10 TUE i'LOmST. 



VENTILATING FRAME 



FOR THE BLOOMING OF AURICULAS, &c. 



BY DR. HORNER. 



I FEEL assured that those of your readers who grow Auriculas, and 

 especially who hloora them for exhibition, will receive the highest 

 satisfaction and advantage in the adoption of the cold frame which 

 I am about to describe. It is well known that the Auricula, being 

 an Alpine plant, delights in, and requires for its health and vigour, 

 a free and plentiful circulation of air, and that at all times ; damp 

 and confinement being, in an equal ratio, fruitful of evil. 



The frame now recommended secures this principle to its fullest 

 extent, and hence its especial adaptation to the cultivation of the 

 Auricula; as also, indeed, to all other plants which bear not con- 

 finement, — as to the wintering of Verbenas, Pansies, Carnations, &c. 

 It possesses, however, yet other advantages, whereby much trouble 

 is saved to the exhibitor. It is well known that those Auriculas 

 which are purposed for exhibition are removed from the frame, or 

 place of growth, and are placed under hand-glasses, elevated to the 

 height of the rim of the pots ; such plan being highly favourable to 

 the perfect development of their flowers, as aflfording at the same 

 time shelter and a due admission of air. The trouble and watching 

 attending all this I need not point out, it being so great that many 

 rather forego its advantages than adopt the plan. In my frame, 

 however, all the benefit of hand-glasses is secured, and the pots 

 remain undisturbed ; whilst the cultivator gets his whole collection, 

 and not a few selected plants only, into bloom ; and that under the 

 most favourable circumstances. 



On reference to the woodcut and explanation, it will appear 

 obvious that, by this contrivance, any degree of ventilation, from 

 the smallest admission of air to a free draught, may, by simply re- 

 gulating the sliding- doors, be secured. Thus, if both the sliding- 

 doors at the front and back be opened, there is a free draught 

 below, around, and above the plants ; if the lower doors only, the 

 air but circulates beneath and amongst them ; whilst if the door or 

 doors at one end only be opened, as when cold winds prevail, there 

 is the moderate admission of air without draught. 



The shelves on which the pots are placed having an open space 

 throughout their length, and, what is of much moment, being ele- 

 vated from the ground, not only is the principle of ventilation more 

 efficiently carried out, but all such evils as worms, damp, saturation, 

 &c. are wholly excluded. Giving blooming plants air by tilting up 

 the top-lights, as commonly practised, is very objectionable ; expos- 

 ing them as it does, to be chilled and disturbed by cold air or wind 

 coming directly upon them, or even to the yet greater evil of being 

 wet by a driving shower. In the frame now recommended all such 

 evils or contingencies are impossible ; the top-lights may be left down 



