The Garden Under Glass

CHAPTER XXV HOUSING, STAGING AND ARRANGING PLANTS Housing Winter-flowering Plants As frost is likely to occur any time after ist September it becomes necessary to speed the arrangements for housing such winter-flowering plants as zonal pelargoniums, salvias, ivy-leaved geraniums, eupatoriums, tree cama-tions and such like subjects. Chrysanthemums may usually be left outside with perfect safety until the middle of October, and, in faet, as long as the weather is warm and fairly dry it is quite as well that the plants remain outside ; but, in order that no time may be lost when housing time arrives, all preparatory work should be got forward. Cleaning the Houses The first consideration is that the house be perfeetly clean. To put clean plants into a dirty house is a plan which should find no favour and no excuse with those who value the appearance and the health of their plants. If the house needs painting, let that be taken in hånd at once, and let three coats of good paint be applied, filling in every crevice, renewing broken glass, applying fresh putty where needed, and making good all repairs in iron, wood, stone or brick. During this time all shelves, stagings, floor trellisings, and everything of a movable character should be taken outside, thoroughly serubbed, and afterwards 245