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with January, 40 deg. in the morning, increasing to 

 60 deg. about noon, and declining again to 40 deg. at 

 night, is about the right scale for the orchid-house; 

 whilst a range from 50 deg. to 80 deg. would be suit- 

 able for both the stove and greenhouse in those months. 

 In the other half year, February and July inclusive, 

 30 deg. to 40 deg., morning and evening, running up 

 to 80 deg. in the middle of the day for the orchid- 

 house ; 40 deg. and 50 deg., and up to 70 deg. for the 

 stove ; and 50 deg. to 80 deg. for the greenhouse, will 

 prove very suitable. The above scale is desirable, but 

 I do not say it is always attainable. Ours is an uncer- 

 tain climate ; sometimes a dry east wind will almost 

 parch us up ; at other times a southerly one, with wet, 

 will cause a superabundance, which will have to be 

 corrected, possibly by a gentle fire, and a free admis- 

 sion of air. The alteration hereby effected in the 

 atmosphere of the houses will soon be evidenced by 

 the hygrometer, and mildew and fogging off be kept at 

 a distance. Opposed to an excess of moisture in the 

 dull months of the year, is the dryness consequent on 

 the summer and autumnal sunshine. Then, during 

 the heat of the days, the instrument will seem to have 

 run wild. Throwing water on the floors of the houses, 

 and every means of increasing the amount of moisture, 

 seems but of little or temporary avail ; Simmons will 

 go up, spite of all, to 90 deg. or 100 deg., and none 

 the worse either, for it is still a faithful indicator, and 

 as sure as the day declines, and the heat of the sun is 

 withdrawn, so will it come back to a suitable point, 

 when the plants are watered and the floors are wetted 

 for the night. Remembering then, the variableness of 

 our climate, I candidly admit that I consider any pre- 

 cise directions of very little value. None can be given 

 that shall be implicitly followed, or on which success 



