60 PRACTICAL FLORICULTURE. 



eye, was an unpardonable offence. ( ' Killing dry " was, to 

 some extent, really killing, in such a collection as we grew, 

 which consisted largely of Cape Heaths, Epacris, Azaleas, 

 and other hard-wooded plants, which are easily killed 

 outright by allowing their tender, thread-like rootlets to 

 become dry ; unlike soft-wooded plants, such as Gerani- 

 ums, Fuchsias, or Roses, they have less recuperative pow- 

 ers, so that a " dry" that would kill a Heath or Azalea 

 would have only the effect to stagnate the growth of a Ger- 

 anium, and bring the tell-tale yellow leaves that are certain 

 to follow whenever such plants have suffered for a lack or 

 excess of moisture. Although the effect of drying is, for 

 the time being perhaps, less marked in a hard-wooded 

 plant than in a soft-wooded one, yet the ultimate effect 

 is much more fatal. To the unpractised eye, a Heath or 

 Azalea that has been injured by drouth may appear all 

 right, while it has gone beyond recovery. The old gardener 

 before alluded to used to make his dead Heaths do excel- 

 lent service in assisting him in some severe jokes played 

 on his less experienced brethren. Specimen plants of 

 Heaths were scarce, and, in some sorts, very valuable, and 

 if he succeeded in making a present of one of these dead 

 plants to one of his less-knowing friends, it used to keep 

 him in good humor for a week. 



No plant should ever be allowed to flag or wilt for want 

 of moisture, neither should it be watered until the neces- 

 sity for water is shown by the whitening of the surface 

 of the soil, particularly if in dull weather, or if the green- 

 house is kept at a low temperature. As a rule, with 

 greenhouse plants kept in a night temperature of forty- 

 five degrees, with a day temperature of sixty degrees, 

 watering twice a week from December to March will 

 generally be sufficient ; on the approach of clear weather, 

 with higher temperature in April and May, they will re- 

 quire daily attention. 



Our practice is to water during winter with the common 



