212 ON THE CULTIVATION OF CALCEOLARIAS. 



state how I have managed it. My fires, which are smouldered up in 

 the evening about ten o'clock, burn but little all night, or at least as 

 slow as possible ; they are stirred up directly the gardener comes in 

 the morning, and burn as brisk as possible until eleven o'clock, when 

 they are put entirely out until four o'clock in the afternoon. During 

 the time the brisk fire is kept up, all the air possible is admitted con- 

 sistent with the weather, so that all damp is carried away, and the leaf 

 and blossoms made perfectly dry for three hours. About two o'clock 

 the channels on the flues, which have become about the warmth of 

 new milk, are filled full of water, and the floors are flooded as well. 

 This produces a genial steam, which, instead of being forced imme- 

 diately to the roof by a high temperature, to be condensed and become 

 drip, floats over the plants, and is gradually condensed on the leaves 

 and flowers, or remains suspended in the atmosphere. The flues are 

 watered again at four o'clock, and the plants being now covered with 

 dew, I find it expedient to give a little back air at the ventilators, and 

 this remains all night. By these means my Camellias have been 

 covered every night through the past winter with a dew exactly similar 

 to that in a fine night in May out-of-doors. If, however, the weather 

 is so severe that I cannot give air at all, I instantly lower my fires, 

 and the house is kept at 50° heat. 



When the plants have done blooming, the temperature is from 50° 

 to 55° by day, and from 45° to 50° at night ; the necessary conse- 

 quence of which is, to cause a great number of wood-buds to push 

 than otherwise would. It also tends to restore the exhaustion into 

 which they have been thrown by blossoming, and render them more 

 excitable when heat is applied. 



ARTICLE V. 



ON THE CULTIVATION OF CALCEOLARIAS, 



BY Mil. JAMES STEWART, FLOWER (JARDENER, DENBY HOUSE, ARGYLE. 



The Calceolaria being a very favourite tribe with me, I have had 

 considerable experience in the culture of an extensive collection. 

 For several years I had to contend with difficulties, and could not 

 grow them satisfactorily to my mind, not like what I had seen 

 exhibited at the first horticultural shows; but by hints afforded me 

 by two of the most celebrated growers, and perseverance, my practice 



