no 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[June, 



soonest. But the difference in the time of rais- 

 ing tlie mercury to 00° by each apparatus will 

 not exceed, I think, half an hour, while in cool- 

 ing down, almost the instant the fire begins to 

 cool down in the steam boiler the water will 

 cease to boil, and of course the steam in the 

 pipes is condensed at once, and there is no 

 warmth given out except what is contained in a 

 mere dribble of water from the condensed steam 

 and what warmth is contained in the iron itself. 

 Now the hotwater pipes, if there be 300 feet of 

 4-inch diameter, will contain about 200 gallons 

 •of water and vveigh about 2000 pounds. And it 

 must be apparent that the warmth contained in 

 this body of water will take a longer time to be 

 cooled down to the 32° than the same amount 

 of steam, supposing the water to be heated to 

 212° the boiling point, the same as the steam. 



The steam will cool down more in five 

 minutes than the water in five hours, in a given 

 'number of cubic feet of air under like circum- 

 stances. A given bulk of water in 212° will con- 

 tain more than 200 times as much heat as the 

 -same bulk of steam at 212°. These figures are, 

 of course, only approximate, but near enough 

 for all practical purposes. To go into exact 

 figures would take a long time and be a great 

 deal of trouble. We have tried the old brick 

 flue, then steam, then hot air or polmaise ; then 

 'the hot water tank and finally hot water pipes. 

 A great deal more might be said on this subject; 

 but at present, for cleanliness, neatness, com- 

 pactness, efficiency, durability, safety and econo- 

 my of fuel and labor, all would be in favor of 

 hot water pipes, 4-inch diameter. 



Of course there are many different sizes and 

 forms of pipes, and patterns and forms of boil- 

 ers, and each has its advocates; but the univer- 

 sal desirable source of artificial warmth for hor- 

 ticultural purposes, for this latitude of our coun- 

 try is from water, apply the heat to the water as 

 _you may think best. 



And now Mr. Editor, you have made the sug- 

 gestion of heating horticultural buildings by 

 ■means of the waste heat of lime kilns. Per- 

 haps it is a good idea, but I perceive you do not 

 advocate the mode very much. We know it can 

 be done, while the lime kilns are kept at work. 

 "The waste heat will heat the water, and the wa- 

 ter will heat the buildings, provided all things 

 are in proper proportion. But is it desirable? 

 Is it to be recommended? I am inclined to 

 •think it is not. There may be times when we 

 wish to make lime and do not desire the heated 



water in the buildings, and others when we 

 want the warmth, but cannot get the heat up 

 quick enough. As I said before, we know it can 

 be done; but I doubt the desirability of the 

 means for horticultural purposes. As to the 

 "nasty lime market" idea, that might be got 

 over by having the kilns at some distance from 

 the buildings to be heated, and convey the heat 

 by an underground passage entirely out of sight 

 to the buildings. The kilns might be hid by 

 large clumps of shrubbery, etc., and the smoke 

 carried off by an ornamental chimney or pago- 

 da. And many other ways might suggest them- 

 selves. 



CARNATION PETER HENDERSON. 



BY W. T. BELL, FRANKLIN, PA. 



A certain florist publishes in his catalogue, a 

 caution to his customers, in regard to the above 

 carnation, saying that it is almost worthless for 

 the cut flower trade, by reason of losing its fresh 

 appearance so soon after being cut. 



I would like to have an expression of opinion 

 from florists who have tested it; and ask all 

 such to be kind enough to send me at once, a 

 brief statement of their estimate of the variety ; 

 and I will send a report of the result of the can- 

 vas, for publication in the Gardener's Month- 

 ly. My own opinion has been favorable to the 

 variety; but I have no interest in it, further 

 than to discover its value to the trade. 



ORCHID CULTURE. 



BY WALTER GRAY, PHILADELPHIA. 



In reply to Mrs. R. P., page 106, respecting 

 the cultivation of Cattleya Mossise, I have found 

 this to succeed best in a temperature of 65° to 

 75° in summer to rise with sun heat, and 55° to 

 60° in winter when growing. It requires a good 

 supply of water at the roots, say three times a 

 week, when very hot and dry weather. When it 

 requires potting it should be done in March in 

 good fibre peat and a little live sphagnum moss 

 with plenty of drainage ; three parts fill the pot 

 with broken pot shreds, and then place a thin 

 layer of moss to keep the drainage clean and 

 then fill up with the compost. Care must be 

 taken not to break the roots. 



Odontoglossum grande will do best in a cooler 

 house, the temperature 60° to 65° in summer 

 and 45° to 50° in winter ; rise 10° with sun heat. 

 This will do well in the same compost as Cat- 

 tleya Mossiae ; well elevate the plant above the 

 rim of the pot and should be potted as soon as it 

 begins to grow. 



