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POLMAISE MODE OF HEATING GRfeEN-HOUSES. 



Now the result is as follows : 



Although the season is remarkable for 

 the prevalence of the rot, not a berry on 

 any of these six vines, so treated, is affect- 

 ed ; the crop being, on the contrary, very 

 good, — the fruit large, and increasing in 

 size. The vines, too, are remarkably heal- 

 thy and vigorous. 



On the other hand, the remaining vines, 

 fourteen in number, are every one affected 

 by the rot — some of them very badly ; and 

 even on those least affected, 10 per cent, of 

 the berries are destroyed by this disease. 



I cannot, therefore, escape the conviction 

 that the treatment you proposed has so far 

 been effectual in preventing this disease. 



I ought to add that the vines of my 

 neighbors generally are much affected by 

 the rot this season, and that I have seen no 

 Isabellas or Catawbas this season that sur- 

 pass in appearance those on the six vines 

 alluded to you. 



This "rot" is a disease that has only ap- 

 peared within five years in this part of the 

 country. At the south, I am told, it has 

 always existed. On the Ohio, as I gather 

 from Mr. Longworth's remarks, in your 

 journal, it is quite troublesome in the vine- 

 yards ; and it appears to be on the increase 

 through the country generally. A remedy 

 for this disease must be considered a public 



benefit, and I therefore send you the above 

 remarks for publication, if you deem them 

 worthy. Your friend, A Jerseyman. 



August, 1848. 



Remarks. — We thank "A Jerseyman" 

 for his account of the apparently quite suc- 

 cessful experiment. Our advice was based 

 on two considerations : in the first place, we 

 supposed that the rot might be owing to 

 the want of some inorganic substance in 

 the soil, necessary for the perfect matura- 

 tion of the grape ; and secondly, perhaps, 

 to the use of crude animal manures. As 

 sulphur and lime are large constituents of 

 those volcanic soils abroad, where the grape 

 thrives best, we recommended the use of a 

 common substance — gypsum — likely to 

 supply them ; and as the foliage and shoots 

 of the vine are well known to afford the 

 most perfect food for the growth of that 

 plant, we recommended the use of the 

 prunings and fallen leaves, buried in the 

 soil, for manure. 



It is worth while now to repeat the ex- 

 periment on a larger scale, in vineyard cul- 

 ture, and we accordingly recommend if 

 again to the vine-dressers on the Ohio, 

 with a similar request for a statement, 

 when they are ready to " report pro- 

 gress." Ed. 



DESCRIPTION OP THE P0LMAI3B MODE OP HEATING GREEN-HOUSES. 



A GREAT deal of interest has been awakened 

 in England, for two or three years past, in 

 a new mode of heating hot-houses, green- 

 houses, pits, &c., called the Polmaise me- 

 thod. It takes its name from Polmaise, in 

 Stirlingshire, the place where it originated. 

 The first account of this mode was pub- 

 lished by Mr. Murray, of Polmaise, in 



1844; but to Mr. Meek, of Holmsdale 

 House, Nuffield, belongs, perhaps, the 

 merit of improving the apparatus, and fully 

 proving its merits lo the horticultural 

 world. 



The great superiority of Polmaise heat- 

 ing, over the old modes by brick flues, and 

 hot water pipes, are the following :— 



