13.—1846.] THE 
GARDENERS’ 
CHRONICLE. 
205 
travagantly, to waste fuel to a great and indeed to an 
unknown extent, or to endeavour, by the adoption of 
some more natural and philosophic means, to provide 
against such useless waste. And these returns at once 
explain the reason why Mr. Murray and Mr. Shearer 
have both found the use of the Polmaise system so emi- 
nently economical, and afford us a most practical reason 
for believing that the use of the method will prove as 
proportionately economical as its first erection, into 
the detail of which I propose shortly to enter when re- 
plying to your correspondents of last week. 
Is this the perfection of the hot-water system, after 
all the years of labour expended upon it by practical 
men? Ï will not cast the slur upon their labours that 
was last week cast upon those of men of science ; I will 
vather believe that they have exerted their great inge- 
nuity upon a system defective in principle, and conse- 
quently incapable of perfection in practice. Should the 
principles of diffusing atmospheric heat by the simple 
means of the circulation of the pl itself prove 
equally effective when employed artificially, as they 
prove when employed naturally, what may we not hope 
that the next 10 years of practical ingenuity (exerted 
‘on a sound system) will accomplish, when it has done 
so much to render a system unsound in principle avail- 
able in practice? Practical men have truly an ample 
field presented to them, on which they may exert their 
ingenuity in distributing heat by aerial currents ; and 
great is the success promised to their efforts by the at- 
tempts hitherto made. But there is a subject closely 
‘connected with the diffusion of atmospheric heat, which 
is daily attracting increased attention from. practical 
men, on which I wish to add a few words. It is the sub- 
j ilati pondent of last week still 
maintains his original position, * that if a house is 
warmed by hot water there is no necessity for supply- 
‘ing fresh air.” I apprehend it is the opinion of the 
generality of scientific and practical horticulturists, 
that there are other causes by which the atmosphere of 
‘the greenhouse is deteriorated, without ascribing it to 
the heating apparatus. It is tended that a very 
free supply of fresh atmosphere is essential to keep 
greenhouse plants in health, and that the health of such 
plants is greatly inereased by the atmosphere being 
‘freely moved by eurrents, and if this be so, the real 
question to be considered is, what quantity of fresh air 
plants really require to keep them in a high state of 
health, and then to provide the means of heating that 
quantity. This quantity is probably not uniform in all 
plants, nor yet in the same plants in different states of 
growth, or at different seasons of the year; but it at 
‘once proves that the plan of glazing with open laps is 
‘a bad one, for this reason, that the ventilation so pro- 
duced is not under control ; that the same, or indeed a 
far greater, amount of ventilation takes place in winter 
than in summer through the open laps, while it is more 
than probable only a smaller amount is required, 
Still it must not be forgotten that open laps provide 
a more uniformly diffused ventilation than can easily be 
secured by other means, and obviate the difficulty of 
«old local currents rushing in at any particular point; 
no system can be more easily adapted to free ventila- 
tion than Polmaise ; it might almost be called the ven- 
"ilating system. Fresh air can be brought in and 
warmed before passing to the house, but the best me- 
‘thod of providing for the escape of air deteriorated by 
the action of the plants upon it, without sacrificing a 
great quantity of atmospheric heat, is a subject well 
deserving attention, and it has so great a practical in- 
fluence on the question of economy, that I have ven- 
tured to bring it before your readers in the above hasty 
vemarks. It does not concern either system exclu- 
‘sively, but is equally important to both.—2D. B. Meeke, 
Holmsdale House, Nutfield. 
P CHE M 
‘GERMAN PAMPHLETS ox rue POTATO DISEASE 
AND ITS REMEDIES. 
No. 3.— The so-called Potato Rot. (Aninvestigation 
undertaken by desire of the Minister of the Interior.) 
By A. Petzholdt. Dresden. 
