Every endeavour should now be made to keep these houses as gay as
possible. Fire-heat to be applied occasionally during dull, dark, or
rainy weather, taking care not to raise the temperature too high--say
greenhouse from 50 deg. to 55 deg. by day and from 40 deg. to 45 deg. by
night; conservatory 60 deg. by day and 50 deg. by night. Chrysanthemums
to be removed as soon as they get shabby, to be succeeded by early
Camellias. The _Euphorbia jacquiniflora_ is well worthy of attention
now; it requires but a very moderate allowance of water at this season,
as the least saturation or interference with the root action will cause
the leaves to turn yellow while the plant is in flower. _Poinsettia
pulcherrima_ is also worthy of particular attention as a noble
ornamental flower at this season. The old _Plumbago Capensis_ and
_rosea_ still retain their places amongst our best plants at this
season. Acacias and Cytisuses, being yellow and showy, give, with the
other flowers, a variety of colours to beautify the whole. _Gesnera
zebrina_ should not be forgotten; the elegant markings of the leaves
contribute to enhance the beauty of this beautiful winter flower.
Heaths.--As fire-heat is generally injurious to this tribe of plants
it is advisable to be very cautious in its application. They can bear a
good deal of cold and some degrees of frost without sustaining any very
serious injury; but they cannot bear the drying influence of fire-heat
without serious damage to their foliage, and which is very frequently
death to the plants. They will require but very little water, especially
the large specimens, which should be very particularly examined as to
their state of dryness or otherwise, as a guide to the application or
withholding of water. An abundance of air to be given on fine days, to
keep the plants from growing.