182 HOT-nousE — OBSERVATIONS. [Decemher, 



with care, they will last many years. Snow ought not to 

 be allowed to lay on these while they are on the glass, for 

 reasons that we have assigned. See January and February. 

 Some adopt double panes of glass to supersede the use of 

 shutters, which they think are attended with considerable 

 labor (at the most only fifteen minutes a-day, while in use). 

 The sash frame is made a little deeper, so as to allow half 

 an inch between the panes of glass. The one is glazed from 

 the out and the other from the inside. It appears to answer 

 the purpose tolerably well, but the glass must be both fine 

 and even on the surface, lest a lens should be produced, 

 which would scourge the plants. We are almost confident 

 that we have seen this efi"ect in some instances. There must 

 be a small hole about an eighth of an inch in both ends 

 of each row of glass, to allow a current to dry up the 

 moisture that may arise. Double sashes during the severe 

 months are frequently used ; but shutters are preferable to 

 either. 



OF PLACING BULBS, &c., IN THE HOT-HOUSE. 



If any Hyacinths or other Dutch roots are wanted to 

 flower early, a few of them may be put in the hot-house 

 near the front glass, which will greatly tend to forward 

 their time of flowering. By having some brought in 

 every two weeks, a continued succession of bloom will be 

 kept up. 



GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 



If there is a tan-bed in the house, and it was renewed in 

 September, the pots should now be half plunged therein. 

 The violent heat will partly be over, and the plants are not 

 so liable to suffer at root in this as last month. It will in 

 part prevent the plants from being affected by sudden changes 

 of temperature. Be attentive in keeping all insects com- 

 pletely under. This is the period that these are most 

 neglected, but by attending to the modes of their destruction, 

 as already given, no species of them will either be hurtful 

 or unsightly. Syringe the plants about twice a-week, and 



