Читать книгу The American Flower Garden Directory - Buist Robert - Страница 5

The Hot-house ought never to be left entirely to inexperienced persons, because they are not aware of what might be the result of inattention even for an hour. Attention to the following observations will obviate every difficulty. About this season of the year, frost generally sets in very severe in the middle states. Suppose the day may have all the clemency of spring, the night may be directly the reverse. Every precaution is necessary to guard against extremes. According to what was said last month, it is understood that the shutters are put on every night at sundown, and in severe weather, they must be put on as soon as the sun goes off the glass. If the shutters are omitted till late in severe frost, it will so reduce the heat of the house, that you cannot overcome it by fire until near midnight; and when done, the fire or fires have been made more powerful than they ought to be, proving uncongenial to the plants that are near the flues. The air, as above directed, having been taken off the house at one o'clock, as soon as the mercury begins to fall in the thermometer, kindle the fire, and supposing it is anthracite coal, in twenty minutes, with a good drawing furnace, the heat will operate in the house. If a coal fire, kindled about four o'clock, it will require an addition about six, and then may be made up again about nine or ten, which will suffice until morning. The quantity must be regulated by the weather. If the fuel is wood, it must be attended to three or four times during the evening; and when the mornings are intensely cold, one fire in the morning is requisite. When there are bad drawing furnaces the fires must be made much earlier, perhaps by two or three o'clock, which will be easily observed by the time the fire takes effect upon the air of the house. The temperature ought never to be under 55° of Fahrenheit.