1843.] 
757 
unbroken state, as a substratum over the bottom drainage, 
in the cultivation of many ornamental plants, whose 
structure enabled them to assimilate food from gross vege- 
table matter ; and from a recollection that however luxu- 
Tiant were the growth of such plants, and however powerful 
their absorbent functions, the material alluded to never 
became so far decomposed as to lose its organic remains, 
but retained its friable and partially dried state when again 
exposed, after the completion of a season’s growth, I 
adopted in the present instance the same material, when 
sufficiently reduced through a sieve, as a valuable substi- 
tute, in part, for leaf-mould. The proportions of materials 
Were now as follows :—Two parts selected from the fibrous 
Portion attached to patches of grass, upon a heap of close 
marly loam, with a nearly equal quantity of the artificial 
leaf-mould and wood-ashes (the two latter in a partially 
dried state) 3a portion of white sand was added. By thus 
substituting for the retentive qualities of the former mix- 
ture one with a very different mechanical texture, I was 
ultimately enabled to transfer plants from 60-sized pots to 
6 and 12-size, with perfect success. And as a proof of 
the superior effect which this preparation exerted over 
others of an opposite nature, it will be as well to add that 
the loam was naturally so adhesive as to form a crust over 
the surface daily, after watering, and for some time re- 
quired attention to its removal, in order to admit the 
United agency of sun and air. 
It was now most interesting to observe the graceful and 
expansive growth, manifesting a healthy circulation de- 
rived from genial food, and still more so to see the enlarge- 
ment of the glanduliferous organs, which ornamented its 
stems, the unusual development of which induced me to 
regard them as significant symbols of health, and also as 
Organs of respiration which Nature had designed as a 
means whereby the plant is enabled to balance its own 
excitability and power of absorption, and the fluctuating 
influences of atmospheric and solar agency. 
The principle involved in the foregoing instances of 
Cultivation may be given as follows, namely :— 
N accurate acquaintance with the physiological or 
organic structure of plants, is of essential importance to 
a nowledge of the naiwre, extent, and application of the 
agencies which sustain them.— William Wood. 
AMATEUR’S GARDEN.—No. XLII. 
_ To relieve the nakedness of the Flower Garden occa- 
Sioned by the destruction of the half-hardy plants, and 
also to render it a little gay and interesting through the 
dull winter months, I have lately been selecting a quantity 
of dwarf evergreen shrubs, which are either remarkable 
for early flowering, as Rhododendron dauricum and 
Daphne Mezereum ; for their fruit, as Gaultheria procum~ 
bens, and the different kinds of Cotoneaster ; for the 
variegation of their foliage, as in many varieties of Euony- 
mus, Buxus, and Ilex ; or for neat and elegant habit, as in 
Erica, Juniperus, Mahonia, &c., &c. These I intend to 
Cultivate in pots; and at this season, when the garden is 
cleared of summer flowers, I shall fill the middle of the 
beds with these plants, and plant the margins with 
Aconites, Snowdrops, Crocuses, Anemones, early Tulips, 
and other spring-flowering plants. In this manner Thope 
to make the Flower Garden unusually gay at a very early 
Season, and next autumn, when I have had more time to 
mature my plans, I hope to have hundreds of early flower- 
ing Chrysanthemums, dwarf plants not more than a foot 
igh, which, intermixed with the shrubs, will render the 
Flower Garden gay up to Christmas, or in mild seasons, 
With a slight protection on frosty nights, up to the end of 
anuary. Subjoined is a list of the shrubs on purpose to 
effect this desideratum with. None of them are expensive, 
ut all are beautiful and of easy cultivation. 
Andromeda polifolia 
Pati ae erandipora 
Erica mediterranea 
Polygala chameebuxus 
Daphne mezereum 
THE GARDENERS CHRONICLE. 
A TANK HOUSE. 
