THE FORCING OAR»EN. 



53f 



uniformity and stiff unbroken line, which the top of a garden- 

 wall always presents, unless purposely broken. Arranged in 

 such a way, they will be less offensive to the eye than a vast 

 sliafl, towering above every other object, and disgorging a vo- 

 lume of smoke, not much in unison with garden-scenery. Steam- 

 pipes certainly occupy much less space in the houses than 

 smoke-flues, which is always desirable ; neitlicr do they re- 

 quire any internal cleaning, which brick flues do ; but they re- 

 juire the inspection of an engineer, or person of skill, to 

 examine them once or twice a year ; which is much more than 

 the expense of a laborer or bricklayer cleaning the smoke- 

 flues. 



That insects are eflectually kept under in houses lieated by 

 steam is not the case, it is done by good management only. 

 Many who have had them erected have actually pulled them 

 down and re-introduced the common flues and furnaces ; and 

 a strong proof, that they are more expensive is evident, from 

 such eminent gardeners as Lee and Colvil, and many others, 

 who have the most extensive ranges of houses round London, 

 not having introduced steam. To such men as those, economy 

 is an object, and to such practical men we are to look to for 

 precedent, and not to gentlemen, who from motives of per- 

 suasion or scientific curiosity, adopt such projects. An emi- 

 nent London nurseryman, who had his houses heated by steam 

 Ai a great expense, has pulled the whole down, and substituted 

 flues upon the general principle, but improved by his own in- 

 genuity. He calculates a saving both of fuel and labor, taking 

 the loss of the expense of his steam apparatus into account. 

 Another instance of a person, long eminent for the cultivation 

 of fruits in the neighbourhood of London, has pulled his 

 down also, and re-introduced the original flues, being prac- 

 tically convinced that he has lost much by the experiment ; 

 and since the introduction of the hot-water system, heating 

 by steam, in this country at least, may be said to be aban- 

 doned, as far as regards horticultural purposes. 



It does not appear that hot-houses will ever be built in this 

 country upon so extensive a scale, as to render the heating 

 by steam really necessary, as a motive of economy. Where 

 expense is no consideration, si^am may be introduced into 



