142 
Rustic Adornments. 
at the base. Any objectionable angle or feature may be toned down by the 
same means. 
The management of a conservatory may, so far as it is possible, be described 
in a few words. In the first place, a temperature of 45 to 55 deg. must 
be maintained from September to April, and 55 to 65 deg. afterwards. As 
a general rule, when this temperature is exceeded by day, the ventilators must 
be opened more or less, according to the state of the weather. On wet days 
and in frosty weather these temperatures should never be exceeded by the 
aid of artificial heat. The gas or wick should at once be turned down, or 
the furnace-door opened, when the maximum temperature is reached. From 
October to March the ventilators, if opened, should be closed again about 
2 p.m., and about 4 to 5 p.m. in summer. Shading is most essential on 
sunny days. This may be accomplished by the use of moveable canvas 
blinds fixed to rollers, or by the application of some temporary pigment, 
such as sour milk, whiting, and size, or the ready-made preparation sold 
by seedsmen under the name of “summer cloud.” Of these several plans 
the moveable blind is the best, because it enables the plants to have full 
advantage of the light when the sun is not shining. Watering in winter 
should be performed very carefully. Examine the plants every morning, 
and give each sufficient to moisten the soil, taking care to spill none 
outside the pot, or on the staging or floor. Water spilt carelessly about in 
winter is converted by the heat of the pipes into vapour, which generally 
condenses on the petals of the flowers and discolours them. In spring 
and summer apply water more freely; on hot days it will be necessary to 
do so twice, morning and evening. Always use water of the same temperature 
as the air of the structure. In the event of any plant becoming so dry at 
the roots as to cause it to droop its foliage, do not apply water in the usual 
way, but stand it in a vessel of tepid water so that its pot is entirely immersed, 
and let it remain thus for ten minutes or a quarter of an hour. This will 
ensure the whole of the soil being equally moistened, and prevent the 
loss of the leaves. If stimulants of any kind are necessary, use chemical 
manures dissolved in water at the rate of a teaspoonful per gallon. As 
a rule, it is not advisable to give stimulants to plants in full bloom, 
because it is apt to make them shed their blooms too quickly. In winter 
especially remove all dead blooms and foliage, and sponge foliage plants 
frequently with a solution of soft soap and water, or milk and water, to 
disperse dust, and impart a beautiful gloss to the leaves. Flowering plants 
