424 



JOURNAL OF HOKTlCtJLTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ December S, 1868. 



interested can see tke work done, or do it, all onr experiments 

 prove that the best and dearest coal is also the cheapest ; but 

 an inferior coal will often be the most suitable, just because 

 when an extra quantity is burned carelessly there will not be 

 the same value lost as it it had been the best coal. Thus, also, 

 as far as fuel is concerned, the heating a number of hoxiscs by 

 one boiler will be the most economical, because there is only 

 one chimney instead of many to talte away the heat from the 

 furnace. 



In lighting a furnace fire, a little dry wood, straw, and shav- 

 ings are as good as anything ; and when burning, a little coal, 

 snch as nuts from the size of beans to walnuts, without dust, 

 will generally fake at once, and when fairly I'ghted other fuel 

 may be added ; but cinders, half-burnt coal, and coke do not 

 ignite so quickly as these little bits of coal, which also should 

 be rather dry. We are presuming that before lighting, the 

 furnace is well cleaned out, and Ihat if the ashpit is not 

 cleaned out entirely that there should be suOicient space between 

 the bars and the ashes to allow the air to have as much access 

 as is desirable. Not so long ago we were asked our advice as 

 to a furnace that would not draw a bit unless the furnace door 

 stood open. The ashpit was as compactly crammed as if the 

 cramming had been one of the essentials of management. In 

 lighting, shut the furnace door and leave the ashpit door open, 

 so that plenty of air may pass through the furnace bars to 

 the lighted fuel. As soon as the boiler or flue is becoming 

 heated, partly shut the ashpit door, and when hot enough 

 shut it altogether, leaving only a small opening to allow as 

 mnch air to enter as will keep up a slow, regular combustion 

 of fuel. 



For heating by flue alone we would have no damper in the 

 flue, as it is liable to cause injury, but regulate draught entirely 

 by the ashpit door, and if this is done by allowing only a small 

 slit /or air, the flue will be pretty warm and tlie chimney almost 

 cold. When a furnace is used for healing a boiler only, and it is 

 merely a few feet from the upright chimney, there should bo the 

 same attention to the ashpit door, but that will not be enough ; 

 a damper near the base of the chimney will also be required, 

 to be drawn nearly out when lighting the fire, and until the 

 heat is up, and put nearly in when the fire has become bright 

 and the water hot enough. Sometimes a mistake is made by 

 sending the damper right home ; but any injury from this 

 cause is caeily prevented by having a hole, say 1 inch in dia- 

 meter, in the centre of the damper. Whenever the heat is well 

 up, and there is fuel gettirg into sn incandescent state, it is 

 always a true sign of bad management to see the damper out 

 and the ashpit or furnace doors open. In the first case the 

 beat escapes freely up tho chimney instead of being sent back 

 to, or more confined round, the boiler. In the stcond case a rapid 

 consumption of fuel takes place by the free admission of air, 

 and the open furnace door lets the heat freely out for the 

 benefit of the neighbourhood. Of course when there is too 

 much heat the opening of the furnace door and the shutting of 

 the ashpit door will lessen draught, and what is desired takes 

 place — the heat is gradually lessened, at the expense of wasting 

 the fuel. Such things will happen in sudden changes of 

 weather with the best stokers ; hut when these little matters 

 are attended to in a sort of haphazard way, it is impossible 

 that the most can be made of the fuel for heating. 



In applying fresh fuel it is best to keep the incandescent 

 fuel next the flue, and the fresh nearer to the furnace door. 

 Much of the smoke is thus consumed, and the moisture in the 

 new fuel is, if the fire is strong, also decomposed, and adds 

 to the heat. Ashes and small dusty coal are best used after 

 the fire is strong, and placed in the position indicated ; and if 

 such small dusty fuel be well watered before using, it will 

 burn all the better, because it cakes as the heat takes the 

 moisture from it. In practice we find that a small hole 

 near the top of the furnace door for flues, and either there or 

 in a soot plate not far from the boiler when hot water is used, 

 tends to the lessening of the smoke, and so far to its consump- 

 tion. A small stream of air, such as would have entrance from 

 a hole from one-eighth to one-quarter of an inch in diameter, 

 acts very differently from opening the furnace door. With the 

 exception of small coal for lighting, we would if we could prefer 

 coke for fuel, for besides being more under the control of the 

 ashpit door and the damper, the outside appearance of the 

 houses is less injured by smoke. Ere long in all large places 

 the smoke will be carried to a distance. Much of it becomes 

 a great eyesore in small places. We know of some scores of 

 nice little glass houses that are unhealed on account of the 

 smoke, and as gaa is not to be had ; but even where it is so, if 



not used carefully, it wonld be as injurious to plants as tie 

 frost. 



