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A dictionary of modern gardening - University Library

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—<br />

HOT 313 HUM<br />

purpose <strong>of</strong> steaming the pits when requisite.<br />

If it is required that the circulation<br />

should be confined to the first or<br />

second pit nearest the boiler, the sluices<br />

3, are closed, and those at 4 are<br />

opened. These sluices are formed by<br />

a metallic frame being substituted for<br />

the tile at those points in which a small<br />

metallic door works on a spindle. This<br />

is attached to a rod passing up through<br />

the earth, having a handle at the top,<br />

just above the earth. In the winter,<br />

when the thermometer stood at 23'^,<br />

there was a bottom-heat <strong>of</strong> 90^, and <strong>of</strong><br />

lids or covers, <strong>of</strong> the same length at<br />

each portion <strong>of</strong> the trough, to fit upon<br />

the whole length <strong>of</strong> the apparatus, so<br />

that the degree <strong>of</strong> humidity may be<br />

regulated by making up some portions<br />

<strong>of</strong> the covers, without disturbing the<br />

others. The troughs or gutters might<br />

be made <strong>of</strong> various materials, but I<br />

prefer iron. The heat is diffused from<br />

the surface <strong>of</strong> the trough or pipes,<br />

nearly as quickly as it would be from<br />

copper or zinc, and retains the heat<br />

much longer. The width and depth <strong>of</strong><br />

the troughs should be varied according<br />

to the plants intended to be grown in<br />

the house. An orchidaceous house requires<br />

a wider surface on the top than<br />

those intended for the growth <strong>of</strong> erica;<br />

and green-house plants generally. During<br />

the resting season <strong>of</strong> orchidaceous<br />

plants, the atmosphere <strong>of</strong> the house is<br />

easily kept less humid, by not removing<br />

the whole or any part <strong>of</strong> the lids.<br />

" For vineries and peach-houses, it<br />

—<br />

would answer exceedingly well, and<br />

entirely eradicate the red spider; for<br />

the trough can be covered when the<br />

trees arc in (lower, and when the fruit<br />

is approaching towards maturity. On<br />

the other hand, during the growing<br />

season you may maintain a regularly<br />

humid atmosphere with less trouble<br />

than by any other means. In a pinestove,<br />

forty feet Ions;, with a walk between<br />

the back wall and bark bed, the<br />

trough being two feet from the level <strong>of</strong><br />

the walk, Mr. Gritiin says, ' I can command<br />

any degree <strong>of</strong> heat with much less<br />

SO^ on the surface <strong>of</strong> the pits then in attention than is required for some<br />

action, and <strong>of</strong> 73^ in the stove." Gaid. houses with a boiler <strong>of</strong> the same de-<br />

Chron.<br />

Open Gutters.—Mr. Griffin, gardener<br />

to Mrs. Wells, <strong>of</strong> Cowley, near Exeter,<br />

has published the following remarks<br />

upon this mode <strong>of</strong> circulating hotscription,<br />

and equal power as regards<br />

pipe.'<br />

water.<br />

'' The open trough, or gutter, may<br />

be ap()lied to a boiler <strong>of</strong> any construction.<br />

The water (lows from the top <strong>of</strong><br />

the boiler, through a four-inch pipe,<br />

into troughs made <strong>of</strong> cast iron, <strong>of</strong> the<br />

following dimensions; inside measure<br />

six inches wide at the top, three inches<br />

and a half at the bottom, and seven<br />

inches deep; the trough is constructed<br />

in lengths three feet long, neatly fitted<br />

together by a rivet in the bottom, and<br />

one on each side near the top. The<br />

water returns in a cast-iron pipe, three<br />

inches in diameter. There are thin iron<br />

" Gnrd. Chron.<br />

HOUND'S-TONGUE. Cynoglossum.<br />

HOUSELEEK. Sempervivum.<br />

HOUSTONIA. Five species. Hardy<br />

herbaceous. Division. Peat.<br />

HOVEA. Sixteen species. Greenhouse<br />

evergreen shrubs. Young cuttings.<br />

Sandy loam and peat.<br />

IIOV'ENIA. Two species. Greenhouse<br />

evergreen trees. Ripe cuttings.<br />

Loam and peat.<br />

HOYA. Eight species. Stove evergreen<br />

twiners. Cuttings. Light loam<br />

and peat.<br />

HUDSONIA. Three species. Halfhardy<br />

evergreen shrubs, llipe cuttings<br />

and layers. Shaded peat soil.<br />

HUERNI.\. Eleven species. Stove<br />

evergreen shrubs. Cuttings, dried for<br />

a few days. Sandy loam and lime rubbish.<br />

HUGONIA. Two species. Stove<br />

evergreen shrubs. Ripe Cuttings.<br />

Loam, peat, and sand.<br />

HUMBLE-PLANT. Mi/nosa pndica.<br />

HUMtF.A clegans. Green-house bien-<br />

nial. Seed. Common soil.<br />

HUMUS. When the putrefactive<br />

process <strong>of</strong> plants is completed, there<br />

remains a s<strong>of</strong>t black mass, known as<br />

vegetable mould, or humus. One hundred<br />

parts <strong>of</strong> the humus <strong>of</strong> wheat<br />

straw have <strong>of</strong> extractive or apotheme,<br />

rather more than twenty-six parts, and<br />

the residue is lime, peroxide <strong>of</strong> iron,<br />

phosphate <strong>of</strong> lime, and carbonaceous<br />

matter. This apotheme is identical<br />

with the humic acid <strong>of</strong> Liebig, the ulmic<br />

acid <strong>of</strong> Braconnot, and the geic acid <strong>of</strong><br />

Berzelius. It contains<br />

Carbon<br />

Hydrogen<br />

Oxygen<br />

—<br />

46.C<br />

20.0<br />

33.4<br />

It was once believed, indeed is still

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