§ 



THE PHI LADELPHIA FLORIST. H5 



^underneath the eaves of the house. In building greenhouses with the (*/ 

 ° anticipation of introducing grape vines, we have made the 'dust board' V 

 at the lower end of the roof sashes five or six inches wider than usual, 

 thus affording complete protection from rains, and (what is also injur- 

 ious,) bright sun, which is apt to start the growth prematurely in warm 

 clear weather, such as we occasionally experience in the early part of 

 the season. 



While on the subject, we will embrace the opportunity of again 

 urging the practice of growing grapes, and covering the otherwise un- 

 furnished roofs of greenhouses in Summer with a luxuriant foliage, 

 were it to serve no other purpose than that of affording a cool and 

 agreeable shade for the plants on the stage. Of late years many rare 

 and beautiful Summer-flowering exotics have been introduced, and it 

 is to be hoped that the time has passed when greenhouses were con- 

 sidered merely as a receptacle of certain plants in Winter, and con- 

 verted into a lumber room in Summer. We never enter a green- 

 house where nothing but empty shelves meet the eye, without a feel- 

 ing of regret at the "capabilities" thus inconsiderately thrown away. 

 To keep plants under glass in Summer, a moist and shaded atmosphere 

 is necessary; the former condition is attained by a plentiful supply of 

 water on the floor, and the latter by a covering of foliage under the 

 inner surface of the glass; and no plant seems better suited for this 

 purpose than the grape vine. 



Much useless matter has been written upon the composition of in- 

 gredients for the roots of grapes. We may on some future occasion 

 offer a few practical remarks on this subject, as a guide to beginners 

 in these matters. 



CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS, 



FOR AUGUST. 



Written by Practical Gardeners, for the Philadelphia Florist. 



HARDY FRUIT. 



Pears. — This fruit, grafted on the quince, is admirably adapted for 

 the small gardens of amateurs; they anive early at a fruit-bearing 

 state, and need not be planted more than six or seven feet apart, thus 

 admitting a varied assortment in a limited space. Probably the pre- 

 vailing cause of barrenness in fruit trees is over-luxuriance in growth; 

 and the best auxiliary means at command to check this disposition is 

 Summer pruning. This, however, is no haphazard operation, but 

 must be conducted with attentive care. 



"Not work, indeed, that asks robust, tough sinews, bred to toil, 

 Servile employ; hut such as may amuse, 

 a ^ Not tire, demanding rather skill than force." CA 



mip^ s&qs m 



