132 
THE, GARDENERS' 
CHRONICLE. 
[FEB. 28, - 
known the state of the Potato disease in Scotland, 
some counties of which are, or were, seemingly 
exempt from the visitation. 
ABSTRACT OF THE STATE OF THE Porato Crop IN 
CHIP 4 
Sospsersi A3 
t7 |$.|*3 | 58 
ERHEEHEHREC 
33|.23|5E|238| 256 
Synods of— 35/222 solace | ase 
PEHEEHEHERTEPH 
PEENE 
i248 |EB we [Se 
225| 58 |e 159 [s 
mela ue ufo Z 
Lothian and Tweedale| 49 | 24 EUER pa 
51 ral seal aay Pe aa inr 
3 po 8}. 21 0 
3 E 9 |,18 4 
(Lai tto né. ae | AD 
7 8 |11| 22 3 
12 5 |922| 31 6 
13 28 | 82 6 
32 |) 96 | 29 | 17 | 19 
1.88 [49 p Tri | 18 
s; se fe d6s AB 210. 1 21 
Ross.. wee] oe m 21 | 10 8 3 
Sutherland & Caithness| .. E 22 6| 16 oe 
Glenelg . Sikk SUPE peda 9 
Orkney . T |i Sheer 2 
Shetland... . E oo foe] ee E 
2728 735 
* The sums of these respective numbers do not amount to the 
actual number of returns received, 735, in consequence of some 
of them not giving information as to all the heads. 
Requisitions sent to.. 905 Parishes, and 
Returns received from 735 
No return from 170 Parishes. 
From this return it appears that in the synods of 
Aberdeen, Moray, Ross, Sutherland and Caithness, 
. Glenelg, Orkney, and Shetland, the disease was, at 
the time: of the returns to Government, that is to 
say, early in November, either unknown, altogether, 
or nearly so. It may have since manifested itself 
in a small degree ; indeed, we know that in Suther- 
land and Caithness traces of it were discovered. (See 
Gardeners’ Chronicle 1845, Nov. 29). Yet we do 
think that in this our present difficulty the northern 
counties of Scotland offer the best resources within 
our reach. "To these we will add the Calf of Man, 
where Mr. Suernern’s Potatoes, concerning which 
we shall very soon have something more to say, are 
unaffected. 
But we must break off for the present with recom- 
mending to consideration a dissertation, just pub- 
lished, by Mr. Forsyru,* on the Potato disease ; 
which is by far the best that has yet appeared 
among the pamphlets, although we are far from 
agreeing with the author in some of his views, and 
to which we shall hereafter refer more particularly. 
[Just as we are going to press we have received 
a letter from Sir Georce Mackenzie, dated Roslin, 
Feb. 24, in which is the. following dismal intelli- 
gence :—“ The Potato disease has broken out in 
the North at last. What could have retarded it 
there is a mystery.”] 
Wiru the following explanation by Mr. Mrrxe 
of the principles which govern the distribution of 
heat, we are constrained by press of other matter 
to close our. Leading articles on Pormatse HEATING. 
The subject will for the present be transferred to 
the body of the Paper. 
“I have shown in a former paper, that the 
principles of simple radio-thermal heating are those 
which Nature employs. I propose now (according 
to my promise) to endeavour to prove that they are 
equally philosophical as natural, and I trust that in 
this also I shall in your opinion be equally success- 
ful. I might affirm, without fear of contradiction, 
that if natural, they must prove philosophical; but 
let us examine the two systems for the production 
and distribution of high atmospheric temperatures 
by our philosophical knowledge. I do not wish to 
prejudice the case of hot water versus hot air, by 
again reminding your readers of its expense ; I will 
not dwell upon what I have heard about expensive 
. boilers splitting, or the labour of supplying them 
(in many places) with water; upon pipes be- 
coming choked up with deposit from the water, in 
the depth of the winter, such deposit only to be 
removed by the process of boring; of their ugly 
appearance in a house, the room they occupy, the 
extent of surface they expose to oxidation; all these 
things may be idle inventions of the enemy. I will 
leave in your own hands the charge against it, 
that while rapid currents of air are conducive to the 
health of plants, it provides none. But I will try both 
systems, by the laws which philosophy lays down: 
* The question of the production of caloric is not 
at all involved ; no one will deny, that a. certain 
amount of burning fuel enn evolve only a certain 
amount of caloric ; no one pretends that the water 
* “Brochure, No. I; being a complete practical Treatise 
on the Potato.” By Alexander Forsyth. Longmans, 
produces the caloric; it is then a simple question of 
distribution which we have to examine. 
