288 



CULINARY GARDENING. 



BOOK I. 



Indeed, these designs are impracticable, and such as could not 

 answer the purposes of horticulture : the natural consequence 

 that ever follows hot-houses designed by mere architects or 

 builders*. The plans given and recommended by Steel, Aber- 

 cromby, Speechly, and others, answer better ; but they contain 

 no deviation from general practice, to entitle them to claim the 

 merit of making improvements in their construction. Indeed, it 

 evidently appears, from the writings of these men, that they were 

 unable to think accurately on the subject. The same remarks are 

 applicable to the designs lately published by Mr. Nicol in his 

 Forcing Gardener ; but it is with pleasure I remark, that these 

 designs, though exactly upon the same principles with those 

 mentioned above, are perhaps upon the whole better adapted 

 for the purposes of forcing. To Dr. Anderson the public have 

 been indebted on many occasions ; and horticulturists are emi- 

 nently so, for the many ingenious hints contained in the ac- 

 count of his patent hot-house. This small volume is certainly 

 of more real importance than all the designs or books on the 

 subject that have preceded it. But though in some of the 

 warmest counties of England the Doctor s hot-house may per- 

 haps succeed for a year or two after it is erected, it is the humble 

 opinion of the author that it will never come into general use. 



* For we have man}' of these, but very few qualified to assume the former 



title. 



