THE GREENHOUSE.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8479, 10 May 1893, Page 3

THE GREENHOUSE.

Writing in the Garden on the subject of softwooded plants suitable for winter flowering, Mr Bun-ell, the gardener of Claremont, has given us not only a very useful paper on the subject above alluded to, but also a short sketch of a Rieenhonse adapted for the growth of such plants—the model amateur greenhouse, we feel inclined to call it. " Such houses," says Mr Burrell, "must be light and airy, with staffing that will allow the plants to be well up to the glass and sufficient piping to keep them up to between 50° and 55°, the aim being to preserve this temperature with a dry atmosphere. The favourite type of house for the purpose Is a span with a pathway down the centre, and staging some 3ft 6in iv width on either side, the height from the pathway to the top of the span being about 7ft. Provision should .be made for ventilation both at the apex and sides, and given these essentials, a very good display of bloom can be maintained." Adverting to the winter flowering soft-wooded plants, he says:—" It is not advisable to overpot, most of them doing well in sin pots. They want looking after well in the matter of water through the hottest of the 'weather, and after the beginning of autumn, by which time the pots will be full of roots and plenty of flower allowed to come freely; a small pinch of artificial manure once a fortnight •will prove beneficial. This is particularly applicable to all hungry feeders, as Salvias, Sparmannias, and others that may be in rather small pots. For nearly all, it is best to err a little ou the hard side in potting, short stocky growth being very desirable. A collection of Salvias will prove useful if space permits, but if houses are small and only one variety is grown, there is nothing much better than splendens Bruanti. This plant is very subject to red spider, and will generally require syringing with some weak insecticide two or three times during the summer. Of winter-flowering Begonias, too, the cultivator must select varieties most adapted to his requirements. Fucbsioides, Carrieri and metallic are three good sorts. '.The last named has a shade of colour not often met with, and nice trasses associated with some feathery foliage work up beautifully in tall vases. Writing of a particular shade of colour reminds mc to say a good word for Lasiandra macrantha. Its deep blue being something different from, anything else we have at this (winter) season. Eupatorium ageratoides is a useful winter flowering plant, the individual flowers certainly not much to look at, but it is a hardy, very free plant, handy for what is known as rough cutting. Other plants adapted for houses under consideration to be used in large or small quantities as space permits are Cypripedium insisme, Bouvardias, Epiphyllums, Sparmannia africana, Cyclamens, Libonias, and others. A nice batch of Marguerite Carnations will also give an abundance of flowers aud associate well with other things." After alluding to the utility of Zonal Pelargoniums as winter flowers, Mr Burrell says—"lf there are pillars or iron uprights of any description running through the house, they can be clothed with such foliage as Asparagus pluraosus and the trailing Smilax, while an occasional plant of Tropeeolurn Ball of Fire will always give abundance of flower. If a little foliage is required through the house to mix with the flowering plants, it can be supplied by a few greenhouse Palms, by a plant or two of Grevillea, or the best of the Acacias." The climbers on the sides or roof of the house should be reduced, bearing in mind of course, the flowering proclivities of each individual kind. Passion Flowers, for instance, can very well be thinned out, whilst in other cases some slight pruning will be beneficial. Every opportunity should be taken to do any necessary cleansing of insect pests. If this be persisted in now until the spring, it will place the plants on a better footing for another year. In some cases the climbers may be what are termed warm greenhouse or temperate house plants. These should be kept drier at the roots than the rest; this will tend to preserve them from injury. When this is done, even if the night temperature does fall a few times, no harm will come to them. The glass and woodwork should all be kept as clean as possible both outside and in. If the shading during .thelsummer was by means of whitening or any other compound, it should all be thoroughly cleaned cff. This can be done better in damp weather than ia dry.