6 INTRODUCTION. [BOOK I. 



I do not here prefume, that for every 

 hot-houfe, there are to be two furriaces 

 ereded. I would be underftood, as fpeak- 

 ing of large houfes, that is, grape and pine 

 houfes above forty feet in length, and peach 

 houfes above fifty, &c. But for a full ex- 

 planation of my ideas on this fubjed:, I 

 beg to refer the reader to the accompany- 

 . ing plates, and their explanations. 



Forcing, that is, producing flowers and 

 fruits in hot-houfes at an untimely feafon, 

 is attended with more or lefs fuccefs, ac- 

 cording to the nearnefs we approach na- 

 ture in the procefs. 



Hence the neceffity of introducing the 

 impofed climate, as it were by ftealth, ad- 

 mitting air freely, unlefs of an impure na- 

 ture, and making artificial dews and fhowers 

 to nourifh and reffefh, not only the root, 

 but alfo the foliage : 



Alib, as the plants are forced out of 

 their natural inclinations in a great meafure, 

 do not perfpire fo copioufly, nor have an 

 opportunity of imbibing nutritive matter 

 from the natural atmofphere in fuch quan- 

 tity as if they were growing in the open 

 air, of composing a richer and deeper bo- 



