PLANT STOVES. 7 



doors are the best for such structures, because, if large 

 plants have to be moved in and out, they aford greater 

 space than the doors in ordinary use. While speaking of 

 doors, it may be remarked that they should always be fixed 

 so as to open inwards, which is more convenient, and, 

 besides, the glass is not so liable to be broken through the 

 violence of the wind. The side lights, or sashes, are two feet 

 in height, and need not be mad« to open, but instead 

 thereof, some large iron or slate ventilators should be built 

 in the brickwork beneath them, opposite the hot- water pipes, 

 as shown in the plan; by this means the air is prevented 

 from blowing upon the plants in a raw or cold state. We 

 also recommend that large drain' pipes be laid in the ground, 

 passing from the outside under the foundation to the inside 

 of the house, and rising under the heating pipes, by which 

 means fresh sweet air may be admitted, even in severe 

 weather, if necessary, without detriment to 'the plants, which 

 would not be the case imless it were warmed, as it would be 

 in this case, by rising amongst the hot pipes. The lantern- 

 roof shown in the figure we consider a verj' good style of top 

 ventilation for a Stove, because it does not let the cold air 

 in directly upon the plants. 



Some kinds of Stove Plants thrive best with a little bottom 

 heat; we allude to such as Istoras, Dipladenids, &c., which 

 must be grown in another house in which the centre stages, 

 shown in the foregoing plan, must be replaced by a brick pit, 

 in which the bottom heat can be supplied either by means 

 of heated pipes, or a hot-water tank, the tank or hot-air 

 chamber being covered in with some material that will allow 

 the heat to pass through it to the material above. We have 

 found slates, tiles, or corrugated iron very good materials 

 for the purpose, or bottom heat may be obtained by the bed 

 being filled with a body of tan or other fermenting material. 



