January 5, 1905 
This trench forms the path, and the ground 
level each side forms the beds for the plants 
to stand on. The side walls need not be 
above a foot high, but a house of this kind 
might be any height or width, according to 
the sort of stuff to be grown in it. Lean-to 
houses are useful as propagating houses for 
striking cuttings, raising seeds, &c. Cuttings 
are different from rooted plants. They do 
not require such strong light, so that the 
lean-to house, which only gets light from 
one side, is the best for them. The chief 
thing to be aimed at ina propagating house 
is to keep as even a temperature as possible 
for the year round ; to keep them warm in 
winter, when the outside temperature is 
low, is easily got over by putting plenty of 
heating power in the house; to keep the 
house cool when the outside temperature is 
very high is not so easy. My views are, 
that in the first place the position of the 
house ought to be studied, and it should 
stand in a place where it would get mostly 
all the sun in winter, and as little as pos- 
sible in summer. It should have a very 
large tank inside, which, if kept full of 
water, would have an equalising effect on 
the temperature of the house, and supply a 
little watery vapour to the plants when the 
outside airis dry. Further, J think that a 
perforated water-pipe might be run along 
the top of the root, under the shading, and 
on our very hot days the water could be 
turned on to run down the roof and find its 
way into the tank. The water need not be 
wasted, as it could pass through the over- 
flow and be turned to good purpose outside. 
I think an arrangement like this would 
have a good effect when we have severe 
weather in the way of hot sun and winds; 
and for propagating houses and houses with 
alot of rare and valuable plants it would 
be worth trying. What we have to contend 
against most in this country is the severe 
heats, which come through the summer in 
Dursts. We get on some ocuaaions every 
summer @ very quick rise in the tempera- 
ture, and as rapid a fall. These changes 
affect tender plants and cuttings very much. 
What is wanted is a temperature varying 
from 70° to 85°, with a moist atmosphere. 
One idea that has occurred to me is to have 
double glass during say four months in the 
year. Houses might be built so that an 
extra roof of glass could be put on or taken 
otf as required. I am not an advocate for 
double glass for the year round, but for the 
hottest part of our weather, when the air is 
so very dry and hurtful to tender plants, I 
think a double-glass roof would be a real 
benofit. Phe glass sashes forming the 
double roof could be utilised tor pits and 
frames through the winter. It must be un- 
derstood that I only recommend double 
glass for houses in which very tender 
plauts are cultivated, and for propagating. 
‘fhe point to be aimeu at is maximum of 
result with minimum of labor. I have had 
no great experience with double glass, but 
what I have had has been satisfactory. 
Houses for specimens may be of any shape, 
to please the taste of the proprietor, pro- — 
vided always that the plants will have 
abundance of light round about them, and 
not stand too far away from the glass. The 
span-roofed house with lantern roof for 
giving top ventilatioa is about the best kind 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
of house that I know, but as it might be 
out of place in some situations, a house may 
be circular, semicircular, half-span, or any 
other shape, provided always that the prin- 
ciples of plenty of light and fresh air are 
kept in view. As an example of a epan- 
roofed house for specimens, we will say that 
it may be 50 feet long, 20 feet wide, and 12 
feet high, with lantern roof for top ventila- 
tion. J do not think it need be sunk, The 
brick wails may be about 33 feet high, and 
the glass sides about 24 feet. ‘The ventila- 
tors for bottom air should be in the brick- 
work; the glass sides need not be made to 
open, and the pitch of the roof may be 
about the third of the width. The lantern 
roof considerably improves the appearance 
of the house, and it is the best mode of top 
ventilation at present known. The house 
inside should have a slate table or stage 
three feet wide, and standing up three feet 
from the ground all round the sides and 
ends. he paths may be from two and a 
half to three feet high, and in the middle 
of the house there should be a stage raised 
up, so as to keep the plants well up in the 
light. The space underaeath the stage in 
the middle of the house may be filled up 
with a large tank for holding water; 
underneath the side stages should be the 
hotwater pipes for heating the house in cold 
weather. ‘he pipes may be carried round 
the house, raised about a fvot from the 
ground. I would have the whole floor of 
the house cemented, so that it would hold at 
least three or four inches of water, like a 
shallow tank, to be filled with water in hot 
weather. Gangways made of battens 
