GKEENHOUSES. 



fTIHE term " greenhouse " is frequently applied by the uninitiated to all forms of glazed 

 structures which are erected for the growth of plants or fruit. By gardeners only 

 plain buildings, intended for the cultivation of plants from temperate regions, are 

 classed as greenhouses, as distinguished from the heat-loving plants from tropical 

 countries which require to be grown in hothouses. In many instances greenhouses are 

 employed in the preparation of plants for furnishing the more ornate conservatories, as 

 well as corridors and dwelling-houses; in others they, to a certain extent, take the 

 place of conservatories, and are kept as gay as possible all the year round. The 

 amateur probably derives more pleasure from his greenhouse- conservatory than do 

 most wealthy owners of large gardens from their elaborate and expensive structures, 

 but all classes are catered for in these pages. 



Plant exhibitors and some few gardeners who do not compete for prizes have their cool 

 as well as warm greenhouses, but the great majority make no such marked distinction. It 

 must be understood, however, that "cool" greenhouses are those principally devoted to 

 the growth of plants of a hard-wooded nature and which require no more fire-heat than 

 will preserve them from being frozen, and to dissipate damp. Included among these 

 are abutilone, acacia, acrophyllum, aphelexis, boronia, camellia, chorozema, correa, 

 daphne, desfontainea, dracophyllum, epacris, eriostemon, lapageria, leschenaultea, 

 myrtus, nerium, pheenocoma, pimelea, polygala, rhododendron, statice, and witsenia. 

 Most of these are impatient of fire-heat, and during the colder parts of the year ought 

 to be kept at least 5° cooler than tenderer kinds of plants. A night temperature of 

 40°, with an increase of from 45° to 50°, with abundance of air in the daytime, is 

 what suits them throughout the winter. 



Among the kinds of plants that thrive best in a warm greenhouse, of a 

 temperature of 45° by night to 50° or 55° with air in the daytime, are amaryllis, 

 arum, begonia, bougainvillea, bouvardia, campanula, carnation, clianthus, clivia, 

 cyclamen, epiphylluin, freesia, heliotropium, lachenalia, zonal pelargoniums, 

 primula, salvia, and vallota. If these two classes cannot be arranged in separate 

 houses, then they ought to be kept apart in a single house, devoting the warmer 



