The benefit of these in severe weather is of material service, for the
preservation of an even temperature in the house during the night, when
changes are not observed, but they ought never to remain on through the
day when the fire can be properly attended to. If the front and the
lowest sash of the roof are covered with these, it is generally
sufficient. They should be made of half inch boards, closely grooved
together, having a cross bar in the centre, and one at each end with one
at each side, which will make them substantial. If they are frequently
painted with care, they will last many years. No snow ought to be
allowed to lay on these while they are on the glass, for reasons that we
have assigned. See _January_ and _February_.
Some adopt double panes of glass to supersede the use of shutters,
which, they think are attended with considerable labour, (at the most
only ten minutes a day while in use.) The sash frame is made a little
deeper, so as to allow half an inch between the panes of glass. The one
is glazed from the out and the other from the inside. It appears to
answer the purpose tolerably well, but the glass must be both fine and
even in the surface, lest a lens should be produced, and cause a focus,
which would evidently hurt some part of the plants. We are almost
confident that we have seen this effect in some instances. There must be
a small hole about an eighth of an inch in both ends of each row of
glass to allow a current to dry up the moisture that may arise.
OF PLACING BULBS, &c. IN THE HOT-HOUSE.
If any _Hyacinths_ or other Dutch roots are wanted to flower early, a
few of them may be put in the Hot-house near the front glass, which will
greatly tend to forward their time of flowering. By having some brought
in every two weeks, a continued succession of bloom will be kept up.
_Calceolàrias._ Two or three plants of the fine blooming kinds may be
placed in this department, towards the end of the month. Divide the
roots as soon as they begin to grow, leaving only one stem to each
root, which put in a four inch pot, enlarging it as soon as the roots
extend to the outside of the ball, that by the month of May they may be
in seven or eight inch pots, in which they will flower superbly. Give
_Alstr[oe]merias_ the same treatment.