188 
THE PELARGONIUM HOUSE. 
liot-water; but those in which Mr. Cock, of Chiswick, grows his plants, and also those used by Mr. 
Parker of Roehampton, Mr. Gaines, Mr. Catleugh, and others, are heated by the common flue. After 
this, it is unnecessary to say anything in advocacy of the flue; we have proof that it will answer : but 
as hot-water pipes are neater, those who have the means may use them. Ventilation is secured by the 
sliding sashes, and also all round the house by the front and end lights, and thus a current of air is 
secured at all times. In Mr. Beck’s 
houses at Isleworth, and also in all our 
own plant-houses, provision is made for 
admitting air in bad weather through 
apertures near the heating apparatus, 
thus warming the air before it passes 
among the plants—a thing of great im¬ 
portance in frosty weather, and during 
the prevalence of east or north-east 
winds. Nothing is more injurious to soft- 
wooded plants of all kinds than cold 
draughts of dry air—its effect is that of 
drying the tissue of the plants, thus 
turning the foliage brown, and render¬ 
ing the plants what cultivators term 
“ foxy but if the air is both warmed 
and moistened before it comes in con¬ 
tact with the plants, no such injury can 
be done, and two great points are gained, 
viz., abundance of air at all times, and 
that in a suitable condition to benefit 
the plants. 
From the preceding remarks it will 
be seen that the main requisites in 
growing Pelargoniums are, first that 
the plants be placed as near as possible 
to the glass at all seasons; and, secondly, 
that they be freely ventilated, taking 
care in cold weather that the air is in 
proper condition, both as to tempera¬ 
ture and humidity, before it comes in 
contact with the plants. We have yet 
only been considering houses, in so far as 
their utility is concerned; we shall now 
go a step further, and see whether a 
house cannot be made useful, and at the 
same time somewhat ornamental, and 
that too without any material increase 
in the expense of construction. 
Now it will not, we suspect, be dis¬ 
puted, that of all forms for a plant-house 
the span-roofed one is the best; inas¬ 
much as it admits light freely on all 
sides, and in addition admits of free ventilation in unfavourable weather, on the side opposite to the 
current of air at the time. We, therefore, recommend as the most suitable construction, a house run¬ 
ning north and south, twenty-four feet long and eighteen feet wide, with a platform round the sides 
three feet wide, and a stage in the centre of the house six feet wide, thus leaving room for a path 
round the house three feet wide. Such a house is represented by the annexed engraving, and it is 
six feet high on the sides, and ten feet high in the centre, and the ends being hipped, the plants are 
in all parts as near to the glass as is necessary. 
It may, and no doubt will, be objected to a span-roofed house by some, that for purposes of exhi¬ 
bition it is necessary that the flowers be brought to a face, that is, all to stand the same way. To some 
extent this is true ; but at the same time it must be recollected, that when plants come to be judged for 
Reference to Plan. 
a , Platform; S, Path; c, Hot-water apparatus ; d, Ventilators: 
support rafters. 
e, Purlins to 
