FOREIGN AND MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES. 



ken at all times, and in every variety of 

 weather. It would serve as a drive, for 

 equestrian exercise, for a promenade, or 

 lounge, and as a place which could at all 

 seasons, be resorted to with advantage by 

 the most delicate. 



Although the Crystal Palace at present, 

 with its magnihcent display of useful and 

 ornamental articles, is truly wonderful, yet 

 if the building be converted into a Winter 

 Park and Garden, and arranged as I pro- 

 pose, I feel confident it would become a still 

 more extraordinarj' and beautiful object. 

 These things all considered, I cannot help 

 expressing an earnest hope that the building- 

 will be allowed to stand, and be converted 

 to so laudable a use. The cost of forming 

 it in the first instance, must entirely depend 

 upon the extent to which my proposition is 

 carried out. Should it be decided for the 

 building to stand, and be so appropriated, a 

 calculation of the cost could readily be 

 given. 



I have, however, thought it right to state 

 what I believe would be the annual outlay, 

 if the whole were kept in first rate condition 

 and constant repair; of course, a less sum 

 would be required if a high standard M'as 

 not aimed at; and this yearly sum might be 

 obtained cither bj- a national grant, or by 

 making the building itself self-supporting. 



Annual Expenditure. 



Lalxir, fuel, water, iniplenieiits, gravel for walks, 

 feediiijr and atteiulauce, to birds, and general 

 superiiitentience, £8,0G0 



Besides the above, constant painting and renewal 

 M'onld be required; for this areserve fundshould 

 be jirovided, and by which the building miglit 

 be renewed Ibrever, ". . . £4,000 



Making a total of £12,000 



— Joseph Paxton. 



SoMK Facts about the Action of Cold 

 ON Plants. — Facts, however trivial in 

 themselves individually, become in the ag- 

 gregate of immen.se value in building up a 

 theory or illustrating a practice; for we must 

 recollect that a theory is as often the child 

 of exjierience, as that practice is illustrated 

 by it, although such may not appear evident 

 at the moment. The action of cold on plants 

 is of vital importance to the practical garde- 

 ner, as well as interesting to the natural phi- 

 losopher. The relation of temperature to 

 the healthj' development of vegetable life, is 

 as yet but imperfectly understood. Every 

 day, however, adds useful knowledge on this 

 head to our acquired stock. In the earl}^ 

 spring of 184G, a quantity of Geraniums and 

 other soft wooded plants were despatched by 

 aihvay, at the station of which they arriv- 

 ed Siifely enough, but having to be conveyed 



some 20 miles by waggon on a frosty night, 

 and not being properly protected (although 

 the baskets containing them were matted in 

 the ordinary May,) thej^ were completely 

 frozen through ^hen they arrived at their 

 destination, by daylight in the morning. So 

 much were they frozen, that the succulent 

 tops for several inches, were apparently 

 masses of ice, and nearly the whole of the 

 leaves had suffered more or less. On the 

 extent of the damage being known, the whole 

 of the plants were quickly removed to a dark 

 cellar; and, to make " assurance doubly 

 sure," a covering of mats supported by a 

 temporary frame-work, was thrown over 

 them. Water, only removed from the freez- 

 ing temperature, was freely applied to the 

 foliage, and no light admitted for 24 hours. 

 On removing them, the damage they had 

 sustained was but nominal. Scarcely a leaf 

 had suffered, except such as had been bruis- 

 ed in the unpacking. Every leaf or part of 

 a leaf so damaged, had to be removed. Ano- 

 ther instance: — On a festive night in mid- 

 winter, the person in charge of a conserva- 

 tory forgetting, or by procrastination omit- 

 ting to apply the necessary artificial tempe- 

 rature, to expel the frost, (for it had set in 

 severe rather unexpectedly) found, on his 

 entering the house at 4 o'clock in the morn- 

 ing, that the tender plitnts were much fro- 

 zen, lie applied fire to the boiler, raised the 

 temperature a degree or two above freezing, 

 and then liberall}' applied cold water with 

 the syringe. The result was, that nothing 

 beyond a few leaves on a stray shoot or so, 

 evinced any damage, and by sunrise all was 

 as promising as could be wished; so com- 

 pletely^ were the plants recovered, that the 

 circumstances would never have been report- 

 ed in the Chronicle had not the delinquent 

 revealed the mishap after all danger of de- 

 tection was past. One more: — A house of 

 Geraniums was penetrated by the frost, the 

 plants were much frozen, and the frost was 

 on the increase when the circumstance be- 

 came known in the morning. Cold water 

 was in this case applied, but without the 

 precaution of raising the temperature above 

 freezing point. The result of course, was, 

 that the water, as soon as it fell on the foli- 

 age, became ice, till the plant looked encased 

 in candied sugar. The more water the great- 

 er evil. This detected, a fire was lighted, 

 and the necessary temperature acquired, 

 when the result was all that could be wish- 

 ed. Sunlight was prevented reaching the 

 plants till a recirculation of the fluids had 

 taken place. In all similar cases light sho 

 if possible, be excluded; in fact, every 



