NOV.] THE HOT-HOUSE. 563 



often, or how much at a time, ought to be administered ; however 

 it will be safer to give a little and often, than too much at a time, 

 which should now be administered in the forenoon of fine days, 

 that the damp may pass off before the windows are shut, lest the 

 steam occasioned thereby might create a mouldiness, and injure the 

 plants. 



Pick off all decayed leaves from the plants, and throw them out 

 of the house ; for if they are suffered to remain in it, they will rot 

 and infect the air, which foul effluvia being imbibed by the plants, 

 will infect them also, and bring on disease and vermin. 



Examine the tubs and pots occasionally, and if the earth cakes or 

 binds at top, loosen it to a moderate depth ; and where decayed 

 branches or shoots occur, prune them off as soon as observed, and 

 cast them out of the house 



The myrtles and other plants which are in frames, or pits, must 

 now be duly attended to, in like manner as those in the Green- 

 House. The frames or pits, to the full height of the glasses, must 

 be lined round with horse-dung;, leaves, straw, fern or the like, to 

 keep the frost from penetrating in at the sides and ends ; the plants 

 must have plenty of fresh air at all favourable opportunities, and be 

 effectually protected at night and in frosty weather, by laying a suf- 

 ficient covering of mats, straw, boards, Sec. over the glasses, observ- 

 ing not to deprive them of the benefit of light but while absolute 

 necessity requires it. 



Preserving tender Bulbs, i3c. 



As some persons who have not the convenience of a Hot-house, may 

 be desirous of having some tender exotic bulbous and tuberous rooted 

 plants, such as Crinums, Pancratiums, Arums, Amomum Zinziber, 

 or true ginger, 8cc. These and such like roots, may in the begin- 

 ning of this month, be taken up and carefully dried as you do tube- 

 roses, and then packed up in very dry sand, or in extremely dry 

 moss, observing to keep them during winter completely out of the 

 reach of frost or moisture. About the beginning or middle of April, 

 you may plant them in pots, which should be plunged in a tempe- 

 rate hot- bed, and give the roots but very little water till they pro- 

 duce foliage and are growing freely : towards the latter end of May 

 the pots may be placed in the open air, to remain till the latter end 

 of September, when they should be taken in, and placed in the 

 Green-House, or in the windows of some warm room till this time ; 

 then to be treated as above. Or you may keep up the roots till the 

 middle of May, anil then plant them even in the open ground ; after 

 which they will grow considerably before autumn, but not flower 

 quite as strong as if properly kept in a Hot-house. 



THE HOT-HOUSE. 



IT is to be presumed that your tan-pits have been renewed, and 

 all your pots containing pine and other tender plants duly arrang- 



