PULL ISO 
THE GARDENERS' 
CHRONICLE.. 
445 
developing most the subserviency of art to nature. drs 
est celare artem ; in floriculture especially, it is true that 
art should conceal itself. 
A real love of science should be always made to re- 
press a mere spirit of gambling in flower.shows. No 
‘one can have been long acquainted with the i 
of such societies, without having seen a dangerous ten- 
deney in some minds to look for prizes for their own 
Sake. Persons have been known to withhold their 
And count their deficiencies by the higher examples 
brought under their notice. There is something very 
undignified in striving more for a prize of 10s. than for 
ne TEN of persevering efforts to improve the art,— 
Home Correspondence. 
Polmaise Heating.—In your number of the 20th 
June there are some additional observations on Pol- 
maise heating by “J. H. H, B—k He seems to 
ink that some further means are necessary to place 
hor Polmaise system of heating on an equality with the 
gater system ; and he believes that that system 
An not present sufficient surface for the heat to be 
f used over, and for the air to act upon. But the 
act is that there is a sufficiently heated surface to heat 
d air in a church capable of holding 2000 people (as 
Aas been proved by experiment), and, therefore, quite 
Chough of heat for any hothouse. By the hot-water 
System, the fire is first employed to heat the tank; the 
oe being heated, heats the water, and the hot water 
AM its eireulation heats the pipes in the hothouse, and 
ey heat the house. In the Polmaise system, the fire 
a Once heats the stove, and that heats the air in the 
AEG chamber, and that the house, and by means of 
E drains under the floor of the hothouse, a constant 
AU is kept up, and with less fire than is re- 
RR for hot-water pipes, for the heat required to 
ess thin air sufficiently in the hot-air chamber is much 
pipes uw I$ required to bring the water in the tanks or 
kept 0 a boiling heat, and unless the boiling heat is 
2:8 Up, the water will not cireulate through the pipes, 
t 1e heat be kept up. The iron of the stove is near 
he heat, and the surface is quite extensive enough to 
eat air in the hot-air chamber to any degree requisite 
to keep up the heat in the hothouse to 100 degrees, if 
tequired. The effect of the hot-water pipes is to heat 
the air of the hothouse, by means of using more ma- 
chinery, if I may so express it, than by at once intro- 
ducing hot air from the hot-air chamber, and the sim- 
du the process and the less complicated the machinery 
ums better, and the expense of the hot-water apparatus 
a Saved, I do not enter into the question of the con- 
oe properties of air and water. The water is not 
D ied to the plants directly, the air is so applied, and 
lin Stantly changed by the circulation. W. M., Stir- 
Js Tune 23. 
ing gular Appearance of a Dew-drop.—One morn- 
(or, 
o 
den! 
fore in 
iue was still at the time when I made the observa- 
d have tried to observe it again, by putting dust 
ceed a drop of water on a leaf, but have never suc- 
ed in observing the same appearance again.— Peter 
ackenzie, i 
one Potato Crop.—This neighbourhood being that 
NUES last year first attacked, in this country, with 
WERE ‘ofato-murrain, I am induced to inform your 
crop B of the present appearance and prospect of the 
s ere. Some few weeks since I heard rumours of 
x A eenen of the disease ; and in every instance 
bet nce visited and examined the suspected plants ; 
fram am happy to say that, with the exception of two 
M I have been unable to find any authentic in- 
A ENDE the murrain this year. The Potato-plants 
iae ly were, until recently, extremely vigorous and 
35 EID never before in this island, nor I believe 
Ywhere else, have I before seen them so luxuriant 
and early; but the subsequent continued dry weather 
had commenced ripening the crop too early ; though, 
no doubt, with the present rain some will yet continue 
to grow. The tubers as well as the plants are perfectly 
sound. Several facts have come to my notice to remove 
by the - poorer inhabitants, who find that an infusion 
prepared in the same way can hardly be distinguished 
from that of the coffee berry, I set to work and collected 
a quantity of the roots ; had them washed and eut up 
into small pieces; got a coffee roaster and roasted 
hased a coffe ill and ground them. I 
the fear that the disease is likely to be i 
from the old Potato. In one of the contaminated frames 
mentioned above, the only one of the two I had an 
opportunity of inspecting carefully, in the other in- 
stance the young tubers only being sent me, I found 
that while the haulm, young tubers, and stolons were 
all affected, the old tuber was merely shrivelled ; and 
the stem from it to the first stolon perfectly sound and | guage: 
healthy. In another instance, I observed that where 
a heap of diseased Potatoes had been thrown away, the 
sound portions of some had grown; the plants were 
perfectly healthy, and although having no other mould 
than that of still rotting, blighted Potatoes, the young 
tubers were perfectly sound. Owing to the quantities 
of bad Potatoes thrown away which have since vege- 
tated, Potato plants are this year a most abundant 
3 
think it got a fair trial; but I imagine that we could 
be brought to relish liquid guano or hay-water sooner 
than Dandelion coffee. We are informed that Taraxa- 
cum has been long in repute as a mild detergent and 
aperient ; and its diuretic effects may be inferred from 
the vulgar name it bears in most of the European lan- 
ges. People in trouble will not hesitate long about 
taking bitter medicine; but it will be a long time be- 
fore the healthy inhabitants of this country relish such 
coffee, unless some better mode of preparing the article 
is used than the one I followed. It has been said that 
the flowers of the Dandelion possess a certain degree of 
sensibility when under the powerful influence of the 
sun in a summer's morning; an evident motion of the 
flowerets may be discovered. Have any of the readers 
of the Chronicle observed such a motion ?— Peter 
weed in every waste place, and on every rubbish heap ; 
and though thus the product o i d tubers, 
the new plants are as healthy as possible. It is cer- 
tainly not yet too late for us to be again visited ; but 
the above facts are cheering, as disproving some posi- 
tions which were, à priori, reasonable grounds of fear. 
