THE SOCIETY'S (JARDEN AT WISLEV. 



71 



and who is not ? As the Society owns about sixty acres of land, there is 

 ample space for all the improvements and additions suggested, but the 

 work will of necessity be spread over a number of years. 



Leaving this part of the work, we will turn attention to the recently 

 erected glass structures (fig. 28), excellently built, light, strong, and 

 with all modern improvements, and so situated that, while getting all 

 the sun possible, they are very little exposed to wind, as they are partly 

 below the ground level, the sloping ground having necessitated a certain 

 amount of excavation. The house furthest from the spectator is a pro- 

 pagating-house with a centre path, and heated chambers on each side 

 for bottom heat, so essential in propagating. The next is a hardening- 

 off house with raised solid beds on either side of a centre path. The 



Fig. 28.— Eange of Glass Houses. 



third is a house adapted for trials of Cucumbers, Melons, and Tomatoes. 

 We have already in this house a trial of Tomatoes which promise 

 well. Then comes the house which contains the famous collection 

 of Figs which the Society were many years in getting together, and one 

 may say, without any hesitation, that the collection is not surpassed, and 

 very probably not equalled, by any other collection of Figs in the world. 

 All the plants are grown in pots, and when the young growths have made 

 five leaves the point is pinched out, thus causing the embryo fruit in the 

 axils of the leaves to swell and develop into large fruits. If any of you 

 have barren Fig trees, this method of compelling them to fruit can be 

 recommended. Both this house and the next are 100 feet long by 30 feet 

 wide. The latter is in three divisions, and daring the coming winter will 

 be planted with Vines, one division for early, one for mid-season, and one 



