PROTECTING POTTED PLANTS. 147 



new growth cut off by a spring frost, and the crop destroyed. 

 The phinging of young plants therefore in the common ground 

 keeps the plant from too early a growth, because a few sunny 

 days will not take half the effect while the roots are no 

 warmer than the soil ; but if the sun were giving its influence 

 on the sides of the pot, the roots would be excited, and the 

 plant commence its growth so much the sooner. The first 

 thing therefore to attend to with all potted plants is to plunge 

 them to the rims. This will do a good deal towards pro- 

 tecting them. If, in addition to this, they are shielded from 

 the north-east winds, and hooped or roofed so that they can 

 have mats in severe weather tlirown over them, it will be 

 found sufficient protection for camellias, azalea indica, the 

 half-hardy rhododendrons, heaths, epacrises, and hard- wooded 

 Botany Bay plants generally. It is true that these things 

 are mostly put into the greenhouse, but there is no occasion 

 for it; they simply require to be protected against the 

 cutting winds and very severe frosts, and are in most good 

 places preserved in cold brick pits, or plunged as we have 

 described. 



Almost all greenhouse plants, if not very succulent, may 

 be protected in brick pits, but pits built with turves are even 

 warmer than brick-work, and one of these would in ordinary 

 weather protect geraniums until the spring, when the great 

 trial of all plants commences, because of their young growth, 

 which is easily damaged by wind and sun. K therefore great 

 attention is paid at this time, that they are exposed to neither 

 when extreme, they will go right through the bad season 

 safely. 



Few amateurs are aware that the warm sun of the spring 

 — which we are apt to view with great complacency, and let 

 the plants, as may be thought at the time, enjoy it — does so 

 much mischief as it does, but the effect is to excite plants into 

 growth that are too tender to bear the changes that follow : 

 whereas, if they were as carefully protected from the hot sun 

 as they are from the cold wind, they would be far better. It 

 is a common thing to see j^lants stand well under a north 

 wall, while those under a south aspect are cut materially. 

 The former do not make an effort to grow, and are safe, while 

 those in the warmer aspect are early upon the move, and 

 suffer severely from the trilling spring frosts. It is the same 

 with plants in pots, and hence the advantage of the roofing, 



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