36 THE GARDENERS’ CHRONICLE, 
(Jan. 21, 
in on one Magdeburg acre of land, the soil will receive 
14 lbs, nitrogen, 440 Ibs. carbon, &c. ; whence we might 
conclude (even if experience did not prove it) that crops 
cannot be as good as after Red Clover. If, however, they 
do prove good after this sort of green manure, it may be 
owing partly to the excrements of cattle, and partly to the 
rest which the soil has received. 
10. Roots of Lucerne and Saintfoin, — Both these 
plants act on the fields where they have been ploughed in 
by their roots, which are sometimes 20 years old; and 
their strong effects may be judged of by the luxuriant 
state of several crops grown after them. We must, how- 
ever, take into account that the soil has been also manured 
by the leaves which have fallen during that long time. It 
would perhaps be possible to bring to the surface a large 
part of the deep roots, which are of no use to the sub- 
sequent crops, by means of such instruments as are 
applied in England to draw the roots of Thistles and 
Coltsfoot. It however remains to be seen whether the 
roots thus obtained would repay the labour. At any rate, 
idle hands might be employed about it. 
1l. Roots of Grasses (turf manure).—When an old 
pasture is broken up, the soil is manured by the sward, 
which soon decomposes, and whose effect will last the 
longer the older the sward is; because, in that case, it 
forms a close mat of roots, in which the strength of the 
furrow-slice has been collected as well as that of the sub- 
soil, if such deep ted plants as Dandeli Plantain, 
Milfoil, and Thistles, are in the turf. An old sward of Grass 
is, moreover, a very superior manure, because it keeps the 
soil (especially if light and dry) in a moist and cool con- 
@ition. Such soil, therefore, if laid down with a mixture 
‘of Grasses, White Clover, &c., although used for several 
years as apasture, when ploughed is followed by 3, 4, 5, 
crops of grain, which (after the decay of the Grasses) will 
grow as luxuriantly as after a full manuring ; provided, 
however, the soil, when originally laid down, was in 
tolerably good condition; otherwise these very Grasses 
which were intended to manure the soil, will grow ill and 
form anything but a dense turf. It may be assumed that 
the roots of a pasture 4 to 5 years old, contain as much ma- 
nuring substances as the roots of Red Clover two years old. 
To the plants already mentioned may be added the 
stubble of Spurry cut green, Vetches, and other vegetables 
used as fodder, the weeds that grow on fallows or in 
stubble. The latter are most useful when their roots 
reach deep in the subsoil, and so bring substances to the 
surface of which the furrow-slice is deficient. The green 
stems of Tobacco are very valuable, as they are rich in 
alkali and nitrogen. The stubble of plants mown green 
should be ploughed in as quickly as possible, in order that 
the humus formed by the leaves that have dropped may 
not be dissipated. 
(To be continued). 
FLOWERING HYACINTHS FOR SHOWING. 
Having seen in the Chronicle several modes of culti- 
yating Hyacinths, 1 am induced to send you the method 
which I adopt for obtaining a fine spring bloom for the 
purpose of exhibition; a point on which none of your 
other correspondents have remarked. 
In the first place, it is important that a proper selection 
be made in the choice of bulbs, which ought to indicate 
great strength ; for as the best sorts sometimes make poor 
fiowers, such only should be chosen as show the greatest 
substance. The soil which I make use of consists of good 
free loam and well-rotted cow-dung, with a small portion 
of sand; yet I would remark that this is not of great im- 
portance, as the matter to be developed is the secretion 
of the previous season, and therefore only requires to be 
placed in favourable circumstances to forward its proper 
development. 
The bulbs being planted in 32s (proper Hyacinth pots 
being of the same width as those, although much deeper), 
I place them in a cold pit or frame, with a dry flooring, 
and cover the whole over with dry saw-dust, at least six 
inches deep, above the pots. This material being kept 
perfectly dry, the bulbs are secure from frost, and like- 
wise from premature excitement. When spring arrives 
and the leaves begin to push, I raise the pots above the 
saw-dust to prevent that blanched appearance which this 
tribe often present when brought from the old tan-heap, 
which is but too often their abode until wanted for forcing. 
As soon as the plants begin to grow I expose them as 
much as possible, merely protecting them from frost 
and rain. 
