AQU [ 5 



with the soil, has, in such case,been found 

 efficacious as a preventive ; and, at the 

 same time, sulphur, as a well-known and 

 powerful antagonist of the mildew, may 

 be carefully dusted over the tree; 



Protection of Blossom. We know of no 

 fruit that more requires or deserves the 

 fostering care of the gardener than this. 

 Blossoming, as it frequently does, in the 

 end of February or beginning of March, 

 it must expect to be rocked by not only 

 the " rude, imperious gale," but, what is 

 much worse, to be subjected occasionally 

 to a temperature of some ten or fifteen 

 degrees of frost. We have ever found 

 it the best policy to protect carefully, 

 using a rather thick covering, and taking 

 care to remove it on every possible occa- 

 sion. Nothing can be better than a stout 

 canvass. Some, however, use bunting ; 

 some, ordinary garden-mats ; and not a 

 few, the fronds of fern, spruce-branches, 

 and even wisps of straw. 



General maxims of culture. First of 

 all, a sound, loamy soil, with very little 

 manure, is most suitable. It is well, 

 nevertheless, in order to gain time, to 

 use a little generous soil, to start the 

 plant into free growth ; second, to per- 

 sist in summer stopping, in order to 

 equalise growths ; and, thirdly, after 

 careful summer training, to remove all 

 superfluous spray which shades the 

 embryo fruit buds in the end of August. 

 In addition to this, top-dressings in May, 

 and the application of liquid-manure, 

 "when the fruit commences the last swell- 

 ing, will be found useful adjuncts of high 

 culture. Apricot-branches, especially the 

 Moorpark, are apt to decay of a sudden, 

 without apparent reasons. By persisting 

 in the tying-down system, however, a 

 succession is ever ready for any gap. 



AQUA'RIUM is the place devoted to the 

 cultivation of aquatic or water-plants. 

 The majority of those cultivated are ex- 

 otic, and require the protection of glass. 

 If there are only a few of these, they 

 may be successfully grown in cisterns, 

 placed in a stove ; but if the collection 

 be extensive, it requires a separate edifice. 

 The tank-system of heating by hot-water 

 offers a very superior mode of keeping 

 the water at a fitting temperature. The 

 leaden cistern in which the plants are 

 submerged may rest readily upon the 

 slates forming the cover of the tank. 

 The handsomest form for this purpose 

 would be a circular building, devoted 



i ] AQU 



entirely to the aquatics, because they do 

 not thrive satisfactorily in parts or 

 corners of a house in which other plants 

 are cultivated. The size will depend 

 upon the will or the means of the owner. 

 If the cultivation of the imperial Victoria 

 regia is intended, it ought not to be less 

 than 20 feet diameter. This will allow 

 a tank of 20 feet diameter, and a walk 

 3 feet wide round it. To make it hold 

 water, the sides should be made of thick 

 slates, fitted so as to be water-tight ; or 

 it may be built with bricks set in cement, 

 and lined with the same. It should be, 

 at least, three feet deep, for the Victoria 

 loves deep water. The water should be 

 heated with 4J-inch hot-water pipes, 

 coiled three times round the tank, and 

 two pipes should be carried round the 

 house, near to the outer wall, to give 

 heat to the air of the house. The roof 

 should be formed with wrought iron bars, 

 and should be flat, as far as possible, to 

 allow the rain-water to run off freely. 

 The Victoria should be planted on a 

 mound of strong earth, the base of which 

 should be, at the least, 5 feet in diameter, 

 and the top 2 feet, and it should be 

 brought up within a foot of the surface 

 of the water. This should have a motion 

 given to it by means of a vertical wheel, 

 with narrow boards affixed to it at right 

 angles, at 6 or 8 inches apart. This 

 vertical wheel should dip into the water 

 a few inches, and should play upon an 

 axis, being set in motion by a small 

 stream of water falling constantly upon 

 the boards. This wheel will give a 

 gentle motion to the whole surface of 

 the water, which motion will be a faint 

 imitation of a stream, and will be very 

 beneficial to the plants. The heat of the 

 water should be never lower than 70. 

 Air will be necessary in the hot days of 

 summer, and may be given by means of 

 shutters in the walls, 8 or 9 feet apart, 

 and a circular opening in the roof, at the 

 centre, 2 feet or 3 feet in diameter. This 

 part may be easily contrived, by any 

 mechanic, to lift up and fall down by a 

 simple machinery. This will cause a cir- 

 culation of air, necessary in all habita- 

 tions of plants. If the Victoria is not 

 intended to be grown, the house need 

 not be more than half the size. 



The Victoria house, at Chatsworth, is a 



noble structure for the purpose. It is, 



however, the opposite to our beau id&al 



i of an aquarium, being square, with a cir- 



