THE PLEASURE GROUND. 261 



Cape, and New Holland plants, will bear several 

 degrees of frost without injury, there arc other spe- 

 cies of less hardy constitution, that would suffer 

 severely by being exposed to the same degree of 

 cold. It is, therefore, advisable to guard against 

 any bad effects, by having recourse, in time, to the 

 aid of the furnace. We must, however, observe, that 

 the less any artificial heat is applied to the Greenhouse 

 and Conservatory, the more beneficial it will be to 

 the plants ; and that fire-heat should never be re- 

 sorted to, except in frosty weather, or when it is 

 very cold and wet ; then a little heat is necessary 

 to dry up the damp, which is frequently very inju- 

 rious to the more delicate plants. If the frost is 

 simply expelled, it will be sufficient, and the atmos- 

 phere of the house should not be permitted to exceed 

 36 degrees, by artificial heat; as, if the plants are 

 preserved from frost and damp, the more healthy 

 and hardy they will be. During wet and frosty 

 weather, the plants should have but little or no 

 water, as many of the species suffer materially by 

 being kept too moist, when they are in a dormant 

 state. The entire collection should be frequently 

 examined ; and only such as appear in absolute 

 want of water should have any given to them, and 

 that in very moderate quantities, until they again 

 appear in a state of activity, when they will require 

 to be more bountifully supplied; but the operator 

 must be guided in administering this element, ac- 

 cording to the action of the plant, and state of the 

 weather. Such species as are dormant, and those 

 that are unhealthy, will require to be kept rather 

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