102 THE GREEN-HOUSE. [JAN. 



In the green-house should be tressels, which may be moved in and 

 out, upon which rows of plants should be fixed so as to place the pots 

 or tubs of plants in regular rows one above another, whereby the 

 heads of the plants may be so situated as not to interfere with each 

 other. The lowest row of plants or those nearest to the window 

 should be placed about four feet from them that there may be a con- 

 venient breadth left next the glasses to walk in front ; and the rows 

 of plants shou d rise gradually from the first, in such a manner that 

 the heads of the second row should be considerably advanced above 

 the first, the stems only being hid, and so on for the whole. At the 

 back of the house there should be allowed a space of at least four 

 feet for the conveniency of watering the plants, and particularly to 

 admit a current of air around them. There may also be narrow tem- 

 porary open stairs of boards erected at one end, leading to a platform, 

 erected at the back on a level with the highest part of the stage, 

 which will be found very convenient for watering as well as for com- 

 mon access to the highest and most remote plants ; and also to place 

 thereon near the back wall pots and tubs of deciduous plants, which 

 would appear very unsightly in the front of the stage, observing that 

 the boards of such platform be laid one inch at least asunder for the 

 free admission of the circulating air. 



If two or three air-holes be made in the back wall a little above 

 this platform, or even below it, about six inches square in the outside 

 and twelve inside, with close shutting doors towards the outside and 

 within, both opening inward, they will be found very useful in mild 

 weather for ventilating the house and driving off any foul air from 

 the back part. In these holes, between both doors, you may stuff 

 in any kind of wadding to prevent air coming in that way but when 

 wanted. 



Never crowd the plants, for when pent in too closely a stagnant 

 rancid .vapor is generated, which often occasions a mouldiness upon 

 the tender shoots and leaves, very destructive to the plants ; neither 

 should too great a proportion of succulent plants ever be placed in 

 this department. 



THE CONSERVATORY. 



The green-house and conservatory have been generally considered 

 as synonymous; their essential difference is this in the green-house 

 the trees and plants are either in tubs or pots, and are placed on 

 stands or stages during the winter till they are removed into some 

 suitable situation abroad in summer. In the conservatory the ground 

 plan is laid out in beds and borders, made up of the best composi- 

 tions of soil that can be procured, three or four feet deep. In these 

 the trees or plants taken out of their tubs or pots are regularly 

 planted in the same manner as hardy plants are in the open air. This 

 house is roofed as well as fronted with glass-work, and instead of 

 taking out the plants in summer as in the green-house, the whole of 

 the glass roof is taken off, and the plants are thus exposed to the 

 open air, and at the approach of autumn frosts the lights are again 

 put on, and remain so #11 the May following. 



