PLANTS UNDER GLASS 55 



The winter temperature of the various houses should 

 be : — Stove, 70-65 degrees ; intermediate house (the 

 cool stove or warm greenhouse), 65-60 degrees ; green- 

 house, 60-55 degrees. The lower figure is the night 

 temperature. 



Watering and ventilation must be most carefully seen 

 to in winter. Unfortunately, more damping down of 

 the floors and stages than is good for flowers has to be 

 done, as the evil of two little piping for a house is still 

 common. A large extent of piping, moderately heated, 

 is far better than a lesser amount violently heated. In 

 the latter case the air is much dried, and much moisture 

 is condensed on the glass, causing drip, and an arid 

 atmosphere, which is most injurious to plants. 



Growth 



The future strength of the plants depends greatly on 

 the strength of the cuttings, and plants producing them 

 should be placed near the glass. When plants after 

 flowering are grown on for another year, their shoots 

 should be shortened before they are placed in more heat. 

 When the buds start, shake the roots out of the old soil, 

 and put into pots as small as possible. Subsequently 

 both rooted cuttings and older plants will require re- 

 potting, while those that do well with outdoor treatment 

 in summer should be inured to a cooler house before 

 they are plunged in open beds or placed in cold frames. 



Many plants require pinching. The first check should 

 be given before the first repotting after starting. In 

 the case of those plants frequently stopped, as bouvardias, 

 zonals, etc., pinching should cease two months before 

 flowers are required. All flower buds that appear before 

 six weeks ere flowers are wished should be pinched out. 

 This applies to plants like the above-mentioned and 

 begonias. Plants that show flower too early may be 

 retarded by being placed in a cooler temperature. 



