534 
ORCHIDACEOUS HOUSE. 
Pelargoniums. — The chief matters to be 
attended to are. the stopping of the plants, to 
keep them dwarf and bushy, and the occasional 
renewal, and stirring up of the surface soil. 
Do not let them get crowded. The forcing 
plants should be removed in succession to the 
forcing house. 
Calceolarias. — These require to be occa- 
sionally looked over, the forwardest shifted 
into larger pots if they seem to require more 
pot room, and the others should have the sur- 
face soil renewed. Keep them thin enough to 
prevent their being drawn up weakly. 
Cinerarias. — Some of these may be shifted 
into larger pots, and other forwarder plants 
taken to the cool part of the forcing house, to 
accelerate their blooming. 
Tropceolums, and similar climbing plants, 
should have their branches properly trained 
and regulated while young ; if they have a 
large space to cover, it is better to lead them 
to the extreme parts first, and when these are 
filled, to fill up the lower parts. As they 
approach the limit of their growth, they must 
not be too strictly trained. 
Fuchsias may remain in a nearly dry state 
in the back part of the house, or in almost any 
situation free from frost, until February, 
when they are to be brought out, and set 
growing. 
Insects. — Pelargoniums, Calceolarias, and 
Cinerarias, are very liable to the attacks of 
green fly, and if these are not kept in check 
they soon do serious injury. Fumigation 
should therefore be resorted to as soon as any 
are observed ; or, if the smell of tobacco is 
objected to, the plants may be syringed with 
diluted tobacco water. In either case, sprinkle 
them with clean water the following day. 
THE PLANT STOVE. 
The plants here also require to be at rest, 
and this change is to them more obvious than 
in those which require a less degree of heat, 
&c, at the growing season. Nothing exciting 
must be indulged in ; the chief point being to 
preserve the growth already made, healthy and 
perfect till the next growing season. 
Temperature, fyc. — The temperature should 
not be allowed to rise above 60 degs. in the 
day time, and about 50 degs. at night will be. 
high enough. The principle of a low night 
temperature, too often overlooked, should be 
especially acted on ; it is one principal feature 
in successful cultivation. The admission of 
air must be guarded. A gentle fire being 
applied at night, and kept going during the 
early part of the day, enough air may be ad- 
mitted to regulate the temperature to the 
point above indicated. It is desirable to admit 
a portion of air daily, but this is not to be 
carried so far as to expose the plants to any 
considerable degree of cold ; in fact, the 
temperature may be taken as the principal 
guide to ventilation, for this will secure results 
near enough for all practical purposes. A 
comparatively dry atmosphere must be main- 
tained. Do not let the light be obstructed 
from the plants by dirty glass. 
Watering. — None of the plants require 
more than moderate watering at this time of 
the year, and these chiefly of the shrubby 
kinds, and such few others as may happen to 
be slightly growing. All others, including 
the majority of bulbs, tubers, and succulents, 
require very little water, indeed, scarcely any. 
Creepers. — Most of the creepers which 
bloom early may be pruned, and tied in, and 
will then require no more attention till the 
growing season. 
ORCHIDACEOUS HOUSE. 
The present being a rather inactive period 
as regards the growth of the plants, may 
present a good opportunity to make such addi- 
tions to the collections as may be thought de- 
sirable. If the plants are secured now, there 
will be an opportunity of submitting them for 
a time to the general course of treatment which 
is adopted, and they will be ready to grow 
without interruption when the proper season 
comes round. 
Temperature, fyc. — About 60 degs. may be 
taken as the average day temperature, and 55 
degs. the maximum night temperature. The 
hardier kinds grown in the cooler house may 
be placed in a dry greenhouse, where they will 
not get more than 45 degs., and this treatment 
will induce more vigorous subsequent growth. 
Very little air is requisite now ; and few of 
the plants will require water directly applied 
to them for a week or two at a time, and then 
only just enough to moisten them. The atmo- 
sphere must be kept comparatively dry. If any 
moisture is allowed to remain in contact with 
the young growth of the plants, it is at this 
season almost sure to cause them to rot off. 
Dendrobiums, which have previously been 
rested, will probably be showing flower, and 
in this case may receive some additional 
warmth with advantage. 
Cattleyas and Lalias, will now be making 
new roots, and at that period require little or 
no water. It is therefore highly necessary in 
the potting of these, to employ such a kind of 
soil, and arrange it in such a manner, as will 
admit of the free passage of water. 
Insects. — These pests should be carefully 
looked after and destroyed, or they will sadly 
disfigure the plants ; woodlice, in particular, 
are exceedingly destructive. Mr. Lyons has 
invented a kind of stand, intended to place the 
plants beyond the reach of these marauders ; 
it is called the Oniscamyntic epiphyte stand, 
