DECORATIVE VARIETIES. 
45 
and flowers less liable to damp in consequence. Pick off 
decaying foliage, remove spent blossoms when these are 
seen, and, as far as possible, maintain a sweet condition 
of the air under glass. 
Do not forget to make full use of the blinds inside of 
the glass house. By their use the display of blossoms 
may be prolonged, and those flowers with high and rich 
colours may be preserved for a greater length of time 
thereby. The blinds should be drawn across as occasion 
needs, and during bright sunshine, it is well to take full 
advantage of this means of protecting the flowers. Keep 
all superfluous side shoots rubbed out, thus concentrating 
all the energy of the roots on the development of the buds 
and blossoms of the plants. 
Do not permit moisture to accumulate on the floor of 
the greenhouse, should this be of a p>ermanent character, 
such as concrete or tiles, etc. When water is seen in 
pools on the floor, it should be wiped up by the aid of a 
house flannel, etc. 
Temperature. — On warm days the greenhouse door 
should also be left open, and on no account should the tem- 
perature of the glass structure be allowed to exceed, say, 
50 deg. With the approach of autumn and muggy 
weather, with mists and fogs also as an accompaniment, 
the hot-water pipes should be just nicely warmed. This 
will have the effect of dispelling dampness and moisture, 
and also assist in the opening of the fast evolving buds. 
On no account let the hot-water pipes become too hot. 
Only during severe frosts will it be found necessary to 
heat these to any great extent. Under conditions such 
as the foregoing, there is no reason why the plants should 
not be maintained in a thoroughly healthy condition, and 
their foliage retained till the end. Seeing that this adds so 
very much to the beauty of their display, every means 
should be taken to maintain a nice even temperature while 
the plants are arranged in the glass structure. 
