THE FORCING GARDEN. 



5iS 



ligcnce of gardeners in general, to suppose them ignorant of 

 the management of steam, in whatever way it may be appUed 

 for horticultm'al purposes ; but it is not to be supposed that a 

 gardener, who has many other things to think of, can sit all 

 night and watch the progress of a steam apparatus ; and few 

 gardeners, generally speaking, have men of that talent allowed 

 them who understand it; nor can the majority of garden- 

 labourers be depended upon, either in regard to rewards or 

 punishment, to attend to these matters. 



Steam, for these and other more important reasons, is fast 

 giving way to the hot-water system ; and it is gratifying to see 

 so many of those who were amongst the first to adopt steam, 

 being amongst the first also to adopt the hot-water system, 

 being now sensibly convinced of its superiority. 



Seeing steam is abandoned, in consequence of the exor- 

 bitant expense of the first erection, the annual expense of 

 keeping in repair, and the derangements to which it is liable, 

 it is surprising that so many are not satisfied with the hot- 

 water system, in its simplest state, when it is already sufficiently 

 proved to answer every purpose expected, at least as applied 

 to the heating of hot-houses. 



Soon after smoke-flues began to be built upon scientific 

 principles, improvements upon them sprung up, under the de- 

 nomination of hot-air flues and cold-air flues, hot-air chambers 

 surrounding the furnace, &c., all of which were found to be 

 of no real use, but rather the reverse ; and they possess no 

 other merit than that of making the whole more complicated 

 and useless. It would be well, therefore, of those who have 

 the erection of the hot-water system, to bear this in mind ; 

 and while they improve, which we sincerely hope they will, 

 that they will also keep the whole upon as simple a principle 

 as possible. 



In its original state, hot-water pipes cannot get out of order ; 

 but, by rendering them more complicated, the chances of de- 

 rangement will increase. The more simple the construction, 

 while, at the same time, durability, neatness, and sufficient 

 power, are kept in view, the nearer to perfection will our 

 attempts become. 



The principal merits of the hot-water mode of heating 



