42 HORTICULTURE. 



two, or sometimes tbree hours after sunset ; and if our air- tight is 

 one of good size, and constructed as it should be, so as to maintain 

 a good fire for a long time, our last replenishing ki the evening need 

 not usually be later than ten o'clock ; but we must, in this case, give 

 a full supply of fuel for the night's consumption. 



Every sensible person will, of course, use light outside shutters, 

 for the roof and side glass of such a house as this. We slide them 

 on at sunset, and take them off at sunrise ; and by this means we 

 not only save one-third of our fuel, but keep up a pleasant green- 

 house temperature, without cold draughts at night. It is worth 

 while to remember, too, that in glazing the roof, the most useful 

 possible size for the glass is 4 by 6 inches, or, at the largest, 6 by 8 

 inches. The former answers the purpose perfectly, and is not only 

 much less costly than large glass, but is also far less expensive to 

 keep in repair ; neither hail nor frost breaking the small panes, 

 as they do the large ones. 



As to the minor details, we will have a small cistern under the 

 floor, into which the water from the roof can be conveyed for water- 

 ing the plants. Beneath the centre stage (which may be partly 

 concealed with lattice work), we may keep our dahlia roots, and a 

 dozen other sorts of half hardy plants for the summer border, now 

 dormant, and snugly packed quite out of sight. 



We did intend, when we sat down, to give our novices a great deal 

 of exceedingly valuable advice about the sorts of plants that they ought 

 to cultivate in this glazed flower-garden. But we see that we are 

 getting beyond the limits of a leader, and must not, therefore, weary 

 those of our subscribers, who take no more interest in geraniums 

 than we do in Irish landlords, with too long a parley on exotics. 



We must have spacQ enough, however, for a word or two more 

 to beginners. Let them take our word for it if they prefer an 

 abundance of beautiful flowers to a pot-pourri, of every imaginable 

 species that can be grown under glass, they had better confine them- 

 selves to a few really worthy and respectable genera. If they only 

 want winter-blooming plants, then let them take Camellias and Chi- 

 nese Azaleas, as the groundwork of their collection, filling in the 

 interstices with daphnes, heaths, sweet-scented violets, and choice 



