4JUHK.] THE GREEN-HOUSE. 



You never should put sheep-dung, or any other, in the water, as 

 is practised by many persons to the great injury of their plants ; for 

 these strongly impregnated waters, instead of affording nourish- 

 ment) cause the leaves to change to a pale sickly colour, and ulti- 

 mately bring on a general debility : they operate like hot liquors 

 on human bodies, which at first taking, seem to add new vigour, 

 yet, after some time, leave the body weaker than before. 



If mowings of short grass, or some moss, be spread on the surface 

 earth, of the large tubs or pots of oranges, lemons, Sec. it will pre- 

 serve the moisture, and defend the upper roots from the .sun and 

 drying air. 



Such of the pots, with plants, as are plunged in the earth, must be 

 turned fully round in their seats, once a week, to break off such 

 fibres as extend through the holes at bottom, into the surrounding 

 earth ; for the reasons of doing this, see pages 393 and 395. 



Some people thin, what they consider, the superabundant blossoms 

 of oranges and lemons ; this 1 do not approve of, as ii is probable that 

 such as would set the best fruit, might be plucked off as well as any 

 other ; therefore, it will be the better way, to suffer the whole bloom, 

 to remain, and if too abundant a crop of fruit should happen to set, 

 to thin them soon after, to a sufficient number. However, where 

 some are wanted for making orange-flower water, the smallest 

 may be picked off, where they appear in clusters, leaving the 

 largest and most promising. Any declining myrtles or other hard- 

 wooded plants, may be greatly restored to strength and vigour, by 

 turning them out of their pots, earth and all, and placing the balls in 

 baskets made of peeled or dryed willows, and plunging these in the 

 open borders till September ; when, they are to be taken up, the 

 extending roots trimmed off, the baskets cut away, and the plants 

 with the entire balls replanted in suitable sized pots or tubs, after 

 which, they are to be placed in the shade till housed. 



Propagating the Plants. 



Myrtles may be propagated abundantly towards the middle or 

 latter end of the month, -by slips or cuttings of the present 

 year's wood, as may also, Hydrangeas, Fuschias, China and Ota- 

 heite roses; Coronillas, Bupthalmum fruticosum, Geraniums, Jas- 

 mines, Heliotropiums, and almost every other kind of shrubby or 

 under shrubby plants ; observing when dressed and the under 

 leaves taken off, to plant them, three, four, or five inches deep, ac- 

 cording to their respective lengths, in wide garden pans or pots 

 filled with light rich earth, or into beds of similar earth, where 

 they can have occasional shade and waterings till rooted. However, 

 the covering of them with bell-glasses, will greatly facilitate their 

 rooting and promote their growth, which, for the reasons assigned 

 in page 415, is by far the most eligible method, but particularly 

 for woody plants, and such others as are not of the succulent tribe. 



This is also a very proper time to propagate succulent plants, of 

 most .kinds, which are to be treated as directed in page 394, under 

 the article, propagating the plants. 



