I saw in the March number of the Monthly that trouble in starting fires in greenhouses with flues is not over yet. I had my share of it, too; but by the way I have my flues arranged now, trouble is not known, and it is a pleasure to start a fire.

About four to ten feet from the furnace build a flue on the top of the lower one and back over the furnace into a short chimney. Connect the extreme end of the upper flue with the lower one by a damper between the connections, made of heavy sheet iron, hung on a square frame, which is fitted in between the opening of the upper and lower flue. The damper when dropped will close up the lower flue and open the upper one, making an almost direct draft for the smoke to pass out. Now you can start your fire; it will roar. In a short time your coal will be ignited, and furnace and part of the flue well heated. Now raise your damper. I do this by an iron rod on which the damper is fastened. It runs through a hole in the brick and is then bent so that it will stand parallel with the outside of the flue when closed, and is kept up by a weight hung on the extreme end of it. With smoke and gases almost gone, a hot fire in the furnace and part of the flue well heated, there will be circulation through the whole length without any difficulty.

I also find this plan very useful in early fall and spring for heating my propagating bed, which I have on top of the furnace and return flue, by making a small fire and the use of the short flue.

This plan may not be new to your readers, but it was to me, and I would not be without it for any money so long as I have to heat a greenhouse with flues.