—————— 
10.—1846.] THE 
GARDENERS’ 
CHRONICLE. 
149 
at all involved ; no one will deny that a certain amount 
of burning fuel, will evolve only a certain amount of 
calorie ; no one pretends that the water produces the 
caloric ;” so far it is all very well, but when he con- 
cludes the sentence by adding, “ it is then a simple 
question of distribution which we have to examine.” 
1t naturally oceurs to ask, whether the calorie, or to 
use the simple word heat, can be distributed before it 
is collected? If the fuel in burning evolves the heat, 
does not the apparatus in which it is burnt, first collect 
and then distribute it? It is not, I think, asserted 
that any apparatus collects all the heat which is evolved, 
more or less passing up the chimney, aecording to the 
construction of the furnace, and the degree of briskness 
with which the fire is allowed to burn. Some, and not 
a very small degree of merit, then, belongs to that 
apparatus which collects the greatest amount of heat 
evolved from a given quantity of fire. Does the Pol- 
maise system, as a system, necessarily lay claim to this 
merit? Without controverting the manner which Mr. 
Meeke describes, as that by which the heat is conveyed 
by means of the water in the pipes, nor that it passes 
through the thickness of the metal, by ducti 
took the duties of a member of the House Committee of 
Directors of the Caledonian Asylum, within whose pro- 
vince is the receiving of tenders, and the ordering of 
supplies of p for the ituti Anticipati 
a dearth of Potatoes, and the difficulty of obtaining 
them of tolerable quality at any price, I suggested the 
propriety of laying in a stock of Rice and Peas, to be 
served to the children at their meals instead of Potatoes, 
The result of the experiment has been highly satisfac- 
tory, as we have found that 1} oz. of Rice will go as 
far as 6 oz. of Potatoes, and cost somewhat less than 
the latter, when the price is 7s. 3d. the ewt. The Peas 
are somewhat more expensive; but as they are chiefly 
used as a substitute for the suet puddings which were 
served once or twice a week, there is still, as will be 
perceived from the annexed paper, a considerable 
saving by thus using them. The calculation with 
respect to the milk and sugar was with a view to ascer- 
tain the cost of serving up the Rice in the form of Rice- 
broth. I ought to state that the children of the Asylum 
are pleased with the change made in their diet, and 
appear to relish much both the Rice and Peas.— 
A. Hend Curzon-street. Feb. 28. The following 
t 
the surface, the length of time required for this opera- 
tion, whether a few more or less of seconds be necessary, 
does not in practice, involve the least difficulty ; espe- 
cially where copper pipes are used. The main point is, 2 
whether an equal amount of heat is collected and dis- 
tributed from a given quantity of fuel, by the hot water 
system (the contrary has yet to be shown); a mere 
imaginary difference in the rapidity of distribution, 
does not necessarily imply practical inferiority, The 
loss of heat which Mr. Meeke complains of, from the 
position of the boilerin many cases, is not a neces- 
sary evil attendant on the use of hot water, but 
arises from various causes, not knowing better amongst 
others, and might to a very great extent be avoided. 
need make no remarks upon atmospheric moisture ; 
every one who has a decent hot-water apparatus, and 
knows how to use it, can supply it at discretion. There 
1$ one point of view with regard to expense, in which 
the hot-water does not appear altogether at disadvan- 
tage. The Polmaise system is applicable to single 
houses or two under one range at most; and these 
almost requiring the lean-to form, whereas several 
houses and pits may be very easily heated by one boiler ; 
and it is in this, the daily consumption of fuel, and at- 
tendance on several fires, that the expense of forcing 
houses consist, more than in the first cost. A larger 
Outlay at first may be more economical and least 
trouble in the end. There is another point in favour 
of the hot water, The Polmaise system requires a con- 
Siderable briskness in the fire before it can be set in 
action, and below which it cannot be maintained ; the 
‘ot-water is obedient to every impulse, even that of a 
small slow fire, and has the advantage of supplying 
bottom-heat at the same time.—7'.K.——I consider this 
system of heating to require better recommendation for 
general purposes than the flattering statements we have 
hitherto had. 
