1002 



THE PRACTICAL GAKDENEU. 



either by occasionally covering the glass nearest to them, or 

 by being placed near those parts where the heat enters into 

 the house from the furnaces behind, and which may be con- 

 sidered the warmest parts of the house. Succulent, or very 

 tender plants, should not be allowed to stand so as to touch the 

 glass, but be removed some inches from it. Nevertheless, they 

 must, upon no consideration, be placed at too remote a distance 

 from the light ; for, during the months of November and Decem- 

 ber, the present, and the following month, all the light and 

 sun-shine that they can enjoy in the most favorable parts of 

 the house will be little enough for them, as the sun with us 

 during these months is low in the horizon. Soft spongy rapid 

 growing plants are more liable to be injured by frost than such 

 as are less luxuriant and full of sap. Thus, a frost sufficient 

 to kill the most common Pelergonium, or Geranium, will not 

 .ji the least affect the most delicate Erica, Banhsia, &c. The 

 majority of plants, in almost every country, have their seasons 

 of summer, of winter, of spring, and autumn, and hovrevor 

 short the duration of such seasons may be naturally to them, 

 with us they coincide nearly in the length of each, as far as re- 

 lates to the latitudes in which vre live. It is, therefore, im- 

 proper to keep up a high temperature for such plants during 

 the short days of winter, when the plants are, as it were, re- 

 posing for a short time, to enable them to shoot with greater 

 vigour at a proper season. Endeavours to counteract this 

 natural disposition in plants for the most part are attended 

 with the most injurious consequences, and instead of bene- 

 fiting the plants, only induce them to send up weak shoots 

 and a few leaves, and consequently rendering them unfit to 

 produce either a fine or abundant bloom. As a criterion, we 

 may observe, that few good cultivators allow a greater range 

 to the thermometer during winter than that of ten degrees, that 

 is, fi'om So to 45, excepting by the influence of sun-heat, and 

 even that should not be allowed to exceed fifty-five degrees of 

 Fahrenheit's scale. 



WATERING. 



Little of this element is necessary for plants in a state of 

 inaction, and, like an excess of fire-heat, more plants are 



