THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
151 
December 5.J 
I 
as some recommend, be very porous. Air in such cir¬ 
cumstances, even in sunshine, should be admitted with 
caution, and then only at the top of the house; the cold 
ah' thus rushing in where the heated air was rushing 
out would deprive the latter of a portion of its heat and 
moisture, and thus be ameliorated before it reached the 
plants. Giving front air in such circumstances, when 
the external atmosphere is very cold, unless it be heated 
and moistened before reaching the plants, is often as 
scorching as if you had held a hot iron near them; and 
thus the sun is often blamed for what the cold dry air 
has done. From this cause hard wooded plants suffer 
most severely, and, therefore, should never be mixed if 
possible with those possessing succulent stems. 
These facts will explain why in severe winters, with 
every attention to keeping them from frost, our window J 
plants become so languid and weakly, and all the more 
the more cozily we keep (hem. When, therefore, we put 
to the shutters, and doff our thick boots for slippers, and ‘ 
get ensconced with a book near the cliimney corner—all | 
so comfortable—instead of bringing our plants near our 
elbows we should give them the coldest position in the 
room, provided they be safe, and even then moisten ! 
their leaves and stems more frequently than we water J 
the roots. Placing them in the centre of the room when 
the fire is out, as we go to bed, is a different affair. The j 
importance of screening and shading our early fruit in ; 
spring, as Mr. Errington recommends, will thus also be 
perceived, not merely to save from cold, but to prevent 
the exhausting effects of a cold dry air, if the sun was 
freely allowed to set the fluids actively in motion, even 
when the roots were comparatively in a torpid state. 
Our remarks will be seen to refer to extreme cases in 
winter and spring, and I have been the more particular 
because then is the season of danger; when the weather 
is fine, mild, and open, there is but little to fear from 
either the abundance or the dryness of the air. 
“ But is there no palliative for such evils without 
lowering the temperature within?” Yes, and some of 
these have frequently been indicated. 
1st. Judicious covering, as referred to, frequently will 
so far prevent the radiation of heat and the consequent 
deposition of moisture. 
2nd. Vessels filled with water, set over the heating 
mediums, would ensure the cool dry air being supplied j 
with moisture as well as with beat. 
3rd. Introducing the air by a pipe or drain brought 
into contact with the heating medium, and made to 
pass through or over a damp substance before reaching 
the plants, will be of great advantage in all operations 
where nicety in detail is essential. 
Thirdly. Keeping in view these extreme cases, the 
amount of moistme in the shape of vapour in the atmo¬ 
sphere of our houses must be regulated by the season, 
and the object we have in view. In all bouses where 
the inside temperature does not greatly exceed the out¬ 
side, it will be found in autumn and early winter, unless 
very cold, that the common atmosphere contains a suffi¬ 
ciency of moisture—nay, too much—for those plants we 
wish to ripen their wood and take their season of rest, t 
owing to the rains that then descend and the heat still 
remaining in the ground. In the spring it is different; 
the air is then comparatively dry when the temperature 
is raised and growth has fairly commenced. Hence pro¬ 
ceeds one of the difficulties in cultivating exotic plants 
from warmer regions; when we require dryness to 
solidify their tissues, in the autumn, we are often pre¬ 
sented with the greatest amount of moisture; hence, 
in our forcing and plant houses in spring, we supply 
moisture when growth is advancing by syringing, 
sprinkling, aud evaporating pans, but discontinue the 
whole when growth is finished and ripening is pro¬ 
gressing,—nay, wo use artificial heat, with a circulation 
of air ; not because w r e wish more heat, but because we 
wish the air to be drier. Succulent plants, such as 
Cactus and Scarlet Geraniums, require little moisture in 
winter when at rest, either at their roots or in the atmo¬ 
sphere ; similar treatment would destroy Heaths or 
Epacrises; more moisture and heat, still, is absolutely 
necessary for such flowering plants as Cineraria and 
Primula: hence the importance of keeping different 
families by themselves. 
Fourthly. As to when ah is to be given. Keeping 
in view extreme cases alluded to, and using the pre¬ 
ventives to injury even in these cases, I reply, always. 
This will be the case whether we will or not, unless the 
house is hermetically sealed; the internal air will escape, 
the external will intrude. But this will not be suffi¬ 
cient ; nothing is more prejudicial to many plants than 
a stagnant atmosphere. With the views here presented 
I may not give so much air during the day as some 
people, but i am not the less anxious about a constant 
change, that, among other reasons, a wider field may be 
presented for the plant obtaining carbon for the building 
up of its solid structure. Equally important do I con¬ 
sider a change of air at night, in all favourable circum¬ 
stances, in order that a wider field may be presented to 
the plant for the inhaling of oxygen, and thus giving an 
impetus to vital action in the efforts of the following 
day. Hence I have recommended giving air to cuttings 
at night; when, therefore, I shut up houses close at 
night, it is merely a yielding to economy, a saving of the 
fuel heap. A very small portion of air at the top will 
prevent the accumulation of all noxious vapours ; if 
closely shut up, this opening should be made the first 
thing in the morning, even if the weather should be so 
stormy that they must be shut up shortly afterwards. 
When in summer, by aneans of syringiaig the paths, 
walls, &c., and slnittiaig up early with a strong sun, we 
give our plants the luxury of a vapour bath, we consider 
it necessary during the evening to give a little air for 
the night. Once more: in winter we have frequent 
thick fog and mist; if it continues merely for a day, 
and you can keep it out by shutting up your house, do 
so ; but if it finds an entrance, or remains for a longer 
period, as the stagnation which accompanies it would be 
ruinous, light a fire, or augment the heat of that you 
have got, and give a little ah', and thus you will cause 
motion in the atmosphere, and change the fog into in¬ 
visible vapour. R- Fish. 
HOTHOUSE DEPARTMENT. 
STOVE PLANTS. 
Echites. —A genus of stove climbers, possessing great 
beauty, so much so, as to render them desirable plants 
for every stove in the kingdom. 'They belong to the 
Natural ord., Dogbanes (Apocynaceae), an order that con¬ 
tains many handsome plants, such as Allamanda, Vinca, 
Ncrium, Taberneemontana, Cerbera, Beaumontia, and 
others less interesting. They are remarkable for the 
twisting of then corollas, which is, indeed, the chief 
essential character of the order. Such of our readers as 
may be acquainted with any of the above-named genera, 
may have observed this twisting of the petals, which has 
been compared to the rays of a Catherine wheel. This 
peculiar conformation caused Linnaeus to name the 
order Contortce. 
In the genus Echites, we have selected seven really j 
beautiful species to write upon on this occasion, and we j 
propose on a future opportunity to describe some of tbe 
other genera and species belonging to this order. 
E. atroi’urpurea (Dark purple E.); East Indies.— 
A climber with handsome foliage and beautiful dark 
chocolate tube-shaped flowers. 3s. (id. 
E. cHAssmoDA (Thi'-k-join ted E.) ; East Indies. — This 
