252 
FIRE-HEAT DURING THE WINTER MONTHS, 
— « — 
We are pleased to observe that a rational system of treatment is gaining 
friends and supporters. We cannot refer to any old work upon gardening, without 
meeting with directions to maintain a constant temperature of 65 to 75 degrees by 
fire-heat in the plant-stove, and with warnings of the imminent peril to which 
the plants of warm climates would be exposed, were the mercury to descend to, 
and remain for a few hours at, 55 degrees. What is still worse, however, every 
class of cultivators have contributed by their practice to maintain the prevailing 
error, and it has universally been considered a fundamental principle in the 
management of the natives of tropical regions. Like almost every other subject, 
it has been imbibed by each succeeding generation from their progenitors without 
due investigation, and few have been found sufficiently bold to encounter public 
ridicule by denouncing its absurdity. 
The great expense incurred by the adoption of this system, has tended to banisli 
stove exotics from our collections in general ; but were persons once experimentally 
convinced that ninety-nine out of a hundred of our most beautiful woody stove 
plants might be preserved, in perfect safety, by a minimum temperature of 45 
degrees, we conjecture that our villa gardens would assume a different appearancCo 
We B2t,Y preserved^ because we are convinced that a season of complete repose is 
required by every perennial throughout nature. The leaves of numbers of woody 
shrubs will fall, under the cool treatment ; thus, winter after winter, we have seen 
the Brunsfelsia Americana (one of tlie most fragrant tenants of the stove, — a native 
of the West Indies) shed every leaf in detail after December ; and the same may 
be said of all the species and varieties of Hibiscus Rosa Sinensis. Cojfea has, on 
the contrary, retained its glossy leaves, and e ven continued to grow, at 50 degrees ; 
and as to the purple-fruited guava, (Psidium Cattleyanum^^ it remains a perma- 
nent evergreen at a degree or two above freezing : we had a plant which ripened 
several large fruits during the rigours of January 1838, when the water of a cistern 
under the glass was coated with ice ; and this month (October) we have gathered 
a complete crop of berries, which had been subsequently produced. Thus, cordially 
acquiescing in the remark, under the head " Operations for October," p. 215, that 
the eternal spring affected by many in our stoves " is a most egregious and 
dangerous error," and reiterating the advice, that our readers should com- 
mence this season by dispensing with half the fire-lieat usually employed," on 
the ground of economy and true philosophy ; we solicit their attention to the 
few following remarks, which the facts that liavc come within our knowledge have 
elicited. 
The smoke nuisance has before been noticed, and we rejoice to perceive that,. 
