134 DESCRIPTION OF HOTHOUSES. 



superior to steam for horticultural purposes, 

 Nay more, I have the satisfaction in stating, 

 that when I have recommended the hot water 

 system, where I have been employed in making 

 improvements, or forming new gardens, it has 

 received great praise, both from my employers 

 and their gardeners, where properly managed ; 

 therefore, although I am not at present going 

 the length of some as regards pines, still I intend, 

 in a future stage of the work, to recommend its 

 adoption for those purposes, for which I know it 

 to be superior to any other mode of heating ; 

 and the following mode of growing pines I give 

 verbatim, as it appeared in print : 



" On the Culture of the Pine Apple, in a 

 Letter to the Secretary of the Horticultural 

 Society, by Mr. Alexander Stewart, Gardener to 

 Sir Robert Preston, Bart, at Valleyfield, near 

 Culross, Perthshire ; read Dec. 2nd, 1823. 



" The nature of the pine apple is by no means 

 so well understood in Scotland as in England ; 

 the plants are kept in too dry an atmosphere 

 generally, and not allowed sufficient heat and 

 moisture in the summer season. Early in 1820 5 