When nearly in flower, I remove them to a shaded 
place, and fix over them hand-lights, elevated upon inverted 
wwer-pots under the corners, for the twofold purpose of 
making room for their tops and giving them all the air 
possible. When the day is fine and calm, remove the top 
of the light entirely. In such a situation, they will deve~ 
lope themselves in their greatest perfection, and may be 
preserved in full beauty for double the time which they 
would be if exposed to the sun.— 4. Dawson. 
A MACHINE FOR PREPARING OIL-CLOTH. 
Tuts. design represents a small machine for manufac- 
turing oil-cloth, which will be found essential by those who 
have much glass to cover. I need not enter into any 
details respecting the economy in using oil-cloth in prefer- 
ence to garden-mats ; enough has already been stated in 
the Chronicle upon that subject. 
My opinion is, that oil-cloth is an excellent covering for 
various purposes. Ifa light triangular frame was made, 
and covered with this cloth to any required length, it 
would answer for covering early Peas or Potatoes during 
frosty nights. After the danger of spring frosts was past, 
it would serve for placing over any newly-transplanted 
Cauliflowers, Celery-plants, &c., provided the weather 
was unfavourable when they were removed. It would also 
be serviceable for sheltering Celery during the winter from 
frost and rain ; and would assist in preventing the Celery 
from becoming*rotten. 
Frames of a conical form, covered with oil-cloth, might 
be made of strong wire, with the ends fixed into a round 
hoop of wood, to stand upon the ground. These would 
answer for covering Gooseberry and Currant bushes, and, 
if placed over them sufficiently soon, would keep them 
from breaking too early in spring. These frames, with 
proper ventilation, would also serve for protecting the 
fruit in autumn from birds and heavy rains. 
The following machine has been contrived by me for 
preparing this substance :— 
Fig. A. 
Baie AO OR | RRM ST pS 
A is a side view of the machine: the frame and the 
three rollers are made of wood; the latter are 6 inches in 
diameter. The frame is of wood, 23 inches square, and 
morticed together, as represented in B. The whole 
machine, exclusive of 10 inches for the boiler and frame, 
will not occupy more than 2 feet 6 inches square. The 
boiler, of block tin, is 3 feet 3 inches in length, 9 inches 
deep, and 9 inches in width; or made in length according 
to the width of the cloth to be prepared. The boiler and 
fire-place are fitted within an iron frame screwed to the 
bottom sill at C. An iron supporter is screwed to one of 
the uprights under each end of the double rollers at D, and 
secured also to the top of the iron frame in which the 
boiler is fixed. 
Two rollers, one on each side of the boiler (fig. 1), are 
fixed upon the iron frame; these are intended for the 
cloth to be rolled upon, previous to its passing through 
the machine. 2 is a small tin roller fixed in the bottom 
of the boiler, so as to cause the cloth to be saturated by 
descending from roller 1 and ascending from 2 to 3. The 
cloth passes over the roller 3, and then between the double 
rollers. At each end of the roller (fig. 3), a flange is fixed 
so as to direct the cloth between the two rollers; it is re- 
quisite that the double rollers should be covered with 
cloth. The post, to which the top roller is fixed, is to be 
made so that the axle will rise and fall according to the 
thickness of the cloth prepared. 
When the cloth has been conducted between the double 
rollers, it is placed upon the single roller and turned round 
by the windlass, The passage of the cloth is shown by 
the dotted arrows. 4 is a fire-place under the boiler, 
made either of bricks or cast-iron, heated by charcoal, 
with a small tube at the extremity to allow the gas from 
the charcoal to escape and cause combustion. 5 is a box 
drawer made of sheet-iron, with a round handle in front 
to push in and out when required. This will answer as a 
ventilator, and will be much safer than if left open, as the 
sparks of charcoal are liable to fly about. 6 is a tin dish, 
placed under the bottom roller to prevent the oil from 
being wasted by falling upon the floor. 
To every gallon of cold-drawn linseed oil one pound of 
bees’ wax may be added; _ these should be placed in the 
boiler till the liquid becomes quite thin from the heat of 
the fire; it will then be fit for use. When a sufficient 
quantity of cloth has been prepared, it may be conveyed 
to some convenient place to dry, and may be stitched 
together as required.— Thomas Sellers, Pennoyre. 
