662 
THE GARDENERS’ CHRONICLE. 
[Ocr. 3, 
the shadow of a doubt, but from whence did it come?) tance from the front of that plate the flue rises perpen- 
I had no Potatoes growing in the nursery, and the parts 
of the plant affected were those that came in contact 
with the wind. Were the spores of the fungus borne 
on the zir from the Potato gardens in the distance ? and 
although everywhere present, could they only find a 
suiting pabulum for their development in this one plant 
of the Potato family ? or must we refer the disease to 
the mysterious agency yelept “atmospheric,” and that 
the growth of fungi was a consequence and not a 
cause? For myself, I incline to the former opinion. 
But I admit that the matter, after all the observation 
that has been bestowed upon it, comes to us still ina 
questionable shape. There are two points, however, 
that my Solanum laciniatum my help to elucidate ; the 
first, that no raising of plants from seed will prevent 
this noisome pestilence, for this plant, as I before men- 
tioned, was a seedling ; and secondly, that the disease 
does not commence in the tuber, for this plant is only 
furnished with fibrous roots, and has nothing analogous 
to the swollen and compressed stem which we designate 
a Potato root. Further, as our legal friends would say, 
the parts of the plant on the side of shelter from the 
wind are yet green and healthy, and will perfect their 
seeds, although those on the exposed side have long 
since been blackened, brittle, and dead. Upon tracing 
the vessels that were injured down to the rootlets that 
gave them support, no change could be perceived; no 
disintegration, no discolouring, no shrivelling had taken 
place ; the rootlets were as vivacious as those of the 
opposite side, where the plant had been unaffected by 
disease ; but this State of things lasted but a few days, 
when the roots of the parts that connect themselves 
with the diseased stem and leaves became yellower, and 
ultimately browner than in the living, proving, in this 
case at least, that vitality was first extinct above, and 
that death descended by degrees below.— William 
Masters, Exotic Nursery, Canterbury. 
The Deadly Nightshade.—Will any reader inform me 
what birds or insects feed on the black berry of the 
Belladonna? We have some very large plants growing 
about, and we find the berries gone the moment they 
are ripe, and though we have found some perforated, 
we have not yet been able to discover whether it is 
done by birds or insects ; but no traces of the berries 
are under the trees.— Onya. 
Two Crops of Potatoes from the same Sets.—Some- 
where about December last I planted six lights of Ash- 
leaved Kidney Potatoes. I commenced taking them 
up in Easter week; the old sets were perfectly sound, 
and laid exposed on the surface some time. Upon 
examining them, it struck me whether or not it was 
possible for the sets again to vegetate and produce Po- 
tatoes, I accordingly planted six of them by way of 
experiment 5 the result was they were soon up, and 
produced a moderate crop, and of a size sufficiently 
large to send to table. Attention they had none, not 
even a drop of water during the whole season. I might 
add, I have just finished taking up my Potatoes, and 
have had an abundant crop of the best quality notwith- 
standing every set was badly diseased, so bad that 
although bought for the pigs, they were considered 
unfit to give them. In fact they were a complete mass 
of rottenness (11), yet they produced me as fine a crop, 
and of as good a quality, as I ever lifted.—W. Holmes, 
Hackney, Sept. 15. - 
Polmaise Heating.—With respect to the mode of 
warming a hothouse at Spofforth, which was detailed in 
the Chronicle (p. 580), it is advisable to correct a mis- 
Statement made by your correspondent at p. 613, where 
he says that I state, * that the heat whieh issues from 
the air-chamber is i iderable, while the flue is quite 
hot.” A fine moist heat issues from it, not only while 
the flue is hot, but for 24 hours after the fire is extin- 
guished, in consequence of the retention of heat by the 
bricks under-ground. I said that the chamber did not 
become hot as quickly as the flue, because it was placed 
direetly over the fire, and tbe excellence of the draught 
carries the heat forward into the flue, and the top of 
the furnace is not so hot as the neck of the flue, I 
prefer it thus ; but I stated that by continuing the air- 
chamber over the neck of the under-ground portion of 
the flue, more powerful heat would be speedily ob- 
tained; but it would be less durable. Your corre- 
spondent says that a flue is more unsightly than a wet 
blanket, and that it is decidedly injurious when coupled 
with hot-water pipes. Iron pipes are very unsightly, 
and they cannot be easily concealed without sacrificing 
some advantage ; but a flue is capable of any degree of 
ornament; and if any wealthy person will give me 
mouldings from Flaxman or Thorwalden, I shall be 
glad to adorn the front of mine with them. As to their 
being unsightly, I must observe that my conservatory 
been heated for 28 years in that manner, and no 
person has seen the flue since it was built, but those 
who clean it once a year, though its warmth is felt in 
