J^otes on Gardens and J^urseries. 65 



svvers completely the purpose of heating the house, and, although there 

 is a greater surface ofjiluss exposed to the air than in any other green- 

 house that we have ever seen, of the same dimensions, the temperature 

 is easier kept up, and with less expense of fuel. We shall, in our de- 

 scription of the green-house, endeavor to make the mode distinctly un- 

 derstood. It is wholly of Mr. Williams's invention. 



The house, iulernally, is fitted up with a back stage, and a pit in 

 front, hetween which runs the walk from one end to the other. In the pit 

 lettuces were growing, and some of the larger rhododendrons, camel- 

 lias, and other plants, were plunged into it. Mr. Williams has no pro- 

 fessed gardener, but his whole farm (of many acres) is under th;^ direc- 

 tion of Mr. Burns, who also manages the irreen-hou^e; and, though he 

 has but little tinie to devote to it, and notwithstanding his limited know- 

 ledge of green-house plants, they all look very well. Some large speci- 

 mens of ericas were in perfect health. 



The most conspicuous plants were the camellias, of which there are 

 several of the best kinds in the collection; imbricata, punctata, eclipse, 

 and fine double whites, were in flower. The number of plants is yet 

 limited; but we have no doubt that Mr. Williams will soon add other 

 fine varieties. The most beautiful plant we noticed, of the one which 

 we should certainly value as highly as any other, was an Erica bac- 

 cans, between five and six feet high, handsomely shaped, and almost ev- 

 er_v branch terminated with a cluster of buds, some few of which had 

 begun to show color. We cannot imagine a more lovely object than 

 this will present, in the course of a fortnight or more. E. mammosa 

 was exquisite, with a few clusters of its elegant drooping tubulous flow- 

 ers : w^e also found fine plants of E. ventricosa superba, colorans, 

 caftYa (?), arborea, and mediterranea, the two latter in flower; cafi^ra, 

 so called, was at least four feet high, and thickly branched; it will be 

 one sheet of bloom in a few weeks, /ieliotropium peruvianuin" and 

 grandiflorum were both in bloom; the latter is much finer than the 

 former; the flowers are larger, and the color fine lavender, breathing as 

 sweet an odor as the peruvianum. Metrosideros saligna was covered 

 with its crimson whorls of flowers; Diosma capitata was also prettv. 

 Avery large plant of .-Acacia longifolia was completely covered with 

 buds. In addition to these there was an abundance of stocks, oxalises, 

 roses, &c. and some very handsome carnations in bloom. 



In the pit before mentioned, between the plants which were plunged, 

 a eood crop of lettuces were growing, and plenty of nmshrooms. Mr. 

 Williams had culled from one end of the pit, perhaps a space of a dozen 

 feet, since the early part of last month, as many as he has wanted for his 

 own use, besides ojcasionally sending some to his friends. We are glad 

 to see the mushroom attracting attention. They might, we believe, be 

 profitably grown by our market gardeners for the market, where, we 

 have no doubt, they would command a fiiir price, and, if well grown, 

 sell rapidly. Mr. I3urns communicated to us his mode of proceeding, 

 and we shall take an early opportunity of presenting it to our readers, 

 that those who have a desire may make trial of his system. 



Under the sta2e,and over the flue (which runs across the house once,) 

 Mr. Burns showed us twenty or thirty pots of rhubarb for an early crop; 

 some of the crowns were already pushing; last season he had an abun- 

 dance in this way. A new variety, which will be noticed in a future 

 number, has been raised in England, which is peculiarly adapted to cul- 

 tivation in pots: it is stated to be some weeks earlier than any other 

 sort. 



In the back shed we noticed thousands of plants of the common daisy, 

 which were taken up in lar-je patches, anti there laid in a mass upon the 

 ground in a moist place. These Mr. Burns intends to use as edgings to 



VOL. IV. NO. II. 9 



