July 31, 1878. 1 



JOURNAL OF HORTICDLTUEB AND COTTAGE (iAKDENEK. 



they are capable of affording, and in some disgr-acefol instances 

 not a tenth portion. Men appear to be satisfied with doing 

 the work of only women in the south, or what is more correct, 

 being human inachines, seeming entirely to forget that this is 

 an age of progress, when man's place is rather to cease from 

 drudgery, to direct, and to see that the inventions of wise men 

 are properly applied in more effectual methods of cultivation. 

 — J. WiTHEBsroos, Chcster-le-Street. 



IMPLEMENTS, STRUCTUEES, AND APPLIANCES. 



AT THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIEIY'S BATH SHOW. 



We have hitherto omitted any notes on the implements, hor- 

 ticultural structures, and appliances at the Bath Show, from 

 want of space, and also because oiu' notes on the bouses, boilers, 

 iSrc, ejjiibited Ifist year at Birmingham were so full that there 

 is not much to add, and there were very few novelties exhibited 

 at Bath that had not been shown at Birmingham. 



There was a good array at Bath of glass houses by Mr. Par- 

 ham, of Northgate Works, Bath ; Wheeler, Humphreys, & Co., 

 Nottingham ; 1'. G. Messenger, of Loughborough ; T. H. Dennis 

 and Co., Anchor Works, Chelmsford; Cranston & Luck, Bir- 

 mingham ; Tuck & Pike, City Metal Works, Bath ; W. H. Las- 

 celles, Bunhill Row, London; Mr. E. Lloyd, Grantham; N. 

 Voice, Handeross, Surrey ; Mr. Ormson, King's Road, Chelsea ; 

 Mr. Bonlton, Norwich ; Mr. M. E. Horley, Toddington, Dun- 

 stable ; Mr. Eendle, and others. Many of these exhibited also 

 specimens of hand-lights, portable garden frames with loose 

 sheets of glass, Arc. The prize house of last year was not 

 shown, nor did we see Mr. Ayres' imperishable glass and iron 

 houses. 



Those especially worthy of notice this year were a patent 

 glass orchard house of Mr. Dennis's, w-liere the whole of the 

 glass of the roof is made to open upwards and outwards by 

 means of a rack and pinion screw attached to levers, so that at 

 any time the trees may be exposed to the full action of the 

 outer air and rain, or protected at pleasure. The construction is 

 such that it is a tenant's building, removeable at will, having no 

 Xiermaoent brick foundations, but resting on iron posts or pillars 

 with wide flanges. The construction is light and strong, and 

 displays considerable ingenuity; the cost is comparatively 

 moderate. 



Messrs. Cranston & Luck showed some good moveable frames 

 for protecting wall trees, running on longitudinal iron rods on 

 rollers, simple in constmction, with a protecting eave, and which 

 could be fixed to any existing wall. "The lights, made something 

 like large Melon or Cucumber-frame lights, are easily moved, so 

 as to get to the trees for pruning or syringing, tying, nailing, 

 itc, the ventilation easily arranged, and on the whole there 

 was much to recommend. 



Messrs. Cranston & Luck's amateurs' and gardeners' houses, 

 with their system of ventilation, are so well known that we need 

 not describe them. 



In the other exhibits of glass houses we did not notice much 

 novelty, although the glass was fixed in every possiljle different 

 way — with putty and witliout putty, with laps and without laps. 

 It is high time, we think, that patents should not be given for 

 slight alterations in the method of fastening glass or of ventila- 

 tion, or peculiar form of grooves, etc., unless there is manifest 

 novelty or ijnprovement. Patents are intended to stimulate 

 invention and to nrotect the inventor, not to hinder invention 

 and hamper devefopment of thought iu the pubUc, and we 

 maintain — where nearly every possible form of construction in 

 iron and wood, with variations in the form of ventilation, or 

 shape of apar, or form of groove, and the other thousand-and- 

 one minor variations which we meet with are to be found — no 

 farther patents should be granted. b\it let the buildings rest on 

 their own merits. The pubhc will not be slow to discern what 

 is practical, what is simple, and what is feasible, as against the 

 unpractical, complex, and useless. 



There was a great variety of moveable frames, and ground vine- 

 ries, and amongst these we are inclined to give the palm for 

 cheapness, simplicity, and durability to Mr. Horley, though the 

 construction of his larger house was faulty. 



Mr. Parliam showed some exceedingly good wall glass copings, 

 that we preferred to his glass waUs, which were made witii too 

 light iron, and which we do not think calculated to stand 

 strong winds, though they might answer very well in protected 

 situations. 



Messrs. Pike & Tuck showed a somewhat elaborate plan of 

 fixing glass with brass pin and nut, and lead clip, the method 

 ingenious, but unnecessary. Wo quite agree with those who 

 recommend for an ordinary stove or greenhouse, glass bedded in 

 putty, but having no outside putty, the glass being fastened 

 with two tacks, and the putty removed level. W.J have seen 

 this most effectual at Mr. W. Paul's, Waltham Cross, and else- 

 where ; and secondly, for glass frames, ordinary bedding-out 

 houses, lights of all kinds, glass pushed up in a groove without 

 putty or lap will answer every purpose, and it merely requires 



fastening in its place with an iron pin or lead clip. A frviitful 

 source of error is found in the patent ventilation of side lights 

 when, by means of ratchet and screw, the whole of the lights 

 move together, and, as is generally the case, a draught is let iu 

 upon all the plants on the staging. How long will it be before 

 people learn that ventilation means change and circulation of 

 air, not cold draughts, and that the best ventilation is under the 

 stages in the wsSls, with proper top ventilation along the apex 

 of the roof, the glass not l)eing made too air-tight ? 



