Greenhouse Plants 



( 38S ) 



Grevillea 



and the temperature of the house will be the shade 

 temperature in the open air. Try to avoid violent 

 fluctuations by the use of the ventilators. 



GREENHOUSE PLANTS. 



AH the plants which naturally grow in the tem- 

 perate regions of the earth, many of those found in 

 the sub-tropical zones, and a few of those from the 

 tropics, can be grown in the greenhouse, although 

 the last named section do not grow so luxuriantly 

 as they do in greater heat. In addition to these 

 there are the numerous races of florists' flowers, 

 such as Cinerarias, Cyclamens, Primulas, Azaleas, 

 Geraniums, and innumerable bulbs. A very wide 

 range of subjects is thus afforded, and from these 

 a selection may be made that will keep the green- 

 house gay throughout the whole of the year with- 

 out a break. Greenhouse plants naturally fall into 

 three sections (1) Hard-wooded Plants, including 

 most of the Climbers ; (2) Soft-wooded Plants ; 

 and (3) Ferns and Bulbs. 



Hard-wooded Plants. The New Holland and 

 South African plants, such as Acacias, Aphelexises 

 (or, as they are now called, Helichrysums), 

 Boronias, Epacrises, Ericas, Pimeleas, and Tetra- 

 thecas, once so highly thought of, have now to a 

 large extent gone out of fashion, and only a few of 

 the best of them are grown. There are signs, how- 

 ever, that they are returning to favour. These do not 

 form nearly the whole of the hard-wooded section. 

 To mention only a few, there are Azaleas, Camellias, 

 Polygalas, Cytisnses (Genistas), and the long array 

 of shrubs Lilacs, Deutzias, Prunuses, Viburnums, 

 etc. that may be forced into flower in spring. 

 Almost all hardy flowering subjects are amenable 

 to culture in pots, and if brought steadily on in the 

 greenhouse they may easily be had in flower 

 several weeks in advance of their relatives outside. 



Climbers and Pillar Plants. No greenhouse is 

 properly furnished unless some of its pillars, and 

 at least part of its roof, are covered with climbers. 

 They add immeasurably to the appearance of the 

 house, and, as their period of growth coincides for 

 the most part with our summer, the shade they 

 give is advantageous, rather than otherwise, to the 

 plants on the stages below them. There are 

 numbers of subjects available. Here is a short list 

 of the best. They may be grown either in pots or 

 prepared borders : 



Pillar and Jtaaf Plants : 

 Acacia leprosa. racemosa. 



Bougainvillea glabra, Rhyncospermum jasmin- 



Cestrum aurantiacum. oides. 



elegaus. Kose Celine Forestier. 

 Coboea scandens. - Martchal Kiel. 



scnndens variegata. Xiphetos. 

 Fuchsias. W. A. Richardson. 

 Hibbertia dentata. Solanum jasminoides. 

 Jasminum graudirloruin. Swainsonia coronillifolia 

 Kenuedya prostrate. (/. gnlegifolia). 

 Lapageria rosea. Tacsonia Van Volxemii. 



rosea alba. Tecoma (Biguonia) radi- 

 Lnuicijra sempervirens, cans. 



Passiflora ccnruliai. Tihouchina macrantha 



coRrulea Constance (correctly T. semide- 

 Elliott. candra var.). 

 Basket Plants : 



A few baskets suspended from the roof add 

 much to the appearance of the house. They should 

 be hung just high enough to allow room to pass 

 under them. A short list is appended : 

 Asplonium Imlbiferum, Begonia Gloire dc 



- fabiiinuni. Lorraine. 



flaccid urn. Campanula isophylla. 



isophylla alba. Lotus Bertholetii. 



isophylla Mayi. Mimulus moschatus Har- 

 Clianthus Dampieri. risonii. 



Ivy - leaved Geraniums Woodwardia radicans. 



(Pelargoniums). 



Soft-wooded Plants. In this section come such 

 popular subjects as Calceolarias, Cyclamens, Prim- 

 ulas, Pelargoniums, Cinerarias, and Carnations. 

 Taken as a whole, these plants are easier to grow 

 than hard-wooded subjects. 



Ferns and Bulbs. There are many Ferns which 

 do well in a greenhouse temperature (see FERNS). 

 They should be given the shadiest corner of the 

 hout'e, and, if it is possible to avoid it, should not 

 be mixed with the other subjects. They like a 

 place to themselves. In addition to the indispens- 

 able Dutch bulbs, without which no greenhouse is 

 complete, there are many bulbous subjects that 

 are equally amenable to culture, but are often 

 forgotten. Crinum Powellii, Nerines, Babianas, 

 Ixias, and Gladioli are cases in point. The 

 favourite Tuberous Begonias, although not strictly 

 "bulbous," may be referred to here. They are a 

 host in themselves. 



GREEN MANURES. 



This general term is applied to crops grown for 

 the express purpose of enriching the soil. They 

 are, as a rule, Leguminous plants, and they are dug 

 or ploughed in when in full growth ; by this means 

 the fertility of the land is increased by the added 

 humus resulting from vegetable decay, and nlso by 

 the nitrogen which such plants fix by means of 

 their root nodules. 



GREVILLEA. 



Description. Australian plants (ord. Proteacese), 

 generally of a shrubby character, though some 

 attain to the dimensions of small trees under 

 cultivation, and reach great heights in their own 

 country. All are evergreen, and in many instances 

 the foliage is elegant and graceful, particularly 

 robusta, which is a popular plant for table decora- 

 tion, and is grown extensively for market. Some 

 few species require no protection in extreme 

 southern or especially favoured gardens, but it is 

 best to regard all members of the genus as cool 

 greenhouse plants. 



Soil. Equal parts of peat and loam, with a free 

 use of sharp sand, form a suitable rooting medium. 



Propagation. Cuttings of newly ripened shoots 

 may be rooted in sand under a bell-glass or in a 

 propagating case, placing the pots in bottom heat 

 as soon as the bases of the cuttings have callused. 

 Grevillea robusta has very rarely flowered in 

 this country, but seed is regularly imported, and 

 provides a ready means of increasing or renewing 

 stock. The seed is best sown in light soil over a 

 gentle bottom heat and kept moist. 



Other Cultural Points. On no account must 

 the young plants become drawn or attenuated, as 

 there is little beauty in a weak specimen. When 

 grown as a room plant robusta will be much 

 benefited if placed out of doors during rain in 

 summer and autumn ; 5" or 6" pots afford 

 sufficient root room for quite large specimens. 



Principal Species and Varieties : 

 alpiua, ', My., rod, yel. Bauksii, 20', Je., red. 



(ni/ii. alpesti-is). robusta, 10' to 50', sum., 



(iri'cnnr'ia (see Setliperviwm). 

 (Ircen lifiserliafer (see Roses'), 

 drcyoria vitaUana (see Aiidrvsace vttaliana). 



