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The pine-hoiises should be provided with the means 

 of obtaining milk-warm water for syringing and water- 

 ing. This, which is so often neglected, is a capital 

 point in the cultivation of all tropical plants, which 

 are unacquainted with the low temperature of north- 

 ern countries in any shape, and unprovided with the 

 means of resisting its effects. It is of little use to 

 maintain a steady bottom heat, or a steady air heat, 

 if the warmth of the soil or of the leaves is to be 

 suddenly lowered six or seven degrees by a deluge of 

 cold water. Tender plants do not like cold shower- 

 baths. {Gavd, Chron. 1843, 837.) To secure this 

 desideratum, an iron tank, with a portion of hot 

 water pipe passing through it, is very convenient and 

 effective. 



At Bicton they have many simple contiivances to 

 get a quick supply of this necessary thing. They 

 have, in the first place, draw-cocks to every boiler, 

 and several boilers are furnished with expansion boxes, 

 from which is obtained a supply of hot water in the 

 interior of the structure ; in others they have reser- 

 voirs ; and, again, a hole is drilled in the flow-pipe, 

 and a cock put in in convenient places. When a 

 large supply of hot water is required, by turning 

 cocks they shut off the whole circulation from the 

 pipes to boiler — have nothing but the boiler to heat 

 — and set the cock from the expansion box, which is 

 placed upon the summit of the boiler running of hot 