** All bodies on the earth, whether solids, liquids, 
or gases, are constantly tending to an equilibrium of 
temperature, and this in two ways—by means of 
intermediate bodies or communications, and by 
radiation. Caloric is communicated through solids, 
from particle to particle, and this is called con- 
duction ; different solids differ much in their powers 
of conducting heat (among the less precious metals 
copper is the best), but caloric is transmitted 
through all solids by the same means, viz. from 
particle to particle. Caloric is communicated 
through liquids, to a very slight extent, in the same 
manner as solids, but still they have the power of 
communicating it with great rapidity, and this arises 
from the slight cohesion that exists among the 
particles of a liquid, so that the instant one particle 
becomes warmer, and consequently specifically 
lighter than its neighbours, it moves off, and is 
replaced by others, and thus currents are produced 
by means of which the caloric is rapidly distributed. 
Gases, like liquids, are imperfect conductors of 
caloric in the manner of solids, but owing to the 
slight cohesion of their particles, they communicate 
caloric by their internal movements or currents with 
a velocity totally unknown to the other forms of 
matter; compared to liquids, it is the velocity of 
the wind to that of the stream. But gases also 
allow the distribution of caloric by a mode unknown 
to solids and liquids, when those are opaque, and 
almost so when even they are transparent: I mean 
by radiation. 
“Such are the means by which the distri- 
bution of caloric takes place through the three 
forms of matter ; which material then shall we take 
for its distribution? Shall we take .the solid? 
with a vast extent of surface, one end put into the 
burning fuel, the rest carried through the space to be 
heated, shall we be satisfied to allow the caloric gene- 
rated by the burning fuel to pass along from particle 
to particle, hour by hour, to the place of its destina- 
tion: oh, no! says the advocate for the liquid ma- 
terial, use water, its motions are so rapid, it will 
transmit in a minute to a given point that caloric 
which; by means of the solid, reached it only in an 
hour. What! exclaim Nature and Philosophy, use 
aliquid? a gas will do the work in a second ; be- 
sides, the liquid will not carry the heat given off 
by radiation, but the gas will carry all, and rob it of 
none onthe way. And here I charge the hot water 
system with not only a waste of time, but waste of 
power ; I retort the charge its advocate has made 
on the hot air system, and ask what becomes of all 
that caloric which is given off in a radiant form 
from the furnace and boiler, when (as is constantly 
the case) these are placed apart from the house to 
be heated, and ask him whether, when he goes to 
see that the fire is right, he is not sensible that he 
is in the presence of a heated body ? I will ask 
him at what point a thermometer would stand in 
the furnace chamber, if cut off from all atmospheric 
influence but that supplying the fire? What he feels, 
and the thermometer indicates, is radiant caloric, 
incessantly passing off, incessantly escaping and 
wasted, and yet the advocate of this system writes 
about waste of power! 
* Let us follow the various wanderings of a particle 
of caloric (supposing it to be material). Through a 
hot water apparatus, it is distributed ; in its latent 
existence, it passes (a thing of power) from the burn- 
ing fuel to the iron boiler, thence to the water 
within it, whose particles move onwards, bearing in 
their currents the precious warmth; they deposit it 
on the inner surface of an iron pipe, through whose 
particles it has to make its way by the slow process 
of conduction; arrived at length on its outer surface, 
it flies by radiation to its appointed place, no bad 
representative of the “ Wandering Jew,” and almost 
reminding us of the nursery tale of the “ Pig that 
would not get over the Stile.” Let us look at the 
course of the same particle on the hot air principle; 
it owes its birth to the burning fuel; it has to pass 
the iron plate ; but then at once it accomplishes its 
end, carrying with it, in its turn, particles, the pro- 
duct of radiation. 
** With regard to distribution of atmospheric mois- 
ture, a few words will suffice. The circumstances 
which influence its production are, extent of surface, 
temperature, state of air as to dryness or moisture, 
as to currents or stillness, and pressure on the sur- 
face. The amount of moisture held in solution by 
the air is entirely dependent on temperature, and 
this amount increases in an increasing ratio with 
the temperature ; so that when air at a high tempe- 
rature is saturated with moisture, when the tempe- 
rature falls, a deposition of dew takes place ; thus, 
whether we look to the distribution of caloric or 
moisture on philosophical principles, must. we not 
reject the hot water apparatus for the purpose of 
causing high atmospheric temperature? Is it not 
an unnatural, unphilosophical, comparatively ineffi- 
cient, and extravagant means of attaining the end ?” 
We must add that in the description of Mr. 
MErxke’s apparatus, a rather important typographi- . 
cal error has been observed. It is stated that 
“the stone slab H extends over the fire-place; 
forming the roof both of the flue and furnace." It 
should have been—the iron plate G extends over 
the fire, &c., as will be clearly seen by anybody 
who will again look at the plan. 
