444 
THE PLA^T STOVE. 
of the plants being much more in a growing 
state than others. Pelargoniums and Calceo- 
larias, for example, should progress, though 
more slowly now than during more genial 
seasons ; and the plants, too, are more im- 
patient of cold, and consequently require more 
particular attention to guard them against 
frost. The temperature of the house need 
not, however, be kept very high ; an average 
of 45 degs. by day, and 40 degs. at night 
is quite high enough by any artificial con- 
trivance in regulating the airing. Fires will 
be unnecessary yet. Air should be freely 
admitted if the weather is mild ; if rough and 
boisterous, less freely, but still to some extent, 
and that as fully as circumstances will allow, 
on the calm side of the house. Persons are 
generally far too much afraid of ventilating 
their houses as winter approaches, but it is 
bad policy to refrain from doing so, to the 
full extent which the circumstances in each 
case will allow. In respect to watering, the 
plants in this house require just the attention 
we have so often explained as suitable for 
growing plants, to be watered so much as to 
keep them just moderately and evenly mois- 
tened. Being rather juicy plants, it is per- 
haps as well to keep them a little short, but 
this must not be carried so far as to cause any 
material check, which would be injurious to 
their blooming. 
Pelargoniums. — The old plants will have 
been all cut down, and repotted as previously 
explained ; and they should now form nice 
stocky plants, with active roots, and young 
shoots in various stages of development : these 
should be thinned and topped according to 
circumstances, so as to give the young shoots 
room to grow, and cause them to branch out 
in a bushy manner. The forwardest may be 
potted into larger pots, using a rough compost 
of rather sandy loam and leaf-mould ; and the 
lowermost shoots should be tied out, or rather 
downwards, so as to bring them into a position 
to grow over the edges of the pot as they ad- 
vance in size : the neatest way of fixing them 
is to pass a band of bass matting (or wire) 
just under the rim of the pot, and pull the 
shoots down towards this, as low as they will 
bear to be pulled, by fine strands of bass mat- 
ting. This is much neater than using stakes ; 
besides, every shoot can be tied exactly in its 
required position, while the tie is hardly to be 
seen. Cuttings that are well furnished with 
roots may be potted into separate pots, early 
in the month. See p. 405 in respect to the 
autumn and winter flowering plants. 
Scarlet Pelargoniums planted out in the 
open ground, and any other plants of similar 
habit, which it is desired to take up and pot, 
for preserving through the winter, should be 
attended before they are at all affected by 
frost ; they ought, therefore, to have attention 
early in the month. Take them up whole, 
and as carefully as possible ; by no means 
prune them ; after potting, place them in a 
cold frame, and keep the frame close, and 
shade, and sprinkle the plants frequently with 
water, till they will bear exposure to the sun. 
When they are established, they may be placed 
in any corner of the Pelargonium-house for 
the winter, and simply require to be kept very 
moderately supplied with water, and to have 
the leaves removed as they decay. 
Calceolarias. — If a sufficient number of 
plants has not been secured, the earlier parts 
of the month may be made available for put- 
ting in additional cuttings, which soon root if 
planted in spongy soil, mixed with sand, and 
placed in a mild hotbed ; pot them off when 
rooted. The plants previously raised must be 
shifted into larger pots, and seedlings should 
be encouraged. 
Fuchsias. — Those taken up from the border 
and potted, should be treated in the same way 
as the Scarlet Pelargoniums just referred to ; 
and those also which have been grown in pots 
may be similarly treated, so far as their winter 
preservation is concerned. 
Tropeeolums, if they have started into 
growth, should be carefully potted, and re- 
ceive every encouragement the season of the 
year will admit of in extending their growth. 
If they can be kept from growing till the 
spring, it will be so much the better; but 
after they have started, it is folly to attempt 
to check them. 
Cinerarias. — Shift on successions of these 
useful plants, and let them be carefully 
watered. 
Insects. — All the plants grown here are 
liable to be attacked by the aphides (green-fly, 
or plant-louse) ; as soon as ever they are per- 
ceived, the remedy of fumigation must be 
resorted to. 
THE PLANT STOVE. 
One business connected with the present 
season is the proper arrangement of the plants. 
In this house, besides what was said under the 
head Heath-house in reference to giving the 
lightest and most favourable situations to the 
choicest plants, and not crowding them one on 
the other, there is here the additional con- 
sideration of locating the tenderest subjects at 
the warmest end of the house, if, as usually 
happens, one end is warmer than the other. 
The stirring and renewing of the surface soil, 
also previously noticed, equally require atten- 
tion in the management of stove plants. The 
general features of a gradual change of treat- 
ment, adopted in order to bring the plants to the 
regimen of winter management from the more 
liberal treatment of summer, as already noticed 
