270 THE FORCING GARDEN', 



expense ; especially -wlieii the fault lies in the flues 

 and furnaces. 



But often, and indeed generally, the failure or 

 success in forcing depends more on the prepara- 

 tion of a proper soil for the plants, and on their ge- 

 neral management, than on the construction of the 

 liouse ; provided a full command of lire-heat be had, 

 and a sufficient quantity of light and fresh air can 

 be admitted into it. 



It is a matter of importance, that every hot-house 

 should be placed, if not in a sheltered situation, at 

 least in a dry one, or in one that is capable of being 

 rendered so by draining. The aspect, for all kinds 

 of forcing-houses, should be as near to the meridian 

 as possible ; though the deviation of an hour to the 

 east, or to the west, is not of much importance. 

 Some insist that they should stand to the east, and 

 others that they should stand to the west of south ; 

 because some are advocates for the morning, and 

 others for the afternoon sun. The true point is, 

 to the sun at twelve ; and the most sensible line of 

 front for a forcing-house is straight, not curved, 

 both ends being glazed ; by which means every 

 plant in it may enjoy the full sun and light. 



Some argue for concave, and others for convex 

 fronts, and insist that the plants enjoy more light, and 

 that the sun shines more forcibly on the glass, being 

 more at right angles with it in his motion, than on 

 a straight front. This is so far true ; but the sha- 

 dows within the house are broader, and the different 

 parts are longer shaded by one another, the more 

 convex or concave the front be j so that a straight 