NOTES ON ESCULENTS. 
Peas.—Next to the true Early Frame, for sowing in 
ots or boxes for'turning out into the open border, is 
the Early Kent or Prince Albert, as it is called by some 
growers. It is not so robust a grower, nor yet so pro- 
ductive as the Early Frame, but quite as early a variety, 
and may be grown in smaller compass, as it seldom 
attains more than three feet in height, except in very 
rich soil. 
In transferring the young crop to the open air, 
yarious situations may be selected, but the best (where 
afew early Peas are wanted) is close to the base of a 
wall or close wooden paling or temporary fence, with a 
south aspect, where they can be protected with light 
reed or straw hurdles, or by placing a few strong stakes 
over them with a few small branches between them and . 
covering with mats, during cold nights and late spring 
frosts ; either of these plans is easily done, and will 
auswer well in such a situation, but care must be taken 
that the plants have plenty of air and light, and that 
they are fully exposed on all occasions whenever the 
weather permits, otherwise they will become drawn and. 
will produce but a poor crop. 
The best soil for very early Peas is a sandy loam, not 
very rich ; for if planted in very rich soil, they grow too 
ig ly, and are quently long in coming into a 
bearing state, while, on the contrary, if planted ina 
very poor soil, they are less robust, and come earlier to- 
maturity, but then the produce is scant in proportion ; 
the right course, then, is to avoid these two extremes. 
As I formerly mentioned, there is no advantage in: 
sowing in the open ground before the end of January 
or beginning of February, particularly in stiff soils in 
severe winters ; for in many cases the very early sown 
ones (viz., those sown before Christmas) either get so 
thinned by slugs and mice, or erippled by the severity 
of the weather, that they are not worth allowing to 
stand, and often before the extent of injury is observed 
the season is past for sowing again for an early crop, 
while those sown about the end of January or beginning 
of February will have but little chance of being injured. 
if treated in the following manner. Any time between 
the middle of January and the second week in February 
(the ground having been previously ridged, in order to. 
have become mellowed by frost and wind), select a dry 
day, when the ground is free from frost, to sow your 
Peas. In sowing, allow plenty of seed, and cover 
1} inch deep, pressing the soil rather firmly over them, 
and, when finished, sprinkle a little gas-tar along the 
rows immediately over the Peas, to prevent the mice- 
and slugs from attacking them ; or a little diluted gas- 
water will answer the same purpose, if it can be ob- 
tained fresh; afterwards, when the plants begin to- 
come through the ground, if the weather is likely to 
prove severe, sprinkle a little fine coal-ashes over them,, 
or draw some fresh soil over them on a dry day. Stake 
them in the usual way, and screen them as much as 
ossible from bleak winds. Peas sown in the open 
ground about the beginning of February will form a 
succession to those sown at the same time in pots and 
transplanted. 
In making a selection of sorts for producing a con- 
stant supply, the early Charlton and Auvergne Peas 
may be sown at ‘the same time with the Early Frame 
or Early Kent, and these will come into bearing one 
after the other. The former is a more robust, hardier, 
and taller kind, than either of the preceding, rising 
about 5 feet in height, with pods containing six or seven. 
Peas of excellent quality. It is an abundant bearer. 
The Auvergne Pea is a French variety of great ex- 
cellence, and certainly the most prolific in cultivation, 
each pod containing, when well grown, from 10 to 13° 
Peas, of excellent quality. It attains nearly the same 
height as that of the Charlton, but is not so robust, and 
about a week later, giving a good succession between: 
the latter variety and the Marrow Peas. 
If the above varieties are sown about the beginning: 
of February, and again in the first week of March, the 
first sowing to be on a warm south; border, and the 
latter in the ordinary quarters in the kitchen garden,, 
an abundant supply will be produced until the Marrow 
Peas come into bearing. 
In making a selection of Peas for what may be 
termed the second season (or Marrow Peas), it must 
not be supposed that because you procure a dozen 
kinds they will produce as good. a supply, and at dif- 
ferent seasons, as if you were to grow but four of the 
more distinct and prolific varieties, sowing them at two ' 
or three different seasons; for this class of Peas are 
more numerous than any other, and in most cases, if 
you have the following kinds, viz., Knight’s Dwarf 
Green Marrow, Knight’s Tall Marrow, Dwarf Green 
Marrow, and the Tall White Marrow, you have re- 
presentatives of all the others in this class, for, as I ob- 
served before, distinction without imp: is not 
worth notice, Slight varieties will always be produced 
Í 
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