18 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 14, 1886. 
by dividing some of his field land into small plots to start them.— 
C. M. Brewin, Bdwtry , Yorkshire. 
FRUIT AND PLANT HOUSES. 
(Continued from page 560.) 
The fittings of houses are of more importance than many 
imagine. Foremost are the means of bringing the plants up to 
the glass, which are of three kinds—viz., trellises, beds or 
shelves, and stages. Respecting the trellises little comment is 
necessary, as the plant itself will determine the distance the 
trellis should be from the glass, as, for instance, Stephanotis 
may be 6 inches, Roses 9 inches, Peaches and Figs 12 to 14 inches, 
and Vines 16 to 18 inches. Some cultivators might complain 
that these are too close to the glass, alleging that the nearer we 
bring the foliage to the glass the more we expose that to the 
vicissitudes of climate But experience proves that the more we 
take the plants from the glass the more we encourage growth, 
long-jointed and sappy, large but thin leaves—everything, in fact, 
but a floriferous and fruitful growth. Therefore 1 conclude that 
the nearer we bring the foliage to the glass, consistent with its 
not touching, the more likely are we to secure thoroughly solidi¬ 
fied growth. Wire trellises are now almost exclusively used, and 
being galvanised or painted answer perfectly. Some object to 
galvanised wire as inducing gum or canker. 1 have had some 
experience of it. and find no evil consequences attend its employ¬ 
ment either under glass or outdoors. 
Beds are only necessary when it is deemed advisable to employ 
bottom heat either by means of fermenting materials, hot-water 
pipes, or hot-water tanks. Bottom heat, however, is not now 
employed to nearly so great an extent as formerly, but most 
cultivators agree that some plants require it; indeed, it is only 
courting failure in attempting to grow Pine Apples, Cucumbers, 
Melons, and very early Figs in pots without bottom heat. Most 
cultivators are agreed that a bed of fermenting materials is 
highly conducive to the health of the plants whether placed in it 
or not As a means of keeping down the fuel bill I strongly 
advise a bed of fermenting Oak or Beech leaves to be made in 
each structure where there is a central bed, and necessary for 
bringing the plants up to the light in all houses required to kept 
at a higher temperature than that of a greenhouse. The depth 
ought not to be less than 4 feet, and if put in soon after the new 
year it will keep its heat until natural conditions are more 
favourable. 
Hot water as a means of affording bottom heat is excellent, 
and may be employed in three ways. First, the pipes may be 
fixed not more than 2 feet apart, and so disposed as to allow of 
at least 6 inches depth of rubble under and ov er them, into which 
the heat can pass and be retained. This depth, or about 18 inches, 
I consider proper; more is a waste of heating power, and less 
dangerous from over-heating. Secondly, the pipes may be enclosed 
in a chamber, which ought not to be deeper than 1 foot, the pipes 
being kept clear of the bottom and of the covering material, 
whether it be wood or slates; and, thirdly, by pipes in a tank 
containing water so as to cover them. This latter mode is per¬ 
haps the best, as we have heat combined with moisture, provided 
means be taken to prevent the soil becoming sodden, as may be 
effected by having 3 inches thickness of rubble placed over the 
covering of the tank. The tank mode of affording bottom heat 
is similar, only instead of the water being heated by hot water 
pipes the water circulates in the tank, entering at one end and 
passing out at the other, the tank being divided into spaces about 
a foot wide by bricks on fiat and about 2 to 24 inches depth of 
water in the tafflc. This mode of affording bottom heat is not 
nearly so much employed as its merits deserve. Shelves, which 
differ but little from beds, or only in having no enclosed space 
beneath for means of affording bottom heat or holding soil, are, I 
consider, best formed of slate. I have them an inch thick, with 
2-inch edges to contain material for standing the pots on, as 
gravel, &c. For houses where there is a considerable amount of 
moistui'e, wood shelves are not suitable, as they so soon decay. 
In the matter of stages there is nothing to equal red deal 
properly seasoned. Oak, however, answers very well, but is 
much dearer, as also is teak. I have some of pitch pine, but not 
sufficiently long to express an opinion of them as compared with 
red deal. The stages should be open— i.e , laths with spaces 
between. I prefer them an inch thick, 2 inches wide, and fixed 
so as to allow an inch space between each. The wood should be 
dressed— i.e., planed, and be given two coats of paint before 
being put together, and all joints well primed with white lead. 
