ON THE FROrERTIES OF THE TULIP. 33 



lengthways, must be set a row of bricks or stone to give circulation to 

 the water, and to rest the covers on. The brick or stone should be 

 about five inches high, which will be deep enough for the water ; it 

 must be covered with thick strong slates, and well cemented down : 

 if these matters are attended to, it will prevent too much vapour in 

 the house, which would be the case if the water was not well secured. 

 On the slates should be placed two inches of small pebbles or coarse 

 sand, which will cause the heat to rise in a gradual manner. There 

 will be about ten inches to be filled up with any material as may be 

 required. The formation being thus attended to, it will be sure to 

 give the greatest satisfaction. The writer called at a neighbour's 

 garden lately, and found they had just finished a large stove, and had 

 adopted the tank system ; but was sorry to find they had built the 

 tank with stone of a very porous nature, only cementing the joints, 

 consequently the stove was completely saturated with vapour, which 

 would be very hurtful to ripening fruits. Excellent as the system is, 

 if the construction of the tanks is not very carefully attended to, it 

 will be certain to bring it into disrepute. These few hints will be 

 quite sufficient for every thinking mind, and, as a sincere well-wisher, 

 I rejoice to see this, the most pleasant of all pursuits, flourish with 

 increasing vigour ; and if I saw any obstacle, I would try to remove it 

 by every means in my power. For further instructions I recommend 

 Mr. Rendle's little book on the subject. 



I intend in a short time to offer a few hints on the management 

 and heating of greenhouses, which I hope will help to set at rest the 

 controversy existing on the subject at present. 



[We shall be glad to receive them. — Conductor.] 

 P.S. — There should be pipes carried from the top of the water to a 

 little above the surface, which should be plugged, except when the 

 vapour is wanted in the house, when they may be taken out for a 

 short time. 



ARTICLE V. 



ON THE PROPERTIES OF THE TULIP. 



BY A STAR IN THE NOllTII. 



The first of which I consider to be shape. The flower should be 

 composed of six petals, three outer and three inner; they should be 

 alternate, and lie close to each other ; they require to be broad and 



