WINTER MANAGEMENT OF HOT-HOUSES, &c. 
239 
thermometer in the house is not higher than 50 degrees during the whole of 
December. 
The plants will not grow, it is true ; many will become deciduous, some will 
lose a portion of their leaves, but all will revive, and wake to life and increased 
energy, under the influence of the vivifying principle of light. 
Beauty, perpetual verdure, and floral developments, cannot be forced. Plants 
cannot grow at all seasons ; repose and sleep are required by all created things ; 
therefore, the gardener who endeavours to keep up by heat during darkness, gloom, 
and frost, those effects of vital action which depend upon light and solar influence, 
must effect his object, if effect it he can, at the expense of those stores of supply 
which have been accumulated for the production of the fresh organs and develop- 
ments in the ensuing spring. 
Hot house plants revel in a moist atmosphere and great heat during the advanced 
spring and high summer months, but they seek repose and freedom from offensive 
damp during winter. The autumn prepares them for this torpid condition. 
Let us then gradually desist at that season from raising steam, and, indeed, any 
degree of moisture beyond that which will be yielded by the surface soil of the pots. 
From the commencement of October to the second week in March, let the air be 
kept dry, and water given in the lowest degree which will sustain life, and we need 
not be apprehensive of any bad consequences from the cold of night. 
Frost we would guard against, and indeed would not habitually suffer a decline 
of the mercury below 48 degrees; but it is mere waste of health, time, and fuel, to 
aim at high temperatures, when all they could effect would be to cause elongation 
of parts, to " draw " the plants, without supplying them with any vigour of consti- 
tution. 
We witnessed a fact last April only, which, to us, was absolutely conclusive, 
though the force of prejudice and habit did not permit it to convince the gardener. 
A vinery was under forcing for a May crop of Hamburghs and grizzly Frontignans. 
In one of the severe nights of the month, the rope of a large light gave way, and 
let the light slide down to its utmost extent. In that state, wherein twenty clusters 
remained directly exposed to a nearly frosty air for hours, was the house discovered 
after 6 o'clock, a. m., but not a leaf nor a bunch was injured. We had just pointed 
out several broken large panes, whereat a stream of cold air had poured for many days, 
precisely in proof of our argument that the decrease of 10 or 15 degrees during 
night would do no injury, and our remark led to the anecdote of the light. A finer 
crop of grapes is seldom seen than those produced by our friend, but no conviction 
is yielded by facts ; he still believes that 70 degrees by day and night must be 
equally maintained by fire, during the progress of the grapes ! ! It may indeed be 
said that " truth remains at the bottom of a well ! " 
Other facts connected with plants of ornament shall be adduced soon. 