walking over it. Some years ago I pulled down the 
flues in three houses, and heated them by pipes from 
a boiler, of which the heat is scarcely sufficient in hard 
frost. [have long regretted my flue in the Orchidaccous 
house, and have this year replaced it without disturb- 
ing the hot-water pipes, yet it cannot be seen, for it 
runs in the platform on which the plants stand, and the 
stone front of that platform is untouched, and forms the 
front of the flues, The advantage arising from having 
replaced the flue is invaluable. I will explain how it 
is done. The neck of the flue is brought forward in the 
house from the very narrow aperture that confines the 
heat as much as possible round the boiler, and is merely 
covered with an inclined plate of iron, At a short dis- 
dicularly from the sloping neck, and thence it passes 
between two air-flues along the middle of the house, the 
three flues being flagged over evenly, and the air-flues 
delivering their heat into a chamber over the iron plate | 
and neck of the flue ; there is likewise an under-ground 
air-drain communicating with the chamber, and air 
from out of doors can be admitted into the drain from 
the further end of the house; which in the coldest wea- 
ther would thus be delivered into the house fresh, but 
quite warm, The chamber over the iron plate and 
neck of the flue has side-walls up to the level of the 
flue and platform ; and over it, at the distance of 3 
inches from the wall, a square-cornered zine pan, 
strengthened by a cross-partition in the middle, is 
placed close behind the fiue, the back and front being 
3 inches lower than the sides, and a board with strips 
of list hanging into the water at the front of the pan, is 
placed upon it touching the wall and all the hot air 
issues through the wet strips of list. On the edge of 
the flags that cover the smoke and air-flues, a line of 
bricks, set on edge, are placed, and plastered over, and 
the whole surface within is filled with sand. An orna- 
mented moulding might be substituted for the bricks. 
That sand, being watered, is an invariable and power- 
ful hotbed, yielding the most genial warmth, and fit for 
every purpose of cultivation or propagation that demands 
moist heat, Will it be easily shown that there is any- 
thing necessarily either unsightly or detrimental in this 
arrangement? My objection to Mr, Meek’s plan is not 
that it will fail to heat his house, but that, with the 
same fire and attendance, three times (I believe, indeed, 
six times) the space might be heated. Place a boiler on 
his fire, and it will certainly heat a larger space of 
glass-house added on to it, if not three times as large ; 
carry, also, the smoke into another house in the manner 
I have just described, and I will answer that it shall 
heat a third house larger than his with moist heat 
without interfering with his house. The moist heat I 
have acquired, by replacing the flue as detailed, was 
entirely wasted in the upright chimney, and I am con- 
fident that if I were to prolong the flue behind the 
building in which it stands, the same fire would be still 
eapable of heating sufficiently for Camellias another 
house which might be built witha northern aspect be- 
hind it. The question is not simply, whether a house 
ean he heated by certain means, but how the greatest 
space can be heated in the most beneficial manner with 
a given quantity of fuel and attendance, Suppose four 
houses to be built in the form of a cross, one heated as 
Mr. Meek proposes, the furnace being in the centre, I 
would heat another with a flue as I propose, and it 
would be a larger house, I think, than his, and, in front 
and behind, should project two houses heated by hot- 
water pipes from the same fire, each of which, I imagine, 
might be double the size of his; at all events, three 
more of equal bulk would be certainly heated by his 
fire. Ido not mean to recommend that position of 
buildings, but merely to illustrate the additional power 
from the same fire. In the explanation of the fig. 
p. 580, O return-pipe, is printed by mistake for O re- 
turn-flue.— W. Herbert. 
Opuntia Tuna.—On a former occasion I sent a 
pericarp of Opuntia Tuna, which had produced a flower 
and pericarp on its top. I can send now, if required, 
à pericarp which fell after flowering on the surface of 
the pot; it took root, and has produced a shoot 1 inch 
inlength, Is this a new mode of propagating the plant ? 
—Denis Murray, Cork. [We should like to see it.] 
The Camberwell Beauty (Vanessa Antiope).—I beg 
to mention that I have received a fine specimen of the 
above, taken by a lady at Burnhamthorpe, Norfolk, I 
also saw one on the wing near Macclesfield, at the end 
of July, but was not so fortunate as to capture it.— 
Charles Trimmer.——1 have this year taken at East 
Bourne, five chrysalis of Death’s Head Moth, two 
caterpillars, three Sphinx convolvuli, and one Macro- 
glossa stellatarum. At Croydon my gardener caught a 
Sphinx convolvuli, and this morning, ia mowing the 
lawn, cut out a Macroglossa stellatarum.— 72. M.—— 
Yesterday was captured, in the most perfect order, a 
Death's Head Moth, by the same young lady who last 
week found a Camberwell Beauty.—Onya. 
