14 



CHAPTER III. 



TEMPERATURE AND MOISTURE. 

 Temperature is a subject which demands our especial at- 

 tention. Many cases of failure in plant culture result from an 

 uncongenial temperature ; it is too high or too low. Tke effect 

 of too high a temperature will soon be visible in the weak, 

 sickly growth of the plant; and some plants, Camellias for in- 

 stance, will drop their flower buds; if the temperature is too 

 low. the plant ceases to grow and the foliage drops off. There 

 must be sufficient heat to excite the roots into action: all 

 plants will grow better if the roots are five degrees warmer 

 than the atmosphere in which the plants are growing, as it 

 produces a strong sturdy top growth that is always desirable. 

 Many practical florists fail in the production of cut flowers in 

 winter because the tops of the plants are warmer than the 

 roots, thus exciting a growth at the tops whicii the roots in 

 their semi-dormant condition cannot support, consequently 

 the growth must necessarily be weak, Und the result is no 

 flowers, or perhaps a few may be produced, but tliey are poor, 

 colorless, and very pitiable looking. Especially is this the 

 case when the plants are not in pots but are planted out in 

 the green house in a great body of soil, that it is rather diffi- 

 cult to heat. The mode of heating must be governed by cir- 

 cumstances »nd surroundings. Few of us would like to put 

 an oil blast stove in our bay windows; an alcohol lamp 

 would look better, and sufficient heat would be generated by 

 It; in very cold weather It might require two such lamps; in 

 a small conservatory the oil stove w^ould be decidedly prefera- 

 ble. But the. great majority of plant growers have neither 

 bay windows or conservatories, and their plants must be 

 cared for. They receive as a rule iust such treatment as can 

 be given them, without in the least discommoding the occu- 

 pants of the room or suite or rooms in which the plants may 

 be growing; as a rule the temperature is too high during the 

 day and too low during the night, and the plants in most in- 

 stances look very badly. One cause for this is the owner does 

 not know what heat the plants require. In the after part of 

 this book, among other things, we propose to give this infor- 

 mation; having acquired this knowledge, the culturist will be 



