JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



as you speak of having a boarded floor across if necessary. In adopting 

 this plan, supposing your pit were 18 inches below ground, 15 inches 

 above ground in front, and SO inches at back, then in building your wall 

 we would leave at 18 inches from the ground a ledge of bricks 2 inches 

 wide all round, or at least at the back and front. This will support stout 

 boards laid across — say 1-1 inch in thickness, and if these are merely sawn 

 and pitched, they will last nearly a lifetime. Notv for some of the ad- 

 vantages of this plan over having the space left, as it would be if of the 

 natural level, or Ailing up with brick rubbish. First, The plants will 

 thrive better in winter oa the wood than if set on brick rubbish, ashes, 

 &c. Secondly, There would be less liability to dumping, as the boards 

 would not hold moisture like the sail or ashes, and with moderate care 

 in watering, and the hot-water pipe you speak of, damping would be re- 

 duced to a minimum. Thirdly, There would be less risk from sudden 

 frosts, as the amount of air enclosed would be nearly doubled, and, there- 

 fore, if the boards are not set very close together all sudden alterations 

 of weather, would be better provided for. Lastly, Such a pit can be 

 rendered generally useful. For instance, fow places could be better for 

 wintering, with the moveable floor, all kinds of bedding plants. Then if 

 yon wished to grow larger flowering plants in summer in pots, or to 

 bring plants there to make growth, as Azaleas, &c, you could take out 

 your boards, and at once gain 18 inches or more headway. If you wish 

 to have a slight hotbed for propagating, for late Cucumbers or Melons, 

 moving your boards gives you the place at once, and thus one pit may 

 serve many purposes. In a rather deep pit two or three ledges might be 

 left so that the floor could be moved to any desirable depth. We speak 

 practically on this subject, as a hollow- walled pit thus provided with a pro- 

 jecting ledge, is the most useful place we have, and has been often used in 

 all these varied ways. Tho hollow wall, a 14-inch, makes a great difference 

 over a solid wall, being much cooler in summer, and much warmer in win- 

 ter. Heating, — We have no objection to your proposed 2-inch pipe if better 

 cannot be had, but we prefer 3-inch pipes, as in proportion there is less 

 friction, and, if the water is not the best, loss risk of furring np inside. 

