Domestic Notices. 63 



MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE. 



Art. I. General JVotices. 



Material for Garden Walks or for preparing a flooring for greenhouse 

 plants. — Very few cultivators of greenhouse plants, even those who man- 

 age them well in their winter dormitory, are particular about their sum- 

 mer treatment ; and it is too frequently the case, that plants suffer more 

 by negligence in the summer season than by all other causes together. 

 Among the most important requisites for greenhouse plants in summer, 

 is a suitable place to remove them to, where they may have tlie benefit of 

 a free circulation of air — partial shade — and, above all, a good flooring 

 where the pots may stand, so that the soil shall be unmolested by worms. 

 The latter is the most difficult thing to guard against. An airy situation 

 may be found, and it is easy to screen the plants from the rays of the 

 mid-day sun ; but to find that spot where the worms cannot obtain free 

 egress, is no easy matter. Coal cinders have been recommended for the 

 purpose of creating a bottom which should be proof against the boring 

 of the wonns : but we have never been able to keep them off. We no- 

 tice, however, that a new substance has lately been recommended for 

 garden walks and for floorings for greenhouse plants in summer, which 

 appears, from the cheapness of its construction, and the long period it 

 will remain firm, to be well adapted to the purpose. The Horticultural 

 Society of London have had a place prepared for greenhouse plants witli 

 the material, which is found to answer the purpose completely. 



The flooring or walk is prepared in the following manner : Procure a 

 quantity of road-sand or similar powdery material — finely sifted lime-rub- 

 bish will do — and let it be thoroughly dried, so that it feels like dust when 

 well handled. Also, sift out of the cinders from the dwelling-house or the 

 stoke holes, (we presume Antliracite siflings would do — Ed.) the finer 

 parts, and let that too be made perfectly dry. Then mix these materials 

 carefully, in tlie proportion of two parts of road-sand to one part of cinder- 

 siflings. 



Next provide an iron cauldron in which coal-tar can be made boiling 

 hot. In a dry place, on a dry day, spread a quantity of sand and cinder- 

 ashes on the ground, as a bricklayer spreads his lime, making it hollow 

 in the middle — and into that pour the hot tar. Then with a sliovel incor- 

 porate the whole as in the operation in making mortar ; and when a stiff 

 paste has been thus fonned, spread it over the ground where the walk or 

 flooring is to be constructed. In order to receive it, the gTound should 

 have been previously beaten or trodden down as firm and as level as it is 

 possible. 



The asphalte mortar, for this is a kind of coarse asphalte, may be 

 spread with a spade to the thickness of three or four inches, then pow- 

 dered all over with a dry and rather coarse sand : after which, a few 

 passages of the roller will keep it hard, and the work is done. The final 

 addition of dry sand, is to give the asphalte a face, and to prevent its 

 sticking to the roller. The work may then be left for a foAv days to 

 harden, when it will be fit for use. Prepared in this manner, walks or 

 floorings will last for very many years. ( Gardener'' s Chronicle., 1842,;?. 579.) 



