36 A GUIDE TO FLORICULTURE. 



good place in which to winter the hybrid variety of this 

 beautiful tribe of flowers, as those plants like a dry room or 

 green-house rather than a damp place. 



The heat of the room is the best criterion by which to 

 judge when plants should be watered. Plants should be 

 kept clean by destroying the green fly, and free of dead 

 leaves. In summer no plant should be allowed to suffer for 

 want of water. There are some succulent plants that should 

 never be placed to receive the heavy rains in the summer, 

 the Cacti tribe for instance ; but plants of this description 

 are but few. The Camellia does not like excess of heat, and 

 when placed out of doors in May. should be in the shade 

 only ; as the leaves are likely to be infested with the red 

 spider they should be syringed with clean water every even- 

 ing through the summer, and when the flower buds are 

 forming must be watered regularly : for if the roots are al- 

 lowed to become dry it will cause their buds to drop off on 

 the application of water, or being watered too freely at any 

 time will produce the same injury. This evil may in some 

 measure be avoided in potting plants by a good drainage. 

 Then again their buds will droop by a change of the at- 

 mosphere when removed from summer to winter quarters ; 

 fresh air should never be denied them when removed into 

 a room. This is applicable to all plants, for all should be 

 inured to their winter confinement by degrees, or they can- 

 not sustain life without. When the Camellia is kept too 

 warm it causes their buds to fall, and also their growth is 

 forced beyond their power of retaining them. Extremes of 

 any kind are prejudicial to plants. 



I have pointed out the difficulties attending those which 

 require most care ; for all other plants a medium line must 



