The Amateur's Conservatory 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



THE AMATEUR'S CONSERVATORY. 



A GREAT deal of pleasure without a large outlay of expense 

 can be derived from a small Conservatory or even a Plant- 

 room attached to the dwelling-house. In a small Conserva- 

 tory, the first requisite is perfect command of the ventilation, and 

 the next, perfect command of the light by having the sides which 

 are exposed to the sun, provided with spring blinds or shades so 

 that in clear, dry weather the direct rays of the sun may be kept 

 off the foliage. Otherwise, the foliage is apt to become scorched 

 and blistered, and besides, when the air of the Conservatory gets 

 too hot and dry, it takes away from the leaves that lively, fresh 

 finish, which is so much of the beauty of the plant carrying per- 

 fect leaves. 



We build a Conservatory to enable us to enjoy the vegetation 

 of the tropics or of countries with warmer climates than our 

 own. Let us then fill the Conservatory with plants which cannot 

 be successfully cultivated in the open air, and not with Roses, 

 Carnations, Geraniums, etc. 



The plants best suited for Conservatories are the finer Palms 

 and Dracaenas, the finer Ferns such as the Adiantum, the Daval- 

 lia, Asplenium, the tropical Gymnogramea, and many others 

 which are easily grown in a temperature between fifty-five and 

 eighty degrees Fahrenheit, provided they are sheltered from the 

 direct rays of the sun, are given a moist atmosphere and are not 

 subjected to cold draughts of air blowing through the plant 

 house. 



Special care must be given to preparing the soil for Palms. 



Most of the Palm family enjoy a good, strong soil, one com- 

 posed of one-half good yellow surface loam, one-quarter well- 



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