November 10, 1863. ] JOTTENAIj OF HOETICTJLTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENEE. 



375 



these canes it would be a good chance to try removing all 

 the buds above the requisite height, and aDowing the shoots 

 to remain at their present length untU the leaves had fallen, 

 and then to compare them with those that were shortened as 

 proposed. Few men have such opportunities as Mr. Hender- 

 son of making and testing such experiments, even if they 

 had a good share of his enthusiasm. A few Vines were 

 bearing a bunch or two, and among these the Gros Maroc, 

 with lai-ge oval berries of a dense dark coloiu-, which it is 

 supposed will be first-rate in February or later. This we had 

 not seen before, but if it stand the test of experience it is 

 likely to be better known. The back wall of this house is 

 clothed with Guavas, Camellias, Citrons, Oranges, <ie. 



In making a border of such fresh materials and planting 

 at midsummer, Mr. Henderson told us there was a risk of 

 having too much bottom heat. That we can well believe, 

 for in a border which we once saw made in the beginning of 

 September, chiefly from thin parings fi-om a pasture with 

 the grass on, a thermometer placed at 15 inches deep rose 

 to 110° ; and, again, when once we noticed Vines raised in 

 October and replanted into such material that had been 

 thrown together for a few months to drive off the rankness, 

 the gardener, before covering the border with dung to throw 

 a little heat in, found that a little litter was all that was re- 

 quired for the border, by feeling that the trial stick was quite 

 warm enough to encoui-age fresh rooting directly after trans- 

 planting. We mention this that such fresh borders may 

 be examined, and, perhaps, they would be still warmer if 

 a good quantity of bones were used. 



The next house in the range is one of the finest to be met 

 with, and was put up by Mr. Fleming in 1858. It is 140 feet 

 in length, 19 feet in width, inside measure, 12 feet high at 

 back from the floor, and 21 feet high in front. The back 

 wall is built in the usual way. The front is supported by 

 brick pillars 14 inches by 9, to the depth of the Vine-border. 

 These piUars are headed by a stone cap, into which the mul- 

 lions, or studs, between the front lights are dowelled, the 

 upper ends being tenoned into the waU-plate. These studs 

 ajre 5^ by 4 inches. The whole of these upright lights are 

 hung on pivots 8 inches from the top, and are all opened, less 

 or more, by a movement-rod of 1-J- inch, ciu-ved stay, and winch ; 

 the whole front being opened by threeof these movements, any 

 one-third being done at once, and with or without the others 

 in succession. The roof is formed of wide ridge-and-furrow, 

 running transversely on the rake at an angle of 21°. There 

 are twenty-six spans in the length. The height to the ridge 

 of span would be about 16 inches. The ridge-and-furrow ter- 

 minates about 26 inches from the back wall, being finished 

 there with a rail, the openings beneath glazed, and on this 

 rail rests in iront a narrow light of the above width all the 

 length of the house. By a patented screw appai-atus fixed 

 against the back with movement-rod, curved stays, &o., the 

 whole of this glass coping may be raised from 1 to 20 inches 

 by three lifts, or three sets of instruments, each managing, 

 therefore, about 47 feet. The chief pecidiarity of the house 

 has yet, however, to be mentioned. The sides of the span 

 of the ridge-and-fiuTow do not join together at top in one 

 ridge or apex; each has its own, and there is a space of 

 4 inches between them covered by a moveable ridge-cap, 

 which when raised can admit on each side irom the smallest 

 amount up to 3 inches of air. In the opening of each ridge, 

 at regidar distances from top to bottom, are five brackets to 

 which hinges are attached at the bottom, and the top of the 

 hinge is attached to the ridge-cap, and works on the principle 

 of a parallel ruler. The top hinge of each ridge is con- 

 nected by stays, joints, and rods to the same appai-atus 

 against the back wall, and three of these will at three move- 

 ments lift the caps of all these ridges. The first time we 

 noticed moving the caps of a ridge-house for air-giving, was 

 in a small span-house at Messrs. Lee's, at Hammersmith. A 

 simple lever elevated the cowl, but cai-ried it at the same 

 time lengthwise out of its usual position. 



Most people would have imagined that 20 inches at top, 

 and as much or more in firont, would have been air enough 

 for common occasions. If, as some contend, the admission of 

 air equally all over a house is an essential of success, then 

 there can be no question, not only of the ingenuity but the 

 great usefalness of such a mode of lifting the ridge-caps. 

