Theory and Practice, Applied to the Cultivation of the Cucumber in the Winter Season: To Which Is Added a Chapter on MelonsMoore, Thomas
Science
Theory and Practice, Applied to the Cultivation of the Cucumber in the Winter Season: To Which Is Added a Chapter on Melons
Moore, Thomas
Cucumbers
One point connected with the application of these coverings, which I
consider would constitute an improvement, and which, as far as I am aware,
has never been acted on, is that of having them to fit so accurately as to
exclude the external air (a matter of no difficulty in the degree
required), and then to have a series of ventilators provided, to stand
open during the night, whereby an interchange of the atmospheric volume
would take place throughout the night, without exposing the plants to
contact with cold air. The stagnation of the internal atmosphere would
thus be prevented, in consequence of the interior air and the air between
the glass and the covering being of different degrees of density, owing to
their being differently charged with heat. By this plan, therefore, I
conceive that direct benefit would accrue to the plants; and it would also
materially assist in preserving that cooler--but not cold--night
temperature, which the fear of injury from frost prevents from being more
fully realised in ordinary cases.
[Illustration]
The annexed diagram represents one of the many ways in which this idea
might be carried into practice. It will be understood that, as here shown,
the side shutters and end shutters (the latter not indicated), fit into
grooves, the upper groove being attached to iron pins, and thus fixed at a
proper distance from the building, without obstructing the passage of air
along the enclosed space; and that on the lower side being so fixed as to
exclude the external air in that direction. The top or roof shutters also
run into a groove along the ridge of the roof, and at the lower end fix
close down to the top of the side shutters, fastening with a button. Each
of the shutters should have a projecting fillet fixed on one side, so as
to shut close over the adjoining one. The shutters themselves should of
course be made of light frame-work, strengthened where necessary, with
small iron rods. The material used for covering them may be the asphalte
felt, now manufactured extensively for roofing purposes, or strong brown
paper, coated with tar; the latter is used extensively in Germany for this
purpose, and is found to be very durable and cheap; it is there even
preferred to every other material.
Though the covering of hot-houses has been already practised in some
cases, I am not aware of any one having adopted a close covering with the
view to facilitate ventilation or aëration during the night. It appears to
me that the circulation of air, secured by the means here proposed, would
have much influence in excluding cold, whilst at the same time it would
prevent the interior from becoming too warm and close.
_On Transplanting and the use of Turf Pots._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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