Conservatories and Glasshouses. 67 



has a beneficial effect on palms, but filtered water 

 should be used, or the foliage will be covered with 

 a white limey sediment. 



Mixed collections of plants, and especially Maiden- 

 hair ferns (Adiantums\ should not be heavily syringed, 

 as the water causes the young fronds to rot, and 

 therefore, where these are present, it will be advisable 

 to only damp the stages with a small can, which might 

 be done three or four times a day, according to the 

 season, though a fine vapour-like syringing about eight 

 o'clock in the moring of a very hot day, will prove 

 beneficial and help to keep down insect pests, which a 

 dry atmosphere promotes. 



If shading cannot be carried out by means of 

 roller-blinds, as previously mentioned, a thin gauze 

 tacked over a light wooden framework about May 

 will be found to answer the purpose, or the glass 

 can be painted with a mixture of milk and whiten- 

 ing, care being taken that the shading is not too 

 heavy, or sickly plants will be the consequence.- 



As the plants naturally turn their foliage towards 

 the light, it will be advisable to re-arrange them 

 every month or six weeks, so as to have the better 

 side seen from the paths. 



Cleaning. For this purpose the plants should be 

 taken out in batches, according to the size of the 

 house, and thoroughly overhauled, having their foliage 

 cleaned from dirt and insects, the pots washed, and 

 the drainage examined, and any weeds or scum on 

 the soil removed. The shingle should also be re- 

 arranged, dirt on the woodwork or glass washed off, 

 and the plants returned to their places before the 

 evening. If this system, of a thorough cleaning 

 throughout the house is carefully carried out, few 

 dirty plants will ever be seen, and the house will 

 always present a clean and orderly appearance. 



Potting. This is an operation that should be carried 

 out with considerable care and forethought, as upon it 

 the beauty and health of the plant greatly depend. 



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