10 
THE PLANT STOVE. 
Temperature. — If this is kept at 55° as a 
minimum, and 60°, as a maximum of applied 
heat, the plants will not be too much or too 
rapidly excited. Let the house always be 
coolest at night. In the day-time by sun heat 
65" may be taken as the maximum, and when 
the heat rises above this point, air should be 
admitted to cool the house. In very cold 
weather let the temperature, both by night 
and day, be proportionably lower, say at least 
four or five degrees. 
Ventilation. — Beyond the cooling of the 
house, when the heat rises too high, there is 
little benefit in ventilating much at this season, 
provided every thing is kept sweet, and clean, 
and comfortable, inside ; and much injury is 
often caused by too rashly admitting cold air 
to the tender foliage of the plants. Whenever 
the sun shines so as to heat the house above 
70°, a portion of air should be admitted ; and 
the same should be done if the artificial heat 
rises above 65"; but this air should be ad- 
mitted in very small bulk, and as evenly over 
the whole house as possible, so that the inter- 
change may be very gradual. Generally the 
morning, or towards mid-day, is best for venti- 
lation ; and as it is not so well done later in 
the day, care should be taken that the fires do 
not burn too fiercely to heat the temperature 
too much towards evening and during the 
night. 
Water. — A portion of water will be required 
by all the plants occasionally, except bulbs at 
rest ; but very little should be given compared 
with what is usual when the plants are grow- 
ing vigorously later in the season, although 
this comparatively little will be more than is 
required in the green-house, as the heat here 
kept up in the atmosphere will take up a 
greater quantity of moisture ; the capacity of 
air for moisture being increased in proportion 
to its degree of heat. The water should 
always be used a little above the temperature 
of the house ; and the plants should be looked 
over daily. Care must be taken that the plants 
near the heating apparatus do not dry too 
rapidly, and suffer for want of water. 
Potting. — The general collection of plants 
will be better not potted at this early period, 
though any particular plants that may appear 
to be impatient of growth, or whose roots are 
in an active state, or which it may be required 
to excite rather early, may be potted towards 
the end of the month, if the weather is genial. 
Plants that are usually plunged in bottom 
heat may be potted earlier than those standing 
on the stages. For the manner of doing this, 
see some previous remarks under Green-house. 
Insects. — Stove plants are generally affected 
more or less with insects, of which those of the 
Coccus family are the most hurtful, as well as 
the most filth)'. The spare time that may be 
gained at this season of the year is well devoted 
to the clearing the plants of these insects. 
If the insects are well routed and removed 
from all parts of the plants, by carefully rub- 
bing every part with a stiff brush, and the 
plants are then syringed with a strong clear 
solution of soot in water, this being repeated 
every two or three days, there will be little 
fear of the increase of these pests. The mix- 
tures, of which soft soap and sulphur, tobacco- 
water and nux-vomica, and similar ingredients, 
form the bulk, and which are often used for 
the purpose of destroying insects on plants, 
are unnecessary ; and in themselves scarcely 
less disagreeable, either to the sight or the 
smell, than infested plants. Good culture, 
is the best preventive' of insects, and good 
culture is likewise the best cure for them 
when they have established themselves. 
Seeds. — The seeds of stove plants, either of 
home growth or imported, may be sown any 
time during the month ; the pots should be 
placed in a hot-bed ; or if plunged in damp 
moss over the flues, or hot-water pipes in the 
stove, they will germinate as well, or better. 
Sow them as directed at p. 8. Let the soil be 
roasted to kill the seeds of any weeds it may 
contain. 
Climbers. — All stove climbers should be 
pruned, and the branches regulated during this 
month, before they begin growing, unless it 
was done in the autumn. Those that flower 
on the young shoots, cut in closely ; whilst 
those that bloom on short lateral growths from 
last year's shoots, must have enough of the 
strongest and best ripened of them retained to 
furnish a supply of bloom. If they are in- 
fected with insects, be particular to have 
them thoroughly cleansed, as they are difficult 
to clean when in a growing state. Do not 
excite them yet. 
Achimenes. — A few tubers of each of these 
may be potted and started into growth, to come 
into flower early. Pot them singly in three- 
inch pots, in a very light vegetable soil; place 
them in a hot-bed-frame, and after standing 
a week or so in the stove; and shift them as 
often as the roots become numerous. A. picta, 
one of the finest of winter flowers, will be in 
bloom ; plants of this may be raised by plant- 
ing some of the leaves in sand, under glasses, 
and they will be useful when in flower. 
Gesneras. — Those that bloomed in the 
autumn, and have been rested, may now be 
potted, and very gradually excited into growth; 
use a compost of half peat, and half loam, 
lightened, if necessary, by adding sand. 
Gloxinias. — Some of these for early flower- 
ing may also be potted, and excited gradually. 
For these and Gesneras use pots two or three 
inches larger in diameter than the size of the 
tubers. 
