62 THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. [ MARCH, 



diameter is given at 2 ft. 4 in., exclusive of the inlet (flange-pieces, I suppose), the 

 stoke-hole will require to be 8 ft. square, and then there will be little room to 

 stoke the fire or to store fuel. Therefore, after all, both labour and brickwork 

 will be required. Insomuch as this boiler " consumes its own smoke," we have 

 a really legitimate advantage, and the Messrs. Green deserve our warmest thanks 

 for conferring so great a boon, which, I am inclined to think, will be even more 

 appreciated than the economical advantage ; although this latter is, as stated, of 

 ■considerable importance in many places. The 6th advantage looks better than 

 it will be in reality. When it becomes necessary to replace a defective boiler, the 

 no-brickwork boiler will have the best of it ; but unless there is a spare boiler 

 in stock, it will be nearer the truth to say it can be replaced in two days. 



I cannot but think, therefore, that the advantages claimed for this boiler are 

 more specious than real. Boilers with a brickwork setting gather about them an 

 accumulation of heat, that boilers without brickwork cannot have ; and the dis- 

 advantage of this will be felt when the fire has to be relighted, and the sweating 

 peculiar to all iron stoves takes place. 



This boiler has, I think, another disadvantage irrespective of the setting. I 

 would have nothing to do with any boiler that required to be supplied with fuel 

 from either below, or in front. I do not say that the existing boilers fed at the 

 top are perfection, but they are right in principle ; their depth is the great draw- 

 back to their being generally used, and I am surprised that the intelligent 

 makers of tubular and other boilers that are supplied at the top, do not re- 

 duce the height, and increase the heating surface, by making the tubes larger. 

 Those who have not had the care of tubular boilers can have no idea of their 

 simplicity, and the comfort they are to the firemen who look after them. We 

 have some fixed here, and with the best results. They are only drawn and have 

 the clinkers taken out of them, once a day, just before it is necessary to put the 

 fires on in the afternoon, when it can be done with ease ; while the old-fashioned 

 front-fed boilers require to be clinkered nearly every time fresh fuel is put on. 



My object in these remarks is to show that it is not worth while to run too 

 eagerly after every novelty that is produced. It has been said of wives, "there is 

 but one good one, and every husband has her": so it may be said of boilers, 

 there is but one good boiler, and every maker is the fortunate possessor. 



Stansted Park. Geokge Thomson. 



CONIFEROUS TREES IN SHRUBBERIES. 



\HE planting of Coniferous Trees amongst low-growing shrubs ought to be 

 followed out with much caution, as the influence which the roots of such 

 trees exercise on the growth of the surrounding shrubs is very great, and 

 in many instances pernicious, a fact which ought to have considerable 

 weight with all who plant with a view to ultimate effect and usefulness. 



It cannot be denied that a very pleasing and even imposing effect can be pro- 



