6.—1846.] THE 
GARDENERS’ 
CHRONICLE. 85 
will enter the house under the back path, passing round 
the end, and along the front wall up the other end, and 
thence returning back the same way to the boiler, so 
that, when air is admitted by the front sashes, it will 
enter directly over the flow pipe. It is my intention to 
have a pipe of an inch bore of either zine or lead fixed 
to the wall just over the flow pipe, passing along the 
front and ends, perforated with small holes, and fur- 
nished with a tap, the pipe to be supplied from a cistern 
at the rear of the houses ; by the turning of this cock 
I shall be able to command a humid atmosphere at 
pleasure by saturating the pipes and front pathway, 
which will be four feet below the level of the back path, 
so that when air is given in front by passing directly 
over the hot steamed pipes, the effect will be approach- 
ing in some measure the mode adopted at Polmaise, 
with the desirable advantage of having more heat at 
command. I intend to have three distinct sections of 
Vines. The first, those for training up the rafters to 
be planted outside (a favourite method of mine) ; the 
second to be planted inside against the front wall of the 
pit, to be trained up wire rafters exactly under the 
rafters of the roof, and about two feet three inches 
below the roof Vines ; the length they will be able to 
run will be about 12 feet, up to the columns that sup- 
port the roof, or within four feet six inches of the back 
wall. The third section to be planted against the back 
wall, so that the Vines in the pit and against the back 
wall will have an uninterrupted range of border of the 
whole interior of the houses, with the exception of ‘the 
front path and ends of each house. The whole of the 
back pathway will be open trellis-work, of cast iron, so 
that the roots under it will receive air and water equal 
to those in the interior of the pit. In the whole I 
purpose planting upwards of 90 Vines. 
ault has been found with me for recommending 
heat to the roots by fermenting materials, on account 
of the unsightliness of the manure, but praetice con- 
vinces me that without a corresponding degree of heat 
betwixt root and top, you cannot have good Grapes. I 
intend to do away, however, with the unsightliness of 
manures, &c., in my new borders, and to heat them on 
another plan, which I shall have pleasure in laying 
before your readers hereafter. Mr, Fleming's mode of 
heating borders underneath is not to be permanently 
accomplished.—James Roberts, gr. to the Duke of Cleve- 
land, Raby Castle, 
NOTES ON ESCULENTS. 
In compliance with the wishes expressed by some of 
your readers, I shall endeavour from time to time to 
give a few hints on the cultivation of different kinds of 
vegetables, at the same time pointing out those most 
Suitable for general cultivation, or best fitted for parti- 
cular purposes, such as the earliest, the hardiest, &e., 
and of which seeds may be procured at a moderate price. 
may here remark that new varieties of vegetables, 
like those of fruits, must be judged by a very different 
standard from that of ornamental plants ; for while the 
sole merit of the latter rests in distinctness of appear- 
ance and beauty of blossoms, the former (vegetables 
and fruits), if they possess distinctness without improve- 
ment in quality or productiveness, are undeserving of 
attention, 
Tait 
fibry compost they are liable to grow too rapidly, and 
consequently, being under cover, to become drawn, and 
when they come to be moved from the pots or boxes and 
parted for planting in rows, they are very liable to lose 
a considerable portion of their roots in consequence of 
the latter being matted amongst the fibre. 
Peas treated thus, and planted out about the end of 
March, will come into bearing a week or 10 days 
earlier than if they had stood in the same situation over 
winter ; but planted out crops will not produce so 
abundantly as those sown in the open border, if the 
latter survive the winter well. 
The best Pea for the first crop in regard to hardi- 
ness, earliness, and productiveness, is the true Early 
Frame, which in seedsmen’s lists is also often named Sin- 
gle Bl l, Double d, Single Frame, Early 
Dwarf Frame, Dwarf Nimble, Nimble Tailor, Early 
French, Dwarf Albany, Pois le plus hitif, Michaux de 
Hollande, Pois Baron, Pois Laurent. It will be seen 
the numerous names applied to it, not only in 
England but in France, that it is a much esteemed 
variety. It grows about 4 feet in height, is rather 
slender and requires sticking; the pods are rather 
small, nearly round, and generally contain four or five 
Peas in each. It is a good bearer, and possesses excel- 
ent quality.—G. 
= 
eS 
WEEKLY Prices or Poratons per ton, in Covent 
Garden Market, in 1844, 1845, and 1846. 
| 18445. || { 1845.6. 
December... 7 | 50s. to 75s.| December... 6| 80s. to 160s. 
14} 50 70 | 13! 8 
21/50 70 || 20 80 160 
28) 50 70 || 27, 80 160 
dans 1. + 4) 50 80 Jan. .. ..... 3| 80 160 
50 80 10| 80 160 
50 80 17, 80 160 
50 80 24| 80 160 
Feb.. 50 80 || 31| 70 140 
80 ||Feb.......... 7 160 
5 Fe 
Also at the waterside, Southwark. 
