HORTICULTURE. 597 



Agricultural experiment work, N. A. Coiiu {Agl. Gas. N, S. Wales, 7 {1S9G), No. 

 10, pp. (U:.]-i;S!t,Ji<ifi. 49).—'Y\ie \arioiis inHueiices which make plat testing inaccurate 

 are discussed, and details are given of the row and pot systems, which the author 

 considers preferable. 



HORTICULTURE. 



Trial of four-inch cast-iron and one and one-half inch wrought- 

 iron pipe for the circulation of hot water in forcing-house heating, 

 L. F. Kinney and G. E. Adams {Rhode Island 8ta. Bpt. 1895, i)p. 95J- 

 311jji<js. ^^). — In a lean-to forcing house 11 by 30 ft., a double heating 

 system was installed, 2 lines of 4-in. cast-iron pipe and 2 lines of IJ-in. 

 wi'ought-iron pipe being placed beneath benches extending round the 

 walls of the house. The pipes were connected by means of common 

 supply and return pipes with a heater in a separate room, and valves 

 were so placed that either system could be used. 



The large and small pipes were used on alternate days during a 

 10-day period in January, two 11-day periods in February, and an 18-day 

 period in March, the valves being changed at noon, the water all drawn 

 from the system and replaced with cold water, and a new fire made in 

 the heater. 



Tables are given showing the temperature inside and outside the 

 house at 1 periods during each day, the relative humidity at 3 periods, 

 the amount of coal consumed per day, the time required for each system 

 to heat up and to cool off, and the temperature outside and within the 

 pipes of the 2 systems. 



The results are summed up as follows : 



"With the same attention a heater maintained a higher temperature in a house 

 when the water circulated in a system of large pijies than when it circulated in a 

 similar system of small pipes, but that in doing this more coal was burned. The 

 small pipes did not sustain the temperature during the last half of the night quite 

 as well as the large ones. Hetween 2i and 2f lbs. of coal were burned for each degree 

 of difference between the outside temperature and that in the house during the trial, 

 and this varied but little when either system of the pipes was used. The atmos- 

 phere in the house was not quite as dry during the use of the small i)ii>es as when 

 the other system was in use." 



Composition of melons, W. Bersch {Landw. Vers. Stat., 4G {1896), 

 No. 0,2)p. 473-170). — Analyses were made of the whole fruit and the 

 edible pulp of ''sugar melons" {ZucJcermelonen), Persican melons (Per- 

 sicaner melonen), and watermelons, and the sugar was determined in 

 tlie fresh substance and in the expressed juice. The sugar was found 

 in every case to be dextrose. 



The "sugar melons" averaged 3,184 gm. in weight, and the "Per- 

 sican" melons 821 gm. Both were smooth and of a yellow color. The 

 watermelons averaged 1 .110 gm. in weight. It is stated that watermel- 

 ons are grown extensively in Hungary, and in many districts supply 

 nearly all the drink of the people during the hot season. 

 12G91— Xo. 7 5 



