234 THE GARDENER. [May 



in the intensity of the cold or the duration of the storm — to say nothing 

 of the grim fogs, which were so dense in our district as to render it a 

 difficulty at times to discern the difference between day and night. 

 With regard to forcing -houses, and heating apparatus in particular, 

 those who depended or relied upon having such a winter as we have 

 been accustomed to since 1870 must have discovered how unwise it is 

 not to have their knapsack, like the famous Scotch general, " always 

 in marching order.'' For ourselves, we discovered, just about the 

 middle of the storm, a leakage in connection with one boiler which 

 heated three small forcing-houses, one of which had been a recent ad- 

 dition. The boiler was not of sufficient capacity before the addition 

 was made, but upon being reset an improvement was effected ; and it 

 was only upon its trial for another winter, in order to test its power, — 

 not calculating, of course, upon the severe winter that was coming on. 

 In another case, where there were two boilers — one of which gave 

 way at the rivets during the early part of the summer, and was not re- 

 placed, because its companion was a powerful new boiler, and was cal- 

 culated to do the work of both, — this was also a cause of interminable 

 watching and dreary suspense, as it was found that the increased pres- 

 sure upon the boiler was more than it was safely capable of doing ; and 

 a breakdown would have been a misfortune, in the most charitable way 

 it can be looked at. Doubtless there have been many similar cases else- 

 where, where the opportunity should not be neglected of laying the 

 matter seriously before employers, and explaining the consequences of 

 a breakdown, in order that doubts as to the economy and necessity of 

 introducing such additions to existing arrangements as are required 

 should be removed. 



Wherever there is anything like an important charge in forcing, there 

 can be no plea advanced in favour of that economy which assumes to 

 be a saving, to face a winter like the past one either with deficient 

 boiler-power or insufficient heating-surface. The former is dangerous, 

 and the reverse of economical ; whilst the latter is neither economical, 

 nor does it afford healthy conditions under which the tender leaves can 

 progress with satisfaction. Another great defect, and one that is most 

 noticeable in the vicinity of large towns, is that detached system of 

 grouping houses, without any notion of condensing, as it were, labour, 

 or of affording means of minimising such material as may be required 

 for the working of them. 



Now it would be a matter of comparative simplicity, in the forma- 

 tion of new places, for employers to take the advice, in the first place, 

 of some practical and competent authority, who, whether he had to 

 build one house or six, would not only work upon approved principles, 

 but would also anticipate additions by which heating power could still 

 be supplied from one given point, and would always calculate upon 

 leaving room for further extension, as the situation and other circum- 

 stances would suggest. 



