290 



REFORM IN THE CONSERVATORY. 



Fig. 126. 



banker^ Outchine, at St. Petersburg ; but I feel 1 have 

 already said too much. To my thinking, it is, however^ a 

 truly important topic, and I hope to live to see more 

 interest taken in the beauty of the conservatory^ of its tout 

 ensemble, and less of the rarity of the plants and flowers." 



To any person with a knowledge of what the beauty of 

 vegetation really is there can be no doubt of the correct- 

 ness of these views. The rule 

 therefore in every conservatory 

 in the land should be to use 

 plants of handsome foliage or 

 noble habit. Plant them in 

 beds or borders ; grow them 

 in pots or tubs ; the means, 

 size, and requirements of the 

 place must determine on what 

 scale the thing may be carried 

 out. In some degree the effect 

 desired may be produced in the 

 smallest greenhouse ; where the 

 space is large enough to deve- 

 lope the effect of the finer 

 plants named, the aspect that 

 may be wrought by their taste- 

 ful use will prove ravishing, 

 compared to that of the old 

 display of small-leaved, ordi- 

 nary-looking vegetation. 



In planting out, select things 

 that are graceful and orna- 

 mental during the whole course 

 of their natural lives. Do 

 not plant subjects which, like Acacias, run up to the roof 

 in no time, giving you a mass of bloom for a week or 

 two in spring, and a great mop-head of ugliness for the 

 remainder of the year. A great many greenhouse plants 

 grow like these ; but if you plant out a Palm like Chamse- 

 rops, or a thing like the New Zealand Flax or the superb 

 Musa Ensete, they are presentable and satisfactory at all 



G onioplilebium in suspeusion 

 basket. 