Passing on from the glass structures we will take next tho 

 methods of heating those structures. Our notes on the boilers 

 last year were so full that we need not say much on this score, 

 as we see no reason whatever to alter the conclusions we came 

 to then. 



The best upright tubnlar boiler shown this year was Harlow's, 

 the best horizontal tubular Mr. Dennis's, and the best spiral 

 Mr. Deard's. The medal boiler of last year was not exhibited, 

 but the Witley Court boiler, which was nearest it in construc- 

 tion, was there, and for a powerful useful boiler of the modified 

 saddle form we know no better; and we still adhere to our 

 opinion with regard to Mr. Deard's spiral boiler, which must, 

 from its construction, have a uniform and rapid circulation. 

 We must, at the risk of being accused of repetition, again say 

 that no unnecessary impediment should be placed to the circu- 

 lation of water by complicated pipes, small junctions, rapid 

 curves, &c. The motive power in heated water is exceedingly 

 feeble, and tho best boiler is that which extracts the greatest 

 amount of heat from the fuel, and has the most rapid and easy 

 circulation, with least difference of temperature between the 

 flow and return. 



We forgot among the modified forms of saddle to name one of 

 Mr. Ormson's, and also a combination of the saddle with hori- 

 zontal pipes from Mr. Lloyd, of Grantham, which we should Uka 

 to see tried, and which appears to be a very promising one. 



While on the subject of heating we wish to pass high com- 

 mendation on the model shown by Mr. Cowan for utihsing the 

 heat of a small Ume kilu to heat a _boiler. Where chalk or 

 limestone is nearer on the in-operty, the lime is very nearly 

 capable of repaying the cost of outlay and attention ; indeed, 

 as Mr. Cowan continues to improve and modify his present 

 invention by economising still more the heat of the lower part 

 of his furnace by using hollow bricks, we think that the value 

 of the hme may be made to repay the whole of the cost. It is, 

 of course, especially suitable for a large range of houses in con- 

 stant use ; but with the present price of fuel anything that can 

 make coal answer a double purpose is especially valuable. The 

 form of boiler adopted by Mr. Cowan is a very good one, and 

 better than the tubnlar. Exception has been made as to the 

 necessity for a great depth of stokehole, but this is rather 

 imaginary, we conceive, than otherwise. When 13 or 14 feet 

 can be found for the kiln, it is better to have it underground, as 

 it is thus more easily hidden ; but so long as a rise is once given 

 to the flow pipe, it may then be made to descend, and though 

 there would be a shght waste of heat if the pipes had to descend 

 in the outer heating chamber previous to entering the houses, 

 yet there is nothing practically to prevent such a system, though 

 not the best. We publish an extract from Mr. Cowan's intro- 

 ductory remarks on his system. We may add, that even where 

 lime is not an immediate product of the district, it will gene- 

 rally pay for its cartage. 



" My first idea waa to try turf or peat. I fauciei that by liaving a good 

 supply of it at hand, and keeping a person almost in constant attendance 

 upon the fires, I mif^ht iu Home way or other (not very clear to myself, I 

 confess) get tiirough tho season. But the continuous wet weather which 

 prevailed all through last autumn prevented rae from accomplishing my 

 object by this means. There seemed to be nothing for it but coal at nearly 

 40^■. per ton, or to let everything rest until the natural heat of spring called 

 them to action, when, fortunately, the idea presented itself of combining a 

 lime kiln with a hot-water apparatus. This plan seemed at first to be beset 

 with a considerable amount of difiiculty ; but, nevertheless, I had strong 

 hopes from the first that it would prove to bo a solution of my ditiiculties. 

 As the work proceeded, my faith in the experiment f,Tew stronger, and it re- 

 quired only a short trial to prove that we would get heat, and plenty of it, 

 free of cost. 



" Tho first apparatus erected heated only one-half of our houses, and we 

 immediately set to work and took up a boiler which had not been long set, 

 and erected another apparatus such as the first, and for months past both 

 have been doing their work in tho most satisfactory manner possible. 



" Tho liine produced is of good quahty. and the qtiautity is quite sufficient 

 to pay all expenses. The appearance of the apparatus when finished is quite 

 in keeping with a wcU-dressed garden, and there is no lUsagrceeable smell, nor 

 anything else uffensivo about it, to prevent even the most fastidious from 

 adopting it. All who have seen our two kilns have pronounced them to he 

 rather ornamental than otherwise. 



*' The proper fuel to use is anthracite coal or ctilm, from which there is no 

 smoke, or, at least, so little as not to be perceptible: consequently there need 

 he no fear of getting any damage done in that way by their adoption. 



" The management of tho apparatus is simple, and easily understood by any 

 ordinary workman. One of the two kilns which we have at work has never 

 been attended to more than once during twenty-four hours, and diu-ing that 

 time the heat is kept up constantly and powerfully, and in no case need they 

 receive attention more than twice during that poiiod. Those who have expe- 

 rienced the great amount of trouble which many furnaces cause by the cou- 

 staut attendaticc which they re(iuire, will at once understand the benefit to ho 

 derived from having an apparatus whicli can bo loft with perfect safety for 

 twoaty-foiu- horns, not once or twice, but constantly. 



