THE MANAGEMENT OE GREENHOUSES. 
531 
shelves for placing things on out of the way ; 
watering pots of various sizes ; a portable gar- 
den engine or syringe with roses of various 
sized holes for the distribution of the water in 
■ different degrees of quantity and force. All 
these things are desirable, and anything short 
of this makes more work, akbough it is quite 
possible t-o do without any of them but the 
pots and the soils, and these, if the worst come 
to the worst; might be put in some corner out 
of doors. It is not our business to show how 
things may he done; we have shown how they 
ovfjlit to he done, and the nearer these condi- 
tions can be complied with, the better. We 
next come to the 
CHOICE OF PLANTS. 
As a greenhouse is, properly speaking, a 
house for the protection of plants from frost, 
and no more, and is the only description of 
house in hundreds of establishments, we look 
for a tolerably miscellaneous collection of dif- 
ferent families, likely to make the best show 
and continue in the best health. A hundred 
families of plants would do well in a green- 
house, but nobody with any taste would try 
•to grow a large number of families, but would , 
more judiciously endeavour to grow a number 
of the best varieties in each family of more 
choice genera. And some few may be com- 
menced with as the most eligible, while others 
may be left to be picked up as they may be 
met with and admired. The following are 
essential, because they can scarcely be beaten 
for effect : — 
AzALKA INDICA, half a dozen varieties ; 
Camellia japonica, the same number ; Ge- 
raniums, the like number ; Hovea Celsii 
and iUcifolia ; Choroze^ia varium and 
rliovihewii ; Acacia armata ; Epacris gran- 
d'ljiora, miniata, iinjyressa, and campanulata 
alba ; BoRONiA serndata ; Calceolaria 
six varieties ; Cereus speciosissimus ; Epi- 
PHYLLUM Jenkifisonii and truncatum; (the 
tiiree latter better known as Cactus specio- 
sissimus, Jenkhisonii, and truncatus); Cine- 
raria, six varieties ; Orange, Lemon, and 
Lime ; Crowea saligna ; Cyclamen per- 
sicum, and persicuni roseum, ; Daphne indica 
odorata ; Erica, six varieties ; Fuchsia, six 
varieties ; Hydrangea ; Ixia, six varieties ; 
TitOP^OLUM triculor, Lohhianum, azureum ; 
Crassula coccinea and fcdcata ; Cytisus 
vf.cemostis ; Lilium japonicutn, two varieties; 
Verbena, six varieties ; Styphelia tuhi- 
Jlora. Although we could mention plenty 
more, there are already mentioned eighty-four 
pots, if there be only one of each variety ; 
but these are all subjects that may rank high 
as rich and beautiful plants, blooming at dif- 
fei-ent periods. If the greenhouse would 
hold, more, and a lady is inclined to grow more 
species, instead of doubling some of these, let 
them be selected at nurseries according to 
fancy. If v/e had to recommend, we should 
say double the number of varieties of Camel- 
lia, Erica, Cineraria, Fuchsia, Geranium, 
Calceolaria, Ixia, Verbena, and Azalea in- 
dica ; or if not the latter, have duplicates of 
each sort of the best six. Very few plants 
could be added with so much advantage to 
the collection, as increasing the varieties, or 
doubling those mentioned. We are to pre- 
sume that these plants are purchased in nursery 
pots, and it must be taken as a general rule, 
that no plant must be kept in the nursery pot 
without examination. Our business, howt-vei-, 
must be to take family by family, and so direct 
the fair cultivator, that no vast error can be 
committed. 
state OF the house. 
The temperature of the greenhouse is im- 
portant ; a free ventilation is desirable, nay, 
absolutely necessary, but a current of air is to 
be avoided ; it is as injurious to plants as to 
persons. Two doors opposite to each other 
should not be open, unless the weather is veiy 
still, and all the front windows are open also. 
In cold weather and when the wind is chilly, 
the door at the windy end should never be 
opened. It is better to open all the front win- 
dows in mild weather, unless the wind blows 
on them, when they are better closed, and the 
top lights let down a little. In very damp 
weather the fire should be lighted to dry the 
house, and the top lights be lowered to let 
out the steam. In frosty weather, when thei-e 
is danger in leaving the house without fire, it 
should be lighted all day ; and even in a fro.^t 
tlie top lights may be down a little, but the 
glass must be watched, and at night, instead of 
making up extra fire and closing all the house 
to increase the temperature, have proper per- 
sons to attend, and to see that the house is not 
warmer, nor so warm if possible, as it was in 
the day. Thirty-five is high enough for the 
night, but few trust to it, because three degrees 
lower is frost ; forty is, however, quite as 
much as it ought under any circumstances to 
reach at night, for there is not one greenhouse 
plant that does so well with lire heat as with- 
out it, if there be no frost. 
There are different dispositions and habits 
among the families we have mentioned, but 
they will alldo well inthe same house, by giving 
some the coolest and others the warmest place; 
but care should be always taken to ha\ e the 
house cooler by night than by day, wh; never 
it is practicable. Kevertheless, there will be 
times when the severity of the frost, with a 
wind to assist it, will so lower the tempera- 
ture, that all the fire you can give the house 
may be only sufficient to keep out the cold 
M M 2 
