62S GARDEN MANAGEMENT. 



objects must be kept in view ; and where eacli different tribe of plants has ib» 

 special house devoted to its use, the pi-actico in the two cases is not so very 

 widely divergent ; but where almost every variety of plants have to be crammed 

 into one house, cultural, rather than artistic considerations, m.ust control the 

 arrangement. A leading point in all cases is to have a system, and to make 

 that obvious. This alone leaves the imprint of superintending care. 



1967. The predominance of cultui'al considerations does not necessarily destroy- 

 artistic beauty. The grouping of different species together, so essential to 

 the foiTner, is almost as necessary to the latter. Wherever geraniums, beaths, 

 azaleas, camellias, &:c., are not only flowered, but grown in one house, the 

 grouping style is not only the best in a cultural sense, but is the most effective. 

 By placing geraniums and other plants in flower in the warmest end of such 

 a house, and heaths at the very coldest, it is amazing what a difference of 

 climate, succession of bloom, and inexhaustible pleasure, may be derived from 

 a single house. But if the plants are ci'ushed in higgledy-piggledy in one 

 house, a suffocating sense of confusion and want of space will be the primary 

 impression received and retained. 



T96S. But this will be the case whether the glass comprehend only one 

 or twenty houses, if the rule-of-thumb want of principle system of filling — 

 2 won't call it furnishing — be adopted. On the other hand, even houses of 

 bedding plants may be made interesting by gi-ouping the different species. 

 Edgings and lines of demarcation, and different shapes, groups, or masses, 

 on stage, shelves, or floor, may be formed with variegated geraniums, alyssums, 

 cinerarias, &c. Lines of gold- or silver-edged geraniums may not onl" 

 be stored away, but form beautiful objects on conservatory or greenhouse 

 shelves, to contrast with Chinese primroses, kc. 



1969. ITie Coiiservatory. — I will dismiss this subject with the single remark 

 that the conservatory is always dependent for three-fourths of its charm- 

 upon the taste and skill displayed in its arrangement. Beautiful object^ 

 beautifully placed, lovely climbei's neatly festooned or gracefully trained, 

 and the preseiTation of all this beauty as long as possible, are the grand desi- 

 derata here. As a cool atmosphere is one of the chief means to this end in 

 summer, the mistake is sometimes made of maintaining this structure at toe 

 .ow a temperature. It should never, unless in the severest weather, be lower 

 than 45°. Comparatively few blossoms will expand in perfection, or continue 

 so long, at a lower temperature than this. From 45° as a night temperaturo 

 to 55° as a day, is a safe range for the next four months with fire-heat. 

 50° being a safe daj- medium and 55° the maximum by artificial means. If 

 the sun is genial enough to raise the temperature to 60° a few hours in winter, 

 and air is admitted, it will do no harm. In managing the house, two thing.s 

 must be equally guarded against, — a moist stagnant atmosphere and a sharp 

 current of frosty air. Although directly contrary in their nature, both are almost 

 alike destructive to flowers ; the one rapidly destroys, and the other speedily 

 blasts, their beauty. The proper balancing of air at rest and air in motion, and. 

 the right proportion of moisture to be suspended in it constitutes the true secret 



