NOVEMBER. 339 



should be disposed to back a garden of this sort, if well carried out, 

 against the best parterre-work out. At any rate, it would be a distinct 

 feature in gardening, and we hope some of our great patrons — as Lord 

 Stamford or Sir William Middleton— will take the matter up. Should 

 they do^ so — so fickle is fashion, and so imitative — we should soon hear 

 of nothing else, 



G. r. 



NEW GRAPE. 



Mr. Fleming, of Trentham, has forwarded for our examination his 

 new Black Grape, in reference to which he informs us " that it ranks 

 with any Black Grape we possess, and in many respects is better — it 

 ripens as early as the Black Hamburgh, and keeps longer ; has a higher 

 flavour than the Hamburgh, and a very thin skin." Mr. F. further 

 informs us, " that with good cultivation the berries attain the size 

 of the White Muscat ; tliat it sets very freely, and is a most pro- 

 lific bearer : the leaves are of a dark green, below medium size, 

 bluntly lobed, and of a thick texture, which enables it to withstand the 

 hottest sun without scorching." 



The berries of Mr. Fleming's Grape are oval, of a deep purple black, 

 covered with bloom ; each berry has one and sometimes two stones ; 

 flavour very rich, sweet, and vinous, with a thin skin and abundant 

 juice. Taking all its good qualities into consideration, this will prove a 

 very valuable late Grape. 



NEW INVENTIONS, &c. 



Mr. Thomson, of Dalkeith Park, has sent us a prospectus of a new 

 form of boiler he has designed for heating hothouses, &c. This he calls 

 his retort boiler, and they are made of two sizes — the single and triple 

 retort ; the latter, Mr. Thomson states, is capable of heating 3,000 feet 

 of four-inch pipe. The single retort is of the usual cylinder form, the 

 fire being beneath the boiler, and acts round its outer surface first. 

 The flame is then returned through the centre of the boiler (which we 

 consider important) ; consequently, as the draught is at a point leithin 

 the radius of the flame acting round the boiler, it is kept in- close con- 

 tact with its outer surface, and has not so great a tendency to rise and 

 waste its power on the upper surface of brick-work. This is, in our 

 opinion, an improvement ; as is also the facility with which the central 

 tube can be cleaned. We have not, however, ourselves, yet seen the 

 boiler at work, but report speaks highly of it. The triple retort works 

 in the same manner, and is, in fact, merely three cylinders connected 

 together. 