December..16 | 505. to 70s. December. 15| 505. to 120s, 
23} 50 0 | 22) 5 
120 
75 || 120 
80 | Jan. .. 120 
80 120 
80 | 19| 50 . 120 
80 26|50 120 
80 '|Feb..iius. 2| 50 120 
Home Correspondence. 
Polmaise System of Heating.—As this system con- 
gists in introducing hot air into the apartment by a stove 
or other means, 
I beg to suggest 
the following 
plan, which ap- 
pears to be very 
cheap, most 
simple, and at 
the same time 
most effectual, 
method of doing 
this. This would 
These remarks are made by way of int 
beeause of the numerous new varieties of vegetables 
which have been or are now being brought into notice, 
especially of Peas, Broccoli, Celery, and Cabbage, many 
of which have such extraordinary descriptions and re- 
commendations that one would be almost ineliued to 
anticipate a revolution in kitchen garden productions, 
equal to that produced by railroads. I fear, however, 
that new varieties of Peas are as easily obtained as the 
Mumford Beans of old were, merely by the aid of a 
sieve, * 
Early Peas.—Vew vegetables are more liable to be 
injured, particularly in wet seasons like the present, 
or in damp situations, than the early crops of Peas. 
The vicissitudes of winter very frequently destroy them, 
although every care and expense may have been be- 
stowed on them, and it is very questionable whether 
or not there be any advantage in sowing Peas to stand 
in the open border over winter, when we take into con- 
sideration the chances of losing them, and more espe- 
cially when the same end may be effected with quite as 
little or less labour, and with much greater certainty of 
success, by sowing them either in 3-inch pots or in large 
shallow pans, or in temporary wooden boxes, about the 
beginning of February, and placing them in any 
forcing-house, pit, or even cold frame, until they come 
up, when they must have plenty of light and air in 
mild weather, to prepare them for the open border; 
or, if the amateur is desirous of obtaining an early crop 
in his littie garden, and has no means of raising them 
under glass, he may sow his early crops in pots and 
place them in his windows for a few weeks, or even in 
a close shed where there is light. In this way he may 
forward his crop very much, but care must be taken 
that the young plants do not become drawn for want of 
light and air, an evil which may, however, be prevented 
by removing the pots into the open air on fine days. 
Peas raised in a foreing-house, or in pits, must be re- 
moved to a cold frame directly they are fairly up, 
giving them plenty of air to harden them, and finally 
planting them out in the open border about the end of 
March. In sowing Peas in pots or in shallow boxes, 
they succeed best on a loamy soil rendered free from 
lumps, and without any fibre, for if sown in a very rich 
“* Mumford Beans were the small of the common Windsor 
Bean, separated by a coarse sieve. 
require only a 
small portion of 
iron-pipe; the 
fire-place might 
be made entire- 
ly of bricks, the 
hot-air pipe 
passing through the 
centre; the air as 
fast as it became 
heatedwould ascend 
into the house, and 
be as rapidly re- 
placed by the cold 
air ‘from the 'pas- 
sages traversing the 4 
house, and from the i 
outlets at each side, — 3 
into the open air, to 
be regulated at pleasure. 
Fig.1: Ground plan and back wall of a greenhouse. 
Fig. Section of a greenhouse, divided in the centre at the 
fire-place, to show the hot air pipe passing through the fire. 
a Air passages to cause a circulation. The pipe ascendin, 
through the fire, branching above in the back wall, to give two 
openings into ouse ate c, causing a more equal diffusion 
ofheat. d Greenhouse. e shed. Fire-place divided to show 
the hot air pipe passing through the fire. g The pipe. 
Chimney. i Ash-pit —J. and $. 8. 
Gardeners’ Characters.—In July last Messrs. Knight 
and Perry sent me a copy ‘of the form to be filled up 
by gardeners, and which I learn from correspondents 
in various parts of the country, as well as from verbal 
conversation, does not meet with the approbation of the 
profession in general. For my own part, I had long 
considered something similar to be much required $ 
indeed, quite necessary ; and I gave my opinion as 
such, and that there could still, with advantage, be other 
little useful items added to the present form D ut T am 
delighted with it as it is, and am fully of opinion that a 
copy should be placed in the tool-house or other oft- 
frequented place, in every garden. Young men and 
others would then have frequent opportunities of ob- 
serving that their future success or station in life con- 
siderably depended on their acquirements and abilities. 
