HARD-STEMMED GREENHOUSE PLANTS. 



337 



will change the color of their leaves from green to brown. 



Tender kinds of hard-stemmed greenhouse plants 

 should be kept in the house, air given freely and water 

 applied whenever needed. In fact, it is advisable to go 

 among them with the water-pot several times during hot 

 dr.ys, in the house as well as outside, to prevent any of 

 the plants from getting so dry as to flag. 



The plants which are outside must be removed to the 

 house early in autumn, as their young and tender shoots 

 are liable to be hurt during cold nights. Before bringing 



of them may drop their leaves. Space and air are needed 

 for best development. 



When all are housed, give them all the air possible 

 during the daytime, and also at night, if the weather is 

 mild. At this time of the year, frosts are not so severe 

 as to injure housed plants, even if lights and ventilators 

 be kept open. The summer's growth is not finished at 

 the time the plants are removed to the house, therefore 

 young shoots do not acquire a really woody character and 

 are liable to damp-off during the winter, unless air is 



Woodland iNFtSTED by the Gypsy-Moth. (See pas^'e 340.) 



them into the house, which may be done early in Sep- 

 tember, turn the pots around some cloudy day, to break 

 off the roots which have grown through the bottom of 

 their pots. I have found this a very good practice, as 

 plants so treated do not droop like those whose roots are 

 cut off as they are brought into the house. Besides, the 

 plants are better prepared for their winter quarters, where 

 they almost always have slight bottom heat by this treat- 

 ment of the roots. In arranging plants on the shelves 

 for the winter, do not set them too close together or some 



admitted freely after housing. They can hardly have too 

 much air, so long as there is no frost. Free circulation 

 of air will quickly dry all moisture out of the pots, so give 

 water plentifully whenever the plants require it. During 

 the cloudy and foggy days of November and December, 

 water more sparingly, as the temperature of the house is 

 already filled with moisture. Injured foliage and dry 

 flowers should be removed from all plants as soon as 

 noticed, as they not only injure them but also give them an 

 untidy, unattractive appearance. Even in mild weather 