Hydraulic Ram.—Having had my attention directed 
to some papers relative to what is termed a new hy- 
draulie machine, wherein a comparison is made with 
the hydraulie ram improved by Mr. Roe, especially to 
one Article signed * Hydrangea,” who from * experi- 
ence ” speaks of the machine in question, permit me, in 
justice to Mr. Roe, to say something in his favour. In 
all machines it is undoubtedly of great importance to 
the public, to be convinced of their lasting and useful 
properties. These rams are put up at little if any more 
expence than themachine “ Hydrangea” notices, they have 
worked for 20 years without material repair, throwing 
water 150 feet high and a mile distant, consuming only 
about 12 gallons of water per minute. The cost of such 
aram would be about 15/7. Allowme to ask “ Hydrangea” 
what would be the cost of the machine he speaks of to 
throw water the same height (150 feet) and distance (1 
mile) ; also what quantity of waste water there would 
be in a minute? * The pint overflow,” which he states 
is the * moving power,” even if applied to.a waterwheel 
working small pumps, I cannot see how he could raise 
above a few feet, and even in that case friction would 
be excessive, This I must leave for him to answer, for 
“Hydrangea” may be in pos: essionof something superior 
to anything yet invented, as it is impossible in this age 
to say what can or cannot be done.—James Henson, 
h 
|40, Tower-street, Lambeth, 
. Hocieties. 
BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. 
Sept. 4.—'The Vice-President in the chair. Donations 
to the library were announced from Dr. Cooke, Dr; 
Beche, Dr. Palmer, Dr. Ayres, Mr. G. Cooper, Mr. J. 
Freeman, Mr. J. Rich, Mr. G. Rich, and Mr. J. 
Reynolds, British plants have been received from Mr. 
; Prentice and Mr. Roby. Mr. Williamson, of 
Kew Gardens, presented speci of an Orobanche, 
collected by him near Epsom, Surrey, and suggested to 
be Orobanche lucorum (of Braun), but perhaps rather 
an identical speeies with the Orobanche elatior (of Sut- 
ton). Its occurrence in Clover fields, in which the 
specimens were collected, is also in favour of this view. 
The specimens differ from the character given to Oro- 
banche lucorum {in Koch’s “ Synopsis,” by having the 
sepals shorter than the tube of the corolla ; but in other 
respects the dried specimens do not exhibit any decided 
diffe rom the cl ters of Orobanche lucorum, 
though corresponding as well with those of Orobanche 
elatior. Dr. Ayres read a paper “On the Potato 
Disease,” 
Country Shows. 
Royal Horticultural Society of Cornwall, Sept. 10.— 
This was the third and last exhibition for the present 
year. Mr. Pontey, of Plymouth, and Messrs. Veitch 
and Son, of Exeter, had a fine display of plants. In 
Mr. Pontey’s collection were Torenia asiatica, Cuphea 
miniata, Dipladenia erassinoda, Allamanda grandiflora, 
Achi atens, Brug ia parviflora, &e. Messrs. 
Veitch had a beautiful new/Escl hus, a dorfi 
speciosa, a stove plant with lovely blue and white 
flowers, some good Cattleyas, Rondeletia speciosa major, 
Allamanda grandiflora, Galphimia splendens, &c. ; and 
a fine collection of cut Fuchsias, including their new one 
Maerantha. The prizes were awarded as follow :— 
Fruit: Best flavoured Pine-apple, Black Jamaica, 
G. C. Fox, Esq. ; 2, Queen, J. Vivian, Esq. ; heaviest 
ditto, Antigua, J. Vivian, Esq. Best flavoured Melon, 
Green-flesh, J. Vivian, Esq.; 2, King’s Own Green- 
flesh, W. Daubuz, Esq. ; 3, Cabul, Sir C. Lemon, Bart., 
M.P. ` Best bunch of Grapes, White Muscat of Alex- 
andria, Earl of Falmouth; 2, Muscat of Lunell, J. 
Vivian, Esq. Best dish of ditto, J. Vivian, Esq. 
Best 6 Peaches, Nivette, J, Vivian, Esq. Best 6 ripe- 
dessert Pears, Swiss Bergamot, G. C. Fox, Esq. ; 2, 
Moor Fowl Egg, Sir C. Lemon, Bart., M.P. Best col- 
lection of ditto, Sir C. Lemon, Bart., M.P. ; 2, G. C. 