So much has been said on the Tank system of late, that 
I am induced to lay before my brother gardeners and the 
public, plans and section of a pit I have lately altered and 
put up for Lord Doneraile, principally for the growth of 
Pines. It answers that purpose very well at present, and 
Thave no doubt of its giving every satisfaction. From the 
few hints I saw in the Chronicle last summer about Mr. 
Rendle’s Tank system, I liked the idea much, and about 
last February I wrote to Mr. R., saying what I had in- 
tended for bottom-heat before I read of his Tank, and 
asked his opinion: he wrote me not to go on with my in- 
tentions, but wait for his treatise, which would explain the | 
matter. Accordingly I waited until it came before the 
public—I might here mention, that about this time 
twelve months I got by a private letter from Mr. Beaton 
his opinion and plan for gutters instead of flues, which I 
put up in our Pinery, where I have Vines also; these have 
succeeded quite to my satisfaction. The smoke from the 
boiler is used in the back flue, and has nearly as good a 
heat as if there was no boiler to serve first. At the boilers 
is a shaft, to throw the smoke into by dampers when not 
wanted in the house. I beg to be excused for deviating 
thus far from my first intention of explaining my new pit 
only, all of which I hope may be understood, and be of 
service to others that may intend to follow this mode of 
heating ; and as Mr. Beaton intends writing on this sub- 
ject, I consider the more it is explained the better. All | 
that I can add at present is, that I have had my fruiting 
Pines turned out of their pots into the bed since the 
beginning of August, and they appear to be doing as well 
as could be wished. My bed keeps a uniform heat of 
from 80° to 84°. As I had it ready for the plants | 
a month before I thought well to remove them, I had the | 
Opportunity of proving the heat by plunging a thermome- 
ter in it, and at six inches deep the heat was S0°, and 
y adding to the fire I found [ could raise it to 90° 
or 100° if I wished. My Fruiting-bed is prepared as near | 
as possible} according to Mr. Rendle’s recommendation, | 
except the addition of short lead-pipes at about every four 
feet along the back, to convey water down to the slates 
amongst the brick-rubbish. This causes a damp heat, and 
by capillary attraction must damp the soil ; my plunging 
material for succession-plants is coarse river-sand mixed with 
peat-mould, which I find good. My boiler is one of Ste- 
phenson’s third size. The bottom of my Tank is of flags 
aid in common mortar ; the joints were at first left quite 
Open, but I afterwards filled them up with roman cement. 
The sides and divisions are three bricks laid flat in cement, 
the whole inside is then plastered over with cement about 
three quarters of an inch thick, and the top is covered close 
| 
with slates one anda half inch thick. The sides of the bed 
are all formed with brickwork, and the gutters with brick 
on edge, laid and plastered with cement, and covered with 
common slates; on the top are movable slates that can 
be taken off for steam, as occasion may require ; on the 
back flue are boxes with Cucumbers trained over the back 
walk ; the smoke can also be let off from the boiler into 
the back flue, when required, by a damper in the up- 
right shaft ; and in addition to this, the fireplace is con- 
nected with the back flue in case of severe weather, or at 
any time the heat from the boiler may be found insuf- 
ficient. I find the Tank efficient and simple, and I have 
no doubt this is more to the purpose, and cheaper, than 
the wide gutters proposed in the Chronicle. Messrs. 
Veitch’s (of Exeter) system of heating, seems nearly on 
the same principle as this. I am certain it must work 
well, and I am sure that this mode of heating will become 
general after a time, as this heat is so regular and conge- 
nial to the plants.—John Haycroft, Doneraile Gardens, 
Sept. 31, 1843. 
A, represents the boiler. 
, flow and return gutters. 
C, Sluices made of zinc three by nine inches. 
Dp, Return pipe. 
E, covers over the sluices with boxes the depth of the bed. 
