28 THE UNHEATED GREENHOUSE 



Lily-of-the- Valley and other temporary crops have come 

 somewhat into vogue, and some adaptation of the idea might 

 be of value for the glass-garden. In any case spare lights 

 can always be used to good purpose in various ways 

 e.g., for Tomatoes during the summer and need not lie 

 idle. 



SHADING 



It is from February onwards that shading, no less than the 

 ventilation, of the unheated greenhouse becomes a serious 

 question. The shelter of glass from storm and stress 

 is heartily welcome, as we know, to hardy and half-hardy 

 plants which flower at inclement seasons, yet no sooner does 

 the sun begin to shine in his strength than the glazed roof 

 is apt to become a funeral pall. If the scorching rays are 

 not by some means tempered, a sudden farewell will have to 

 be taken of faded and withered flowers. Tulips open wide 

 and pale, beneath the ardent sunbeams. Narcissi lie pros- 

 trate and can never more be persuaded to lift their languid 

 heads. Rhododendrons and Azaleas hopelessly cast off 

 their flowers and dangle them in an aggravating way by their 

 long pistils. Camellias put on brown edges in token of 

 mourning, and every flower seems to pant out a feeble pro- 

 test against the cruel fate that took them away from the fresh open 

 air and consigned them to a furnace so soon are benefits 

 forgotten when times are changed ! But blinds of tiffany or 

 thin strong netting materials which give sufficient but not 

 too dense shade fixed on rollers, so that they may be raised 

 or lowered at pleasure, will save all this disaster. Sometimes 

 the sunshine lasts but an hour or two, yet every gardener 

 knows that more mischief can be done by an hour of neglect 

 than can be repaired in a season, for it is not only the 

 flowers that suffer, but serious and lasting injury is done by 



