JANUARY. 



17 



forming damp vapours, which are very injurious to 

 plants at this season. 



Air. — Air must be admitted in abundance at 

 every opportunity : should a cold cutting wind blow 

 direct upon the plants, it will then be necessary to 

 close the house against it; but whenever the thermo- 

 meter in the open air is 35°, it is safe and advisable 

 to give the plants air, provided, as I said before, 

 there be no cold cutting wind direct upon the plants. 



Water. — At this time of the year, care must be 

 exercised in applying this element : let the plants 

 be regularly examined, and such as require water 

 should have no more than will moisten the earth in 

 the pot ; if they be kept from flagging, it is sufficient. 



The Erica is very impatient of either extreme ; 

 if kept too wet, it will destroy the plant, and if al- 

 lowed to flag, it is death to the most delicate sorts. 



FLOWER-HOUSE. 



This house is appropriated to the growth of stove 

 plants, and to the forcing of such plants as can be 

 brought into flower during the winter months. 

 This house must have a pit for bark, and a cistern 

 for water, that the water may be of the same tem- 

 perature as the air in the house. 



Heat. — Heat, this month, must be regulated ac- 

 cording to the state of the weather. It is opposite 

 to nature to have the thermometer at the same de- 

 gree on a rough windy night, as on one that is mild 



c 



