364 SCIENCE IN SHORT CHAPTERS. 



excellent effect on the social, moral, and religious welfare 

 of the inmates. It kept them from the public-house, and 

 the children who were brought up to hoe and weed their 

 parents' gardens turned out the most industrious laborers 

 on his property. He had known of instances where houses 

 had been built with flat concrete roofs, and covered in with 

 glass, so as to form a conservatory, in which vegetables and 

 salads grow very well, and he believed the cost was little, if 

 any, more than ordinary slating. 



The Chairman (Lord Alfred Churchill) in moving a vote 

 of thanks to Mr. Williams, said there could be no doubt 

 that if his suggestion were adopted it would lead to great 

 economy, and have many other attractions for the working- 

 classes. During the last few years they had heard a good 

 deal about floriculture in windows, and no doubt it was an 

 excellent proposal, but if they could add to this the growth 

 of vegetables it would have economical advantages also. 

 The proposal to erect temporary conservatories on the 

 roofs of some of these small houses was an admirable one. 

 He saw no reason why you should not have a peach tree 

 growing against many a tall chimney; you would only 

 want a metal-lined tub filled with a good mold ; the 

 warmth of the chimney would aid in promoting the growth 

 of the tree, and it could be protected from the smoke and 

 frost by this canvas. One point he should like to know 

 was, whether the fabric would not become rotted by the 

 weather, and perhaps it might be protected by tanning, or 

 some chemical preparation. The effect of the canvas in 

 maintaining an equable temperature was a great considera- 

 tion ; the difference stated by Mr. Williams, of about five 

 degrees in winter, in many cases would be just enough to 

 save the life of a plant. Practical gardeners knew the value 

 of placing a covering over a peach tree in early spring to 

 keep off the frosts, and also to protect it from the attacks 

 of birds. It was also a curious fact that even a slip of wood 

 or slate a few inches wide, put on the top of a wall to which 

 a fruit tree was nailed, acted as a protection from frost. 

 He trusted that Mr. Williams' idea would find favor 

 among the working classes, and thought it was a subject 

 the Royal Horticultural Society might well take up and 



