32 THE GAR DEIN] MA GAZ NE 
FEBRUARY, 1916 
winter. Eucharis, Poinsettias and Gar- 
denias can be grown fairly well, too, 
although these plants revel in a higher 
temperature. They are started in early 
spring and by preference should be 
given space on a bench with bottom 
heat available. Bottom heat is provided 
by boxing in the sides of the benches 
to include the pipes, so that the heat 
must pass through the soil. Callas, 
Freesias, and all the various types of 
Easter Lily are usually started during 
fall in frames, and when actual growth 
has started they can be brought into the 
rose house. In some cases, however, 
they are planted directly into the 
benches. Lily-of-the-valley can be 
forced in the rose house, if planted in 
boxes, and the boxes placed on the pipes 
in the warm end of the house. A drop 
curtain is placed on the side of the 
bench to keep the plants dark. They 
must be watered copiously and can be 
brought up to the light to finish their 
growth. I have also seen the fragrant 
wax flower, Stephanotis, trained along 
the bench supports in a rose house, giv- 
ing big returns from what otherwise 
would be waste space. 
A few vegetables are not out of the 
range of possibility. Two or three cu- 
cumber vines of the English or frame 
variety in the warm end of the house 
provided with bottom heat, will keep 
any family supplied. Tomatoes wiil do 
well, and for winter fruit should be 
started not later than August lst. Grow 
them on a rear bench so that they do 
not shade the Roses. On a side bench, 
since they do not require much head 
room, sow a few beans. 
WHEN DECORATIVE PLANTS ARE WANTED 
If fancy runs to decorative plants 
rather than to cut flowers, it would be 
better to keep the temperature slightly 
higher, say about 60 to-65 degrees at 
night, and more moisture in the air. In 
such a case the walks and under the 
benches should be sprayed frequently, 
and the benches covered with gravel for 
the pots to rest on. 
In these conditions, all Palms, such 
as Kentias, Arecas, Phoenix, etc., and 
Cycas, can be grown, with all the dif- 
ferent types of Dracaena. There are 
many handsome plants in this family. 
The Croton is also a highly decorative 
pot plant, with a wide range of color 
and here also the old trusty Rubber 
plant will be at home. And so, too, the 
Aspidistra, which of all plants is un- 
surpassed for standing abuse. Ferns of 
the “Boston” family (Nephrolepis) in 
all the diversity of form, the various 
forms of greenhouse Maidenhair (Adi- 
antum) will flourish so that a compart- 
ment devoted to this class of plants 
should keep any well sized residence 
supplied with healthy stock the year 
round. By changing the plants in the 
dwelling every two weeks they may be 
kept in perfect health. 
PLANTS FOR A “CARNATION” TEMPERATURE 
After all, the Carnation is not so very 
exacting. There are two distinct classes 
of plants that can be grown with it ac- 
cording as the house is warm or cool. A 
temperature of 55 degrees at night is 
the maximum at which the Carnation 
will do well. At this temperature, good 
companion crops are Celosia, Cyclamen, 
Freesia, Fuchsia, Heliotrope, Hyacinth, 
Narcissus, Tulip, Pelargonium and Bou- 
varia, which is a fairly good variety 
both for cut flowers and for decorative 
plants in pots. 
The best quality Carnations, how- 
ever, are grown at a temperature of 50 
degrees at night; true, you don’t get 
quite so many flowers, but they are of 
better quality, and there is also a wider 
range of plants that can be grown at 
the same time. All the bulbous stock 
does well at this temperature, such as 
Allium, Hyacinth (both the Dutch and 
Roman), all the various types of Nar- 
cissus, Tulips, etc. If the Cranations are 
confined to the side benches, the centre 
bench can be used for tall growing 
plants, such as Snapdragon, Campanula, 
Schizanthus or Sweet Peas (although 
the latter do better in solid benches). 
I have, however, seen excellent results 
from Sweet Peas planted on raised 
benches. Other “cool” plants that can 
be grown in this connection are Cine- 
raria, Calceolaria, Mignonette, Pansy, 
Primula and Stock. A few roots of 
Sweet Alyssum planted on the edge of 
the bench and allowed to trail over the 
side will be both attractive and re- 
munerative. 
Some vegetables will fit into the Car- 
nation house. Cauliflower does excel- 
lently in the greenhouse, producing 
great snowy white heads, tender and 
full of flavor. Radishes, parsley and 
Spinach may be grown. If the New 
Zealand spinach is used, it will produce 
abundantly all winter from the one 
sowing made in August. Lettuce, 
although it does best in solid beds, will 
do well on raised benches with a little 
extra care. 
The space under the benches need not 
remain unproductive. Rhubarb will 
yield big returns from good sized 
clumps. One of the daintiest of all 
table delicacies is asparagus when 
forced under the greenhouse bench. 
Both are started from dormant clumps 
lifted from the. garden. Try a few 
mushrooms; these are started from 
spawn and, while they are uncertain, 
with proper cultivation they should pro- 
duce good results. The very finest 
mushroom bed I ever saw was under a 
bench in a Carnation house. 
The impression that a greenhouse is 
useless during the summer is far from 
the truth. There is a number of pretty 
plants such as Gloxinia, Achimenes, 
Mimulus, etc, which will make the 
greenhouse attractive and are very good 
for decoration in the homne. Melons can 
also be grown and will be of a quality 
superior to those outside Although 
Chrysanthemums will not flower until 
the early fall, they can also occupy the 
greenhouse during the summer period. 
All kinds of outside flowering plants, 
such as Asters, Salpiglossis, Heliotrope, 
are of superior quality when grown in- 
side during the summer. 
Potted fruits can be grown in the 
greenhouse during summer. They are 
very productive and the fruit is a very 
high quality and enormous in size. 
Grapes, apples, pears, peaches, plums, 
figs, cherries and apricots can all be 
grown in pots and handled in this way. 
If properly managed, a greenhouse 
will produce both good things for table 
consumption and beautiful things for 
home decoration every day in the year, 
besides making it possible to lengthen 
the season of the flower garden and 
raising the standard of production in 
the vegetable garden. 
“Decorative” plants are those grown mostly for their fine foliage—Palms, Ferns, 
All these may be grown together in a night temperature of 60-65 
Dracaenas, etc. 
Miscellaneous flowering plants, some vegetables, etc., require a night degree of 55. 
This is the best all-purpose temperature for the amateur’s greenhouse 
