THE GREENHOUSE GAY 



a first crop, and, of course, others will be produced later. 

 If at the second " stopping " all shoots are " stopped " 

 on the same day, the chances are that all the flowers on 

 the plant will be open pretty much at the same time. 

 If, however, the shoots are stopped at intervals of a week 

 or so, each plant will give a succession of bloom. 



I am afraid I have taken up a lot of space in describing 

 the method of growing Winter or Perpetual Carnations, 

 but I hope I have not bored the reader, for they are really 

 most enchanting flowers to possess in the depth of winter, 

 and their cultivation cannot fail to give intense interest 

 to all who can accommodate them in a greenhouse the 

 winter temperature of which does not often fall below 45, 

 or only occasionally as low as 40. A temperature* of 

 50 is what one should aim at, but the great thing is to 

 afford them all the fresh air possible. The heating appar- 

 atus is valuable not only because it keeps out the cold, 

 but because it enables one to admit plenty of fresh air 

 even in chilly weather. Supposing, for instance, the 

 thermometer registered 38 out of doors, and the green- 

 house were unheated, the ventilators would need to be 

 closed. With the aid of hot-water pipes, however, it 

 would be a simple matter to maintain the temperature 

 between 45 and 50 while having the ventilators partly 

 open. The more fresh air the Carnations can have the 

 better, and the temperature should not exceed 50 unless 

 it increases naturally in sunshine. 



Chinese Primulas, of which the Star Primulas, that 



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