some 
ten degrees or so higher than is necessary. The sudden change is 
most injurious to the plants, as also is a comparatively high tem- 
perature during a sharp frost. The temperature on a frosty night 
ought to exceed 40°. 
Watering greenhouse plants during the winter season requires 
much eare, both as regards the time and manner of applying the 
water. A fixed rule should be made that all watering be done 
immediately after breakfast, and, when practicable, during clear 
bright weather. The plants will not require large supplies of 
water ; neither must the soil, with certain exceptions, be allowed to 
become dust-dry, and remain so for any length of time. Plants 
differ so muth in their requirements, that no precise directions can 
be given; but it is a capital rule to allow the soil to become rather 
dry, and then give sufficient water to well moisten the ball, and 
after this has been done, not to apply any more until it has become 
dry again. The water must not be thrown about in a careless 
manner, and all pools that form on the floor should be mopped up 
after the watering has been completed. 
Over crowding must be avoided, and the amateur, who, in the 
course of the autumn, overhauls his stock and makes an end of 
plants of but little use, acts with wisdom. To have the glass in a 
thoroughly good condition is of importance, for the plants require 
every ray of light they can possibly have, and a mere intimation of 
this fact will suffice to induce amateurs to set to work and thoroughly 
wash the glass of the greenhouse, if it has not been done already. 
THE EMBELLISHMENT OF FORECOURTS. 
BY JOHN WALSH. 
mem 11 Hi more liberal employment of evergreen shrubs in the 
embellishment of forecourts of villa residences has been 
strongly advocated in the pages of the FLoran Wornp 
upon more than one occasion. As supplementary to 
what has been already said, 1 would like to embrace 
the present moment for pointing out a few subjects, which in the 
course of my experience have been found eminently suitable for the 
purpose. j 
I will not occupy space by dwelling at length upon the satis- 
factory results which invariably follow the planting of these things 
in sufficient quantities to produce a distinct effect, but I would ask 
