THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Mat 15, 18fi0. 
101 
STEAM ESCAPING PROM A SUPPLY-CISTERN. ; 
I have a hot-water apparatus that has an open expansion and j 
supply-cistern in one, with lid to take olf; and when the water | 
boils out comes the steam, and is in danger of scalding the plants I 
and Vines. May 1 close up the cistern to prevent the escape of | 
the steam with safety, and insert a small tap or stop-nock on ! 
which to fix a supply-cistern, closing it up steam-tight when not I 
needed to give more water ? The flow-pipes rise gradually to the j 
expansion-cistern, and, of course, fall or descend the same to the | 
boiler.—,T. Hilt,. 
[We never like the water to be near the boiling-point. When 
it is so the heated iron of itself contaminates the air of the house. 
It is better to have more piping. Much of this overflowing and 
steaming proceeds from bad firing. Three or four shovelfuls of 
fuel are thrown on carelessly when one would do. We do not 
say that this is your case. Provided the cistern is large enough, 
there will he no danger from expansion, and you may have a lid 
with veneered edges all round, which would prevent much steam 
escaping. If the water is apt to flow over, fix another cistern by 
the side of it, and let them communicate by an open pipe.] 
HAND-LIGHT GREENHOUSE. 
I beg to tender you my best thanks for the very kind manner 
in which you have treated my question in a late number. As, 
however, there are two or three points on which I should like to 
have your advice, I venture to trouble you again. I think your 
plan of a double bottom a very great improvement; but do you 
not think much of the heat would be lost in penetrating the 
galvanised iron P Suppose I was to adopt the plan of heating 
by hot water, how long do you think a vessel, or drawer, of zinc, 
would answer for warming the house? Would one heating be j 
sufficient every twelve hours ? I presume the vessel should be 
entirely closed to keep out the steam. 
But, apart from all this, do you think a garden-frame of the 
same size would answer the purpose better ? as I would as soon 
make one as the other; but it struck me the sketch I sent you 
appeared to be the more ornamental. 
I am very anxious, if possible, to possess something which will 
protect Verbenas, &c., in winter time, which in these parts is 
severe; and, also, to give me an opportunity of raising Gera- j 
niums, Calceolarias, &c., from seed, which I should much like to i 
attempt. My space for gardening, as far as flowers are concerned, 
is very small (although I have a much larger piece some distance 
from my house for vegetables), and the pygmy greenhouse is the 
largest one for size that I can afford, and if I could by any 
means construct it so ns to protect the plants, it would hold ail 
that I should wflnt. Could you tell me the greatest degree of 
cold that such plants as I have named would bear without 
injury, supposing they were properly attended to, bo far as 
removing dead leaves, watering, &e., is concerned ?—A Lincoln¬ 
shire Amateur. 
[As we said before, such a small hand-light greenhouse will be 
most easily and beneficially managed, if it can beset inside a window 
facing the south, instead of being out of doors. We quite agree 
with you that the sketcli sent might be more handsome, but it 
would not be so convenient. For instance : In such a little place 
heated or not heated, so long as the plants in it were watered, 
there would be a free condensation of moisture on the glass 
inside whenever the outside temperature became much colder 
than the temperature enclosed, which it would be apt to do, 
unless well covered up before such changes took place. Now, 
when tender things are grown inside, that condensed moisture 
might fall down just where it was not wanted, and play 
mischief so far as decay and failure were concerned. The air you j 
could give at your openings will not at once prevent this. But j 
suppose the top were in one or two pieces of glass, and laid on 
flat and moveable, you could easily take it carefully up and reverse 
it so as to place the dry side undermost, and the wet side upper¬ 
most. We have, otherwise, no objection to your fixed sloping 
roof. As to the plan of having a double bottom, we have no 
doubt that if the drawer is from three to four inches deep, the 
heat will be maintained under ordinary circumstances for twelve 
hours. The water being enclosed with wood, its heat would be 
slowly radiated, except through the sheet iron or thin galvanised 
iron above it. That will get hot fast enough, and it would be as 
well to have two or tluee inches of sand to set the pots on. When 
dry heat was wanted, keep the sand dry ; when moist heat was 
required, let it be a little moist. Besides this we should like an ! 