k revious years, when fires 
were not lighted except in n and aod weather, and 
when equally good Grapes were produced with those of 
last year. The house alluded to is heated by a front 
flue, and the crops astonished everybody who saw them; 
the greater part of the bunches exceeded 3 lbs. in 
weight, and several more than 5 Ibs, 3 as black as jet, 
With a splendid bloom, and every berry perfect ; each 
Ine produced on an average from 12 to 14 bunches, 
a in the aggregate, from 30 to 40 lbs. 
e Polmaise Grapes superior to these ? Perhaps some 
Eu doubt the truth of this statement ; but it will be 
Ne d those who attended the three principal 
TA a wick, that I had better Hamburgh Grapes 
hcm and that too under very unfavourable 
jj having 160 miles to send them by rail- 
as mentioned in the report of the exhibition 
case, and I am at present having h i 
into the Peach-house and other MM COS BEER 
I would prefer flues, well built, to an imperfect hot- 
Water apparatus, for early forcing. Great praise is due 
to Mr. Ayres for his plain and sensible statements, 
Which axe faets, and for exposing a plan which requires 
Stronger proofs of its efficiency than has hitherto been 
Produced, to render it a favourite with the public in 
Seneral.— Stephen Barnes, Apley Park, Bridgnorth. 
Substitute for Potato Diet.—In these times it may 
Perhaps be interesting to some of your readers to know 
What good substitute can be ded for the use 
9f Potatoes, Some two or three months ago I under- 
2 
is the paper above alluded to :— 
Potatoes for 88 boys and 30 girls, at 6 oz. each, 708 oz., 
s r di d per Ib., 3s. Tid. 
UR REQUE aah agus 395. per AL or 14d. nearly 
Pets for ditto, at 1h oz. each, 177 oz., 11 116th Ibs., at 3a. 
per Ib., or 28s. per cwt., 11} lbs., at 3d., 2s. 9d. 
Milk for ditto, 10 quarts at 3d., 2s. 6d. 
Sugar for ditto, 2 Ibs. at 6d., 1s. 
Peas for ditto, 12s. 6d. per bushel, or 21d. nearly per 1b., 
2 oz. each, 236 oz., 143 Ibs. at 2}d., 3s. Td. 
Earliest Hyacinths.—I have several Hyacinths grow. 
ing in the open border in beautiful bloom. Those most 
advanced are Anna Maria, Alamode, Prince of Water- 
loo, La Déesse, General Van Ziethen, Passe tout, and 
Prince Frederick. The last named is in great perfec- 
tion, the crowning bell having fully opened two or three 
days ago. On Thursday last, the 26th ult., I pulled 
Rhubarb which had been without any kind of protec- 
tion. Several of the stalks were upwards of a foot in 
length. The variety was Marshall’s Early Searlet.— 
G. W. Manning, Boscastle, Cornwall. Feb. 28. 
The Season.—1 imagine that so mild a winter as the 
present one has rarely occurred. During the month of 
January we had in blossom Primroses, Violets, Crocus, 
Snowdrops, Hepaticas, Wallflowers, Stocks, &e., and the 
song of the thrush, blackbird, and lark was everywhere 
to be heard. The temperature in February has been 
similar to that of April or May, and at present (now the 
26th of Feb.), there is no appearance of a change. The 
hedges are fast coming into leaf, and are in that state 
in which they usually appear at the beginning or middle 
of April. The Elder trees are in full leaf; and on the 
16th of last month a friend of mine gathered a sprig of 
the Blackthorn in blossom. It is now very commonly 
the case. Pear trees, Apple trees, &c., are all but in 
blossom, and there are young Gooseberries on the trees. 
