GREEN-HOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



999 



Cape plants, for example,) at least, they are found to succeed 

 perfectly well with a much less share of it. Houses, therefore, 

 having much less glass in their construction, which is the 

 most expensive material used in their erection, may be used 

 with much propriety ; and when the situation will not admit 

 of a southern exposure, that of an eastern or western 

 aspect may be freely indulged in. In erecting a house ex- 

 pressly for the purpose of cultivating Camellias, it is advisable 

 to have it rather lofty, as the plants are seen to the greatest 

 advantage when from six to eight feet in height, or even 

 higher, particularly when well furnished with branches from 

 the pot or tub upwards. While the plants are young or small, 

 they may be elevated sufficiently upon stages so as to be suf- 

 ficiently near the glass, and as they become enlarged, the 

 stage may be gradually lowered, until ultimately they are of 

 sufficient size to be placed on the floor altogether. 



Houses for Camellias should either be so constructed at first 

 as to exclude a certain portion of sun-shine, by being placed 

 with their fronts towards the east or west, and in some pecu- 

 liar situations even to the north, as these plants delight in 

 shade, and retain their beautiful blossoms three times as long, 

 when so situated, as when they are fully exposed to its in- 

 fluence. Shading such houses as are fully exposed during 

 certain seasons corrects this defect, but, let it be remembered, 

 that shading is attended with no inconsiderable expense, and 

 has always a bad effect in garden scenery. Camellias in ge- 

 neral flower early in the season, often in March and April ; 

 under such circumstances they perfect their flowers tolerably 

 well, and retain them for a considerable period, in houses 

 facing the south ; but, to grow this tribe of plants in the first 

 degree of excellence, some or other of them will flower at 

 least ten months in the year. Those produced during the 

 dark months of winter are in general the best, and always last 

 the longest. Those that flower during the hot months of 

 summer seldom perfect their flowers, and never retain them for 

 any length of time, probably not two days. This is also the 

 case when fire-heat is used while they are expanding their 

 blossoms, and particularly so when fire-heat and want of suf- 

 ficient ventilation are combined. Fire-heat is seldom neces- 