would have to be made for walking on _ 
along the paths and above the water. In 
winter, of course, the paths would require 
to be kept dry, and the tank in the middle 
of the house should have a covering of 
boards, to prevent as far as possible too 
moist an atmosphere at that season. In the 
depth of winter keep the house warm and 
dry, and in the heat of summer as coo! and 
moist as possible. For the skeleton of the 
house I prefer iron to timber, it is not so 
clumsy. And Jam in favor of good thick 
glass being used. Of course, expense will 
put a limit to the thickness of the glass, and 
I do not mean to run into extremes. My 
reasons for thick glass are that it is not so 
easily broken as thin glass, and is therefore 
more cheaply kept in repair. It quenches 
more of the rays of sunlight, and therefore 
less shading is required. Shading I look 
upon as a necessary evil. My opinion is 
that more plants die under glass from being 
heavily shaded than from all other causes 
put together. People build houses of glass 
to admit plenty of light, and they put on 
heavy canvas shading to darken them up 
again. It should be borne in mind that the 
entire life of ths plants depends on the 
action of light on the cells, which contain 
chlorophyll. If that scientific truth is ad- 
mitted it must be bad to shade heavily, as 
you prevent the necessary rays of light 
from reaching and entering the plants. On 
the other hand, few plants will stand the 
bright glare of the sun through glass, espe- 
cially thin glass. A good shading material 
is much wanted; I think, more so in these 
colonies than in England—we have to get 
shade here so much more than they have. 
. 
&: 
Wa want something that will admit the rays 
of the sun io a vertain extent, and that ne 
burning or scorehing will take place, and it 
would require to be strong enough to with— 
stand our rough winds. Heavy canvas 
blinds 1 must condemn, for when they gse 
black with soot and dirt they are a perfect. 
abomination. My opinion at present is thet 
in winter, except for propagating houses, 
shading is required; but the glass should 
be kept clean and elear, so as to admit 
every ray of light possible. As the seasam 
advances a little frosting may be pub om— 
not too mach. When we begin to get the 
sun very strong, say in WNovenrber, @ litele 
more may be added. It should be of suele 
a substance that the rains, when they come, 
would gradually wash it off. On the reture 
of winter the glass should be washed leds 
again to admit all the light possible. 
Propagating houses will require 2 little 
shading even in winter. Heating of plant- 
stoves and other glass stracturas is a subject 
that has received a very considerable 
amount of attention in England and else— 
where, and it cannot yet be said to be per 
fect, the chief object aimed at being to get 
the most heat out of the fuel used. In this: 
country, where we get so much more 
natural heat than they get at home, peopls 
are inclined to say that not much artficiat 
heat is required, and it is certain that there 
is not so much required as in a colder 
climate; yet I consider it true economy ta 
have an efficient heating apparatus even ite 
this country. It is a mistake in the culture 
of tender stove-plants to let the temperature: 
fall too low in the winter. ‘T. Baines, 
writing on Dipladenias and Alocasias, says 
the temperature must be kept up to 66° ats 
night in winter, and for young growmg 
plants he says it ought to be 70°. Sh te 
statement I must endorse, if you wish your 
plants to grow into value. They may 
struggle on and live, but you never can see 
the beauty of tender stove-plants if t ey 
are subjected to a too low temperatures Me 
winter. No amount of attention will m ke 
up for the want of that element, Phe 
plants are natives of parts of the world 
where it is always warm, and very little: 
difference between the hottest and coldest 
time of the year. or that reasoa they are 
not adapted for low temperature. Lae 
general mode of heating plant houses 1 
the present day is by hot water circulatios 
in pipes. Our forefathers used to heat tactic 
houses with the smoke fines, and L have 
never been able to understand why they: 
have been done away with altogether. + 
do not see why the two systems should not 
be combined. A great deal of heat which 
now goes up the chimney and is wasted: 
could then be utilised. Much hus been said 
and written about boilers, and a great many 
different kinds have been. patented by in- 
ventors. It would be a difficult matter for 
any one to say which is best. The saddle- 
backed boiler is av old sort, and J think tt 
is as much used as any other even at the 
present time. There ought to be plenty of 
piping, so that you do not require to bave: 
the pipes too hot to keep the house up tothe 
required temperature. When only a small 
amount of piping is used, the pipes, to be of 
any service in keeping up the temperature, 
must be got up very hot, and it isa bad 