This day I saw in a garden a Honeysuckle in full blos- 
som, and a Whitethorn edge perfectly green, ‘having 
some of its leaves fully expanded, and I inclose a sprig 
or two; also some Mignonette, which I have just 
gathered in my garden. I may also mention that the 
Fuchsias in my garden have not lost their last year’s 
foliage, and that the new shoots have made considerable 
progress. What a contrast to the season of 1845, when, 
at the end of April, vegetation was in much the same 
state as it now is in February, Tt may probably be re- 
membered that the season of 1834 was very similar to 
the present one, and that we had then a check in 
March, with cutting north-easterly winds.— W. W., 
Chichester, Feb 26.—1t may be interesting to know thai 
the following plants are in flower in the walks of St. 
John's College, Cambridge: — Muscari racemosum, 
Primula vulgaris, Anemone nemorosa, Narcissus Pseu- 
do-Narcissus, Ranunculus fiearia, Daphne Laureola, 
uxus sempervirens, Taxus baccata, Pyrus japonicus. 
I also saw buds on the Honeysuckle (Lonicera pericly- 
enum), only not opened. The temperature on the 
last two nights has not fallen below 50° Fahr. Itis 
probable that no such season is on record. The White- 
thorn hedges are producing their buds, Elder is al- 
most in leaf, and the Elm is in flower.— C. C. B. 
The Season in Northumberland.—My Apricots and 
Peaches have begun flowering, and flower strong. There 
never was here before so easy a winter, and so evenly 
progressive a spring. Snowdrops are about over, and 
Winter Aconite quite ; Balm of Gilead unkilled in 
borders, and some of the Verbenas, Against a south 
wall, Verbena (Aloysia) triphylla, wood unhurt, and 
budding out. Arbutus has flowered through the winter, 
and even Oleaster is budding. Primula helvetica in 
garden borders is in full flower. Thorn hedges green 
in places. An old plant of Melaleuca hypericifolia, set 
out yet not plunged, to take its chance in November, is 
still unhurt, and beginning to grow from the ends of 
branches. Scilla sibiriea is in flower. The „wood of 
uchsia discolor and Riccartoni has stood in some 
places, and is budding out. Pyrus japonica, standing 
exposed, is in flower.—C. M. 
New description of Fuel for=Boilers.—As I fre- 
quently read of the bad performance of boilers, and 
of the care and attention required to keep the fires from 
going out, I am induced to offer a few hints by which 
any description of boiler may be made to burn for a 
much longer period than can be at all necessary, with- 
out attendance. Let such of your readers who wish to 
4} Ibs, r 
Price of Potatoes 7s. 3d. per cwt., or 2d. per 1b., 44} Ibs., at 3d, 
s. nearl; 
try the plan, or who being short of hands are desirous 
that their boiler should burn from night till mornin; ^ 
obtain from their coal merchant a load of blacksmiths’ 
slack (small coal-powder used in blacksmiths’ forges) 
and a sufficient quantity of fresh cow-dung from a eow- 
house; let some boys and girls be then set to work to 
make coal balls, about the size of a small Orange ; first 
kneading the coal-slack and cow-dung together a little 
ata time, to the consistence of brick clay, using only 
as much of the soft cow-dung as is sufficient to hold 
the small coal-dust together. Boys and girls soon learn 
in a few trials to make these balls quite hard and 
round between the palms of the hands, and can 
make as much in a few hours as will last for a 
month, if used only at night. A heap of the coal- 
dust on one side of them, and a small stable basket 
of fresh cowdung on the other is all that is necessary. 
When made, pile them up in any corner for use ; they 
will soon be dry enough for that purpose. When the 
gardener pays his last visit to the fires at night, let him 
rake out the fire to a few inches of the bottom, say to 
one-third of the whole space; fill up the remaining 
two-thirds with the balls, and in most cases that is all the 
trouble that need be taken till next morning. If they 
are quite dry at the time of using they will burn more 
apidly than if not so, and therefore better adapted for 
slow and badly drawing boilers ; but for quick draught 
a little dampness will not signify. In boilers of great 
draught, a little slack, damped, will be required to put 
on the top of them, but not mixed in with these more 
than can be avoided. In making the balls the stuff 
should be well mixed first, and pressed together 
tolerably hard. Should any of your readers find this 
plan to answer, perhaps they will be so kind as commu- 
nicate their success. If the coal called Kilkenny coal 
be used, a good fire made with such balls will last 
24 hours.— The Captain. 
