368 Domestic Economy. 



greatly improve a taste for plants. In heating these conservatories by 

 hot water, the common error was made of having much too small a 

 surface of pipe ; an error which need not in future be fallen into by 

 engineers who will take the trouble to study the abstract of Mr. Tredgold's 

 paper given in our preceding Number, (p. 177.) The correction of this 

 error is now making by Mr. CoUings, one of the most ingenious hot water 

 engineers that we have met with. We doubt even now, however, of there 

 being a sufficiency of pipe for raising an adequate temperature during an 

 open air temperature of zero, with a brisk east or west wind. We shall 

 see. The experience of a few winters with these conservatories will afford 

 some useful facts on the subject of heating hot-houses. 



The two nurserymen who occupy the Bedford Conservatories must at 

 present, and for some time, carry on business at a loss to all parties con- 

 cerned ; but we have doubt that they will ultimately be gainers. In the 

 mean time, every Londoner who wishes to obtain some knowledge of the 

 plants which constitute the metropolitan monthly flora ought to make 

 frequent visits to the Bedford Conservatories. 



Art. II. Domestic Economy. 



To preserve Fruit, — Fruits of all sorts may be dried and kept a year or 

 two, without losing their flavour, by wiping them dry, and putting them 

 into a cool brick oven ; and occasionally, while drying, grating a little sugar 

 over them. E, T, Birminghmn, Jan., 1831. 



Another Mode. — Dry them, and pack them in a jar with common salt, 

 putting a layer of salt an inch or two thick over them, and preserving the 

 jar from moisture. This process is adopted in Ireland for preserving cauli- 

 flowers, kidneybeans, and other delicate vegetables, from the period when 

 they are in season till they come again, and this it does most completely. — 

 B. Dublin, March, 1831. 



Method of keeping a Winter Stock of Apples. — After having the apples 

 carefully gathered, in a perfectly dry state (our man seldom begins before 

 twelve o'clock, and terminates his gathering for the day about four), 

 they are laid in heaps on the floor, and in about three weeks they are 

 wiped with a dry cloth, and every one with the least appearance of speck 

 or bruise laid aside for immediate use. They are then packed in boxes, 

 thickly lined with thoroughly dried fern, so as not to touch each other, 

 putting a layer of fern and a layer of apples, till the chests are so full as to 

 allow of a good thickness of fern at the top. They ought to be again 

 examined after Christmas, and again about March or the beginning of 

 April. The out-building, where we keep them, you will imagine to be very 

 cold, but not at all damp, when I describe it as having merely a tiled roof, 

 without ceiling, and two windows with fly wire, without glass, and no 

 ceiling to the room underneath, the door of which is almost constantly 

 open. Indeed, our greatest difficulty is the securing them from frost, which 

 we can scarcely effect by covering the chests with mats, old carpets, or any 

 thing of that kind; but I should think their being well covered and sur- 

 rounded with straw would answer the purpose. After a severe frost, the 

 apples ought to be examined. The first inducement to keep them in chests 

 was the building being so infested with mice ; and the reason for adopting 

 the use of fern, that sti'aw sometimes became mouldy, and imparted a musty 

 sort of flavour to the apples. Our apples are not gathered till perfectly 

 ripe. It would almost appear that a cold place kept them more firm than 

 a warm one ; as frequently, after being brought into the house for some 

 time, they have assumed a rather shrivelled appearance ; but I should think 

 a finely grown well-sunned apple would rarelv shrivel. That sort of apple 



