264 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[September, 



process before the American public. Great suc- 

 cess has been attained with it in Europe. The 

 moss is simple and clean, and appears infallible 

 in its peculiarly invigorating properties, while its 

 possibilities for service to florists, botanists and 

 artists are of incalculable value. In this moss 

 plants are grown absolutely without earth, and 

 will both flower and bear fruit, while their hardi- 

 ness is augmented. It may be used in doors or 

 out of doors, or during long transportation. The 

 advantages of using it in window gardening ap- 

 pear at once to those who are all winter con- 

 stantly cleaning after muddy and leaky pots. 

 The moss requires only sprinkling— just enough 

 wetting to compensate for natural evaporation. 

 Mr. Power's exhibit at a recent meeting of the 

 Massachusetts Horticultural Society consisted of 

 ivies and geraniums in pots, which are in a 

 most thrifty condition, and show every evidence 

 of growing and blooming finely. Several of the 

 geraniums carry superb trusses of bloom. A 

 Hibiscus Cooperii, with variegated foliage, is 

 one of the handsomest plants I ever saw. It has 

 been in this moss for three months. A Canter- 

 bury bell, with a spike of bloom nearly three 

 feet high, is among the collection. White Ver- 

 benas, in full flower, Coleas, Lobelia and Helio- 

 trope complete the list. Mr. Power said he had 

 succeeded well with Carnations also. He is 

 making several experiments under the auspices 

 of ^ the^ Massachusetts Horticultural Society, 

 which, in course of time, will be made known 

 to the public. His statement of what may be 

 done by means of this moss is almost incredible. 

 If proven, we shall be able to snap our fingers at 

 the seasons, and may have ornamental and 

 costly exotics in our living apartments all the 

 year round. 



EDITORIAL NOTES. 



GLAZING GREENHOUSES. 



BY M. M. GREEN, LOUISVILLE, KY. 



In the July number Mr. Blair, referring to my 

 note in April on glazing, confirms the opinion 

 which I expressed in that note. I think it de- 

 sirable, after one winter's experience. I found, 

 however, that towards spring spaces between the 

 ends of the glass appeared, some as large as a 

 sixteenth of an inch, or possibly larger. These 

 did not exist when the glass was laid in the fall. 

 I found the same thing to occur in a house in 

 which the glass was slipped into grooves in the 

 sides of the rafters. Does the glass shrink ? 

 Who can give the reason and a remedy ? 



Steam Heating.— The articles in the Garden- 

 er's Monthly are exciting a widespread interest 

 among florists. At a recent meeting of the New 

 York Horticultural Society many leading florists 

 participated in debate on the subject. There 

 seemed to be no longer any doubt about the 

 advantage of steam over all systems at present 

 known, where large ranges of houses are to be 

 heated. The only question now left seems to be 

 whether it will pay to tear out the immense 

 quantity of pipe and boilers now used in hot 

 water ranges. Kretschmar Bros., of Flatbush, 

 from whom our readers have not heard, gave an 

 interesting account of their experiment, sum- 

 ming up the advantages as follows : 



We saved coal to some, and attention to a 

 great extent. A steam-heating apparatus, cor- 

 rectly put up, and furnished with a perfect- 

 working, automatic damper-regulator, can be 

 safely left alone all night in zero weather. 



We can regulate the heat so that each house 

 may be kept at a degree desired. 



Closing, we will say, if our apparatus was 

 more perfect than it is now, we would not wish 

 to have anything better than steam heating. 



Our apparatus was put up by a concern that 

 never heard of "greenhouse heating by steam," 

 nor never dreamt that it could be done. They 

 were utterly inexperienced in this line, and 

 therefore the apparatus was put up imperfectly. 



Plants in Fertilized Moss. — C. J. Power, of 

 Framingham, Mass , made a magnificent display 

 at the Massachusetts Horticultural Society's ex- 

 hibition in Boston on the 30th of June, of plants 

 grown in the Dumesnil moss. We are not in- 

 formed in what manner this moss diff'ers from 

 moss prepared as already described in our pages 

 by Mr. Peter Henderson, which is simply moss 

 mixed with any fertilizing substance. But there 

 are large numbers of people in all large towns 

 and cities who do not care to have the trouble 

 of mixing fertilizing substances with moss, or 

 who have not the opportunity of doing so. To 

 all these the ready-prepared moss will be a great 

 boon. It is cleaner and morf easily handled, 

 and those who, like Mr. Power, are making ef- 

 forts to introduce it, by showing practically 

 what can be done with it, deserve the thanks of 

 the community. 



Henderson's fertilizing moss, was for mulching 

 only. These plants are grown wholly in the moss. 