Fox,Esq. Best 12 ripe dessert Apples, Autumn Pear- 
main, Rev. C. Rogers; 2, Leaming’s Pearmain, G, C, 
Fox, Esq. Best collection of winter dessert Apples, 
Rev. C. Rogers; 2, G. C. Fox, Esq. Best 6 out-door 
Figs, M. Williams, Esq. Best dish of Cherries, Mo- 
rello, Rev. C. Rogers. Best dish of Plums, Nectarine, 
J. Vivian, Esq. Extra : Dish of Cherries, G. C. Fox, 
Esq. Apples, Boston Russet, Sir C. Lemon, Bart., M.P. 
Ditto, Ribstone Pippin, J. Vivian, Esq.—Frowkms: 
For the most Ornamental Plants, Erica elata, Mande- 
villa suaveolens, Petunia splendens, Phzenocoma proli- 
fera, Leschenaultia formosa, Boronia viminea, Statice 
puberula, Fuchsia fulgens, Ceropegia elegans, Clero- 
dendron infortunatum, Medinilla erythrophylla, Allae 
manda cathartica, Mr, Passingham ; 2, Erica cruenta, 
Thunbergia alata, Pentas carnea, Veronica Lindleyana, 
Begonia bulbosa, Myrtus tenuifolia, Fuchsia recurva, 
fulgens hybrida, delicata, and Defiance, G. N. Simmons, 
Esq., Ridersville. For the newest and most Orna- 
mental Plant, Siphocampylus coccineus, W. Daubuz, 
Esq. Best Stove Plants (not Orchids), Cyrtoceras re- 
aia. Cler eni infort 
flexum, Dipladenia y 
tum, Vinca oculata and rosea, Begonia multiflora, Ron- 
deletia speciosa major, Achimenes longiflora, Ixora 
coccinea, Ardisia crenulata, Mr. Passingham; 2, Di- 
pladenia crassinoda, Cyrtoceras reflexum, Manettia cor- 
data, Clerodendron splendens, Jatropha pandurzefolia, 
Achimenes picta, longiflora, and grandiflora, Zischynan- 
thus parasiticus, Rondeletia speciosa, Pentas carnea, 
W. Daubuz, Esq. Best Stove Specimen : Lisianthus 
Russelli r. Passingham ; 2, Dipladenia cras- 
sinoda, W. Daubuz, Esq, Best Orchidaceous Speci- 
men, Catasetum Claveringi, G. C. Fox, Esq. Best col- 
lection of Gloxinias, Gesneras, and Achimenes: A. 
longiflora and grandiflora, Gesnera bulbosa and Sut- 
tonii, Gloxinia magniflora, seedling, Mr. Passingham. 
Best specimen of ditto, A. grandiflora, W. Daubuz, 
Esq. Best Greenhouse Plant: Siphocampylus betulse- 
folius, J. Williams, Esq. Best 6 Fuchsias: Dingleana 
and Red Rover seedlings of 1846, Exoniensis, Eppsii, 
Sir Henry Pottinger, Goldfinch, Mr. Passingham ; 2; 
Cleopatra, Sir W. Magnay, Lowryi, Nymph, Goldfinch, 
Delicatissima, G. N. Simmons, Esq. ; 3, Hector, Sir 
Henry Pottinger, Gigantea, Sir W. Magnay, Sylphy. 
Sanguinivea, G. C. Fox, Esq. Best specimen of ditto, 
Duke of Cornwall, seedling, Mr. Passingham. Best 12 
Dahlias : Bathonia, Mrs. Shelley, Alice Hawthorn, 
Cleopatra, Brown's Orlando, Princess Royal, Lady An- 
trobus, Sir Edmund Antrobus, Marquis of Bath, 
Drummond's Beeswing, Bragg’s Antagonist, Orange 
Superb. The Silver Medal, Mr. R. Dunn (disqualified); 
2, Duke of York, Sure Enough, Hon. Miss Abbot, 
Royal Sovereign, Antagonist, Sir Edmund Antrobus, 
Standard of Perfection, Mrs. Shelly, Alice Hawthorn, 
Beeswing, Sir J. S. Richardson, Aurantia, J. Williams; 
Esq.; 3, Antler, Beeswing, Cleopatra, Antagonist, Ba- 
thonia, Essex Bride, Bedford Surprise, Blue Bonnet, 
Standard of Perfection, Lady Sale, Essex Champion, 
Princess Royal, G. C. Fox, Esq. ; 4 Mr. R. Ey 
(disqualified). Best 6 striped or tipped ditto : Ppi 2 
maid, Oakley; Surprise, Dodd'sjFavourite, Beauty, Prin- 
