62 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GARDENINa. 



GEEEN-HOUSE PLANTS. 



By William Hugh Gower. 



INTRODUCTORY. 



A LTHOUGtH the plants which are treated upon 

 under this heading are for the most part nati\'es 

 of warm parts of the globe, they require very little 

 artificial heat in this country ; indeed, the majority 

 thrive during the winter months in a temperature a 

 few degrees only ahove the freezing-point. This 

 fact teaches us that even in tropical countries there 

 are cool regions ; and therefore for the proper treat- 

 ment of a plant it is not sufiicient to know that it is 

 a native of the East Lidies, or South America, but 

 its particular place in either of these countries should 

 be ascei'tained ; whether it grew in swamps or upon 

 rocks, (to, and the elevation above the level of the 

 sea ; because there are such wonderful changes in 

 the atmosphere and temperature of the plains, and 

 the summits of the mountains. Seeing that plants 

 natxu-ally are subjected to such different atmo- 

 spheric conditions, their various requirements under 

 cultivation must be studied and ministered to in 

 order to maintain them in health and develop their 

 beauties. 



Independently of the importance of the vegetable 

 world in an economic and commercial point of view, 

 the study of plants is full of delightful associations ; 

 their wonderful forms and gorgeous beauty never 

 fail to secure the admiration, not only of the civilised 

 world, but even of the naked savage. But fashion 

 has to a great extent ruled the garden ; and the rage 

 for quick-growing soft-wooded plants has elbowed 

 too many gi-and old plants out of our green-houses, 

 simply because they had becom.e old-fashioned and 

 " slow." 



The object of the green-hr"ase is to give shelter to 

 those plants which, althougi. they reqiiire but little 

 artificial heat, are yet not sufiiciently hardy to with- 

 stand the vicissitudes of our climate during the 

 winter unprotected. By the assistance of such a 

 structure we are enabled to maintain a succession of 

 bloom all through the dull and dreary months of 

 winter, and that too without much expense in the 

 cost of fuel, which in these daj's is usually a serious 

 item in garden expenses. Amongst special winter- 

 blooming plants, some of the most showy and decora- 

 tive are the Australian Acacias, which form gorgeous 

 masses of yellow blooms in various shades. Not less 

 beautiful, but totally difi'erent, are the Epacris, from 

 the same country, with their beautiful racemes of 

 waxy bell-like flowers, which are equally useful for 

 bouquets, button-holes, or the decoration of a lady's 

 hair for ball or evening party. The Heath familj' 

 {Erica) likewise contribute their quota to the winter 



decoration of the green-house, as also do the large 

 families of Camellia and Azalea ; these latter, indeed, 

 may be looked upon as the two most essential genera 

 yet in cultivation for green-house decoration. 



A few words upon the structure of the gTeen-housc 

 will be necessary even here, though the subject is to 

 be separately treated. In the old times, plant-houses 

 were nearly always built one-sided, or what is com- 

 monly known as " lean-to " houses ; and many good 

 plants have been and are grown at the present day 

 in such buildings. They, however, are neither so 

 good for the cultivation of plants, or present such a 

 good appearance, as the modem span-roof house; 

 because, in the lean-to house, unless the plants are 

 frequently turned round, they draw towards the 

 light and themselves become one-sided, which renders 

 the plant quite unfit for drawing-room or dinner- 

 table decoration, or indeed for any other position but 

 the place it has growTi in. 



The two chief points to study in the cultivation of 

 gTcen-house plants are full exposure to the light, and 

 abundance of fresh air. 



Abelia, a genus of pretty plants belonging to the 

 Honeysuckle family [Caprifoliaccce), almos't hardy in 

 warm localities, and anj'where admirably adapted 

 for a cool greenhouse. They are easily propagated 

 by cuttings in summer, inserted in sandy soil, and 

 kept close until they are rooted. 



A. jiorihunda is perhaps the 

 most beautiful species in 

 the family ; it has small 

 opposite, oblong, evergreen 

 leaves. It grows to a 

 height of three feet, aud is 

 well adapted for covering 

 trellis-work. The flowers 

 are freely produced during 

 the early spring months, 

 and are tubular and j)en- 

 dent, some two inches 

 long, of a soft rose-colour. 

 Mexico, 1842. 



A. r^lpestns. — This species 

 has opposite, oblong, liairy, 

 deciduous leaves. It at- 

 tains a height of from four 

 to five feet. Ihe flowers 



are white and red, sweet- 

 scented, produced in pairs 

 at the ends of the brtinches. 

 August and September. 

 China, 1844. 

 A. trijiora, leaves ovate 

 lanceolate, evergreen and 

 twiggy, growing to about 

 five feet in height. Flowers 

 arranged in thi-ee-, and 

 produced ia corymbs at 

 the ends of the branches, 

 ■pnle yellow, suffused with 

 a tinge of pink. July and 

 August. Northern India, 

 1847. 



A. unijiora is so like rnpestris 

 that bo th are not needed. 



Abutilon. — A genus of malvaceous plants, many 

 of which are highly ornamental. They have some- 

 what palmately divided leaves, and produce large 

 bell-shaped flowers, which, being supported upon 

 long slender foot-stalks, give them a pendulous or 

 drooping habit. Besides the species which have been 

 introduced, the genus has been taken in hand by the 

 cross-breeders, and some very beautiful varieties 

 have been obtained. The flowers of Abutilons are 

 extremely useful, either for button-hole flowers, 

 bouquet-making, or the decoration of apartments ; 

 and when left upon the plants in the green-house 

 they form very attractive objects. Many varieties 



