Jan.] THE GREEN-HOUSE. s<) 



the bottom or floor be paved with large square paving tiles, or some 

 similar materials. 



The floor of the green-house should be raised at least twelve 

 inches above the level of the ground, and higher in proportion as 

 the situation is moist or springy — for damps sometimes arise "lur- 

 ing the winter months, which prove very pernicious to plants. 



In the green-house should be tressels, which may be moved in 

 and out, upon which rows of plants should be fixed so as to place 

 the pots or tubs of plants in regular rows one above another, where- 

 by the heads of the plants may be so situated as not to interfere 

 with each other. The lowest row of plants or those nearest to the 

 window, should be placed about four feet from them, that there may 

 be a convenient breadth left next the glasses to walk in front, and 

 the rows of plants should rise gradually from the first, in such a 

 manner that the heads of the second row should be entirely advanced 

 above the first, the stems only being hid, and so on for the whole. 

 At the back of the house there should be allowed a space of at least 

 four feet for the conveniency of watering the plants, and particu- 

 larly to admit a current of air around them; there may also be narrow 

 temporary open stairs of boards erected at one end, leading to a 

 platform erected at the back on a level with the highest part of the 

 stage, which will be found very convenient for watering as well as 

 for common access to the highest and most remote plants; and 

 also to place thereon near the back wall pots and tubs of deciduous 

 plants, which would appear very unsightly in the front of the stage; 

 observing that the boards of such platform be laid one inch at least 

 asunder for the free admission of the circulating air. 



If two or three air-holes be made in the back wall a little above 

 this platform, or even below it, about six inches square in the out- 

 side and twelve inside, with close shutting doors towards the out- 

 side and within, both opening inward, they will be found very use- 

 ful in mild weather for ventilating the house and driving off any 

 foul air from the back part; in these holes, between both doors, 

 you may stutt" in any kind of wadding to prevent air coming in that 

 way but when wanted. 



Never crowd the plants, for when pent in too closely a stag- 

 nant rancid vapour is generated which often occasions a moodi- 

 ness upon the tender shoots and leaves, very destructive to the 

 plants; neither should too <>;rcat a proportion of succulent plants 

 ever be placed in this department. 



The Conservatory. 



The green-house and conservatory have been generally con- 

 sidered as synonymous; their essential difference is this: in the 

 green-house the trees and plants are either in tubs or pots, and 

 are placed on stands or stages during the winter till they are 

 removed into some suitable situation abroad in summer. In the 

 conservatory the ground plan is laid out in beds ami borders, 

 made up of the best compositions of soil that can be procured, 

 three or four feet deep. In these the trees or plants taken out of 

 M 