—J. Bell Salter, Ryde. 
Potato Disease.—A gentl in this neig 
hood the other day showed me a specimen of diseased 
Potato-top, mentioning at the same time that he con- 
sidered his crop entirely spoiled. This is the first 
intimation of the malady being in this part.—4 Reader, 
Cockermouth, June 30. 
Dodder (or Ladies’ Hair).—It may not be uninterest- 
ing to many of your readers to know that this curious 
little indigenous plant is now in the height of its beauty, 
and will continue so for at least another month, I will 
not attempt to introduce it in any other way than by its 
plain’ English name, but I would recommend any 
juvenile hotanist to turn to Dr. Lindley’s “ Ladies’ 
Botany ;” he will there find the plant pleasingly noticed 
and fully deseribed. It can be easily grown in pots, 
and when skilfully managed, is quite an object of 
attraction, and will do well either in the conservatory 
or in roekwork with hardy ferns.— W. P. 
American Bug.—l may mention that 30 years ago 
a relation showed me a young Apple-tree which ha 
been nearly killed by it, and he informed me that he 
had destroyed the insect by a mixture of about 8 oz. of 
goose-grease to 2 oz. of sulphur, plentifully applied with 
a paint-brush to the affected parts, the mixture being 
kept in a liquid state during the operation by placing 
the jar containing it on a heated brick. I had an op- 
portunity of observing the tree several years afterwards; 
it was always in a thriving condition, and bore fruit 
abundantly. Subsequently I applied the same process 
to another Apple-tree very badly affected, which was 
quite successful, as not only did no such disease again 
appear on that tree, but whether it was from the nourish- 
ment afforded by the grease or the sulphur, or by a 
combination of them, or by some other cause, that tree 
hada much stronger and more healthy look long after- 
wards than any of those near it.— Edward West, War- 
rington. 
Late Drone Bees.—In this locality (near Norwich) 
bees began to swarm on the 15th of May, and there is 
appearance of plenty of honey. Mr, Slade appears to 
doubt what I said about a second brood of drones, but 
“B. T." (p. 407) mentions a good instance of it, and 
Mr. Hart, of Bellingford, Norfolk, had once a late 
brood of drones in a bell glass. Mr. S. observes that 
T treat with contempt Huber’s belief respecting young 
queen bees not depositing drones’ eggs before they are 
11 months old. But as old stocks produce early swarms, 
though they contain queens as young, and perhaps 
younger than those in stocks that were second swarms 
the previous season, therefore what he relates on this 
point dees not bear upon the subject at issue. The 
presence of drones does not regulate the time of swarm- 
ing, for at times prime swarms issue before the drones 
appear, at other times not till after, and occasionally 
not at all.— W. 
The Weather.—Y beg to give the state of the ther- 
mometer on the four following days ; viz. :— 
June 4. In full sunshine on a garden wall, at 1, P.M. 120° 5 
(Constant thunder). we 
n 
» 17. In full sunshine, at 2 p.m. E oe .. 
pen shade do. (Constant thunder all day). 91° 
» 18. Infull sunshine, at 3 p.m. we v. Te E 
n open shade (Loud thunder in many places). 86^ 
+ 19. (Very sultry). In full sunshine, at 10 a.m. .. 126° 
In Us shade .. e o. o. A$ 
(Thunder loud and constant, and many accidents by electricity). 
