THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 109 



required for the baths has been diverted so as to flow through 

 pipes to a garden on the outskirts of the town. Here the warm 

 liquid flows beneath a number of forcing frames containing melons, 

 tomatoes, asparagus and other garden produce. The result is 

 that a supply of these delicacies is ready for market at a very early 

 period of the year, when, therefore, they fetch high prices." 



The significant feature of this method is the fact that evapora- 

 tion of the waters at this high temperature is graduated and kept 

 up night and day by heating of the stones in trenches constructed 

 on substantially the same principles as those sunk under our sys- 

 tem, hence the results realized. The great drawback hitherto, to 

 the adoption of methods in this country, akin to those of Europe, 

 viz. that of bottom heat, has been the difficulty and expense attend- 

 ing keeping up fires night and day, securing the uniformity of 

 temperature required for success. The case in which the barber 

 in Italy quoted above makes use of the waters of hot springs to 

 turn winter into summer, is by no means an isolated one, since in 

 many cases throughout Europe, this is being done, and with grati- 

 fying success. The finest of pineapples and other tropical fruits 

 are grown in England by bottom heat. There is no good reason 

 why the expensive, and in many instances unsatisfactory methods 

 of glass and green-house should not give way in our own country, 

 and that Europe should have the monopoly of growing the hardier 

 varieties of vegetables and fruits in midwinter, when by surface 

 protection of cambric dipped in oil, and by the addition of glass 

 the fruits of the tropics may be readily grown in this country. 



Not unlikely our book may fall into the hands of readers un- 

 aware of the fact, that natural gas as fuel is being used in thou- 

 sands of households in certain sections of our country. The cold 

 winter through which we have passed has not been nearly so 

 rigorous with ourself and neighbors on account of this wonderful 



