296 



ON THE CULTURE 



The extravagant idea of steam answering every 

 purpose of both fuel and tan, in regard of heat, 

 I believe on trial proves merely an ideal projection. 



A genial warmth and moisture happily combined 

 generally prove salutary to vegetation ; but excess 

 of steam in hot-houses has by experience been 

 found prejudicial both to the Pine and the Vine. 



Steam in pine-stoves and forcing-houses may be 

 found useful when used with care and judgment. 

 In my own opinion its greatest use will be in coun- 

 teracting the parching and violent heat we often 

 experience ; sometimes arising from the excess of 

 heat in the flues, and sometimes from a powerful 

 sun-heat and dryness of the weather ; but oftener 

 by these causes in conjunction, in a season when 

 the nights prove frosty and the days warm and dry. 



I have not heard of more than two instances 

 where steam has been adopted in Pine-stoves on 

 the general plan of affording heat and moisture 

 both to the tan-bed and the body of the stove. s 



vegetation. The whole plant comes to be moistened with a 

 warm vapour, which wholly condenses into a dew, that seems 

 to penetrate every part of the leaf, and confers an invigorating 

 freshness to the whole plant, that nothing else could have ef- 

 fected. — It is impossible to conceive any thing more beautiful, 

 luxuriant, and fruitful, than the Vines reared by this mode of 

 management." 



g In the first, steam is, by means of a perforated arch, con- 

 veyed under the bottom of the tan-bed. In the second it is 

 conveyed by steam-pipes to various parts of the stove. See 

 Plate III. 



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