OCT.] THE HOT-HOUSE. 575 



with the safety of the plants, during this and the next month, are 

 very obvious ; all the plants are gradually hardened and rendered 

 thereby capable of bearing the vicissitudes of the winter season 

 better than if they were drawn up tender and weakly by too much 

 heat; but the pines in particular, if forced at this season, would, 

 many of them, start to fruit at an untimely period, which would get 

 stunted and misshapen before the commencement of the free spring 

 vegetation, and would consequently be totally lost, or not worth their 

 room in the house. 



When the leaves of any plants decay, they should be picked off, 

 and the house kept constantly clear from fallen leaves, cobwebs, or 

 any other filth, which not only renders the house neat, but is very 

 necessary to preserve the plants in health. 



WINTERING HOT-HOUSE PLANTS IN GARDEN FRAMES. ' 



There are few tropical plants but may be preserved during winter, 

 while in a small state, in garden frames well constructed and attended, 

 so that an ingenious and careful gardener may not despair of preserv- 

 ing the most rare plants in winter, without the aid of a hot-house ; 

 and even where there is one, and the stock of plants too numerous, 

 such auxiliary convenience will be found of considerable utility. 



A frame for this purpose should be made about nine or ten feet 

 long, four to five wide, three and a half high in front, and five in the 

 back part, with sashes well glazed and fitted as close and neat as 

 possible, so as to slide up and down freely. This frame should be 

 placed in a dry well sheltered situation, exposed fully to the south, 

 and where it can have the benefit of the sun during the whole day. 

 It should be filled with fresh well prepared tan, to the depth of three 

 feet when settled, and the pots plunged therein to their rims, the 

 smallest sized plants in front, the largest towards the back part. 



The frame should be entirely surrounded with a large quantity of 

 the fallen leaves of trees to its full height, having still more in re- 

 serve to add, as the others sink and contract in bulk, in consequence 

 of fermentation and pressure, always keeping them full up to the top 

 of the frame an every side ; the leaves will soon heat and cause the 

 tan to ferment, and between both a fine glow of warmth will be kept 

 up in the frame during the whole winter ; this, with the assistance 

 of a suitable covering of mats, boards, &c., at night and in severe 

 weather, will keep the most tender plants in health and good condi- 

 tion. 



Linings of hot horse-dung may be substituted in place of leaves, 

 but the latter is preferable on account of its slow, steady, and long 

 continued heat. 



OAK LEAVES USED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR TAN. 



As oak leaves abound in almost every part of the United States, 

 it is of some importance to know that they may be used in forcing 

 pits of every kind, in place of tanners' bark, and with advantage, 

 their heat being constant, regular, and continuing for a long time, 