 The flow and return along the back will be a great help, but it will not be 

 so good as having a flow and return in front, as in the former case the 

 heated air will ascend at once to tho highest point. This will be the case 

 even if you have the pipes in front, but then the intermediate air is 

 warmed as the heat passes through it. If there is a necessity for having 

 pipes at the back it wo aid be well to have some openings in the proposed 

 flooring back and front, to promote the free circulation of the enclosed 

 air. We greatly approve of the proposed alternative, having a pipe run- 

 ning all round ; this would involve little more expensethan two additional 

 elbows. As you propose doubling the length of your projected pit ere 

 long, it might be as well if the boiler were placed at tho middle of the pit 

 when completed. Then, with T-fl° ws an( l returns you could divide your 

 pit into two, and heat both divisions, or each separately, at will. We 

 do not think you would gain much by having the pipes all round instead 

 of two in front, but you would gain in heating power if the pipes in front 

 were to be one above the other. You would gain little if the pipes in 

 front were on the same level. If we took the pipe all rounl we would make 

 it a flow pipe for the greater part of its length— that is, we would place it 

 just a little on the rise until within a few feet of the boiler, and insert 

 an open air pipe at the highest point. We cannot well recommend a 

 particular boiler. We like the simplest best. Any advertised in our 

 columns we believe will answer. A conical boiler fed from the top is 

 rather the easiest for an amateur to manage. After considerable experi- 

 ence we find that in the long run economy in fuel depends more on the 

 management of the fireman than on the shape of the boiler. Some of 

 our greatest men are falling back on tho old saddle boiler. The terminal 

 saddle boiler is an improvement. Tho 18-inch conical boiler would suit 

 you, but one a few inches larger would bo as well. The slow-combustion 

 boilers we have no doubt are good, but, whoever the maker, give us a 

 boiler with a good damper, and close-fitting furnace and ashpit doors, and 

 we shall have no difficulty in ensuring slow combustion. Unless in con- 

 tinued cold weather, whero a constant fire is necessary, such a pit as 

 yours, and a cool greenhouse, want oftener a brisk quick heat to meet 

 sudden frosts rather than Blow combustion, which is often another name 

 for little heat. These slow-combustion boilers wo believe render less care 

 necessary to maintain a mild lasting heat on the part of the stoker. The 

 same rule holds good as to stoves. Some time ago we met with a very 

 nice one that was to keep fire in for a dozen hours. Tho manager so set 

 the air-regulator that all the heat the fuel could give was out by the 

 piping in less than an hour. We have not, unfortunately, had personal 

 experience with the Truss' jointed pipes, but we have no doubt as to their 

 answering. When the joints of pipes are properly supported so that they 

 cannot move, a matter not sufficiently attended to, the simplest common 

 mode of making joints is to ram home with rope yarn or tow, and then 

 fill with thickiish Portland cement. Some years ago we detailed how all 

 the piping in a large garden establishment was thus done. Last year we 

 found every joint perfect, but great care was taken to give the joints a 

 firm basis to rest on As you prefer hot water wo do not wish to recom- 

 mend you a flue. We agree with you that the expense will not be greatly 

 different, and tho heat from the hot water will be more cleanly, if not also 

 more genial. Such a flue as you would require would noed less fuel than 

 any boiler you can have to yield a continuous heat, but the heat from the 

 pipes will be more uniform. 



Shrubs not Thriving (Oakham),— The shrubs you name ought to 

 thrive in your sandy soil, if you manure it well in winter and point in 

 the manure, but not so deeply as to interfere with the roots. A good 

 dressing of clay laid on the ground in winter would fall after the first 

 frost, and may then be dug in. We advise both to be done next autumn, 

 keeping the ground clear of weeds. 



Herbaceous Calceolarias Failing {Idem).— The cause of the plants 

 "withering at the bottom" is deep potting; the neck or collar being 

 covered with rich soil becomes very wet, and decays. Green fly should 

 be kept down by fumigation with tobacco, and the " small weedy-looking 

 shoots" are a consequonce of the plants being badly grown. The oc- 

 casional one doing well would tend to put you on the track of growing 

 others well if you noted the differences in their treatment. 



Stklla Pelargonium Sport (Idem).— Without seeing the plant we 

 could not say whether it is worth propngation or not ; but from your 

 description we should say it is. Obtain Stella variegatum, and compare 

 the two before you propagate to any great extent. 



Toadstool (B. B., a Constant Rea tier).— Your fungus is one condition 

 of the mycelium or spawn of some fungus as yet undeveloped. If you 



will allow it to grow, and send us its perfect state when fullv crown, wo 

 shall be very glad to see what comes of it. It is probably the scleratioid 

 condition of Bouie fungus, and is very interesting. 



Strawberry Blossoms {R. H.).—Do not pick them off; although 

 planted last autumn the plants must have been well rooted, and, there- 

 fore, there is no fear of the crop this year diminishing that of next year. 



Chrysanthemum Propagation (Idem).— Cuttings should be made o* 

 young tops in March, but at the end of the present month and in July 

 you may propagate by layering. Bend the stems gently down, and peg 

 them into rich soil in pots, leaving about 2 inches of the top of each 

 stem above ground. Keep the soil moist. When well rooted cut the 

 layer from the parent plant, and remove the pots into a frame or pit ; give 

 air and water freely, and shade for a few days. They will form dwarf 

 plants. 



