338 



FRUIT-HOUSES. 



in front, which are removable ; and every 

 alternate top sash slides down for ventila- 

 tion. 



Both atmospheric and bottom heat is 

 obtained from hot-water pipes ; — the for- 

 mer from pipes which pass from the 

 boiler direct to the front, and extend the 

 whole length of the house, the upper one 

 being flat, and the return one round ; the 

 latter from pipes joined to the cross ones, 

 passing along the middle of avault,;under 

 the pine beds, to the farthest end, where 

 they empty themselves into a large reser- 

 voir or tank left uncovered, from which 

 a copious steam is perpetually given out, 

 keeping the vault in a very humid state. 

 The cold water returns to the boiler from 

 this tank by another pipe, placed under 

 the flow-pipe in the usual manner. Stop- 

 cocks are placed on the pipes under the 

 vault, by which the quantity of water 

 flowing in them, and consequently the 

 quantity of heat, can be regulated. Cir- 

 cular holes, 4 inches in diameter, are cut 

 in the pavement forming the roof of the 

 vault; and to these are fitted upright 

 earthenware tubes of the same dimen- 

 sions, for the purpose of allowing the 

 superabundant heat from the vault below 

 to rise into the atmosphere of the house. 

 These tubes are provided with large cork 

 stoppers, and are placed along the back 

 and front of the bed, so as to be easily 

 reached. 



This vault is covered with Caithness 

 pavement in large pieces, and this forms 

 the floor, on which the plants stand in pots; 

 and to prevent them drying too rapidly, 

 they are plunged in half-decayed leaves. 

 It has been asked "by some, if the plants 

 did not suffer from dry heat when set 

 upon this pavement ?— but this can never 

 be the case, as much of the heat which 

 rises from the vaults passes through the 

 joints of the pavement, which, for this 

 very purpose, is laid dry ; besides, much 

 vapour rises through the tubes used for 

 regulating the bottom heat, while the 

 pines are frequently syringed overhead : 

 and even if all this were not sufficient, 

 the bed of half-rotten leaves in which 

 the pots are plunged can be watered if 

 required. 



We formerly grew all the plants in 

 beds formed on this pavement in the 

 planting-out manner; but have of late 

 abandoned this to a certain extent, 



and use large pots plunged as above 

 stated. 



Each house had a separate boiler until 

 lately, when we were induced to try the 

 experiment of heating two houses, as they 

 stand connected, with one boiler about 

 one-third larger than either of the two 

 removed — that is, 3 feet 6 inches long by 

 2 feet in breadth, and the same in depth, 

 and with one fire instead of two, which 

 reduced both the quantity of fuel and of 

 smoke to nearly one-half. 



So far as our experience goes, this is 

 an admirable improvement. The heat 

 which passes the boiler — and this is no 

 small quantity — in every case is made 

 with the smoke to pass along a flue in 

 the back wall, (g in section,) which gives 

 us an additional amount of heat, not only 

 in the pine -houses, but also in the houses 

 behind. Since the substitution of one 

 boiler in the place of two, we have placed 

 a damper at each side of the furnace, 

 so that we can turn the heated air and 

 smoke either to the right hand or the 

 left, often changing them once in twenty- 

 four hours. 



A footpath passes round the bed on 

 which the plants are set, excepting at the 

 end where the pipes cross the house. This 

 is a convenience which should never be 

 neglected, even at the expense of making 

 the house wider, or the plant bed nar- 

 rower, as it facilitates the operations of 

 watering and of examining the plants, 

 while it also gives an opportunity of 

 using the space over the pipes for forcing 

 French beans, strawberries, &c. 



As these houses occupy rather a pro- 

 minent position in the gardens, front 

 glass sashes are used, and form the whole 

 height of the houses, as seen from the 

 walks in front — a stone plinth of 6 inches 

 in thickness being placed under them — 

 and then the vine border is finished off 

 to that level ; for it is to be observed 

 that vines are grown and trained up to 

 the rafters. The border slopes so, that 

 all the rest of the front wall is hidden, 

 which has also the advantage of allowing 

 the vines to be planted, so that no part 

 of their stems is above the ground — a ca- 

 vity being cut in the stone plinth for 

 their reception. 



The pilasters or mullions between the 

 front sashes are of wood and stone alter- 

 nately — the former being movable, and 



