March 20, 1873. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



249 



Blender leaves and small bulba. The larger kind is better, being larger in bulb, 

 with shorter stouter leaves, and a very much better keeper. It ia known as 

 " LonK-keeping." 



Heating bv Hot Water (Ludlow). — There is no doubt that your boiler 

 will do a ip^etit deal more than you require of it. A boiler the same width 

 and depth, and about half the length, would do all you require. In such a 

 case you must moderate your tire, conhniug it chietiy to the lower part next 

 the bars, aud using the damper. Whcu uuce the water is heated a small fire 

 will keep it so if ashpit and furnace doors are shut. You say the boiler is 

 an open one, and that you mean to take the flow pipe 3 inches from the top, 

 and the return pipe close to the bottom. If the boiler is open, like awash- 

 house boiler, we would not raise the flow pipe 3 inches to the extreme end, 

 with an air pipe there, as that would be as high as the top of the boiler, and 

 it would be apt to run over as the water expanded by heat. Better lay your 

 flow pipe level, or not more than a rise of an inch in the 60 feet, with a small 

 air pipe all the same. Under such circumstances the water will ciiculate veiy 

 well on the level with the air pipe, and you will have 3 ioches in the boiler 

 above the pipe to allow for expansion. With an open boiler the circulation, 

 though perfect, is more languid generally than in a close one. lu your case 

 we would cover the top of the boiler with a wooden hd, as that will keep the 

 heat in and help the circulation. Some of the first boilers we worked were 

 something like wash-house boilers, and thej' worked very well ; but, of course, 

 it was impossible to heat houses from them where the pipes were on different 

 levels. 



Packing Hot-water Pipes (J. Bourne). — For hot-water pipes we prefer 

 the sockets being done with red lead and plenty of the usual hemp or jute 

 packing. Where there is great pressure we prefer the joints near the boiler 

 being put in with iron cement, but guarding agaiust an excess of sal-am- 

 moniac with the iron filings. There is a danger of the joints cracking when 

 too much ummonia is used and the joints are made too full, bat there is uo 

 risk of cracking when the work is well done. We once had a small house 

 heated; the joints were firmly made, and the cement was brought outside and 

 smoothed round like so much putty, but there was hardly a joint that did not 

 crack in a tv/elvemonth. Other houses were done in the same way, the juto 

 packing driven well home, and then more mixed with the iron cement, but 

 from a quarter to half an inch of the socket was left unfilled all round. In 

 such pipes for the best part of thii'ty years there has never been a leakage 

 nor a cracked joint. 



Defective Heating by Hot water (H. T.\. — There are two things that 

 rather bewilder us. First, if the house can easily be kept to 6U^ after ten 

 o'clock at niyht, and yet stand to 33- or S-iT in the morniug, there must be a 

 fault in banking-up the fires the last thing, so as to keep up a slow but heat- 

 ing combustion. The question is. Is the house easily raised to that tempe- 

 ratine in a coldish night '.' Because there is such a thing as heating with 

 difficulty, and then if there is anything wrong with the pipes when the extra 

 stimulus is withdrawn, there will be a want of circulation. Then, again, 

 though you show us the pn-sition of the boiler, we are left in ignorance as to 

 which is the flow and which the return pipe, and in either case the mode of 

 placing the pipes seems somewhat comphcated. Of course, the flow pipe 

 must proceed from the top, and the return go as close to the bottom of the 

 boiler as is convenient. Once more ; in this span-roofed house, 30 feet by 16, 

 aud 11 feet to the apex of the roof, there arc no pipes at the south-west end ; 

 there ai-e two pipes along the southeast side and end, and three pipes along 

 the opposite north side — quite sufficient to keep out frost and maintain a 

 temperature of from -lO*^ to 45"^ in cold weather; but to keep up a temperature 

 of from 50"* to 60^ in cold weather three pipes would be required all round as 

 far as the doorway. Even with the position of the boiler in the comer where 

 it is, and with the pipes as they are, it would have been better to have had a 

 X flow and X return, and then the flow and the return each way would have 

 been separate, and there could be no flaw in the circulation if air pipes were 

 placed at the higiiest point at each end. Even with the present arrangement 

 air pipes should he placed at the two ends, and that might neutrahse the 

 going round and joining one pipe to three, &c. Now to the direct questions. 



1. There is no disadvantage, quite the reverse, in having the pipes on the same 

 plane instead of one above the other, only one pipe must be made the return, 

 and go at once by a rapid or more regular descent to the bottom of the boiler. 

 In a house with a small boiler in a corner like youi-s, we had one flow pipe, 

 and joined it to three ; the three went round under a stage, parallelogram 

 shape, rising a few inches to the farther point. An air pipe was placed there. 

 The three pipes were exactly on a level. From that highest point a pipe de- 

 scended and went to the bottom of the boiler, and no plan could answer better, 

 as it Would be difticult to ^ay which of the three pipes was hottest. Owing to 

 the doorway you could not go round, and therefore must have a separate return 

 pipe, but uutil it nears the boiler it may be on the same level as the flow. 