The fruit crop in this part of the country will be very 
poor; indeed many of the wall-trees are almost com- 
pletely denuded of their leaves by the scorching rays of | £ 
the sun. Gooseberries, Currants, and Strawberries, 
are a good crop, and Potatoes look excellently well ; 
Turnips are coming on very finely, and corn is looking 
quite healthy, where the soilis not too hot and dry; 
corn and Barley are in ear, being three weeks in 
advance of last year.— 4. Walker, Gardener, Mayen 
House, Bamffshire, N. B. 
Dandelion Root a substitute for Coffee.—1 was read- 
ing Mr. Forsyth's article on “the value of a weed,” 
(p. 340), with considerable relish, although it wasa Dan- 
delion subject, until I came to: the coffee department. 
I did not know whether to stand still or go on; but 
after a pause I went through it all. Having read some 
ears ago in a medical work that at Gottingen the roots 
| of the Dandelion are roasted and substituted for coffee 
A Cement ‘or Glue.—Dissolve five or six bits of 
mastic in as much spirits of wine as will make them 
liquid. In another vessel dissolve as much isinglass 
(previously soaked in water till softened) in rum or 
brandy as will make 2 ounces by measure of strong 
glue ; add two bits of gum galbanum or ammoniaeum, 
which must be rubbed or ground till dissolved. Mix 
the whole with a sufficient heat, and keep the composi- 
tion in a bottle well corked, When to be used, set the 
bottle in hot water. An excellent cement.—Wm. W. 
Drake, Walthamstow. 
Destruction of Green-fly.—1 have noticed several 
plans suggested for destroying aphis ; some appear to 
have been successful in part, more particularly that of 
syringing with a solution in water of common smelling 
salts. I have not tried this, but I conceive it is open, like 
all other syringing, to the defect of leaving some parts 
of the plants or leaves untouched, both by the water 
and that which it contains ; and to anotlfer great defect 
of not entirely killing all the insects, some of which 
will immediately make for the stem of the plant and 
commence an ascent. I will, however, deseribe a plan 
which I have found very efficacious, particularly in 
clearing Roses of their worst enemy. have nothing 
d|at present made expressly for the purpose, but use 
articles which happen to be at hand. They are, first, a 
common hair-brush used for sweeping rooms, about 
half worn out, which, as most people know, is about a 
foot long, and three inches wide in the wood, the hair 
projecting two inches all round, and having a handle 
about four feet in length—this handle might be very 
conveniently shortened to one foot for this purpose. 
The next thing to be used is a common hand-brush 
(such as is used commonly by chambermaids, with a 
dust-pan), and if this has been about one-third used up, 
so much the better. Round the wood which holds the 
hair of the first brush should be nailed a piece of stiff 
aper or pasteboard, extending about half the length of 
the outside hairs, and fitting closely to the edge of the 
wood, so as to prevent the insects from falling through. 
Then take the first-mentioned brush in the left hand, 
and place it under the Rose or other shoot on which 
the insects are, and take the other brush in „the right 
hand and taking the shoot between the two rub 
them together, so as to dislodge the insects from the 
shoot and leaves, and then, whilst the shoot is between 
them, draw both together from the tree, so that the 
shoot and leaves get the full benefit of all the hairs, and 
you will find searcely an insect remaining, and most of 
them will be on the wood at the root of the hairs, and a 
few sticking about the hairs. By this means you may 
very soon, if numerous, collect many thousands of your 
enemies. Then with the back of one brush knock the 
back of the other, and they will all fall on the ground, 
an easy prey to the sole of your foot. I imagine that 
Hop-grounds might be cleared of aphides in this way, it is 
so quick and simple ; and when the plants get tall, steps 
might be used ; it is only sweeping plants, instead of 
sweeping streets or houses.—M. H. G. [A parapetti- 
coat is better.] 
Cut Roses at the Chiswick Show.—As there may very 
probably be prizes given next year for eut Roses, will 
you have the goodness to explain how it was, that in the 
collections of 50 varieties, the second prize was given to 
a stand which contained two varieties of Moss Roses. 
In the prize paper, a prize is offered for Moss Roses, 
and then for other Roses, in 50 varieties. The word 
other, appears to exclude the Moss. One of the Moss 
Roses was the fringed Provence, which might be allowed 
to pass as a Provence, but the other, though I forget 
the exact variety, was undoubtedly a Moss.—S. JV. 
We were not aware of the fact. Perhaps one of the 
judges will answer this inquiry.] 
Fuchsia Challenge.—Observing in the last number of the Gar- 
i r. Hally, ips to 
and Epps. 
— 