By such an example possibly many would be stimulated 
to exercise persevering energy, that would otherwise 
possibly remain careless, or, indeed, quite unconscious 
of what they could accomplish. It is truly astonishing 
what may be effected by timely persevering energy, 
humility, and self-denial ; for my own part, I consider 
the plan to be the foundation of a grand advance in the 
art of gardening, and that those nurserymen deserve the 
hearty thanks of not only every cultivator of the soil, 
but of all those who take an interest in gardening, not 
only for their printed form, but for their gardeners’ 
study and lecture-room ; for such I beg to return them 
my own sincere thanks. I can plainly see that it is the 
right end to at, in blishing correct prin- 
ciples, in all matters appertaining to horticulture, which 
has hitherto, ina great measure, been merely guess- 
work, Everything will be so simplified and improved, 
that what little we profess to know at this time will be 
left behind and forgotten. Besides, this form, in my 
opinion, has the merit of attempting to reward every 
man according to his abilities and worth ; what can be 
fairer ? and every right-thinking person must see it in 
this light. Surely Grapes are not expected from 
Thorns or Figs from Thistles ; if men are rewarded 
for their worthiness, industry, and deserving abi- 
lities, what more have we any right to expect? 
Whether a man has other abilities besides digging, hoe- 
ing, sowing, pruning, mowing, and gathering in the 
fruits of the earth, will in future be easily discovered by 
those who engage gardeners, and they will of course be 
paid accordingly. I would advise everybody under- 
taking to recommend men to situations to adopt similar 
rules, and such as disapprove of them I would advise 
to read the Form again carefully and reconsider it ; for 
I cannot help imagining that they must have come to a 
conclusion without due consideration. Sometimes great 
and very important light is thrown on matters by a re- 
consideration.— James Barnes. 
General Tom Thumb Pelargonium.—As many com- 
plaints have been made in the Chronicle of flower-seeds 
being sold for what they are not, I think it right to 
direct the attention of your subscribers to an ad- 
vertisement in a late Number, offering “100 Pelargo- 
nium seeds saved from Gen, Tom Thumb, for 2s. 6d.” 
Now, as I have cultivated this Pelargonium for the last 
seven years, and had, I believe, a larger stock of the 
plant than almost any person in the country, I have no 
hesitation in asserting that whoever sold the seed to 
Mr. Waite as saved from the plant in question, was 
guilty of saying that which was not true. I bave long 
been desirous of raising a young stock from my little 
favourite, and though I have had hundreds of plante, 
I never yet obtained a seed that would grow. Indeed, 
this Pelargonium being a true hybrid between two dis- 
tinet species, it is like all such plants, a very shy 
seeder ; so shy, that I would willingly give.a sovereign 
for 100 seeds, if I could depend upon their being 
genuine. Mr. Willson, gr. to Wm. Pigott, Esq., of 
Dullingham House, Newmarket, who raised the General, 
never obtained but two seedling plants from it, and a 
neighbour of mine has one plant at the present time, 
which are all I have ever heard of, so I have very little 
faith in the seed offered by Mr. W., who no doubt bas 
been made the dupe of some designing knave.— HW. P. 
Ayres, Brooklands, Blackheath. 
Preservation of Pelargonium Roots during Winter.— 
I had dug up the plants from the bed, and had treated 
them in the same way as Dahlia Roots. I put some 
light dry sandy mould into a box, and on the surface 
of it arranged a layer of roots, adding soil and roots in 
continuation till they were all stored. The box was 
then removed to a dry place under a greenhouse stage. 
In the end of February I potted off all that I thought 
would grow, and placed them in a warm frame where 
they had plenty of air to barden the young wood. This 
plan ean only be recommended however where room is 
an object; for young autumn struck plants are prefer- 
able for turning out both in regard to appearance and 
flowering.—J. F. M‘Elroy, Stamford hill. 
Greenhouse Plants that Flower in Winter (see p: 53). 
—If * Mieklewell? has not already in his collection 
Genista canariensis, Cineraria amelloides, Teucrium 
fruticans, Acacia armata, Serissa fcetida, Chorozema 
varium, Alonsoa bicolor, and the old Searlet Geranium, 
I would advise him to get them before next winter. 
With these, and one or two Camellias, Ericas, Cine- 
varias, and Primulas, I find no difficulty in constantly 
supplying a drawing-room stand of six flowering plants 
out of a very small greenhouse.— J. A., Harraty. 
Cheap Heating Apparatus.—Some 13 years ago, 
having to produce a large quantity of Moss Roses and 
other forced flowers, from the first week in February 
throughout the season, and the regular foreing pits not 
being adequate for this purpose, I was obliged to use 
as adjuncts the Melon and Cucumber pits and boxes, 
and adopted very successfully the following cheap mode 
of heating. Four (three-light) frames were placed 
together in a line, and at one end was fixed a common 
ironing stove (from the laundry), this was surrounded 
with brick work, leaving a cavity of 10 inches as a hot 
air chamber, having an aperture in front, secured by a 
frame and slide, to regulate the fire. In the brick-work 
were two pieces of 4-inch iron pipe, communicating 
with the frame, one sufficiently high to allow the heated 
air to escape into the frame, the other as a return, en- 
tering the hot air chamber rather below the level of 
the fire ; three small iron rods, fixed six inches apart 
(by ribs), were secured to the high or flow pipe, and 
were carried through all the frames along the back, 
returning in front, and joining the low or return pipe, 
they exhibited the shape of a triangle, thus y, and 
were suspended from the rafters with pieces of wire ; 
