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A CONSERVATORY.
PLATE XVII.
A CONSERVATORY.
THE attention bestowed by gardeners of this country to
plants introduced from every quarter of the globe has made it
necessary to erect buildings for their preservation and culture;
and to so great an extent has the means been carried by the
scientific, to create and govern artificial temperature, that
many exotic plants and fruits have arrived at a perfection
with us, rarely known to the country whence they were ob-
tained. Being compelled by the variableness of our climate to
study their nature and devise means to cherish them, Horticul-
turalists have proceeded in their exertions, and at length, have
arrived at results, beyond the products of nature in the most
congenial climate, unless assisted by the studies and labours of
man, which not being necessarily demanded they have in gene-
ral failed to receive. The transactions of our Horticultural
Societies exhibit ample testimonies of these facts, and satisfacto-
rily illustrate the experiments and results obtained by enlightened
theorists, and by practical men on these subjects, and thence
supply an ample source of amusements no less beneficial to society
than interesting to the individual whose leisure permits the
prosecution of such studies.
The propogation of heat, and the application of it to all the
purposes of horticulture are now well understood; and although
every year adds something to the great fund of knowledge
collected on these subjects, they are frequently the efforts of
the ingenious to economise in fuel and building, rather than to
introduce new methods of cultivation. This branch of the
science is, perhaps, near to its perfection, and its improve-
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