90 THE HOT-HOUSE. [JAN. 



destroy. As to the upright glasses, in the front and ends, they arc 

 to be glazed in the ordinary way of house sashes. 



The inside walls should all be well plaistered ; the flues must 

 also be furnished off with the best plaistering-mortar that can be 

 made, in order to prevent any cracks through which the smoke 

 ntight pass into the house, which cannot be too carefully guarded 

 against, as it is extremely injurious to plants. ...causing them to drop 

 their leaves, and if continued long in the house will totally destroy 

 them. 



All the wood-work both within and without, should be painted 

 white in oil colour, for its preservation and to give the whok a lively 

 appearance ; and the inside walls and flues white-washed, so as to 

 reflect the rays of light in every direction, which will be of very 

 considerable advantage to the plants. 



As to any necessary internal erections, there may be ranges of 

 narrow shelves, for pots of small plants, erected where thought 

 most convenient ; some behind over the flues, a single range near 

 th top glasses towards the back part, supported either by brackets, 

 suspended from the cross-bars above, or by uprights erected on the 

 wall of the bark-pit : a range or two of narrow shelves may also be 

 placed occasionally along both ends and in front, above the flues ; 

 all of which shelves will serve for holding pots of various sorts of 

 small plants, that do not require to be plunged in the bark-bed ; 

 also for pots of strawberries, flowers, &c. in winter and spring for 

 forcing ; which being placed near the glasses, are generally the 

 most prosperous and successful in their productions. 



Outside, at the back part of the stove, should be erected a neat 

 shed, the whole length of the house, completely walled in, to con- 

 tain the fuel, garden-pots, &c. &c. and for the convenience of at- 

 tending the fires and keeping them regularly burning : this shed 

 will answer to defend the back wall of the stove from the cold air 

 and frosts, to stow all garden utensils and tools in when out of use, 

 in order to preserve them from the injuries of the weather ; and 

 also to lay quantities of earth in occasionally, to have it dry and 

 ready for use on the various occasions that may occur during winter 

 and spring. 



Some stoves or hot-houses, are furnished with top covers to 

 defend the glasses, when found necessary, from frosts, heavy 

 rains, or hail ; sometimes by slight sliding shutters, fitted to the 

 width of the separate sashes ; but these are inconvenient, and re- 

 quire considerable time and trouble in their application ; others are 

 formed by painted canvas or tarpawlings being rolled up on long 

 wooden rollers, and fixed lengthways all along the top of the stove, 

 just above the upper ends of the top-glasses ; which, by means of 

 lines and pullies, are let down very quickly, and by the same means 

 are rolled up again almost as expeditiously ; these, however, are 

 sometimes liable to be moved and dashed about by violent winds, 

 so as to break the glasses ; but by using the small glass before re- 

 commended, the use of coverings, except upon very extraordinary 

 occasions, may be totally obviated. Indeed it would be advisable 

 in very severe frost, especially when accompanied with a piercing 



