1 66 



THE GARDENERS' MONTHLY 



[June, 



removal before they will bloom, while the former 

 will bloom the second year. At all events, they 

 will throw up ten stalks of bloom to the other's 

 one." 



The Japan Snowball. — Hardy as the Viburnum 

 plicatum appears to be almost everywhere, a 

 correspondent from Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, re- 

 ports that it was killed to the snow line last winter. 



Among the Flowers. — We give in this num- 

 ber another of the interesting contributions to the 

 Kingston Freeman, with some additions for our 

 pages, from the pen of our intelligent correspond- 

 ent, Mr. \'. Burgevin, which we are sure our gar- 

 den-loving readers will appreciate. 



Disappearance of the Nelumbium. — A St. 

 Louis correspondent says : " I have often thought 

 of those former articles in your paper concerning 

 the discrepancy among observers as to the native 

 habitat or former localities of the noble aquatic, 

 the Nelumbium luteum. When I first came here, 

 sixteen years ago, this plant was very common all 

 around the city, growing in numerous ponds, to be 



met with everywhere. Now it is quite scarce, and 

 on many of these ponds where there were formerly 

 acres of it, now not a plant is to be found — 

 caused by the ponds drying up for one or two 

 consecutive seasons. The plants die out, root and 

 branch, and do not seem to reproduce themselves 

 from seed in the same ponds when moisture re- 

 turns, although they formerly seeded abundantly. 

 Only in deeper and more enduring water are they 

 to be found now. The same is also true of the 

 Pontedera." 



Variegated Celery. — "T. S. S.," West Troy, 

 N. Y., writes: " I have mailed you two leaves of 

 a variegated celery. The plant is now one year 

 old, and every leaf is as nicely variegated as the 

 samples I send you. It is now growing in a 

 7-inch pot. Height of plant, from top of the pot 

 to top of the leaf, 14 inches; diameter, 22 inches. 

 It stands the sun well. Please state what you 

 think of it." 



[A very beautiful plant, and though a " vegeta- 

 ble," would be no mean ornament in a flower 

 garden.— Ed. G. M.] 



Greenhouse and House ^ Gardening. 



COMMUNICATIONS. 



STEAM HEATING. 



BY JOHN BREITMEYER, DETROIT, MICH. 



In reply to Mr. E. Holley's question, page 39, 

 February number, regarding steam heating in 

 greenhouses, I desire to say: 



First — In a greenhouse 20x100 feet, or longer, it 

 will require a coil of six radiating one-inch pipes 

 on each side and through the entire length of the 

 house, to maintain a temperature of 65° during a 

 severe cold storm, when the thermometer goes 

 down to 1 5° or 20° below zero. The main point 

 in putting in steam-pipes is to have plenty of stop- 

 valves, so that heating can be regulated according 

 to the demand of the weather. During ordinary 

 weather, say when the thermometer goes down to 

 20° or 24° below freezing point, then two pipes on 

 each side of the house would be sufficient to main- 

 tain the desired temperature. 



Second — My opinion is that two one-inch pipes 



are better for radiating heat than one two-inch. 

 I explain it thus: The circumference of two 

 one-inch pipes is greater than that of one two- 

 inch, therefore more heating surface, and conse- 

 quently more heat. 



Third — As to the heating capacity of a certain 

 sized boiler the most reliable information can be 

 obtained from a competent steam-fitter. Ascertain 

 how many feet of pipe it will take to heat your 

 house, or houses, and he can easily tell how large 

 a boiler it will require. 



Fourth — I find that steam-heating costs about 

 one-fourth more in fuel and double the amount of 

 labor in attending to same, than hot water heating. 



Fifth — I find no difference in its working, whether 

 the pipes are in an ascending or a descending posi- 

 tion — the condensation of steam in the ascending 

 pipe does not seem to cause any trouble. One of 

 the chief points is to have plenty of power in the 

 boiler, and be careful to keep you pipes above the 

 water-level of the boiler. 



