THE STOVE. 



27 



daring the heat of summer, and late in the spring, when the 

 sun is then powerful, particular care should be taken that the 

 operation be performed before or after the sun acts too power- 

 fully on the house; for if done when it shines in full strength 

 on the glass, the foliage would be liable to sustain serious 

 injury. For the particles of water thrown on the plants form 

 themselves into little spherules on the leaves, the surface of 

 which spherules collect the rays of heat in a considerable 

 degree, more or less, according to their convexity, and the 

 consequence is, that the leaves will be burned into holes 

 wherever the focus is formed. 



VENTILATION. 



As the season advances, ventilation must be increased ; but 

 before the beginning of June, it is seldom necessary that it 

 be indulged in to any great amount, a few inches of the lights 

 being opened during the middle of the warmest days in March 

 and April will be sufficient. But care must be taken that the 

 house be shut up uefore the sun goes off it, as by that means 

 the temperature of the house would fall too low before the 

 usual time of lighting the fires, and, consequently, the plants 

 would either become chilled, or else the fires will have to be 

 lighted sooner, in order to keep it up, and thus occasion a 

 waste of fuel that might be much better saved ; for as sun- 

 heat is much better than fire-heat, the less of the latter that 

 is used, and the more of the former that can be retained, the 

 better. By the middle of June, a change of air may be more 

 freely admitted, and during July, and part of August, more 

 bountifully indulged in. By the beginning of September it 

 should be reduced, and so gradually to the end of autumn. 



INSECTS. 



During the spring months, insects will be rapidly increasing 

 in numbers, and at that period are most injurious to plants, by 

 attacking the young shoots and leaves. The process of pick- 

 ing them off should be attended to on all proper occasions, 