Tur objects of the author, as expressed in a condensed 
form at the conclusion of his book, were to reply to the 
following five questions :— - 
1. How does the disease manifest itself ? 
2. What is the nature of the disease ? 
3. What are the causes of the disease? 
4. How is the recurrence of the disease to be pre- 
vented ? and 
5. Can the diseased Potatoes be used, and in what 
‘Manner ? 
With regard to the first question, the author observes 
that the disease manifests itself in the commencement 
‘by a discoloration of the substance of the tuber, a brown 
Matter appearing, which disappears again after a time. 
in the second stage of the disease, the Potatoes gene- 
Tally emit an odour resembling old cheese, which, how- 
®ver, like the brown colour, disappears in the last stage 
of the disease. Examined under the microscope, it is 
found that, in the commencement, the fluid in the cells 
ecomes turbid ; after a time a brown matter deposits 
9n the sides of the cells, which are gradually destroyed ; 
50 that in the last stage they ean only be found here 
and there, as little shreds and fragments; the fluid 
gradually evaporating,and the tubers becoming hard 
and dry, In the early stage of the disease, the propor- 
ds of water and inorganic matter was larger, whilst 
© proportion of starch was less than usual. B. 
examination of the ashes, it was found that the diseased 
‘bers contained less alkali, sulphuric acid, and chlo- 
E 
rine, but more phosphoric acid and magnesia than 
healthy ones. 
inereased formation of azotised matters, and a dimi- 
nished production of non-azotised organie matter. 
he causes of the disease are divided into tlie funda- 
mental and the accidental, a distinction, on the im- 
portance of which the author insists very strenuously. 
The fundamental cause, according to him, is the pre- 
ponderance of magnesia and phosphoric acid over the 
proportion of alkali, chlorine, and sulphuric acid ; the 
accidental, or special causes, are, however, as yet 
unknown, and entirely the subject of speculation. 
As a necessary deduction from this view of the sub- 
ject, the author then proceeds to show, that if the one 
great primary cause of the disease be deficiency of 
alkali, chlorine, &c., or the excess of magnesia and 
phosphoric acid, it may best be prevented by a new 
system of manuring, and by supplying to the plants the 
substances in which the soil is deficient. 
In reply to the fifth and last question, the author 
goes at considerable length into the subject of the use 
of diseased tubers for food. He is of opinion that in 
the early stage of the rot they may be used with perfect 
safety as food either for men or for cattle ; and that in 
the more advanced state of decay, they may be used 
with the greatest advantage in various processes in the 
arts, particularly in the fact of starch and 
brandy. 
Weexty Prices or Porators per ton, in Covent 
Garden Market, in 1845, and 1846. 
1845. || |... 1846. 
50s. to 805.| Feb..........21, 70s. to 160s. 
50 80 | 28) 7 
50 — 90 | March ...... 7| 70 170 
15| 50 | |76 170 
22| 60 100 | 21| 70 180 
fe 29| 60 100 IL. 28| 70 — 180 
"Also at the waterside, Southwark. 
50s, to 120s 
555. to 0s. Feb. 23 
55 80 ||March ...... 2) 60 140 
10| 55 80) 9 60 140 
17| 55 80 | 16 60 140 
24| 55 80 | 23| 60 — 140 
Home Correspondence. 
The Jerusalem Artichoke.—This is superseded by 
the Potato, and therefore is seldom. seen, except in the 
gardens of the wealthy. Mr. Forsyth, speaking of its 
culture (page 164) observes, that “it yielded of eatable 
stems, a standing crop of 12 feet.” This must be an 
oversight, for when the stems have attained that height 
they are tough indeed. Mr. F. seems to be aware o 
this, for he also mentions that, “in growing it for the 
tubers, the stems must be topped at 3 feet, and it is 
only when young that cattle could eat the stems ; it 
can be used if better is not to be had as food for man, 
and if it fails in this it will fatten pigs, and feed milk 
cows.” I cannot say what sort of dish the young 
stems in question would make, but they certainly 
will not fatten pigs, which are not even fond of 
the raw tubers, though they greedily eat them when 
boiled. have tried the plan of topping the 
stems ; but I found that it only increased shade, to the 
injury of the tubers. I prefer growing them on light 
and rather poor soil, from cut sets or whole tubers, 
planted in rows about 2 feet apart, and the rows about 
3 feet apart. By allowing only single stems to grow 
from the sets their natural height, the sun and air get 
amongst them to mature the tubers ; if not, they will 
be watery and insipid, especially on rich damp soil. 
