2 THE FORCING GARDEN. 



only dangerous, but in some instances fatal. Why so ? 

 some will ask. The answer is, because if at any time a 

 leakage as small even as a pin's head should occur either 

 in the pipes or the stove, enough gas will escape to 

 destroy every plant in the house. Gas stoves for plant 

 houses are therefore very objectionable. 



For economy, I know of no better system for amateurs 

 and for plant work generally, than what is called the 

 air-drain plan. The next best method is by means of 

 hot-water pipes. The former is not adapted to fruit- 

 forcing on a large scale, nor even for plant growing 

 beyond forty feet in length ; but for a house thirty feet 

 long I believe it to be the most economical plan of all. 

 However, for fruit forcing there is nothing so good as hot- 

 water pipes ; and to be really successful in forcing at all, 

 whether with flowers or fruits, the grand point is to 

 adapt the house to the subject, and not to make the 

 subject subservient to the house : this is where so many 

 persons fail. 



It frequently happens that a man who has more 

 money than experience in either fruit or plant growing 

 (especially forcing), puts up a house or two for a certain 

 purpose, say grape growing or the cultivation of the 

 peach, which are no more adapted for such a purpose than 

 a cow is likely to catch a hare. I always consider that the 

 adaptation of the house to the object in view is almost, 

 or I might say quite, an essential thing to ensure success. 

 Common hot-house builders are generally the architects 

 of these structures, men who know nothing whatever 

 about even ordinary plant growing, much less about 

 forcing of any kind : this is why we see such perverse 

 kinds of glass structures with which a good gardener is 

 often disgusted. I have seen whole sets of houses of 



