THE VINE AND ITS FRUIT. 



95 



apex, and supporting them in the middle with a light 

 screwed pin, passed an inch or more into the rafters. 

 These bars heing of vmiform length, with holes 

 drilled through them 10 inches apart for carrying 

 the wires, form a framework which cannot give way 

 under the heaviest strain that is likely to he brought 

 to bear upon it. As many plant and fruit growers 

 do not approve of galvanised wire for training pur- 

 poses, their objections can be easily overcome by 

 giving the trellis two or three coats of paint after it 

 is fixed. For conveniently carrying out the extension 

 or long-rod system of training, the longitudinal- 

 wired trellis is infinitely superior to the cross trel- 

 lises, composed of three wires placed under each rafter. 



number of houses have to be heated from one stoke- 

 hole, fitted with a pair of boilers working separately 

 or together, the saddle and the Trentham are un- 

 surpassed for power and economy. In the arrange- 

 ment of the pipes, the fitter must, of course, be 

 guided by local conditions and the purpose for which 

 the house is required. As heated air naturally 

 ascends, it 1ms hitherto been thought advisable, 

 while avoiding too glose proximity to the stems of 

 the vines, to place the stacks or tiers of pipes near 

 the ground-line and in the coldest part of the house. 

 For early and Muscat houses, more piping is required 

 than in mid-season houses ; but to insure an abun- 

 dance of heat in severe weather, and to avoid over- 



Pig. 4. — Spak-boofed Vihert. 

 A, Area ; B B, border ; o c, drainage ; d d, ventilators ; e, passage ; oo, pipes. 



Artificial Heating. — Though there are several 

 ■modes of applying artificial heat to vineries, it is not 

 necessary to touch upon any of the old s}''stems long 

 since superseded by the introduction of hot water, 

 which is at once the cleanest, neatest, and most 

 ■efiicient arrangement yet introduced to the horti- 

 culturist. Unfortunately for the amateur, the 

 nxunber of boilers before the public is so numerous 

 that he will find it difficult to decide upon the best. 

 During the last thirty years a great variety of cast- 

 iron boilers have been introduced; but, owing to 

 unequal contraction and expansion, the metal is 

 liable to crack, and the apparatus is then rendered 

 useless. Having before them the disastrous results 

 produced by these mishaps, nearly all practical 

 growers are now using wrought-iron boilers, of 

 which the terminal-ended, welded saddle boiler, and 

 the Trentham, or improved Cornish boiler, are by 

 far the best. In large establishments where a great 



heating at all times, the shrewd economist will 

 always furnish his houses with ample piping. As a 

 guide to those who have not had much practical 

 experience in heating, " Hood's Tables," for finding 

 the length of four-inch pipes required to heat 1,000 

 cubic feet of air per minute to from 45° to 90°, the 

 temperature of the pipe being 200°, will be found 

 useful and reliable. 