2. It matters nothing where the supply tank is, provided the water is uot 

 frozen. 3. No reason of the temperatme falling, excepting what is suggested 

 above — a little watching and regulating of the lu-e. We are soriy wa do not 

 know the Eouvardia referred to. 



Asparagus Planting (Aurora).— Ot the kinds you name we should prefer 

 Conover's Colossal, and not have more than one-year-old plants. Of the other 

 kinds we should prefer Grayson's Giant, and of this plant two yeai'S are pre- 

 ferable to those three years old. They grow more freely, attain a cutting size 

 as soon as older plants, and altogether make better beds. 



Daisies on Lawn (Id'^m). — We do not know of anything better than a knife 

 — a slow tedious method, but certain. 



BicoLOR and Tricolor Pelargoniums for Redding (An Amateur). — 

 Antagonist, Edith Pearson, Edward Milner, Louisa Smith, Sophia Dumai'esque, 

 and Mrs. Headlcy— those for bedding. For pots and probably bedding. Macbeth, 

 Mr. Kutter, Prince of Wales, Peter Grieve, Sir Robert Napier, and William 

 Sandy. Those are Golden Tricolors. Silver Tricolors are Charming Bride, Lass 

 O'Gowrie, Miss Burdett Coutts, Mrs. Colonel Wilkinson, Excellent, aud JIi-s. 

 John Clutton ; the last. Prince Silverwing and Mabel Morris are best for bed- 

 ding. Bicolor or Variegated and Bronze : Black Knight, * Carrie Fowler, ^Her 

 Majesty, ^Countess of Kellie, Arthur H. Wills, "Mrs. Lewis Lloyd, 'Meridian 

 Sun, ^Princess of Wales, *Tho Moor, Prince of Wales (Dowme"& Co.), ^Mrs. 

 George Gordon, W. B. Morris, Impi-ratrice Eugenie, and Harrison Weir, with 

 *Crimson Banner. Those distinguished with an asterisk are best for bedding. 

 You will find all good varieties, the zones well defined. 



Hardy Annuals for Rose Circles (Idem).— They will need to be of small 

 growth, and should be sown where they are to remain early in April. Alyssum 

 maritimum, CaUiopsis marmorata nana, Campanula Lorei, Candytuft, Cen- 

 tranthus ruacrosiphon, CoUinsia hart i sic- folia, Eschscholtzia crocea, Godetia 

 tenella, Leptosiphon densiflorus and var. albus, Limnauthes Douglasi, Linum 

 grandiflorum coccineum, Lupinua nanus, Mignonette, Nasturtium Tom 

 Thumb, Nolana atriplicifolia, .^nothera bistorta Veitclii, Sanvitalia procum- 



bens flore-pleno, Silene ruberrima, Saponaria calabrica, and its wliite variety, 

 Venue's Looking Glass blue and white. 



Protecting Fruit Tree Buds from Birds (Arthur). — We think you are 

 in error as to the chaffinches taking the buds of your fruit trees. Are they nob 

 bullfinches ? The green linnets, sparrows, and bullfinches are the only birds 

 we know that take off the buds of fruit trees. Chattiuches with us are very 

 numerous, but ihey only take insects and small seeds. The only thing we 

 have fuuud of any use against bU'ds taking buds is to string worsted from 

 branch to branch of the trees, foruaiu^' a kind of net- like meshts. It frightened 

 the birds. We should be obhged by information on this subject. Lime dusted 

 over the trees answers for a time, but the first rains remove it, and so of other 

 dressings we have .applied. Keluctantly we have been obliged to resort to 

 the gun. 



Plants for Greenhouse (P. S.). — Half a dozen Annuals are Amaranthns 

 salicifoliuB, BrowaUia gi-andiflora, Celosia Huttoni, Globe Amaranthus, 

 Balsam, Rhodanthe maculata. They should be sown in a hotbed, and grown 

 on in heat, removing them to a greenhouse after they are shifted into their 

 bloomiug pots. BkuniaU: Herbaceous Calceolaria, Cineraria, Chinese Prim- 

 rose, Clianthus Dampieri, Ipomopsis elegans, and Arctotis gi-andiflora. Peren- 

 nials : Cyclamen persicum. Acacia coccinea,' Cytisus racemosus, Chorozema 

 cordatam, Daubeutonia coccinea, and Salvia splendens compacta. Climbers: 

 Bignonia Tweediana, Kennedya MarrjattLt, K. bimaculata, Lapageria rosea, 

 Mandevilla suaveolens, and Tacsonia Van-Volxemi. 



Seedling Primula (E. Jfiiher).— The flower is very double and large, bub 

 not superior to others exhibited this year before the Royal Horticultural So- 

 ciety's Floral Committee. 



Outgoing Tenant's I uphove me nts (C. T.). — You cannot recover from the 

 landlord anything for what you have expended on or done to improve the land. 

 Even if you had taken the ground for more than a year, it would not have 

 placed you in a better position. It would not be equitable to make the land- 

 lord pay for improvements which were done without his consent. You made 

 them to suit yuur own purposes. 