It is no use expecting the stage to last if the joints are bad, for 
only let water get in and the stage will soon need renewal. Two 
coats of paint should be given after fixing, and allowed to become 
thoroughly hardened before the plants are introduced. 
Moisture is an essential of plant life. The means to insure 
it are chiefly dependant on manual operations at frequent 
intervals by means of sprinkling available surfaces, or even 
syringing; but means of affording it constantly and in propor¬ 
tion to the artificial heat are resorted to in evaporation troughs. 
These are considered necessary by some, whilst others consider 
them more injurious than otherwise. I do not wish it to be 
understood that I consider them necessary for plants not requiring 
more than a greenhouse temperature, but I do hold a moist heat 
to be at all times more favourable to vegetation than a dry one. 
I consider, therefore, that unless the evaporation pipes or trough 
are small, and the pipes are highly heated, they are useful. I 
have used them without any injurious effects, and I must say 
with marked advantage as compared with the results obtained 
from structures where there were none. If the house has to be 
kept at a high temperature by greatly heating the pipes, then 
shallow troughs will give off too much steam; but even in this 
case troughs that cause the pipes to be surrounded with water 
are useful, as they reduce the heat of the pipes and radiate the 
heat from a large surface at a much lower temperature, whilst 
the moisture is not relatively abundant. Besides, I find evapora¬ 
tion troughs a ready means of charging the house with ammonia, 
the troughs being filled as occasion requires with liquid manure. 
Similar results can be obtained by damping surfaces at intervals, 
but as we have moisture in Nature proportionate to the heat when 
vegetation makes most progress, so in the application of artificial 
heat we should act upon similar principles. 
Material may be also used which will give off moisture and 
something else. Plants always do best on a moist or what we 
term a cool bottom, on a bed of ashes in preference to a stage or 
a dry slab, and they do better on a slab, be it stone or slate, than 
on a lattice stage. This clearly is a consequence of the moisture 
given and watering being in part at least retained and given off 
again in the shape of vapour or moisture. The value of this is 
apparent when liquid manure is used in that passing the pots 
being given back in vapour form to the atmosphere, and if we 
have a receptacle beneath for holding the water that passes 
through the pots in watering we find the plants thrive very much 
better than when it is allowed to run off through open stages 
and be lost in the soil or drains. It saves many dampings 
and is very much better, as the evaporation is in proportion to 
the atmospheric conditions, therefore more regular and better 
suited to the plants. We mus 1 admit the value of mulching 
inside fruit borders, and beds of spent tan, or even sawdust and 
cocoa refuse as plunging material, as they not only contain 
moisture, but in decomposing afford some nutriment. In shading 
I need only remark that except for such plants as Ferns fixed 
shadings are not good; smearing roofs with whiting and skim 
milk, or even summer cloud, and everything that obstructs the 
light constantly, I do not recommend. What we want is a 
material that can be put on and taken off at will, for which I 
know nothing better than the roller and canvas shading with 
laths to keep it from the glass, and allow of ventilation under 
any circumstances.— G. Abbey. 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS IN THE NORTH. 
It seems to be generally admitted by all that the past season has 
been anything but a good one for the “ queen of the autumn," and it 
seems a question whether growers in the north or those in the south 
have suffered the most. Certainly northerners have had to contend 
against one of dullest and most sunless seasons on record ; and although 
some collections may have had to the uninitiated a pleasing 
appearance through the months of August and September, inasmuch 
as they “ looked healthy/’ still they have not come in well at the 
“ finish indeed, in more than one case have we heard of collec¬ 
tions (and some that looked well in the months named) failing to 
bloom at all, and in several cases where good attention had not been 
given the blooms have only been very indifferent. We have really 
felt sorry for some amateurs who have this season for the first time 
made an attempt. It has been very discouraging, for in some instances 
which we know of, in spite of enthusiastic effort, there has scarcely 
been a bloom to reward them. This may, perhaps, somewhat 
puzzle dwellers in the south, as in most cases there the scorching 
weather which they experienced in August gave the growths 
sufficient solidity to bloom, although we understand that they were a 
long way short of what they were in the season of 1884. On the 
other hand, as mentioned by Mr. Tggulden, we quite escaped injury 
from the early frosts, and although our blooms were from three -weeks 
to a month late we have been having the benefit of them for Christ¬ 
mas and New Year’s decorations, and welcome they have been- 
Indeed in our own case, judging from appearances at present, we 
shall not be long without Chrysanthemums during 1886, for we have 
at the present time plants of Hero of Stoke Newington, Princess Teck, 
