A Letter from Sir Dudley Cullum, to John Evelin, Esq; Concerning the Lately Invented Stove for Preserving Plants in the Green House in Winter, Published at the End of the Calcndarium Hortense

III. A Letter from Sir Dudley Cullum, to John Evelyn, Esq; concerning the lately invented Stove for preserving Plants in the Green House in Winter, published at the end of the Calendarium Hortense. SIR, I cannot but think myself obliged in Gratitude to give you an Account how well your lately invented Stove for a Green House succeeds (by the Experience I have had of it) which certainly has more Perfection, than ever yet Art was before Master of. Sir, I have pursued your Directions in laying my Pipes (made of Crucible Earth) not too near the Fire-grate, which is nigh upon, or better than sixteen Inches; and by making a Trench the whole length of my House, under the Paving (for the Air to issue out and blow the Fire) of a convenient breadth and depth (that is, 18 Inches both ways, cover'd with an Arch of Bricks) and at the other end of the Trench, having a square Iron Plate answerable to that of my Paving (which is 18 Inches) to take off and put on, with a round hole at each corner, of about 3 Inches Diameter, with a Lid to slide open, and shut, upon every end of them, (as you may have seen upon some Porridge-Pot covers) so that by opening any of these holes, or all of them, more or less, or taking off the whole Plate, I can relate such a quantity of Air out of the House to blow the Fire so, as to increase or diminish the blasts; and, as you were pleased by Letter to inform me, concerning distributing the Air at its admission more equally through the House, I have inserted my Pipes into a Channel all along the Wall at the end of the House, with those several Overtures you mentioned: All which, Sir, I assure you, prove most admirably well, as by this free and generous Communication of yours you must have highly obliged all the Lovers of this Recreation, as well as, SIR, Your most Faithful and Humble Servant, D. Cullum.