BOOK II. 



CLIMBING GREEN-HOUSE PLANTS. 



917 



and, if necessary, add a little fire-heat, and mats along those parts of the glass nearest 

 the plants, in such manner as to prevent the frost or piercing winds from injuring them. 

 The conservatory, in these particulars, requires to be managed in the same manner as 

 directed for the green-house. As few objects are more desirable than to preserve the 

 gay appearance of the plants, it will be requisite to pay constant attention to the removal 

 of decayed leaves and weeds of every description ; also to tie up or cut short any loose 

 straggling branches that happen to show themselves, to remove those pots which may 

 have been plunged or set on the pit when out of flower, and, if convenient, to have their 

 places supplied with others in a fresher state. 



6(348. During November, December, January, and February, the moisture of the atmosphere in such 

 departments, where there is a great body of damp mould, will occasion several species of the bryum, and 

 other mosses, as also of the fungi, to vegetate; particularly as the mould has had time to settle, and the 

 surface to become of a close firm texture, which would give the house a very unclean appearance. It 

 must be remedied by frequently stirring with a small fork the whole of the pit, to the depth of two or three 

 inches, and raking it over smoothly with a neat close-toothed rake ; which, as well as the fork, should be 

 particularly adapted to this purpose, by being furnished with short handles ; so as to enable the operator 

 to use them with freedom under the plants, by which means many branches and flowers will escape being 

 broken off', which cannot be well avoided when awkward tools arc allowed to be used for this purpose. 

 As soon as raked, let some fine-sifted fresh loam be thinly scattered over the surface, and it will tend to 

 give it a more agreeable appearance ; besides, being dry, it will serve to imbibe a good quantity of the 

 superabundant moisture. 



(>649. As the spring advances, they will require considerable attention to keep them in proper order, on 

 account of their great increase of growth, more particularly the climbing plants, trained against the walls 

 or trellis-work; these should be daily attended to, and trained in their proper places; directing their 

 course to those parts of the house which, from their nakedness, appear to want them most : also these 

 species of plants being remarkably free growers in general, it will frequently be found necessary to thin 

 them, by cutting away any unsightly parts, and those branches most destitute of flowers ; by which means 

 there will be sufficient room for the young vigorous growth, and these should be trained "in regularly as 

 they advance, otherwise they will attach themselves to the first object they meet, and render it difficult 

 to dress them neatly afterwards. 



6650. Slugs, snails, and other vermin, are very fond of harboring among the leaves of these plants, 

 when permitted to grow crowded ; also under any low bushy plants in the pit, whence they make their 

 nightly excursions, to the great injury of the foliage in general, if not seasonably detected. The drought 

 and warmth increasing with the year, will render it convenient to admit more air, and an increase of 

 water ; two very essential points, that should never be neglected. 



6651. In summer, the lights having been removed, as before directed, the plants should have any neces- 

 sary pruning, and be all regularly fresh tied up, to secure them against the free action of the wind ; they 

 will, if the weather happens to be dry, which is most frequently the case at this season, require an abund- 

 ant supply of water, particularly the strong free-growing sorts, on account of being thus exposed to the 

 open air. The cause for thus taking oft' the top-lights every summer is, that the plants may have the 

 benefit of the warm invigorating showers of that season, and the action of the perpendicular air, which 

 will be a great means of their acquiring that strong, healthy, robust growth, so much wished for : indeed, 

 where it is not practised, the plants seldom fail of being drawn into, the opposite unsightly extreme. In 

 two or three years from the first planting, many of them will be grown to as large a size as the house will 

 admit. The knife must be then freely used among such, to keep them within bounds, and prevent their 

 injuring each other, which they inevitably would, if permitted to grow too close together. However, in 

 performing this, one must be very careful lest they disfigure the general appearance of the plant, cutting 

 away only the rude and overgrown parts, which should be taken clean off, without leaving any of the 

 stumps behind. The younger parts which are suffered to remain should then be tied neatly up, so as to 

 form a handsome middling-sized bush. It will also be necessary to observe whether any have outgrown 

 their neighbors in the front rows ; these may conveniently be moved into more backward situations, and 

 their places supplied with other new varieties, if to be had. This work may be done with safety any 

 time in spring or autumn, when the weather happens to be a little dull ; it will be advisable, however, to 

 cut off a few of the most luxuriant shoots, and to run a spade or large trowel down, around the roots, so 

 as to fonn a ball, some days previous to its final transplanting, which also operates as a partial check on 

 the free growth of the plant. It should be taken up with a good ball of roots and earth, and well watered 

 as soon as replanted : it may also be found requisite to shade such as are thus removed lightly for a few 

 days, if the weather happens to be very clear. (Gushing.} 



SECT. III. Climbing Green-house Plants. 

 Those marked h have herbaceous stems. 



6652. 



CLIMBING GREEN-HOUSE PLANTS. 



6653. The propagation and culture of this tribe is the same as for woody plants. The situation proper for 

 planting climbers and creepers has already been considered. (6204.) To cultivate them to perfection, a 

 house should be entirely devoted to them, in which they should be planted in prepared soil, and trained 

 on poles, like hops, or on arcades, or on single rods running from the front or sides of the house to the 

 back or centre ; but sufficiently distant from the glass to show the beauty of the flowers and foliage to the 

 spectator. 



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