THE STOVE OR TROPICAL HOUSE. 



545 



be of a movable character, to run up and down 

 as required, upon rollers fixed in the usual way. 

 There can be no greater mistake in our sunless 

 climate than to have fixed shading that remains 

 on whether required or not, to the continual 

 exclusion of light. 



The cooler or intermediate house should be 

 constructed in every way similar to that already 

 described for plants requiring tropical heat, 

 with the exception that three or at most four 

 rows of 4-inch pipes round it will be sufficient; 

 the central bed and general arrangement should 

 be the same, not omitting the water-tank. 



Temperature. — Plants from distinctly tropi- 

 cal regions are all the year round subject to a 

 high temperature. The differences that affect 

 them in a state of nature are generally the 

 change from hot and dry to hot and moist, 

 although they may never be under the influence 

 of drought either in the air or at the roots. 

 Plants from countries where such climatic con- 

 ditions as these exist will not bear a low tem- 

 perature. The small amount of light we get 

 through the winter as compared with that in 

 tropical countries, necessitates an enforced rest 

 during winter for many plants which would 

 otherwise grow. Again, in hot countries a 

 temperature in the air of say 90° is no more 

 oppressive to man than one of 75° in a close 

 house. This, no doubt, is owing to the confined 

 state of the air, and we may suppose it exerts a 

 like influence upon plants. A temperature of 

 70° by artificial heat in a plant structure will 

 force growth equal to what would take place 

 in the open air at a temperature 10° higher, 

 under equal conditions of moisture in the atmo- 

 sphere and at the root; consequently it is 

 neither necessary nor desirable, especially in the 

 winter months, to maintain in our plant-stoves 

 as much heat as the occupants are subject to 

 in a wild state. 



On the other hand, a low temperature must 

 be avoided. Too long a rest in the winter is 

 bad for many plants. In most hot countries 

 the dormant season for vegetation is short, and 

 under cultivation eight or ten weeks is quite 

 sufficient for any plant to remain in a dormant 

 state. 



The warmest house should be kept at 65° by 

 night, but in very cold weather 5° lower is safe, 

 and on the whole better. During the day 5° to 

 10° higher may be maintained. In February a 

 few degrees more may be given if the light is 

 favourable and the outside temperature mild, 

 too free a use of fire-heat exercising an injurious 

 influence upon growth ; towards the end of April 

 Vol. i. 



the temperature should be 65° or 70° at night, 

 and 10° higher by day, especially if the sun has 

 any power. It must be understood that these 

 temperatures are advised for thoroughly good 

 light houses, with the plants kept up to the glass 

 and well managed in every way, with plenty of 

 room, otherwise their growth will be weakly. 

 From May onwards the temperature may be 

 kept at about 70° at night, or higher, if the 

 fires are not needed, whilst during the day it 

 may rise to 90° with sun. Plants thus treated 

 have a very considerable start over those that 

 are kept in a dormant condition until the spring 

 is advanced; and they therefore have a longer 

 growing season, finishing in good time to ripen 

 and set for flowers. By the end of August 

 growth will be finished, and the plants should 

 be treated in a manner calculated to ripen them. 

 This is done by reducing the atmospheric mois- 

 ture by the admission of more air with less 

 shading, but not by the reduction of tempera- 

 ture until the ripening process is nearly com- 

 plete. In November and December the night- 

 temperature should be kept at from 65° to 60°. 



In the intermediate house the temperatures 

 day and night should range about 10° lower 

 than those given above, both in summer and 

 winter. 



Soils. — Stove plants as a rule are not so par- 

 ticular as to soil as are greenhouse plants, 

 nevertheless there are many that thrive only 

 when planted in specially prepared soil. As a 

 rule, strong growers that are naturally not 

 possessed of a free disposition to flower will, if 

 grown in peat, produce wood rather than bloom, 

 a flowering condition being more favoured by 

 a loamy soil. Their generally free growth and 

 abundance of foliage, calculated to evaporate 

 moisture rapidly, involving the application of 

 large quantities of water to the soil, make 

 a thoroughly porous condition necessary, and 

 this is ensured by a liberal use of sand, 

 peat, and loam of a fibrous nature, and good 

 drainage. 



Potting. — The plants should be repotted when 

 the roots begin to work freely in the spring, 

 and many free-rooting things will require a 

 second shift during the summer. There are 

 a few stove plants, such as Allamanda and 

 Bougainvillea, that are benefited by the use of 

 a little decayed manure, but generally it should 

 not be mixed in the soil, manure- water, which 

 is quick in its action, being preferable. With 

 few exceptions, stove plants do not require to 

 be potted so firmly as those that grow in a lower 

 temperature. 



35 



