MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE. 93 



awarded. Mr. Small, of Colnbrook, sent a seedling Fuchsia, apparently raised 

 between F. fulgens or cordifolia, and some of the older and darker varieties. 

 From Mr. H. Scott, of Charles-street, New-road, specimens of cast-iron pipes, 

 for the conveyance of water and other fluids ; these are so cc.ostructed that by 

 means of movable nuts, and screw-pieces cast upon the pipes, a series ot pipes 

 can be securely joined together, without soldering or brazing. The same person 

 also exhibited an ingenious contrivance, in the form of a slide-expanding and 

 contracting box, to allow for the alternate expansion and contraction of pipes 

 containing steam or hot water. From the garden of the Society were plants of 

 Oncidium altissimum ; the large and small varieties of On. ampliation, the 

 former bearing a fine spreading panicle of large, bright yellow flowers ; the 

 showy On. leucochilum ; Dendrobium aggregatum, with a drooping spike of 

 sulphur-coloured flowers, having the centie of the labellum strongly marked with 

 orange ; the delicate little D. secundum ; and Acacia Riceaua. an elegant 

 species, with droopingbranches, loaded with a profusion of light yellow, feathery 

 spikes of flowers. 



Smoke Prevention.— We inserted in our February Number a communi- 

 cation from Mr. Major, on the subject of the consumption of smoke, referring 

 particularly to a plan adopted by a Mr. Billingsley, found to answerthe purpose 

 very effectively. Since then we have been addressed by Messrs. Dircks and Co., 

 of Manchester, the principal agents for the Patent Argand Furnace of Mr. C. 

 Wye Williams, pronouncing Mr. Billingsley's plan to be a direct infringement 

 of Mr. Williams's patent, of which public notice has been given through several 

 of the Yorkshire lublic journals; and notifying that legal proceedings are 

 pending to assert the patentee's claim. With these disputed points we have 

 nothing to do, only having given publicity to Mr. Major's statement, we have 

 considered it right and proper to make known the facts of the case as laid be- 

 fore us. ... .,, ,, 



[We. find that the system has been adopted in numerous instances with the 

 most satisfactory results. See our advertising sheet for last Number, page 9.— 



CONDUCTOR.] 



On Culture of the Ranunculus. — If your correspondent J. will try the fol- 

 lowing method of growing the Ranunculus, he will find it successful; the soil 

 best suited for them is a rich loam, with a slight mixture of well rotted cow- 

 dung ; a narrow bed should be formed, rising towards the centre to throw off 

 the wet, across or along which, lines should be drawn to mark the situation 

 where the tubers are to be placed; there should be six inches between the lines 

 and the same between each tuber ; a little sand should be laid along the lines 

 previous to planting the tubers, which should then be pressed down on it, not 

 placed in with a dibble or in a drill; when they are placed, cover them with two 

 inches of light soil. February is the best time for planting ; they should be 

 moderately watered in dry weather. W. J. 



On Camellias.— Four years ago I was in a greenhouse not many miles from 

 this place, in which were a considerable number of Camellias, of all sizes, pro- 

 fusely covered with blooms, but the plants were so covered with dirt and filth as 

 completely to disfigure them, although a regular gardener was employed. Feel- 

 ing much annoyed to see them in such a state. I ventured to ask it he ever cleaned 

 and syringed them? His reply was, that if he did, they would soon be as bad 

 again, from the quantity of smoke from the tall chimneys in the neighbourhood; 

 a pretty answer truly for a gardener. I then asked him how often he lepotted 

 them ; he informed me that he considered every three years oiten enough, if a 

 good compost was used ; be objected in toto to potting every year, as the plants 

 then most frequently made all wood and no blooms. I was too much out ot 

 patience witli him and his filthy plants to say more to him, but determined to 

 visit him again the next blooming season. 1 accordingly did so, and found them 

 blooming as splendidly as ever, but still in the same discreditable state. 1 have 

 seen them a third and now a fourth season. and I must certainly say, never have 