Names of Insects (C. C. E.).—The Elm leaves sent were infested by a 

 Bpccies of Aphid, r e (Adelges ulmi) of unusual occurrence. The larger ones 

 are short, nearly globose, and almost inert pravid females, with very short 

 legs and antenna?. It is nearly black, with the rings marked with grey 

 pubescence. The minute ones are its progeny. (A Subscriber, Dublin), — 

 Tho insect sent is a beetle of the family Elaterida?, and is narced Elater 

 (Athous), sputator of Olivier. In the larva state it is a wircworm, and 

 is destructive to various young plants by gnawing off the root.— I. O. W. 



Names of Plants (Tyro).— Cotyledon umbilicus— Penny-wort. (H.D.). 

 — Libonia floribunda. (Penzance).— 2, Deutzia Bcabra ; 8, Cvti3U3 race- 

 mosus. (Mrs. H. ; U. C. A.).—l, Exceedingly like a variety bf the Wild 

 Crab, Pyrus Malus ; the flowers were scarcely in a condition to determine 

 it more closely; 2, Pyrus Aria, the White Beam tree. (Filic* >">.— 1, Sela- 

 ginella Braunii (S. pubescens of gardens) ; 2, Possibly Doryopteris pal- 

 niata.; 4, Hypolepis repens. 



POULTRY, BEE, AND PIGEON CHRONICLE. 



RATIONAL POULTRY-KEEPING.— No. ;i. 



CHICKEN MANAGEMENT. 



It would be tedious work if in rearing chickens tie same 

 attention were required when they get older as they demanded 

 in their earliest days, but it is not so. They are growing, 

 their early troubles are past — ascertain now that the bars of 

 the rip in which the hen is confined are sufficiently far apart 

 to allow the chickens to pass easily backwards and forwards. 

 Many an apparent deformity is the result of accident at this 

 age. We are always careful to have our rips made with a 

 side-Bliding transverse bar in front, taking the space of two 

 bars, and allowing free passage for anything smaller than the 

 hen herself. If this is not done, it is a common sight to see a 

 chicken half-way through, struggling and Bcreaming for a long 

 time. If, then, there is grass or green stuff for food, road grit 

 for dust bath, and a meal of victuals three or four times per 

 day, the chickens should thrive. One other thing is essential, 

 and that is fresh water. By fresh, we do not mean water put 

 in the vessels every morning, and left during the day ; bnt as 

 we are convinced that water put in any vessel at sis o'clock in 

 the morning, and left duritig the day, is bad drink for the 

 chickens in the evening, we always insist on the water being 

 thrown away, and the vessel replenished three limes per day in 

 hot summer weather. We advisedly say replenished, because 

 both men and boys are very fond of filling up. We are sure 

 that heated and dead water is bad for poultry of all ages in 

 the summer months. 



We have our stock of chickens, as many as we intend to 

 hatch. What do. we intend to do with them? Some for ex- 

 hibition, some for stock, some for table, some for market. 

 This is one of the difficult, almost the painful parts of the 

 pursuit. It is almost impossible for one, who is. after all, but 

 an amateur, not to feel a little interest in the animals he has 

 been rearing, when they belong to the classes that look np to, 

 and are dependant on their owner. Another thing is that in 

 rearing poultry a man is generally associated with his wife and 

 children ; they always belong to the merciful. This .one is too 

 good to kill, that one is such a favourite, a third has been reared 

 only by good nursing, and it would be more than a shame 

 to kill it. All depends at this time on the firmness of the 

 master. In almost every casa the profit or the loss of the 

 hobby depends on the resolutions now made, and on their being 

 carried out. Where it is desired to make a profit, it is very 

 essential no unprofitable mouths should be kept. No food 

 should be given that will not afford a return. The meal-tub is 

 the enemy of the balance sheet, and a worthless bird devours 

 as much as a good one. Prompt is profitable action at this 

 stage of our pursuit, and birds intended for sale and table 

 should now be looked out. They should be the faulty birds, 

 such as lack the characteristics of the breed to which they be- 

 long, or have superfluities that are equally objectionable — for 

 instance, four-clawed Dorkings, vulture-hocked Cochins and 

 Brahmas, five-clawed Hamburghs, single-combed Sobrights, 



