FART V. CULINARY GARDENING. 289 



In different parts of the island there are, and have long been, 

 peculiarities in the construction of some hot-houses, which, had 

 they been understood and attended to by planners, would long 

 ere now have made a material difference in the general design 

 and erection of these edifices. At Abercairnie, near Crieff in 

 Perthshire, heated air introduced by a vacuity around the fur- 

 nace has long been used to heat a peach-house. Now though 

 the manner in which this is effected is extremely simple, yet the 

 end is answered in a considerable degree, and a tolerable sav- 

 ing of fuel produced. I am also informed, that heated air was 

 in the same manner introduced into a hot-house in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Manchester near forty years ago ; and as it is pro- 

 bable that there may be some other cases in England which 

 have not yet come under my observation, it is likely, however 

 strange it may seem, that the practice may be traced as far 

 back as Mr. Evelyn's time. I only mention this to shew how 

 very little men generally think upon what they hear or see, and 

 how prone they are to persevere in old common practice. This 

 improvement by heated air, having escaped the attention of 

 planners (who must have seen or heard of some of the instances 

 mentioned, but who evidently have not understood its nature) 

 would have been lost to the public had not a Mr. Stewart, gar- 

 dener at Woodlands, brought it boldly forward to public notice 

 in his patent hot-house. Mr. Stewart deserves much credit for 

 this ; and it is to be hoped he will find such a demand for his 