upright tin tube or two—say, one inch in diameter, and fitted 
with a cork, so that warm vapour might he admitted or excluded 
at pleasure. With such a contrivance, just as in a Waltonian 
Case, you may raise any sort of seeds. To keep plants in winter, 
inmost cases the moisture from the neat when applied would 
have to be excluded. A common frame, for preserving out of 
doors, would keep all such things best in winter, if it were raised 
above the ground level, a layer of dry ashes put in the bottom 
with some pieces of lime now and then, to help to purify the at¬ 
mosphere and to absorb the moisture, and then to take out each 
plant that needed a little water, and let it drain thoroughly 
before replacing it in the frame. Not a drop more water should 
be given to the plants than they absolutely require. The frame 
should be well covered up in cold weather, and the sides should 
have at least six inches of clean, dry, Wheat straw tied firmly 
round them. With such precautions, the plants you have 
will often stand through the winter much better than those 
coddled with fire heat. Of course, plenty of air must be given 
in mild, favourable weather. Such plants will be better not to 
be below 35° for any length of time; but we have had them close 
on 32° for a month, and covered up all the time without injury. 
Of course, they were uncovered with care. Had they been 
exposed at that temperature, many would have suffered. Had 
they been covered up half that time, at a temperature ranging 
from 35° to 40°, we should have expected them to be much 
injured. Wo should be glad to oblige you; but, after all, with 
such small space, we believe you will be most successful with your 
miniature greenhouse placed inside of a room of the house, with a 
window facing, if possible, to the south.] 
THE INDIAN PITCHER-PLANT, NEPENTHES. 
No collection of stove plants should be considered complete 
without at least one species of the above. Though not gaudy, 
the amateur would find it an object of great interest. The graceful 
habit, fine foliage, with peculiar pitclier-like appendages, cannot 
fail to attract the most careless observer. 
The first species was introduced to this country from China in 
the year 1789 ; but wo are indebted to Messrs. Veitcli & Son 
since the year 1840 for the two most beautiful species—namely, 
Nepenthes sanguinea and villosa. The same gentlemen have, 
through their collector, Mr. T. Lobb, made large importations of 
other kinds, such as ampullacea, JEooIceri, phyllamphora, Icevis, 
EaJJle.tiana, and others not yet offered to the public. They have 
also succeeded in raising seedlings of the last-named species, of 
which a fine collection is now in their possession at Exeter and 
Chelsea. For the cultivation of the Pitcher-plant a high tempe¬ 
rature is neeessary—say from 60° to 65“ in the winter months, 
and from 70° to 95° during the spring and summer months. 
It lias been asserted that plunging the pots in bottom heat is 
indispensable ; such, in reality, is not the case, excepting to raise 
plants from seed, which are difficult to obtain. The flowers 
are dioecious ; and, excepting in large collections, it is almost 
impossible to have a male and female in flower at the same 
time. 
The repotting of the plants should be done about the middle 
of January. Great care is necessary in performing that operation ; 
the black thread-like roots are liable to be injured if too much 
violence be used in reducing the old ball. The pots in which the 
plants are to grow should be perfectly clean. A liberal supply 
of potsherds should be used to secure the proper drainage of all 
superfluous water. After removing as much of the old soil as 
convenient, plaee the plants in such pots as will allow about one 
inch of light fibry peat and live sphagnum moss to surround the 
ball. Care must be taken not to press the soil too bard. 
After potting, the house should be kept rather close lor a short, 
time, to allow the roots to become established in the new soil. 
After this time and during the summer the syringe should be 
used daily, and on abundant supply of water at the root while the 
plants are in a growing state. And it must be observed that in 
the winter months the plants should not remain dry at tho root; 
and an occasional syringing in fine weather will be found highly 
beneficial. 
With ordinary care fine plants may bo bad in perfeclion from 
April till September, the pitchers remaining in perfection for a 
long time. — S. 
[We shall be obliged by your address, but for no other purpose 
than knowing how to communicate with you if necessary.— 
Eds. C. G.] 