Protecting Forest Trees from Horses (Forest). — We do not know o£ 

 anything applied to the stems that will keep horses from gnawing them. 

 Gas tar is of no use; they strip off the bark of trees with it on. We should 

 have some strips of inch hoards fixed round the stems as high a5 the horsjg 

 can reach. The boards may be about 3 inches broad and secured with iron 

 hooping, a space of about 2 inches square being left between the boards, 

 which should be secured by screws at the top, centre, and bottom. W'rap the 

 bottom of the stem with a hayband, also the top, so as to keep the boards 

 from injuring the bai'k of the trees when worked by the wind. They will last 

 a number of years, do not require nearly so much room as guards fixed ati« 

 some distance from the trees, and are quite as effective. 



Stock and Aster Culture (A. S.]. — We have found that the best method 

 is to sow the seed eai'iy in April on a shght hotbed ; in fact we make up a 

 hotbed about "i feet high of sweetened dung, and put on a frame. We put in 

 about 8 inches of light loam with a third of leaf soil and some sharp sand, 

 and allow the heat to warm the soil through; then we make the surface very 

 fine by raking, and foi-m drills with the finger about a quarter of an inch deep 

 for the Stocks and half an inch deep for the Asters, aud the same for Phlox 

 Drummondi. If the soil is moist we cover lightly with the hand, using the 

 soil employed for the bed and drawn from the diiils ; but if the soil is dry wa 

 give a gentle watering and do not cover up for an hour. The drills are about 

 1^ inch apart, and the seeds scattered about a quarter to half an inch, 

 apart. Keep close and shaded tmtil the plants ai'e showing through the soil, 

 then admit air freely, and withdraw the shading. Water only when the soil 

 becomes dry aud in the morning, continuing to admit air in mild weather, 

 and protecting only from frost. Use mats iu addition to the Ughts on frosty 

 nights, Wheu the plants can be handled have in readiness another hotbed, 

 if the frame they were aovm in be not large enough to hold them, pricked out 

 in rows 2 inches apart for the Stocks and 3 inches for the Asters, the plants 

 1 inch apart in the rows, and put them in up to the seed leaves, but no deeper. 

 Water gently, and keep rather close and shaded from bright sun until they 

 are estabhshed, after which you can hardly admit too much aii-. They will 

 be fine plants by the middle of May, and alter having been well hardened off 

 they should be planted out at the end of the month. The hardy annuals sow 

 the second week in April where they are to flower, and the Tropajolums at 

 the end of April. The Stocks have gone off from being sown too thickly an<J 

 owing to want of air. 



Air- ROOTS on Vines (I*. J. H.). — Au*-roots on Vines are caused by the 

 close moist atmosphere of the house. You may either cut them off or let 

 them remain; they do no harm to the Vines, and are produced under tho 

 best management. We would not care to have the di'ainage from the dwelling 

 house running into the rain-water tank in the vinei-y, but would prefer to 

 have a separate tank outside the house for the drainage ; it could then be 

 mixed with water and apphed to the Vine roots with advantage. 



Pruning Fruit Trees in Pots (M.). — Y'ou will find treble buds only on 

 the strong young wood of your Peach trees; you may cut them back to a 

 treble bud. The weaker shoots have mostly single buds ; these should not he 

 cut back as a rule. The trees can be kept of a bushy habit by summer-pinch- 

 ing. The Peach tree that has lost its blossoms without the fruit setting may 

 bo cut back closer than the others if it requires it ; in other respects it will 

 require the same treatment. We cannot say why the buds dropped prema- 

 turely: it might have been overdryness at the roots. Some sorts do not set 

 their fruit freely when cultivated in pots. 



Pruning Vines (ItUm). — If 6 and 9 feet respectively is the length the 

 Vine rods have grown on Vines planted last July, then they are veiy weak and 

 should be cut back to within a foot of the ground ; or, as it is now late to cub 

 the Vines, rub all the eyes off except two or three at the base, which ought 

 to be trained up the rafters, and would make strong canes during the ensuing 

 summer. If, on the other hand, the canes were strong and well ripened, 

 G and U feet would be good lengths to cut them back to. 



Autumn Raspberries not Fruiting (Centurion). — You have not planted 

 the autumn- bearing sorts ; if you do so they will certainly bear in autiunn. 

 The best we have seen are Merveille dcs Quartre Saisons or October Red. 

 There is also a yellow variety of the same name. With us the Red Antwerp 

 bears well in autumn. There is also Rivers's Autumn Black, which we have 

 not seen. 



Heating a Small Conservatory (Jinks). — In such a case as yours we 

 think the best plan would be to have an iron stove, with a flat head to receive 

 a plate-iron pan filled with water. Tho stove must be large enough to have a 

 fireplace inside lined with firobrick, if the fireplace should only be 7 or 8 inches 

 square. Such a stove without piping would average about 70s. A small pipe 

 from 3 to 4 inches in diameter could go through the most convenient part ol 



