THE PLANT STOVE. 
firmly as it proceeds, till within an inch or 
half inch of the riin, as before observed. 
After this, give the soil a fair watering to 
settle it, and the operation is complete. This 
is the way to pot all growing plants at any 
period. 
Watering. — Much injury is sustained by 
delicate plants, by their being watered with 
cold water, while their roots have perhaps 
been subjected to a temperature several de- 
grees in advance of that of the water admin- 
istered to them. At this season of the year, 
therefore, cold water should never be used in 
green-houses ; it should always be warmed 
three or four degrees above the temperature 
of the house. The application of water, too, 
must have careful attention ; the soil should 
be kept as nearly as possible at a uniform 
degree of moisture, that degree being a medium 
between wetness and drought. To secure 
this, it is proper to examine the plants daily, 
applying more or less to those only which are 
becoming dry. Injury from over- watering is 
often caused by bad drainage, and there is less 
risk of giving too much, if the soil is 
properly arranged in this respect. While 
extreme wetness must be avoided as hurtful, 
it is equally so to allow an extreme degree of 
drought to prevail : this should be specially 
looked to, and guarded against. Water is 
best applied in the morning, as the dampness 
arising from it, becomes, to a certain extent, 
carried off during the day; whereas, if applied 
at night, it would probably be confined in the 
atmosphere to the injury of the plants. Those 
plants that are in a flowering state require 
more water than those that are merely 
growing. 
Ventilating. — Green-houses require very 
perfect ventilation. At this time of the year, 
it is chiefly necessary to carry off damp, and 
for this purpose, a portion of air should be 
admitted night and day, when it is not frosty 
nor very damp. Whenever from these causes 
it becomes difficult to admit air so often as is 
desirable, light a slight lire in the morning, 
and keep it burning through the day; this will 
admit of moderate ventilation without damage. 
Avoid currents of air, or admitting it too 
much at one place : if it were possible to allow 
it to have ingress at every foot or inch of sur- 
face, this would be, desirable, but since this 
cannot be. it should be admitted at_ as many 
points as possible. 
Temperature. — Keep this at a mean of 
about 40 degrees, employing lire heat suffi- 
cient only to exclude frost 
Routine. — The dead leaves ought to be 
removed from all plants as soon as they are 
observable, for two reasons ; first, because 
their presence betokens neglect or indiffer- 
ence ; ami, secondly, because they often spread 
contamination and decay around them. Let 
the surface of the soil in the pots be frequently 
loosened up, taking care to remove all green- 
ness and sliminess from the surface, which 
sometimes appear when the soil has been kept 
too damp. 
When a house for mixed or miscellaneous 
plants only is possessed, some attention will 
be necessary to render the general features of 
treatment somewhat suitable to the various 
kinds of plants which are cultivated in it. For 
such a house the temperature must not 
exceed a mean of 40 degrees ; air must be 
freely admitted ; and frost must be excluded. 
The most tender of the plants, such as Pelar- 
goniums, Heliotropes, &c, should be placed 
in the best and warmest part of the house, 
while others of a more robust or hardy nature 
may occupy the colder, and less favourable 
positions. Heaths and New Holland plants 
should get plenty of air and light, and cannot 
be better placed than on the front platforms, 
near the glass, as they will bear a little cold ; 
Geraniums would be safer on the central 
stages, if there is light enough comes to that 
part of the house. Camellias and large plants 
of the hard-wooded green-house species, such 
as Acacias, may occupy the back part of the 
stages. It is preferable to collect these different 
kinds of plants into separate groups if possi- 
ble, as they are then more easily attended to 
than if indiscriminately mixed ; besides it is 
better for the plants, as the delicate kinds are 
not then liable to be smothered by the more 
robust and vigorous growing families. The 
remarks as to watering and potting given 
under the separate heads will perfectly apply 
to the plants when grown together in the same 
house. 
THE PLANT STOVE. 
TnE same broad and general principles 
apply to the growth and management of plants 
under glass, whether inhabiting the pit, the 
green-house, or the stove ; all more or less at 
this particular season of the year will be en- 
joying so much of rest and repose, as may be 
in accordance with their individual natures, 
and with the particular object of the cultiva- 
tor. In the stove, however, this is less 
markedly evident, owing to the perennial 
verdure maintained by most of the plants, and 
the slow, ) T et evident progress which some one 
or other of them will be induced to make, 
owing to the warmth and exciting conditions 
which prevail. The object of the cultivator, 
therefore, in framing his treatment to suit a 
general collection, is to restrain this growth 
as much a- possible, by avoiding the stimulants 
of heat, moisture, &c. ; or in other words, 
keeping the atmosphere of his hot-house as 
eool and as dry as the safety of his plants will 
permit. 