N. B.—The sluices in the middle of the bed I open bya bit of 
strong wire riveted into the zinc sluice; after the water has tra- 
versed the gutters it is turned into the tank at the first sluice from 
the return-pipe, and if not wanted in the gutters it enters the 
tank at t Ow-pipe, all the other sluices being down, those 
other sluices are used to regulate the heat in either bed or gutters 
as required, 
i=} 
SF re Re as ad Pit (30, £2 6%. 
Le 
flore-albo 
ustr: autumnale 
carmea -. cneorum 
ees Kalmia glauca 
tl ern: angustifolia 
Rhododendron dauricum rubra 
on atrovirens .» nitida. 
chameecistus +. nana 
rhodora Mahonia, or Berberis 
ferrugineum .. fascicularis 
hirsutum Aquifolium 
ponticum varie- nervosa 
Led: tum +. xepet 
‘um palustre Gaultheria Shallon 
iy +. decumbens oo procumbens 
latifolium Ribes sanguineum 
cig “4 ‘lobosum * +. glutinosum. 
Cotoneaster mae ophylla in 
‘ uxifolia, BS +. atro-rubens 
marginata .. .. Beatonii 
The following plants are remarkable for the variegation 
of their foliage :— 
Euonymus japonicus 
on foliis argenteis 
Aucuba Japonica ae 
Vaccinium Vitis Idea 
Rhamouus alaternus 
: ‘Oliis aureis 
s argenteis {gata 
Baxus arborescens 3 an, rustifolia aie 
Li on argentea Tlex Aquifolium albo marginata 
ee oy aurea r s' os bribe eee 
eg +. Mar, 4 
Juniperus Sabina sia airacicth 
7 prostrata ferox argentea 
variegata aurea 
eats necessary in selecting the plants to have them 
is ee and as perfect in form as possible. Where expense 
nea an object, a number of Azaleas and hybrid Rhodo- 
sa ‘ons might be forced a little under glass, and woul 
aes to the gaiety of the garden in April and May. 
» P. Ayres, Brooklands, 
Zi 
HOME CORRESPONDENCE. 
Gardening on Peat-Bogs.—\ was wondering, when IT 
was reading the communication of your correspondent 
«* Quercus,’’ when he was telling you about the new kail- 
yard that he had a hand in makin’, gif he was an auld 
>prentice o’ mine, for he described the situation o’ the 
garden I hae worked in for mony a year, for it was formed 
chiefly out o’a “sandy bank” and a “ quagmire ;”” for 
before we commenced makin’ the garden, its lower part 
was a place where the wild duck was sometimes shot 
while floating on the surface o’ the water, and as he says, 
there were mony “‘antiques’’ in and about it, such as 
arrow-heads made out o’ grey quartz, and spoons out 0? 
clay slate, besides quercus, and queras, and queghs, and 
other queer auld warld things, and the auld Oak rungs 
were Jang enough and broad enough to mak brigs for 
kintra burns; and fas he wants to ken the xesult 0’ the 
experience’ 0’ those wha hae gardened on peat, I for one 
will be ready to gin it as far as my experience goes. The 
peat in part 0’ the garden in which I hae earned my bread 
for mony a day is saxteen feet deep, and I hae had Celery 
and Cauliflower, sic as he describes himsel’, and the 
dwarf Marrowfats grew gigantically, and at this present 
hour the stems 0’ the Jerusalem Artichokes are upwards 
o’ ten feet high, and the shoots o’ the Raspberry are not 
far ahint them, and if some wild beasts were let loose 
among them, it would somewhat resemble the jungles o” 
Hindostan. Noo it isa pity that such a gude material 
as peat is not within the reach 0’ “ Quercus,” for I am 
convinced that it would be agreat benefit for his cawk 
and his clay, for in my lifetime 1 hae had a little practice 
wi? baith; mony a happy hour hae I spent amang the 
moors and mosses o’ Berkshire, looking for the white- 
blossomed Heather; and I hae gathered the Teasel on the 
