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THE MOIST STOVE. 



the cultivation of the plants that are grown within. Such lofty houses have 

 much the same effect upon plants, whether planted out in borders or 

 grown in pots, that bell-glasses have upon tender plants placed under 

 them ; and, however high the one or the other may be, if we leave the 

 stems and lower parts destitute of branches, the plants will, if permitted, 

 reach their tops. In regard to heating a house for tropical plants, such as 

 that represented by our figure, we should say steam would be the most com- 

 plete, because such a house, in our opinion, should be connected with the 

 mansion, and if opening into the drawing-room, library, or saloon, would 

 form a splendid connection with them, particularly when seen by candle 

 or gas light. The temperature also would not, particularly at night, be 

 much above that of an ordinary sitting-room, for it should be kept in 

 mind that houses of such dimensions, and which must be always con- 

 sidered as erected more for display than for cultivation, should contain 

 only such plants as will prosper in a temperature of which fifty-seven or 

 sixty degrees may be taken for a minimum. Such being the case, the steam 

 apparatus may be conveniently placed under some part of the building, 

 and the steam which may not be required for the conservatory may be ad- 

 vantageously employed for a variety of domestic purposes, of which the 

 kitchen is not the least important. Hot water no doubt would heat such 

 a house perfectly, but we question whether it could be done upon so eco- 

 nomical a scale. The steam or hot-water pipes should be placed in a 

 sufficient chamber under the pavement, extending all round the house, 

 and also through the middle, under the centre walk, the heated air being 

 allowed to ascend through brass ventilators let into the floor at regular 

 distances. Such a structure may be completely constructed of timber, 

 excepting the columns which support the roof, which ought always to be 

 of iron. The opaque part of the roof over the foot paths ought in that case 

 to be of deal, well painted on the outside, and hned also with deal within, 

 leaving a span the thickness of the semi-circular battens, which will pre- 

 vent the admission of cold, or escape of heat, by inclosing between them 

 a volume of air, which is the best of all non-conductors. 



The plants should be all planted in tubs, boxes, or large pots, and 

 plunged in a bed of scoria, or river sand, and covered over with various 

 species of mosses, which can be made very ornamental, and are easily 

 repaired. Were the plants planted out in the beds, as is usually done, 

 the stronger growing sorts would in a short time completely overgrow the 

 tenderer ones, and often the most valuable, and in the course of eighteen 

 months after planting the whole would become a mass of confusion and 

 disorder ; whereas, by having the plants portable, their luxuriance would 



