THE GREENHOUSE. 



^NE of the greatest causes of 

 failure in the amateur con- 

 servatory, is the attempt to 

 grow under one temperature those plants 

 requiring hothouse, intermediate, and 

 coolhouse conditions. Greenhouse or 

 intermediate should have a night tem- 

 perature of sixty degrees, and while five 

 degrees lower at intervals, will do no 

 harm, yet, if recurring too frequently, 

 many plants will receive a check in con- 

 sequence. We are also supposed to 

 raise the temperature five or ten degrees 

 in the daytime, but during the dark 

 days of mid-winter this will produce 

 weak growths, in danger of falling a prey 

 to disease and insect pests. Strong, 

 vigorous plants are the best remedy, or 

 rather preventive for these evils, which 

 to-day mark the success or failure of all 

 florists and horticulturists, from the 

 window garden to the most extensive 

 acreage. 



A sun temperature of eighty or even 

 ninety degrees will do no harm, care 

 being taken to water all plants requiring 

 it in the morning, as the heat advances 

 above the firing point. 



Another cause of failure is the fact 

 that amateurs do not know the varieties 

 in many sections of plants offered by the 

 trade, best suited to the conditions they 

 are able to give, as there are palms, 

 ferns, orchids, etc., that cannot be suc- 

 cessfully grown under a less temperature 

 than seventy degrees at night. My ex- 

 perience has been when selecting such 

 varieties, that although opposite the 

 name of each in my order list was the 

 note, " If not suited to sixty degrees fire 

 heat do not send," they always came. 

 This was costly experience, to me in the 

 loss of value, and to the plantsman in 

 the loss of an enthusiastic client. 



Advantage should be taken of all 



bright days to renew the supply of air 

 by ventilation, always using care to avoid 

 chilling the plants by cold draughts. 

 Close the ventilators early to retain 

 some of the sun heat, it is cheaper than 

 fuel. 



Some of the plants best suited for 

 conservatory or intermediate treatment, 

 are the palm, dracena, banana, ficus, 

 yucca, grevillea, ferns, seliganella, calla, 

 begonia, canna, cissus, aspidistra, cro- 

 ton, hibiscus, pandanus, tradescantia, 

 azalea, heliotrope, stephanotis, vinca, 

 rose, nasturtium, manettia, a few eypri- 

 pediums and other orchids, never 

 forgetting to add several species of the 

 Platycerium or Stag's Horn fern, a 

 parasite, which like true orchids can 

 be easily grown on virgin cork, and 

 never fails to interest even experienced 

 visitors. In palms, Latania Borbonica 

 and the Kentias, Belmoreana and Fos- 

 terana, will give best satisfaction. Cycas 

 revoluta, kept on the dry side during 

 the winter, is an attractive plant and 

 useful in table decoration. Do not 

 attempt to start the dormant stems as 

 imported from Japan, unless a tempera- 

 ture of eighty degrees bottom heat, and 

 seventy top can be given. I find it 

 most interesting work forcing these in a 

 compartment prepared for such work. 



The following species of Platycerium 

 are distinct in form and easily grown, 

 alcicorne, Willincki, majus, Ethiopica 

 and grande. Never allow the root to 

 become perfectly dry, at the same time 

 do not over water, as for all ferns moder- 

 ate continuous moisture and good drain- 

 age must be given. 



Musa Ensete and Cavendishi are the 

 best bananas, the former makes a grand 

 bedder in tropical decoration, and the 

 latter will fruit by the time it is potted 

 to a half barrel. During the spring and 



