in the Garden of the Horticultural Society. 377 



value as protections for plants is not inferior to the elegance 

 of their appearance. In the south house, various kinds of 

 Tropical fruit trees have been planted, and among them have 

 been mixed other plants from similar climates, and requiring 

 similar treatment. These have grown with a vigour and 

 healthy appearance far beyond what has been remarked in 

 any wooden hot-houses which have come under observation. 

 Several, such as Guavas, Eugenias, &c. have already produced 

 their fruit upon very young trees, and good promise is offered 

 of their being followed by other plants yet more difficult to 

 fruit. This must, it is believed, be attributed to the abund- 

 ance of light afforded to the plants, and to the effect of the 

 solar heat, which is more abundantly admitted by the great 

 extension of the glass, and which renders it practicable to 

 maintain the atmosphere in a much more humid state than 

 in darker houses. The whole loss of direct light in the 

 curvilinear iron houses cannot be estimated at more than 

 one twenty-third, while in the common stoves it is never less 

 than one sixth, and sometimes as great as one-third. During 

 the time to which this Report extends, that is the two 

 years since these houses have been built in the Garden, the 

 unusual mildness of the winters has prevented any observa- 

 tions being made upon the effect of severe cold upon them. 

 It may be remarked however that in the summer, heat is 

 transmitted through the glass and iron bars in a space of 

 time inconceivably small. Those persons, however, who are 

 best acquainted with the management of iron houses, do not 

 fear that, though the same causes will, in hard frosts, occasion 

 the internal heat to be given out to the external atmosphere, 

 in a corresponding ratio, the proper management of the 



