CON 



[242] 



CON 



Unity of expression is, to a certain 

 extent, maintained by a mixture of the 

 two modes, the centre of the house being 

 supplied with plants that are really 

 turned out, or which, brought for a tem- 

 porary purpose, appear to be so, while 

 all round the house there is a broad shelf 

 for the accommodation of plants in pots. 

 In saying "all round the house," we are, 

 of course, alluding to houses that have 

 glass on all sides. Where there is an 

 opaque back wall, the shelf could be only 

 at the front and ends. However desir- 

 able it is to have lighten all sides, where 

 expense for heating in winter is no great 

 object, yet very pleasing effects are pro- 

 duced, even in lean-to roofs, where a 

 little attention is paid to unity of idea. 

 This has been strikingly exemplified in 

 the range of plant-houses at the Duke of 

 Devonshire's, at Chiswick, most of which, 

 with the exception of the centre, the old 

 conservatory, formerly consisted of lean- 

 to forcing-houses. The handsomest small 

 conservatory we know is at Mr. Wilson's, 

 Stamford Hill, near London. 



With the single exception of planting 

 out, the treatment of the conservatory is 

 similar to that of the greenhouse. Keep- 

 ing this in mind, good drainage should 

 he secured ; and the general soil should 

 consist of two parts fibry loam and one 

 of fibry peat, with pieces of sandstone, 

 broken bricks, and charcoal intermixed, 

 to keep it open. The peculiar require- 

 ments of each plant, as respects soil and 

 manure, can be attended to in planting. 

 Where the object is merely to preserve 

 the plants during the winter, the general 

 treatment will be similar to that of a cold 

 greenhouse. Where the ideas of com- 

 fort, alike for the plants and tbe visitors, 

 are to be maintained, and flowering 

 plants are to be introduced liberally in 

 winter, the general temperature should 

 not be lower than 45, and should range 

 from that to 50, allowing 10 or 15 

 more for sunshine. In such circum- 

 stances, the Camellia and the Orange will 

 bloom during most of the winter ; and 

 Acacias, Eugenias, &c., will bloom early 

 in spring. The greatest possible quantity 

 of air must be given in summer ; but in 

 winter it must be very limited in frosty 

 and dull, foggy weather, it being better, 

 in either circumstances, to keep the 

 house rather close, in preference to using 

 large fires. Protecting by covering in 

 severe weather will be of importance. 



The heating medium, to be most effec- 

 tual, should be above-ground; but, to save 

 room, the flues or pipes may be beneath 

 the pathways, which \vill also be of im- 

 portance for keeping the soil in the beds 

 in a nice warm condition, and in such a 

 house will render the flowering of many 

 of the hardier stove climbers a matter 

 of certainty. Watering may be given 

 liberally during summer, both at bottom 

 and overhead ; but in winter the plants 

 will want little if duly attended to in the 

 autumn; yet what is given should be 

 rather warmer than the atmosphere of 

 the house. In planting, it will often be 

 necessary to make little brick pits for 

 particular plants, to prevent them occu- 

 pying too much space. 



CONTRAJE'RVA BOOT. Dorste'nia con- 

 traje'rva. 



CONVALLA'RIA. Lily of the Valley. 

 (From the Latin convallis, a valley, and 

 rica, a mantle ; in reference to the dense 

 covering formed by the leaves. Nat. ord., 

 Lilyworts [Liliacesej. Linn., Q-Hexan- 

 dria 1-Monogynia.) 



Hardy herbaceous perennial, native of Britain. 

 Divisions ; common soil, shady situation. 



C. maja'lis (May). 1. White. May. 



flo're-ple'no (double-flowered). 1. White. 



May. 

 ru'bra (red). 1. Flesh. May. 



CONVO'LVULUS. Bindweed. (Frora.con- 

 volvo, to entwine ; in reference to their 

 twining habit. Nat. ord., Bindweeds [Con- 

 volvulacese]. Linn., 5-Pentandria I-Mo- 

 nogynia.) 



The roots of most of the plants in this order 

 abound in a milky juice, which is acrid, and ia 

 some cases, highly purgative, as the Jalap and 

 Scammony plants. Cuttings, divisions, and seeds 

 of perennials, and seeds of annuals; peat and 

 loam for the greenhouse and stove species, and. 

 common soil for the hardy. Seeds of hardy, 

 sown in open border, in March or April, or in 

 hotbed for those which need protection. 



HARDY ANNUALS. 



C. elonga'tus (lonx-flower-stalked). 1. White. 

 July. Canaries. 1815. Twiner. 



Forskas'lii (Forsksel's). Blue. June. Egypt) 



1837. 



pentapetaloi'des (five-petaled). 1. Light blue. 



July. Majorca. 178Q. Trailer. 



Si'culus (Sicilian). 2. Light blue. July. South 



Europe. 1640. Trailer. 



stri'ctus (straight). Rose. June. Egypt. 1822. 



tenefllus (delicate). White. June. N. Amer. 



1812. Climber. 



tri' color (three-coloured). 3. Striped. July. 



South Europe. 1629. 



albiflo'rus (white -flowered). 1. White. 



July. South Europe. 1629. 



undula'tus (waved- leaved). White, red. 



South Europe. 1816. 



