510 THE HOT-HOUSE. [Sept. 
raise the glasses behind, when you find the steam rising in the 
bed. When the nights begin to grow cold, cover the glasses 
carefully with mats, and be very cautious not to keep your lights 
close in sunny days. 
All your succession pines should have plenty of air at this season, 
which with a moderate and steady bottom heat will keep them in a 
growing and prosperous state, but by no means are they to be 
forced too much, nor too much confined; as by such treatment 
some .of the most forward might start into fruit at an untimely sea- 
son, and all would be rendered more unfit to bear the vicissitudes of 
the winter season, than if they were properly inured to the air and 
gradually hardened; but still there may be an excess in this as well 
as the other, both of which are equally to be avoided. 
Procuring fresh Tan. 
About the latter end of this month you should procure a quantity 
of fresh tan from the tan-yards, for the purpose of making new beds 
in the next month, for those plants which you expect to produce 
fruit in the ensuing year; and also for the succession pines. When the 
tan is brought home it will be proper to throw it up in a heap to 
drain and ferment, for ten or twelve days before it is put into the 
pits. But if it is very wet, as is commonly the case when thrown up 
out of the tan-vats, it should be spread thinly for two or three days, 
that the sun and air may draw off or exhale the superabundant 
moisture; for if used too wet, it would be a long time before it would 
acquire a sufficient degree of heat. 
Prepare Composts. 
The composts proper for pines are described in page 454, and if 
you have not hitherto prepared such as may be wanted next season, 
that business should be delayed no longer. 
For most of the shrubby tribe and herbaceous plants of the 
Hot-house, prepare equal parts of good light garden earth, and 
mellow surface loam from a rich pasture ground, with the turf; 
add to these a fourth of very rotten or old hot-bed dung, and let the 
whole be duly incorporated, and exposed to the weather several 
months before it is used, turning the heap over every five or six 
weeks. 