 Mr. Henderson assured me that with the most ordinary care 

 burning and scalding were next to impossible in such a house. 



as in the hottest days the temperature within could be kept 

 down so as not to be above 2° or 3° warmer than the air out 

 of doors — a feat which he could accomplish in no other house 

 imder similar circumstances. We would not suppose for 

 a moment that Mr. Henderson would thus wish to assimilate 

 the inside to the outside temperatxu-e in a hot day; but 

 there can be no question that the means of giving plenty 

 of air and in the best manner is one of those important 

 questions to which we can scarcely attach too great con- 

 sideration. 



The gutters of the ridge-and-furrow are lined with lead, 

 and empty themselves into an ogee iron gutter, whence 

 the water is conveyed to a large tank beneath the border, 

 on the west end, inside the house, and as hot-water pipes 

 pass through it, the heat of the water will generally average 

 80° — a matter of great importance as tending to the health 

 and luxuriance of all tender exotics. We can fancy the run 

 that would be made on this reservoir of warmed soft water. 

 From this and the heating apparatus the nice clean bath- 

 room of the young men behind is constantly supplied with 

 water in all stages from cold to hot. 



The somewhat heavy roof is supported about the centre 

 by neat iron columns at every second gutter, and tied 

 by neat transverse arches between. There is also a dwarf 

 trellis in front of the back wall for such things as dwarf 

 Oranges, &c. The back wall was covered with Figs, Shad- 

 docks, &c., but the Vines did not let them have overmuch 

 light. The Vines were chiefly Muscats doing well, the 

 youngest, especially, having massive bunches, and there were 

 besides, some late Black Grapes in fine condition, among 

 which were very fine specimens of Bai-barossa, huge in 

 bunch, large in beiTy, and very black. Many facts tend to 

 confirm us in thinking, that to have the Barbarossa fine it 

 requires as much heat as a Muscat. Pai-t of these Vines 

 had been lifted and replanted inside in February— in fact, 

 the moving of Vines in the midlands seems nothing thought 

 of, and yet the crops do not seem to sufl'er. A small border 

 only has been made outside, and that would be added to 

 when the Grapes were cut. 



We next pass through two Peach-houses, first and second, 

 bai-e of foliage, and waiting an opportunity for pruning and 

 washing. The back walls are covered, and there is a wide 

 circular trellis in front, from which an ai-ch goes to the back 

 wall at every 12 feet as in the narrow houses. The pDlars 

 that support the back of the flat circulai- trellis are 4 feet in 

 height, and 4 feet from the back wall. At that height in 

 such lofty houses the back wall is not injuiiously shaded. 

 After pruning, the trees are well washed with soap and water, 

 the surface soil renewed, and the wood all painted with a 

 mistm-e of clay, cowdung, sulphur, tobacco juice, and a little 

 glue to make it stick all the better. A good deal of last 

 year's painting was still sticking on the wood of the trees, 

 which were in fine condition for bearing, leading to the 

 conclusion that many of our preconceived ideas as to ab- 

 sorption and perspiration through the bark may be some- 

 what modifled in practice. 



We have now traversed the boundaries of this main 

 garden, and an-ived again at the main central walk from 

 north to south in front of the garden residence. On the west 

 side of this walk, farther south, in an enclosed square, is 

 situated the Pine ground, backed and fronted with an 

 upright house for Vines, each about 80 feet in length. _ The 

 house on the north side, called the Pine-ground Vinery, 

 has its north wall mostly concealed by a circular trellis 

 over a walk, covered with Koses, Honeysuckles, Clematises, 

 &c. The house is planted inside, back and front, with 

 Hamburghs ia fine condition, intended for use before and 

 about Chi-istmas, and wliich have received scarcely any assist- 

 ance from fire except when in bloom. A little fire heat 

 woidd be given in September and onwards to ripen the 

 fruit thoroughly and prevent anything like damp afl'ecting 

 them. Nearly in a line with this house westward were 

 four lean-to houses all cleared of fruit. The house that 

 is south of tie Pine ground is called the Basin-house on. 

 account of a basin of water in front, which here interrupts 

 the continuity of the Pear-treUis. It is backed on the north by 

 wide glazed sheds, or greenhouses, very handy for potting, 

 keeping back Pines, and setting plants in for many purposes. 

 The Vine-house itself was planted with a mixture of Muscats, 

 Lady Downes', Hamburghs, &c., and all doing well. Some- 



