THE GREEN-HOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 45 



edge, give them air, light, and room to develop their 

 beauties and we shall soon see that they will not be slow 

 to avail themselves of the liberty. It will then be our care 

 to repress undue luxuriance, or to train into proper shape 

 the wandering branches. 



Above all, feed your plants well ; they cannot thrive in a 

 poor soil, or draw nourishment from the earth if you do not 

 supply it. Again, adapt the soil to the wants, to the 

 nature of the plant ; give sand, peat, or leaf-mould, as 

 the plant requires. Give water as the habits of the plant 

 require, and not promiscuously. 



These may seem little matters, but they are vital to the 

 plant, and a want of attention to them is sure to result in 

 vexation and disappointment. 



From these hints it will be easy for the most inexperi- 

 enced to choose what to grow ; yet another word of caution 

 may not be misplaced : 



In a green-house, grow only green-house plants in a 

 stove, only stove plants : do not mix the two, or disap- 

 pointment will be the result. 



The following list will be found useful in choosing plants 

 for the green-house. The culture of each will be given in 

 succeeding chapters, with the best varieties. 



