398 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[Marcit 2 
from the middle of May to the middle of September. 
For two months preceding May, and subsequent to 
September, air should be given early in the morning, 
if it should be withdrawn or reduced soon afterwards, or 
early in the afternoon. In winter, unless the air is very 
1 mild, it will be time enough to give air by ten o’clock, 
and shut up between two and three. When the weather 
J is very severe, one hour, or even less, in the middle of 
' the day, must be sufficient. In dull, close weather, air 
should be given, though a brisk fire should be put on 
during the day, on purpose. When, however, the green¬ 
house is changed into a vinery, a place for growing 
j tender annuals, &c., the forwarding of the growth of 
i Camellias, Epacris, Azaleas, &c., then the temperature 
in spring and summer must be higher, and the atmos¬ 
phere closer and moister. By means of divisions, you 
may have almost as many temperatures and atmospheres 
in one house as you please, by the regulating the ven¬ 
tilation of the different compartments. Slight wooden 
moveable divisions we find extremely useful in pots, as 
we can give a peculiar treatment to one or any number 
of lights at pleasure. 
Firing. —-Every shovelful of coal costs money and 
labour. The heat that comes from the sun brings light 
in its train, and costs us nothing. The heat from the 
furnace merely extends vegetable tissues, that from the 
sun expands and concentrates. No stoker should visit 
his furnace without knowing the temperature of his 
house, the temperature of the external atmosphere, the 
direction of the wind, the changes that have taken place 
in a certain number of hours, and thence calculate 
what will be the most likely to happen. The minimum 
temperature should never be exceeded by fire-heat during 
i the night. More than sufficient is not only waste, the 
plants are drawn and dried,, while less advantage can be 
taken of the glorious light and heat which comes from 
the sun. For dispersing damps, &c., use a brisk little 
fire during the day and allow it to go out. In very dull, 
close weather in winter, such a fire often, if even for an 
hour, would be useful; not for heat, but for enabling us 
to give more air, and causing a rapid circulation among 
the plants. 
Watering. —This has frequently been referred to. 
The rule is, water so as to reach every fibre of the 
plant’s roots, and then wait until a similar repetition is 
necessary. A plant may want watering twice a day in 
summer, and, perhaps, only twice a month in dull 
weather in winter. From the end of September to the 
middle of May, let the temperature of the water used be 
j from 5° to 10° higher than the minimum temperature of 
the house. From theperiods mentioned, making of course 
j due allowance for peculiar weather, watering should be 
! performed in the morning; in cold weather not too early. 
I Thus the stimulus of sun-heat, diminished though it be, 
meets the plants when they have received then refresher; 
the extra moisture is parted with before the evening 
comes, and there is not that rapid cooling of the soil 
by evaporation during the night. During summer we 
reverse the time of watering, and perform the operation 
in the afternoon and evening. Anything that tends to 
cool the soil and the plant is then refreshing. By 
watering in a bright morning, the moisture is exhaled 
rapidly from the soil, as well as through the foliage of 
l the plant, which does not, in consequence, receive the 
! full benefit of the watering, and, therefore, soon requires 
! a fresh supply. In the evening the evaporating ten- 
| dencies are approaching the minimum ; the plant has full 
time to absorb and refresh itself, and thus is abler to 
stand the brunt of the following day. 
Manure Watering. —This should be applied often, but 
weak and clear ; a little quicklime added will effect the 
! clearing, at the expense of driving oft' a portion of the 
| ammonia. It is applicable in almost any case where 
I luxuriance of plant is the chief object; where size of 
bloom and compact, rather than slender growth, are the 
desideratum, it should not be applied until the flower- i 
buds appear. 
Syringing. —This is a most valuable mode of applying 
water, as it promotes cleanliness, and is as necessary for 
removing dust and incrustations from the foliage as 
soap and water are for cleaning our own skins. In 
winter it should be done at mid-day, when the sun 
shines; in spring and autumn, in the morning; in sum- 
j mer, chiefly in tire evening, though at that season we j 
I frequently give them a dash several times a day. 
Pruning.- —This is generally done when the plant has ' 
j finished flowering—when we wish it to start into fresh 
growth. Of course there are exceptions; without these 
exceptions the nature of a plant and the mode of its 
growth must be the basis for a system of pruning. For 
instance, we cut down tire flowering shoots of an Epacris 
and a Pelargonium; but we act very differently both 
before and after in the two cases. The Epacris is bard- 
wooded, and if tolerably ripened it requires no prepara¬ 
tion. The long branches of most kinds are cut in at j 
once, and the plant is then transferred to a closer and 
warmer atmosphere to encourage the formation of new 
shoots; a cold pit,kept close, is the thing; some people, 
with great success, keep them a couple of months in a plant 
stove. Of course they are duly hardened, and the wood 
ripened by autumn. On the other hand, the stems of 
the Geranium are soft and spongy; if a very valuable 
kind, this will have been increased by shading, to pre¬ 
serve the colour of the flower. The plant altogether is 
at a minimum as respects its possession of organisable 
material; while, for the sake of the old plant to be kept, 
: and the cuttings for seed from its stems, it is desirable 
it should be at the maximum. The plants are, therefore, 
; exposed fully to the sun; not a drop more water is given 
than just to keep the leaves from flagging; and the 
■ stems, instead of being soft and green, become hard and 
brown, by parting with their watery evaporations, and 
assimilating fresh solid material. Many other close¬ 
headed plants, such as the Azalea, merely require, in 
general, the stopping of a few of the strongest shoots. 
It. Fish. 
(To be continued.) 
HOTHOUSE DEPARTMENT. 
EXOTIC STOVE PLANTS. 
Calliaxdra Tweedjei (Mr. Tweedie’s); Brazil.—We 
lately paid a visit to the Royal Gardens at Kew. In the 
large conservatory we observed two plants in flower of 
this shrub, and was much pleased with their beautiful 
Acacia-like bright green foliage, with here and there a j 
bead of their rich scarlet-crimson, silk-tassel-like blooms, 
nestling, at it were, amongst the beautiful leaves. The i 
plants were upwards of six feet high, and were tolerably 
handsome formed bushes. 
This plant belongs to a small genus of Leguminous 
plants (Fabacese). There are two other species ; namely, 
C. Harrissii, with rose-coloured flowers, and C. pulcher- 
rima with bright scarlet flowers. They are all handsome 
stove shrubs, but require to be of some age and size 
before they flower. 
Soil. —Sandy fibrous peat, two parts; turfy loam, one 
part; leaf-mould, one part; with as much sand as will 
give it a sandy character. This will form a light open 
compost in which they will grow and flower well. 
P ropagation. By Guttings. —The young tops, when 
they become rather woody, make the cuttings that are 
the most certain to strike, though they will take a longer 
time to root than the younger wood. An experienced 
careful propagator would prefer the youngest shoots, 
because they root the quickest; but to a less experienced 
amateur, the half-ripened wood is to be preferred, as not 
