1369.] BOILERS "WITH V. "WITHOUT BRICKWORK. Gl 



fibre. Press the soil firmly about the roots, water well, and shade the plants until they are 

 re-established. The summer treatment will consist of thorough cleanliness from weeds ; 

 copious watering twice or thrice a week according to the weather ; and protection of the 

 plants from being broken by rough winds. It may even be necessary after the plants get a 

 foot high, to tie them loosely with matting, but the ligature must not at any time be allowed 

 to get so tight as to cut the plants. In watering it is necessary that the water be warm from 

 exposure to the sun. 'When the plants are 6 in. to 9 in. high, weak manure-water, prepared by 

 soaking horse-dung and a handful or two of soot in a tub of water, may be given at each alter- 

 nate watering, and a handful of soot may be scattered occasionally around the plants. 



" For Prize Celery it is not customary to earth the plants much until they get the final earth- 

 ing, but a little soil scattered over the roots about once a fortnight serves as a mulching, and 

 encourages the roots to spread. From five to six weeks is tho time necessary to ensure thorough 

 blanching, and that is a very essential point in growing Celery for exhibition. At the 

 time of earthing, the small leaves, and any suckers or secondary shoots that may have formed, 

 are removed from the base ; and then each plant, to the height tho soil is to reach, is folded 

 in clean strong white paper, and tied loosely with thin matting, not over strong, as it is 

 necessary it should give way as the plant swells. Some use tubes, such as drain pipes, 

 around the plants to support the soil, the tubes being filled up to the necessary height with 

 fine light soil ; but if tubes are not used, the soil must be banked up in the usual manner. 

 Water must still be applied to the roots, and liquid manure, weak, but copious in quantity, 

 must be freely administered — the weather, of course, being some guide as to the quantity 

 required. When prepared for show, the Celery plants have the small outer leaves taken off, 

 and being washed quite clean, are shown in pairs neatly tied together. 



" The essentials of a perfect specimen of Celery are these : — The loaf or stalk broad, thick, 

 solid, crisp, without ridges, and free from stringiness ; the plants of fino form and weighty, 

 dwarf and sturdy rather than long ; and the inner leaves regularly grown, without speck, stain, 

 or insect blemish. The blanching must bo perfect, and if, in the red kinds, the pink colour does 

 show, it should be of that delicate tint which indicates perfect fitness for table. In judging 

 Celery, any plants that are pipy, hollow, or have rotten or discoloured leaves, are put aside, 

 and a deformed or run centre is a certain disqualification. 



" The secret of Mr. Hooley's great success as an exhibitor is like that of all other great 

 cultivators — a vigorous plant, vigorously pushed forward to its final result. He begins late, 

 by which he escapes the risk of the plants starting prematurely to seed, but he loses no time 

 after he does begin, and rarely fails to bring his plants to the head of the prize list." 



BOILERS WITH v. WITHOUT BRICKWORK. 



IJi-ESSBS. GREEN and SON'S new boiler and its advantages have been 

 J lL spoken of (p. 39) in sucb glowing terms, that it may be worth while to 

 ■fi-g look a little closely into the matter, in order to see if all the advantages 

 claimed for it can be substantiated. Taking them in the order in which 

 they stand, the first is that no brickwork is required in setting, and that thereby 

 both bricks and labour are saved. This may be so where there is already a deep 

 stoke-hole, or a cellar below the level of the house to be heated ; but if there are 

 no such places ready-made, can a boiler 4 ft. 8 in. high be fixed without both 

 labour and brickwork ? The nest advantage claimed is that an iron chimney serves 

 instead of one of brickwork. Now, boilers are nearly all fixed in sheds or build- 

 ings near to the structure to be wanned, so that there need be no difficulty about 

 a chimney ; the brickwork chimney-shaft will not rust out, and, to use a common 

 phrase, the fire will draw better with it. No. 8 I pass over, not having had any 

 experience in such matters. No. 4 cannot be let off so easily. It is stated that 

 the boiler " takes up little space, and can be fixed in places inaccessible to other 

 boilers." Now, to fix a boiler 4 ft. 8 in. high, for nearly all the ordinary purposes 

 of horticulture, a stoke-hole from 7 ft. to 8 ft; deep will be required ; and as the 