Some advise planting the roots in question near pre- 
serves for game, but that will be of little use if hares 
and rabbits get to them, for they would be sure to eat 
the stems and destroy the crop.—J. Wighton. 
Lead Tanks.—More than 12 months ago we wrote 
to inquire if you knew of any objection to using a lead 
boiler for heating a house upon the tank system. You 
advised to try it upon a small scale first. We beg now 
to state that we have had it in operation for 10 months, 
in a house 33 feet by 15, and have found it to answer 
very well; it can be got up much cheaper, and the 
heat is sooner generated than in the cast or wrought- 
iron boiler.—Carstairs, Kelly, and Co., Edinburgh. 
oses.— Being a resident in Paris, an ardent lover of 
Roses, and possessing a collection of 200 of the best sorts 
rown in France, and therefore well acquainted with 
the French practice, or at least with the practice of the 
nurserymen in Paris and its environs, which I presume 
may be considered the principal district in France for 
Rose culture, I beg to rectify an error in your vol. for 
1844, page 68, under the head of the “ Rose Garden,” 
where the author says “the French are in the practice 
of budding in hedges, and of removing the plant from 
thence for sale,” and tells his readers to bear 
this in mind in choosing Roses sent from France. Now, 
he must have never been in France, and, moreover, 
must have been very much misinformed, and, I would 
add, must have inserted this part of the information 
without due consideration. In the first place, hedges 
are not so common in France, or at least in the district 
I have mentioned, which is the most probable one from 
which Roses would be sent to England. Although Ihave 
been living in Paris several years, I never heard of one 
instance of a nurseryman budding Rosesin hedges; to use 
a common phrase, he would not get salt to his porridge 
The nature of the disease is described as being an | 
by such an itinerant mode of Rose-culture, independent 
of which it must be admitted that it would bea very 
disagreeable, nay “piquant” business, and would sub- 
ject the “wandering nurseryman ” to be robbed of his 
standards just at the time he would perhaps be wanting 
them, I will conclude by making an appeal to Mr. 
Rivers, who I know has been over to France, and who 
knows, if not all, at least the greater portion of the 
French nurserymen who grow Roses, to say if he ever 
knew asingle instance of Roses being budded in hedges 
for sale in France.—N. A. P. B. 
The Weather.—On Tuesday, the 10th inst., the ther- 
mometer stood at half-past 9, a.m., at 95? ; at 12 it 
dropped to 60°, the glass outside an east window, but 
the glass faced the south; and to-day, the 18th, as 
snow was falling, it stood at 55°, and dropt to 45°; 
my Lilies of the Valley are nearly in flower, and 
many heads of Asparagus are out of the ground. 
—J. B. H., Abergele. The late Mr. Loudon 
(Ene. Gard. 1288) tells us, that “the study of the 
weather from precedent affords useful hints as to the 
character of approaching seasons, and that certain 
general results may thence be deduced." And he 
quotes from Kirwan (Trans. Ir. Acad. v. 20) the fol- 
lowing observations :—“ That when there has been no 
storm before or after the vernal equinox, the ensuing 
summer is generally dry,at least five times in six. That 
when a storm arises on the 25th, 26th, or 27th of March, 
and not before in any point, the succeeding summer is 
generally dry four times in five. there be a storm 
at S. W. or W.S.W. on the 19th, 20th, 21st, or 22d of 
March, the succeeding summer is generally wet five 
times in six.” Will any of your correspondents inform 
me whether any, and what dependence is to placed on 
these rules? and with what limitations the words “before 
and after? in the first rule are to be received. —G. W. 