We find that, so as to suit beginners, we have said nothing 

 about banking up fires the last thing at night. A few ashes 

 will generally be sufficient ; but if the ashpit and furnace doors 

 are properly attended to, there is little necessity for one getting 

 his throat full of dry ashes. In greenhouses, unless in continued 

 frosts, continued fires arc seldom necessary. In many cases a 

 brisk fire is all that would be needed. A great deal will yet be 

 done with just one brisk fire, and the fire allowed to go out 

 before lighting again. But in the case where a continuous 

 regular heat is wanted by night as well as by day, the only true 

 mode of management is to get the heat up by bedtime, and 

 allow it to fall a little at night by a slow combustion. We 

 have managed this regular heat very well in this way without 

 dust or ashes : Instead of raking the bars as at lighting time, 

 beat the fuel down on them, add the fresh which experience 

 deems necessary, beat that gently, and shut furnace and ash- 

 pit doors, leaving only a small opening in the latter ; a slit, 

 1 inch long and less than a quarter of an inch wide, will give 

 enongh air to play on the fuel thus pressed down. In the 

 morning, when it is generally coldest in winter, a stout poker 

 or crowbar run through such fuel, and the opening of the ash- 

 pit door, will soon give a bright fire. 



Next in importance at present, is a very simple matter. 



Waterina. — Much of future success depends on the waterer. 

 We have still a great portion of our bedding stuff in cold frames, 

 and these old and none of the best. In such dull weather it 

 requires a little management to keep plants from damping. 

 Some things will become dry to their injury, moist and foggy 

 though the weather be, and a careless waterer would do infinite 

 mischief. Each pot should be carefully watered gently by the 

 spout. In fact, the best plan is to lift the plants out, water 

 them, let them drain, and then replace them. In greenhouses, 

 similar care should be used. Calceolarias and Cinerarias need 

 a considerable quantity of water, unless in the dullest weather; 

 but both delight to stand on damp moss, and, therefore, may 

 have their wants attended to without deluging other plants. 

 Chiysanthemiims will not do to be dry, but they are frequently 

 kept too close and damp, and Camellias should be damp rather 

 than dry. Everything will want water according to its growth, 

 and the temperature and sunlight; but in all greenhouses 

 now, no water should be spilled or splashed about, as in every 

 change of weather that water is apt to rise as vapour, and in a 

 frosty night be condensed against the glass, and in many cases 

 come all over the plants as an ugly shower. Even in plant 

 stoves, there is danger of too much water being spilt in such 

 foggy weather, and where no means are used to prevent diip, as 

 continuous planes of glass, fluted bars, or double roofs, the drip 

 often does much injury. Wheie there are few incentives to 

 dry soil in pots, where evaporation by foliage is pretty well 

 met by absorption, water should be used with care, and none 

 allowed to run to waste. In all such mild, dripping, foggy 

 weather as we hare lately had, there is more danger of plants 

 being too wet than too dry. 



Air-riiving. — When cold and frosty, if we gave a little air, we 

 should keep at that little, rather than give more, and as a con- 

 sequence give more fire heat. In such mild, foggy weather, we 

 should give a little fire heat where we could, so as to afford a 

 little air fop and bottom, to promote a free circulation. In 

 frames and pits, where no artificial heat could be given, the 

 sashes were tilted back and front, to admit air without much 

 moisture. We find we must give more air than we have done 

 to the pit of Calceolaria cuttings, as against our will they are 

 striking root — those first put in — and we would rather they had 

 been a few weeks later, as they will be more sensitive to frost, 

 and especially as standing so thickly, and, therefore, we must 

 keep them as robust as possible, so that they may not grow 

 much. We like best when these bedding Calceolarias do not 

 root much until after the shortest day is past ; the mild weather 

 has brought them on sooner than wanted, but they look very 

 well now, with not a break in the thick lines. 



Washinri Glass. — Nothing will make up in such days for the 

 want of clean glass. That over the Calceolarias, and much be- 

 sides, was anything but clean. We have had a rather heavy 

 job in washing lights inside and out, and especially inside. 

 Smeared, clouded, dirty glass, is as unwholesome to a plant, as a 

 dirt-encrusted window is to the dweller in tho room, to which 

 (he window- belongs. Like ourselves, plants rejoice in the lights 

 and in such close, damp weather all that we can give them 

 under glass will be little enough, especially to all our favourites 

 that come from brighter skies tlian ours. It is well to treat a 



