4 Clje ^aibener's Poniljlg. 



near as common as they might be, through a fear 

 that the expense is more than can readily be borne. 

 But this is generally through the proprietor him- 

 self not giving the matter much thought, but de- 

 pending altogether on the carpenter. It is best al- 

 ways, in this matter, to have the advice of an 

 intelligent and experienced gardener. Every twenty- 

 five dollars invested in this way will save hundreds 

 from the carpenter's bill. We note many places 

 rendered worthless for a thousand dollars, which, 

 with a proper understanding of the wants of plants, 

 and proper arrangements, might have been made 

 pleasant places for half that sum. 



In the arrangement of plants in the greenhouse, 

 continual change is commendable. Every few weeks 

 the plants may be re-set, and the houses made to 

 appear quite different. In the end where the low- 

 est plants once were set, now the taller ones maybe 

 placed; here a convex group, and there presenting 

 a concave appearance. Drooping plants on elevated 

 shelves, and hanging baskets from the roof, make 

 little paradises of variety in what were once un- 

 bearable monotony. Gardeners often wish to know 

 the secret of maintaining a continued interest, on 

 the part of their employers, in their handiwork, 

 and this is one of the most potent — continued 

 change and variety in the appearance of every thing. 

 Beautiful flowers, graceful forms, elegant combina- 

 tions, all developing themselves with a healthy lux- 

 uriousness and ever-changing endlessness, will wake 

 up an interest in the most indifferent breast. 



The temperature of the greenhouse at this season 

 should be maintained at about 50°, allowing it rise 

 10° or 15° under the full sun, and sinking 10° or so in 

 the night. Though many of our practical brethren 

 differ from us, men, for some of whose opinions we 

 entertain the highest respect, we do not recommend 

 a very great difference between night and day tem- 

 perature, we think 10° ample allowance. It is fol- 

 lowing nature, no doubt ; but we would rather strive 

 to beat nature. She cannot make the specimens we 

 do, nor flower them so beautifully or profusely, and 

 in many other respects we think the practical gar- 

 dener can much improve on her red-tape notions 

 and old-fashioned courses. 



Many plants will seem to be full of roots, and the 

 temptation to re-pot will be very great ; but if a 

 plant is desired to flower freely, the fuller of roots 

 the pot is, the better. Continual pot-tering is the 

 bane of plant-culture. If the soil is so very much 

 exhausted that the flowers are likely to be small 

 and poor, a half inch of the old soil in the pot, on 

 the surface, may be replaced by a top-dressing of 

 rich compost. But watchfulness must be after- 



wards exercised, or the plant will get over-dry, as 

 the loose soil on the top will often appear wet, when 

 in' reality all below is as dry as a powder-horn. 



This, by the way, is often the cause of the flower- 

 buds of Camellias falling ofi". The little dribblings ^ 

 of the water-pot, they daily receive, do not pene- 

 trate far beneath the surface ; the roots at the bot- 

 tom do not get enough, and the buds drop. Ca- 

 mellias ought to be in such a part of the house as 

 not to be liable to become often dry ; such a spot, 

 for instance, as will admit of one good, thorough 

 watering being enough to last for a week. 



VINERY AND FORCING HOUSES 



About the first of January, those who have the 

 luxury of forcing houses, will have their slumbers 

 disturbed by visions of early fruit, and will rise in 

 the morning with the determination to begin at 

 once and go right ahead. Those, of course, who 

 are blessed with superior skill and knowledge, have 

 already commenced, and are now under way. At 

 the start it is best to go slowly, or the plants will be 

 like a good pacer, who has not turned his wind in 

 the race. For Strawberries, 55° will be a good point 

 to start with, and, indeed, at no time do they re- 

 quire a much higher temperature than 65°. They 

 are the easiest of all fruit to force. They require 

 plenty of water, saucers under them do well ; like 

 plenty of hght, must be near the glass, and must 

 be carefully watched for the red spider. They well 

 repay the cost and trouble of forcing. All other 

 kinds of fruit may be started at the same tempera- 

 ture, rising it as the buds begin to burst, and the 

 branches proceed to develop themselves. As the 

 flowers expand, they must be carefully guarded 

 against excess of moisture, or from becoming too 

 dry. In either case, the buds will fall off. Sudden 

 changes of temperature will also produce the same 

 effect, as well as sudden transitions from a moist to 

 a dry atmosphere. There is less danger from a 

 moist atmosphere than a dry one, and water should 

 be strewn plentifully about the paths and shelves; 

 and before giving air. when much of the moisture 

 in the house will escape, as the upper sashes are 

 opened. 



While keeping an eye on the success of this 

 year's crop, a glance must occasionally be bestowed 

 on the season that is to follow after ; and if any 

 shoot seems to be starting away stronger or more 

 vigorously than the others, pinch it out as soon , 

 as such a monstrous tendency is fairly discernible. 



Above all things, in forcing take care of the leaves ; 

 never suffer one to be in the slightest degree in- 



