SHADING. 



127 



The old practice of stripping the greenhouse in sum- 

 mer is falling into disuse, and by a proper selection of 

 plants and sufficient shade, it is made as attractive then 

 as at any other season, but even for tropical plants the 

 glass must be shaded. For a small lean-to, a screen of 

 light canvass or muslin arranged upon the outside, so 

 that it may be wound up on a roller when not wanted 

 will answer, and if it be desired to keep the house as cool 

 as possible, this should be so contrived that there will be 

 a space of six inches or so between that and the glass. 

 But upon a large house, or one with a curvilinear roof, 

 this is not so manageable, and the usual method is to coat 

 the glass with some material which will obstruct a part 

 of the light. The most common method is to give the 

 outside of the glass a coat of ordinary lime whitewash ; 

 this makes a sufficient shade, and is gradually dissolved 

 by the rains, so that by autumn the coating is removed, 

 or so nearly so that what remains may be readily washed 

 off. A more pleasant effect is produced by spattering the 

 glass with the same wash, which can be done by a dex- 

 terous use of the brush and flirting it so as to leave the 

 wash in numerous fine drops, like rain-drops. Others 

 use whiting and milk for the same purpose. Whatever 

 may be the means of effecting it, we find that in this lat- 

 itude shading of some kind is required from about the 1st 

 of May to the middle of September by nearly all plants 

 grown under glass. Ferns, Lycopods, Caladiums, Primu- 

 las, Fuchsias, Begonias, Gloxinias, Achimenes, Lobelias, 

 Smilax, and plants of that character require the glass to be 

 heavily shaded, while for Koses, Carnations, Bouvardias, 

 Poinsettias, Geraniums of all kinds, and nearly all suc- 

 culent plants, do not need so much. The method of 

 spattering the glass outside with thin whitewash, allows 

 the shading to be light or heavy, as required. When 

 first done, it is spattered very thinly, merely to break the 

 strong glare of the sun, just about thick enough to half 



