354 THE GREEN-HOUSE. [chap. xi. 
to an unnatural length* and so weak that 
their stems will not stand upright without 
the aid of a stick. When green-houses are 
crowded with plants* some of which are too 
far from the light* this must be the case; and 
when it is* it is quite hopeless to expect 
either healthy plants or fine flowers. Though 
it is adviseable to have saucers to the pots of 
plants kept in rooms* for the sake of cleanli¬ 
ness* it is much better for those kept in 
the green-house to be without them. As 
different green-house plants require a some¬ 
what different treatment, the following direc¬ 
tions for the management of a few of the 
most popular may be useful to my readers. 
Camellias .—The Camellia is a plant which 
requires abundance of water* and is yet soon 
killed by suffering stagnant moisture to re¬ 
main about the roots. When grown in pots 
there should be abundant drainage; that is* 
the pots should be more than a quarter 
filled with potshreds. The soil should be 
peat earth* mixed earth* and sand; and the 
plants should be potted high* so as to let the 
collar of the plant be quite above the rim of 
the pot. The pots should not have saucers* 
