CONSERVATORY. 
24 5 
very genial bottom-heat will be produced for 
the propagation of cuttings, in pots or pans, 
with glasses over them, and may be made ex- 
ceedingly useful. Others may be used as cold 
pits, to fill with small Camellias, Rhododen- 
drons, and plants which have their growth to 
make, and for which there is no convenience 
in the houses or other places. The frames 
may be appropriated to the growth of Cucum- 
bers or Melons, or placed over Cauliflowers, 
Celery, Lettuces, &c. picked out to strengthen, 
because they afford facilities for covering 
against too much rain, and for shading against 
too much sun. Wherever there is a genial 
bottom-heat, such as a pit filled with tan will 
give, cuttings of almost any kind can be 
struck with greater facilities. Even Piccotee 
and Carnation pipings, Pansy cuttings, and 
various other things that will do in the bor- 
der, will do much better with slight bottom- 
heat ; and propagation of all kinds, which 
must be going on where there is a general 
collection of plants and flowers, is much sim- 
plified by these means. Many seeds, too, will 
come up with greater certainty where there is 
slight heat and effective covering. Annuals 
and biennials, as well as perennials, sowed in 
a pit thus provided, and covered with glass, 
will come up with greater facility ; and where 
they are pricked out, they will establish them- 
selves soon, when they are thus assisted. 
THE GREEN-HOUSE. 
Hybrid Rhododendrons, Azalea indiea, and 
many of the Hovea, Chorosima, Epacris, 
and other hard-wooded plants, may be re- 
moved from the green-house to a shady, well 
sheltered place in the garden ; but nothing 
equals for this purpose a canvass house, like 
a Tulip stage, in which they can have air with- 
out windj rain, or sun, whenever such depri- 
vations are desirable. For want of this, a 
shady place in the open air must do, or a pit 
Which can be made available. These- plants 
want to make a strong growth, and if they 
were checked by the sun scorching their pots, 
and the fibres next the sides, or by cold winds, 
or want of water, or too much wet, the plants 
are spoiled for a season, if not for ever. They 
require air, but not wind; a cool temperature, 
but not a cold one ; moisture, but not •wet; 
and if these wants be not observed and sup- 
plied, the plants will be rusty in the foliage, 
short in their growth, unhealthy in their ••ap- 
pearance, and naked on the branches find all 
the under parts. The drainage, therefore, 
must be examined and secured ; the ground 
made impervious to wet, but sloping a little, 
to run all water away; shielded from the north 
and east winds, protected from excessive rain, 
and handy to rain-water, or soft river-water, 
that there may be no stint of moisture Avhen 
required. Many spring or pump-waters are 
highly detrimental to plants; and if there be 
no other, it should be kept in shallow vessels 
or tanks, exposed to the air and sun, to raise 
its temperature and soften it a little. Gerani- 
ums still remaining in the house, Calceolarias, 
and all the flowering plants, will require shad- 
ing ; but the shading should not materially 
darken them, or they will draw towards the 
light. Among the plants not turned out, if 
there were any not already shifted (as directed 
last month, for those whose roots filled the 
pots), they should be so shifted before they 
make their growth — indeed before they are set 
out of doors, or in their summer quarters, as, 
to be cramped in these pots would materially 
affect their progress ; and if they, from any 
cause, cannot be shifted into larger pots, tubs, 
or other vessels, they must be constantly 
watered, for once dry, they would be dead ; 
yet the drainage must be perfect, for, once wet 
for any time, through water stagnating in the 
pot, and it would be as fatal. While plants are 
making their summer growth, cut any useless 
shoots, and all that may come too vigorously 
for the rest of the plant; for very strong 
shoots will sometimes take the best part of the 
nourishment wanted for the whole plant, and 
it would become ugly and unsightly. Small 
plants, or cuttings beginning to grow after 
potting, should for the most part have their 
tops pinched out, to induce side branches; for 
tall, narrow plants, never look well, and some 
are very much addicted' to that growth, such 
as Epacris and Hoveas. Other plants inclined 
to be bushy, may not require this; but all 
that have a tendency to shoot up much, should 
be cheeked before they are three inches high. 
Keep the green-house clean, remove all dead 
leaves, occasionally wash down the shelves, to 
get rid of the dirt that comes through the 
pots when they are watered, and give all the 
air you can. 
THE CONSERVATORY- 
This month the Rhododendrons will have 
gone out of bloom, and unless the seeds are 
especially wanted, the seed vessels should be 
removed directly the flowers fade. This 
encourages the growth of the wood, on which 
the blooms of next season are formed. These 
and the Camellias together, being destitute of 
flower, it requires some judgment to so dis- 
play blooming plants as to counteract this 
defect. Among the most valuable assistants 
on this occasion are Roses, both dwarf and 
standard, Calceolarias, Balsams, which in small 
pots and rather stunted would be in flower, 
Cacti, which are very showy, and of all 
heights, and other out-of-door as well as in- 
door plants ; these must be placed among, 
and some of the most striking in front, of the 