Potato Disease.—I have lately found, upon close ob- 
servation, with the assistance of a good microscope, 
that in a few days after planting apparently sound Po- 
tatoes to all outward appearance, the disease first shows 
itself in little white oozings, in bunches of from 8 to 40 
or more, something like a bunch of insect’s eggs, or, as 
some would say, fly-blows ; they are of a conical shape. 
Those little ooziugs, at first, have a shiny icy appear- 
ance, like salt or saltpetre, and are distant from each 
other, but they spread, and eventually meet in appa- 
rently one mass, looking like little lumps of starch, and 
when touched in a dry state, have exactly the feel of 
starch. Decay very quickly commences, and gangrene 
and putrified blotches immediately follow, exactly where 
those white oozings were observed; then, in a very 
short time, may be observed a white mildew or fungus, 
and in this stage the disease runs like wildfire ; if a 
slice is cut from that part of the Potato on which this 
white oozing has first commenced, and the inside ex- 
amined just opposite those white oozings that appear 
on the outside, saffron yellow looking gatherings may 
be observed, extending into the interior of the Potato ; 
ifa slice is cut off and examined after the gangrene 
putrefaction has taken place, those spots will have be- 
come much darker in colour, and in a very short time 
the whole tuber is thus affected. I also observe dis- 
ease at the base of almost every eye which the tubers 
put forth in the open ground ; I have examined some 
hundreds of various plantings, and not a perfect eye 
can I find ; this white oozing springs up round the base 
of the eye, or young shoot, after the sets are planted, 
and of course very soon affects the shoots, no matter 
how strongly they may push forth, just under, or mostly 
within two inches of the surface of the soil. The shoots 
present first a dropsical, cancerous appearance, which 
swells until it bursts, cankers the shoot, which even- 
tually drops down ; the lower portion continues to put 
forth other shoots, to be attacked in the same way, 
until, from an occasional very strong tuber, a 
large bunch, or burr, of weak shoots is made, 
and the whole die off, when the vitality of the tuber is 
quite exhausted. These are facts which may be de- 
pended on. In regard to those we have planted of 
late, I cannot now see the shadow of a chance of their 
ever producing new tubers ; we have not planted a Po- 
tato but what has been well greened, hardened, and 
well stored. We may possibly, however, obtain some 
return from the earliest autumn-planted crop; for they 
have grown wonderfully strong, though all affected— 
even the fibrous roots are affected plainly enough to 
be seen by the naked eye. The crops here altogether 
are getting worse daily, and should we get a crop of 
any kind this season, of course the progeny will all be 
affected ; and by what means to prevent it Iam quite 
at a loss to guess, There is no remedy to my know- 
ledge that will expel or eradicate the disease from the 
sap or juices of the Potato, where the seat of the dis- 
ease evidently lies, The only hope to be entertained is 
from a new stock, and, perhaps, to be safe, too, from 
imported seed. Under these circumstances, we must 
turn our attention to the production of other vege- 
tables, more particularly Parsnips, as a root crop, and 
perhaps Jerusalem Artichokes, until we can find a 
better substitute. The above facts should certainly 
act as a caution toall. In conclusion, it may be of im- 
portance to mention that a quantity of tubers grown 
last year, and manured with soot, charred refuse, &e., 
still ‘continue quite sound, never yet having shown the 
least appearance of the prevailing disease in any shape 
that I could discover, with the exception of having the 
foliage and stalks overrun with the black inky and 
burned-looking spots at the time when the others were 
killed. I am, of course, dubious of them ; but still, up 
