22S GAnDEN MANAaEMENT. 



incipient preparatory stages. The object in the show-house or houses is to 

 preserve the plants in the same state as long as possible : the aim in the other- 

 houses will be to urge the plants forward as rapidly towards perfection as may 

 be consistent with their well-being. Diametrically opposite means must be 

 employed to secure these nearly opposing results. Hence the necessity of tha 

 division indicated. A comparatively dry, cool, well- ventilated house tends to 

 prolong the blooming period of plants to the utmost ; a moist, warm, close- 

 house is best adapted to secure rapid expansion and perfect gi-owth. The term 

 Conservatory is generally given to a house for preserving plants in flower ;. 

 the Greenhouse being a house devoted chiefly to Cape heaths and other hard- 

 wooded plants, in complete establishments in which geraniums, fuchsias, and 

 other soft-wooded plants have separate houses devoted to them. In places- 

 where two or more houses exist for the culture of stove-plants, one of the 

 houses should be a consei^vative and the other a ]}'''0!]ressive stove ; and if an 

 intermediate one could be provided to receive the plants as they go out of 

 ilower, the trio would complete a most useful cultural circle. 



607. Conservatory. — Here Camellias, Arums, EiDacrises, Salvia sjDiendens, 

 Chinese Primroses, a few Heaths, Lachnalias, and perhaps forced Lilacs, 

 Azaleas, Khododendrons, Hyacinths, Narcissuses, Crocuses, and other bulbs, 

 will now be either in flower or coming into flower-bud. KeejD a night tempcr- 

 atm-e of from 40'^ to 45°, allowing a rise of 10° with sun-heat. Unless during 

 very severe frost or cutting winds, give air daily, if only for an hour at noon, 

 to change the atmosphere of the house and dry up drip. Prune, and destroy 

 scale and other insects on climbers and other permanent plants. All plants 

 should be carefully examined before they are introduced into this house, ia 

 order to prevent an importation of insects, as smoking with tobacco, or 

 other insect-destroying processes, are not only very disagreeable, but are 

 most inimical to the beauty and longevity of the flowers. Examine, water, and 

 top-dress if necessary, any of the borders. Kemove all plants back to their 

 resi^ective quarters as soon as their flower fades, and introduce fresh suj^j^lies 

 from forcing-pits, greenhouse, or stove, and let no dead leaf, or flower, or dirt 

 of any description, be allowed to mar the sense of delight which this house and 

 its occupants should ever be calculated to inspii'O. 



60S. Greenhouse.— More airmay begiven to, and 5° less heat will sufiicefor this 

 house than for the conservatory. Now is a good time to examine and clean the- 

 whole stock of plants. Many of the acacias andepacrises are apt to become in- 

 fested with scale. So liable to this pest are many of them, that it seems to be a 

 constitutional tendency ; its eradication, too^ is very difficult. Prevention is th& 

 only remedy, for I am well-nigh convinced that a perfect cure is impossible. 

 So doubtful is this point, that I would rather s^Dcnd a week in looking over an 

 entire collection without finding a single scale, than an hour in trying any nos- 

 trum upon a single infected plant. After experimenting upon eveiything, Gis- 

 hurst's compound included, for scale and bug, I fearlessly assert that there is no 

 remedy for these pests but i-emoving and destroying them. Spirits of wine,, 

 indeed, will kill the latter, but it is powerless upon the former. It has also the 



