More About Heating Grecn-Uouscs. 139 



During the shortest days, when the plants, being in a bad position, 

 got very Httle direct sunhght, most of the buds dropped half opened ; 

 but for a month past they have opened fully, and the flowers seem 

 more permanent than in open culture. To-day, February 18, 1 counted 

 twenty-three blossoms fully opened. There are yet no signs of cessa- 

 tion ; the coming summer may possibly find these plants still blooming 

 from stems a year old. C. Rendatleri^ treated in the same way, 

 refused to bloom, but sent up a dozen new shoots, some of which are 

 now nearly five feet high, and forming flower buds : the old flower- 

 ing stems, instead of dividing like BlhorelU^ withered, and were cut 

 away early in the winter. This variety is very ornamental in foliage, 

 and all flowers are of the largest size. C. Bihorelli grows about 

 two and a half feet high, with plain foliage and bright-red flowers, 

 pretty large in size. A plant with half a dozen stems, in -a large pot 

 or tub, or planted out, 'with full exposure to sun and light, slight bottom 

 heat, and a night temperature from 55° to 60°, will bloom all winter, 

 yielding hundreds of florets. C. Reudatleri is also well worth grow- 

 ing under glass for its graceful habit and fine broad foliage. 



MORE ABOUT HEATING GREEN-HOUSES. 



I OBSERVE, in the January number of the Journal, an article on 

 " Heating Green-houses," by Mr. Strong. While so large a number of 

 glass structures are being every season erected in this country, perhaps 

 you will not consider a few remarks by a reader, on the same subject, 

 out of place. 



In the first place, I think a great deal too much fuss is made about 

 the method of heating glass-houses, and have at present seen nothing to 

 equal a good flue for small solitary houses. To suppose it possible to 

 confine all the heat from fuel consumed, would be an error. A certain 

 portion must ever escape ; how large a portion, depends, as a rule, 

 upon the person in charge, very much more than upon the system 

 adopted. Having had various systems of heating under management, 

 I do not make this assertion theoretically. I am also free to confess 

 that I have not yet seen a combination of flue and hot water satisfac- 

 tory when used for forcing. The Polmaise method of heating originated 

 with a ]\Ir. ISIurray, of Polmaise, Scotland, as most of your readers are 

 doubtless aware, and was the result of peculiar necessity. At the time 

 of its introduction it caused a great furor among novelty seekers, but 



