208 REMARKS ON ANSWERS TO QUERIES. 



correspondent does not state whether he had his plant in a room or 

 in a greeuhouse, nor whether he lives in town or country ; but if, as 

 I suppose, the former he the case, he need not be at all surprised at 

 his flowers dropping off. There are many plants that will not flourish 

 in a room in a town, which are bought for that purpose because they 

 are pretty ; but if all nurserymen were honourable enough to say to a 

 customer, " This plant will not answer in a room in the town, but that 

 will," we should see better shows of flowers in town windows than we 

 sometimes now do. 



Again, another correspondent asks if you would recommend him to 

 heat a greenhouse with a stove. Now this is a subject on which we 

 amateurs should help each other ; for your experience will only be 

 too great for us ; that is, you heat upon too large a scale for us, and 

 may probably smile at the mention of a Chunk stove for a greenhouse ; 

 but I that have tried one can state a few facts which may be of use 

 in guiding your correspondent in his selection ; for, if a stove would 

 do for his house, it would be a pity he should be at the expense of a 

 larger apparatus. If he intends to cultivate the vine, I would recom- 

 mend him to have a hot-water apparatus at once ; but if he only has 

 plants in his house, as I have, and it is not very large, I think he will 

 find a Chunk or Vesta stove sufficient for his purpose. I used one of 

 the former last winter, and though it did not burn so long as was 

 stated in the prospectus (viz. for 24 hours), yet it burned for 16 or 

 17 hours, without any attention whatever on my part, and cost about 

 lhd. for coke for that time. Thus, if I lighted it at 6 or 7 o'clock 

 in the evening, I had no further care about it till next morning ; 

 which, to one that attends to these things himself, as I do, is a very 

 great comfort. There is one thing to be said about stoves, however : 

 when they do go out, or are put out, the atmosphere becomes cool very 

 rapidly, because there is no great body to retain the heat, as in brick 

 flues or hot-water pipes. They require care, therefore, on a frosty 

 day, when you have to re-light them in the morning. I did not find 

 it necessary to put any water in a basin on the stove. 



As to liquid manure, — make a hole at one corner of your dung- 

 heap, put an old cask in it, and make channels about the heap in that 

 direction, and you will have plenty of liquid manure. 



I am trying the effect of a solution of nitrate of soda on Pelar- 

 goniums, Dahlias, and Roses. 

 Harraby, May 7, 1841. 



