Domestic Notices : — Scotland, 595 



cultural houses by hot water, and, amongst the number, a plan (Vol. VI. 

 p. 374.) of which I had formerly a good opinion. Since that plan was 

 executed I have been tempted to adopt others in my establishment, with 

 every one of which, in its tm"n, I have felt satisfied; but such is the march 

 of intellect, that we are now daily surprised by new inventions, and with 

 none of these, as far as respects heating with hot water, have I been more 

 pleased than with a very simple, cheap, and powerful apparatus, just in- 

 vented by Mr. Weeks, of the King's Road, Chelsea. I was induced to 

 make trial of this, by having one put up in my office, and its erection 

 and completion did not occupy quite four days; in fact, I had a fire in it on 

 the third day, to prove its power, &c., and, in twenty minutes (including the 

 time of lighting), every part of the apparatus was heated to excess, and the 

 water was boiling with great violence, the office in a very short time be- 

 coming excessively hot. It is right to say that the fuel consisted of 

 shavings and wood. I consider this apparatus well adapted, not only to 

 horticultural houses, but also to all kinds of buildings requiring either 

 quick and powerful or moderate heat ; the water appears to descend and 

 ascend as occasion may require. The consumption of fuel, I have good 

 reason to think, will be much less than in any other apparatus with which 

 I am acquainted. I hope you will soon be furnished with the means of 

 making this very important invention known to all your friends. I am, 

 Sir, yours, &c. — Joseph Knight. Exotic Nursery, Kin^s Road, Chelsea, 

 Sept. 15. 1832. 



We have seen this apparatus, and it may be shortly characterised as a 

 mode of heating and circulating water in small tubes in Mr. Perkins's 

 manner, without a boiler ; but differing from it, in not having the tubes 

 hermetically sealed. The chief advantage which we can see in this new 

 apparatus, over those in common use, is, that it has the power, to a certain 

 extent, of circulating the water below the level of the fire. This is un- 

 questionably a most valuable improvement, and though it has been before 

 obtained through mechanical means by Mr. Busby (see Repertory of Arts, 

 vol. xiv. p, 137.), and by Mr. Perkins with his hermetically sealed tubes, 

 it has never, till now, been effected by an open apparatus alone ; we shall 

 give detailed accounts of both Mr. Busby's method and that of Mr. Weeks 

 in an early Number. — Cond. 



SCOTLAND. 



Glasgow, August 18, — Since I last wrote to you, I have been at Ayr, 

 and visited that delightful place, Auchincruive. I could not help being 

 much struck with the open-hearted and kind manner of Mr. Skinner, the 

 gardener there, and I could almost have fancied him an Englishman, if I 

 had not found that he was rather more particular in his religious opinions 

 than my countrymen generally are. What numbers of people pass their lives, 

 in England, travelling from one watering-place to another, without having 

 the least idea that there is such magnificent scenery in Great Britain as that 

 seen from the lawn at Auchincruive ! I looked down on the roaring wa- 

 ters, and followed them with my eye, till they were lost in a chasm clothed 

 with wood on one side, and displaying nothing but naked rock on the 

 other. I then raised my eyes to the hill which is on the other side of the 

 river, and, after admiring its varied woods and lawns, I turned to the left, 

 and looked down on terraced garden scenery which might vie with that 

 of Italy. What a place to retire to from the bustle of a great city! I 

 think I still hear the sound of the waters, and see Skinner so anxious to 

 show every thing off to the best advantage, and talking of his master with 

 such veneration and respect. Mr. Oswald must be a good man, to in- 

 spire such ardent feelings in his dependants. I went to see Colesfield, 



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