July 1, 1869. ] 



JOUhNAL OF HORTIOULXUKE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



huge masses of blue Forget-me-not, Silene jiendula. Tulips, 

 dwarf liuses, among which are Tulips also, and other showy 

 agencies. About the turf are specimen trees, ornameutal 

 shrubs, &e., ami small flower borders filled at the time of my 

 visit with spring-blooming plants. 



Tuat Mr. Quilter marches with the times, is seen in he fact 

 that he has what he terms a " reserve garden," which is not 

 only a place for the reception of the sprmg plants during the 

 summer months, but also a trial ground, in which is bedded 

 out a small quantity of any new bedding plant that challenges 

 attention. If they succeed here they are used hereafter, if 

 they fail they are condemned as useless. There is also an ex- 

 tensive service of glass, for the propagation of plants — a large 

 nursery, in fact, aud it is very interesting to go through the 

 houses and pits during the month of April, and note the quan- 

 tities of certain leading bedding plants that are being grown 

 on for use in the summer. Such things as Echeveria metallica, 

 for instance, are largely grown, and I saw here, growing in pots, 

 six of the finest, healthiest, and best developed speoimeus of 

 this plant I have ever met with. 



And so I leave Mr. Quilter and his wonderful garden. My 

 enthusiasm as a practical horticulturist was increased tenfold 

 as Hooked on the triumphs of the art as seen here ; but this 

 gave place to another feeling — that of profound gratitude, as 

 I saw how flowers and their surroundings can be made a mighty 

 lever in the way of .social and moral elevation ; and I left this 

 place prouder than rver of our pursuit from perceiving the 

 deeper significance of great popular displays of this character. 

 —Via. 



FOSTER'S PATENT BOILER. 



Me. T. Taylor, of Lancashire, must he well known if the 

 postman is sure to deliver a letter to his address. I feel I 

 should like to know him (he writes so good-naturedly), and 

 promise him a welcume if he will pay me a visit. He is quite 

 right in one thing — I am a bit of an enthusiast. If an idea 

 strikes me I hammer at it. If it appears a good idea it seems 

 so natural to communicate it toothers, that the scribbling fit 

 takes me at once. Having built nineteen houses, some of 

 them amongst the largest in the trade, everything connected 

 with their construction and heating has interested me. If I 

 have suffered in any way from bad construction, badly manu- 

 factured glas."!, adulterated paint, imperfect boilers, or anything 

 of the kiod, I have at once written to " our Journal " on the 

 subject. Indeed, I believe no one has been more interested in 

 the subject of horticultural buildings than myself, though I 

 never received a sixpence for advice, or discount on orders 

 entrusted to me. I think I shall turn over a new leaf, aud 

 when i^Ir. Foster makes a fortune by his new boiler, shall send 

 in my claim. 



As to Mr. Taylor's remarks, let me say first I always take, 

 if possible, a full hour for dinner, and it took exactly that time 

 to heat the water. I believe a mere " hatful " of fire was what 

 I wrote, but I did not suppose it vvould be taken literally, using 

 the term for a small quantity. Now, as I find it necessary to 

 be very particular, let me tell Mr. Taylor that having a thick 

 head my hat is rather large, and my man thinks there was at 

 least three hateful of cobbles on the fire, aud that if I had 

 employed the hat as a measure, accuracy would have been 

 gained at no great pecuniary sacrifice. Having, I hope, satis- 

 fied my friendly critic on the above points, let me remind him 

 that every one's geese are swans ; and though to Mr. Foster 

 alone belongs the credit of rearing the bird, I have taken great 

 interest in the process, and feel for it almost a paternal af- 

 fection. 



I have sent you photographs of the boiler ; and if yon think 

 it worth while to illustrate this article with a woodcut, I think 

 any of your readirj cipable of understanding the subject will 

 see at once that to compare a common saddle boiler with it is 

 absurd. Of the many persons who have seen it at work, not 

 one has, in my hearing, taken exception to anything that has 

 been said in its favour. Mr. Veitch, of Chelsea, has ordered 

 one ; and I have persuaded Mr. Foster to agree that if it will 

 not heat 2000 feet of 4inch pipes he will take it back. I am 

 bound to say it is rather against his own judgment ho has 

 given this guarantee, but I was very anxious its full powers 

 should be tested. If a boiler costing less than £20, and so 

 easily fixed, should bo found capable of heating the above quan- 

 tity of piping, nothing more will be required to show its value ; 

 but if not, I shall still say of it that having, I think it is eight, 

 different boilers at work, there is not one of them but burns 



quite double the fuel, ecnording to its work, that the new one 

 does, and any one who doubts it shall have the opportunity of 

 testing the same with his own hat for a measure. In case it 

 should be found th tt a boiler of this construction o feet 9 inches 

 in length will not bent Riitisfactorily 2000 feet of piping, it will 

 only prove that a larger size is necessary, not that the principle 

 is wrong. 



Fig. 1. 

 Fig. 1 represent."! the front of the boiler ; the lowest door 

 being the ash-pit door, the middle one the fireplace, aud the 

 highest door that for cleaning out the soot. I'ig. 2 is a Bide 



Fig. 2. 



view, showing the back against which the f^ame strikes ; after 

 doing so it returns through the two hole-i shown in fig. 1, and 

 then passes back under the arch of the boiler into the flue or 



Fig. 3. 



chimney. The flow pipe is seen at the top ; the two return 

 pipes at the back, and at the side three of the six bent connec- 

 tions uniting the different sections of the boiler. In fig. 3 are 

 seen the ^four sections of which the boiler is composed. — J. E. 

 Peaeson. 



ORCHARD-HOUSE FAILURES. 

 I WAS rather surprised to see by Mr. Pearson's letter of last 

 week that he antisipates nearly a total failure with his orchard 