Large Mushrooms—1 pulled à mushroom from a bed 
this day of the following extraordinary dimensions :— 
It measured 2 feet 63 inches in circumference, and 
10 inches in diameter ; the circumference of the stem 
was 8 inches ; and the weight was 1$ lbs.—James Reid, 
gardener to Hon. J. T. Leslie Melville, Roehampton, 
Surrey, March 19. 
Early Grapes.—I have now (March 17) on one 
Vine 10 bunches of Grapes almost ripe, and I may 
mention that the same Vine produced a good crop last 
summer. Some years ago, I was not a little proud to 
have my first erop ripe by the 25th of June ; but this 
year I will be able to cut ripe fruit by the 25th of 
March. Grapes fit for table in March, April, and May, 
are very valuable, for during these months all other 
kinds of fruit are either done, or very scarce.— 
R. H., gr., Bodlondeb, Conway, Carnarvonshire, 
North Wales. 
The Mulberry.— Cuttings of new wood, with a little 
£ | of the old left, and potted, answer admirably for forcing, 
producing fine large fruit, the plant remaining of a size 
fitted for the table, and bearing between one and two 
hundred fruit. A friend of mine brought a plant from 
Shropshire the other day ; it is now in his house full 
of lower.— T. E., March 20. 
Potato Disease in Ireland.—In writing from the 
south of Ireland on the 3d inst. respecting the disease 
attacking my frame Potatoes, I promised to report 
the result of a four-light pit of Ash-leaved Kidneys 
which looked very healthy then, but which are now 
very much diseased. The stems are cankered, rusty, 
and brittle, close to the old tuber ; but the produce is 
better than that from the former, which I account for 
by their being planted later and on fermenting material, 
which from its general warmth produced rapid growth. 
As regards the autumn Potatoes, I had about 40 bushels 
which the disease attacked in the ground. I had them 
dug up, carefully picked the bad, and spread the good 
thinly on a stable-loft, In a day or two they were per- 
fectly dry, and continued so. I picked them out several 
times, and after all there is not a sound tuber among 
t 
hem. Some of the bad ones are sprouting however, 
and I will plant. a few for trial; but itis my opinion 
that the application of lime and other agents will not 
stop the disease nor make a bad tuber produce a good 
one.—2D. R. 3 
Polmaise Heating.—1 observe in your last Chronicle, 
a violent attack by Mr. Glendinning, on the Polmaise 
heating, in answer to Mr. Meeke’s statement in your 
Paper of the preceding week, I do not know who Mr. 
Glendinning is, although I remember his former letter 
in 1844. He says he has frequently examined an ex- 
ample of it, but he does not say where ; I know of none 
except Lord Kinnaird's, near Dundee ; but there the 
stove was not one of Hayden's, but an imitation of it 
by an ironmonger, at Perth. I wish he would mention 
where he saw it tried. On this examination he pro- 
nounces it “ worse than the old system,” and says “ it is 
totally inefficient for the great proportion of garden 
purposes where heating apparatuses are required.” I 
stated to the public the facts I had observed; and 
before I erected my hothouse, I had the experience of 
what a stove of Hayden’s would accomplish in the 
parish church, near St. Verners, seated to contain from 
1700 to 2000 people; for my gardener placed ther- 
mometers in various parts of the church, most distant 
from where the heated air was introduced, which 
was from one end, the stove being in the session 
house; and as a proof of the heat being equally 
spread over the church, there was not more tban 59 
of difference in the thermometers, and the heat was 
kept up to 75? for the whole night, and I think Feb. 
was the month in which the trial was made, at least it 
