as applied to Plant Culture under Glass, 627 



bins, (for it is against the established rules of stoking, to carry 

 any ashes out of a stokehole, provided the flue draws properly to 

 make them into clinkers,) then a few pieces of rotten pea-sticks, 

 or any other spray, with a small portion of old bast-mat, or the 

 like, were laid in the furnace whilst it was hot, and this gene- 

 rally got as dry as tinder in the course of the day, and required 

 only to be touched with a lighted candle, and have a shovelfid of 

 lumpy coal put in front, and partially over it (not behind it), to 

 make a powerful fire almost immediately. Instead of ever placing 

 any coals behind the blaze, we always placed them between the 

 blaze and the furnace door ; and, when the fire began to burn 

 strong, a layer of wet ashes was laid over the coals, which 

 answei-ed the purposes of confining the draught, and forming a 

 lasting fuel, the action of which was more regular, and required 

 less attention, than coals unmixed, not to mention a great saving 

 both in fuel and furnace doors. 



There is a very slovenly and dangerous system of kindling 

 fires often practised in gardens, to save the trouble of laying 

 them with wood, &c. ; I allude to the carrying of a shovelful of 

 live coals from one furnace to another : but, as every gentleman's 

 house and premises either ai'e, or ought to be, insured; and as it 

 used to be contrary to the insurance regulations to have a 

 candle or lamp out of doors without a lantern over it ; I doubt 

 not but it will be considered doubly dangerous, to allow shovels 

 full of flaming coals to be carried from house to house. 



But the principal way in which fire and water are made sub- 

 servient to gardening under glass remains to be detailed ; I 

 mean the warming of hot-houses by heated water, circulating 

 through iron tubes, the various modifications of which have nov/ 

 become such a profitable speculation, that a perfect mania seems 

 to have taken hold of a certain class of men, who, for want of any 

 shorter appellation, I must beg leave to designate the Hot-xsoater- 

 system-mongers. These gentlemen have favoured us with the 

 fruits of their ingenuity, by which they have endeavoured to 

 mystify, and render quite marvellous, a. thing in itself as simple 

 as the very teapot. It can therefore be no wonder that failures 

 frequently occur ; but, to explain all the faults, and causes of 

 failure, in heating by means of hot water would be a very unplea- 

 sant and laborious task ; and one, forsooth, not to be tampered 

 with, since it would expose the writer to the malice of many 

 respectable men, in whose systems errors and imperfections 

 might be found ; yet I must not be deterred from showing some 

 of the more flagrant errors, that have caused so much dissatisfac- 

 tion. I will, therefore, endeavour, as briefly as I can, to show 

 where the ironmonger is to blame for certain failures, and also 

 where he is not. Now it is certain, many excellent gardeners 

 have not had the opportunity of becoming acquainted with the 



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