THE STOVE. 



33 



period, much more so, tliaii by any reasonable degree of cold- 

 ness in the house during winter ; an almost total stop is put 

 too suddenly to vegetation, and, as a consequence, the juices 

 of the plants are stopped while in full vigour, become stagnated, 

 and soon vitiated; disease follows, and insects immediately 

 commence their attacks ; besides, the wood of many of the 

 shrubby kinds are not properly matured, or what is technically 

 termed ripened ; and either a similar circumstance follows, or 

 the buds do not expand into flowers in spring, from being not 

 fully matured in autumn. It is well known that a favorable 

 autumn has a very material effect in ensuring a crop upon trees 

 in the open air, and it must have exactly the like effect upon 

 those trees or plants under glass. 



WATERING. 



As the growing season of the plants draws to a termination, 

 the supply of water must also be gradually diminished ; and 

 care must now be taken that none of them sustain injury from 

 an over-abundant supply of it. The plants set on the bed, as 

 they will be considerably shaded, and at a distance both from 

 the glass and also from the action of the heat from the flues, 

 will require to be attended in this respect, as the water which 

 they receive from the syringe may be sufficient for many of 

 them, particularly such as have ripened their wood, and all that 

 are naturally deciduous. Those on the kirbs, or over the flues, 

 will now, however, have to be supplied with an additional 

 quantity, as they, particularly the latter, will be liable to be 

 dried up, as the temperature is kept up by fire-heat. Nothing 

 is so injurious to stove plants during autumn and winter, as an 

 injudicious application of too much water, for it not only stag- 

 nates at their roots, but is apt to chill the house too much, par- 

 ticularly towards the surface of the bed on which the plants stand. 

 Steaming should again be commenced with, which is of itself a 

 species of watering, and syringing should be persevered in, but 

 with moderation. It should also be observed, that the water 

 used both for syringing and also for application at their roots, 

 should be placed in the house some hours previously to using, 

 or otherwise warmed to nearly the minimum heat of the house. 



* F 