RENDLE’S TANK SYSTEM OF HEATING. 
I READ with pleasure your notes at page 19 of the Chro- 
nicle, respecting a ‘new plan of heating,” observed at 
Mr. Beck’s, of Isleworth; and also that you do me the 
justice to ascribe the originality of its invention to me. 
‘As you have now brought it prominently before the public, 
perhaps a few observations from myself may prove 
acceptable. 
It is a plan which can scarcely be recommended too 
strongly’; for not only is it adapted for the smallest pro- 
pagating-house, but also for plant structures of the largest 
size. You have clearly explained the principle of the appa- 
ratus to your readers; therefore, description from me 
would be superfluous. My tank or cistern is about 20 ft. 
long, and 5 ft. broad; it is situated in the centre of @ 
house, and except at the end where the boiler is fixed, is 
surrounded by a walk. The boiler is one of Rogers’s, and 
acts admirably. The depth of the tank is only 6 inches, 
and this is quite sufficient. On the top I have placed 
large slate slabs, cemented to each other to prevent a 
superfluity of steam from escaping into the house. 
When first I thought of this excellent mode, J imagined 
that to keep up a sufficient heat in the house, I should be 
obliged to retain a constant fire ; but such is not the case. 
If the fire is lighted for two hours in the morning and 
evening it is quite sufficient to maintain a steady and 
genial bottom-heat, as the large body of water in the 
reservoir, when once heated, remains warm for a consider- 
able length of time. The thermometer is generally on an 
average at 65°. 
In a small house this principle can be adopted for less 
than 5/.; and in larger ones, at a cost at least one-half 
less than that of hot-water pipes. As you justly remark, 
a common blacksmith and carpenter are all that are 
required to put it up. I doubt not but before many years 
it will be universally adopted by all those who grow 
Pine-Apple, Melon, Cucumber, or even stove and Orchi- 
daceous plants, when we shall find dung, leaves, and other 
fermenting materials excluded from the Pinery and Stove, 
and used only for manures. Even J, who can procure 
tan and dung at a very low rate, am a saver of at least 20/. 
a year by this discovery; therefore the saving must be 
very great in a larger establishment, where hundreds of 
loads of dung, tan, and leaves, are consumed annually. 
On the 28th of December last, the apparatus was set at 
work, and my foreman commenced propagating Dahlias, 
which are potted and placed on the top of the slates, and 
surrounded by sawdust. They are now breaking luxu- 
riantly ; hundreds of cuttings are already taken off, and 
plunged in sawdust in another part of the tank, I have 
used the apparatus for more than 8 months, and have been 
highly successful in striking some thousands of plants. 
It is certainly the most complete plan that possibly can 
be adopted for a propagating-house.—W. C. Rendle, 
Plymouth Nursery. 
AMATEURS’ GARDEN, No. III. 
As the present weather is not inviting for out-door 
operations, advantage should be taken of it to regulate 
the greenhouse and frame plants previously to their com- 
mencing their spring growth. That the health of plants, 
as well as of animals, is materially influenced by cleanliness 
is evident, from the difference between the growth of the 
same species in the country, and in the smoky atmosphere 
of large towns. In the country, plants grow with vigour : 
whereas, in the town, although enjoying the same advan- 
tages as to soil and water, they only drag out a miserable 
existence. This is caused by the respiratory organs 
becoming choked by the accumulation of dust on the 
foliage, and as the plant is thus unable to breathe, some 
derangement of its system must be the result. In the 
constituent parts of the atmosphere, the most delicate 
analysis has failed to detect any material difference be- 
tween that of densely populated towns and open places ; 
but that it is less transparent is obvious to those who have 
ever observed it from an eminence. There is no doubt, 
therefore, that the want of light and the dirty state of the 
foliage are the principal reasons why plants do not thrive 
in towns ; but the success that has attended their cultiva- 
tion in Ward’s cases proves that they can be grown in 
such situations, provided they are kept clean, have all the 
light that can be procured, and are not parched up by an 
arid atmosphere ; for it is to keeping plants free from 
dirt, and to supplying them with an atmosphere contain- 
ing moisture proportionate with the temperature of their 
habitations, that we may attribute their successful cultiva- 
tion in glazed cases. From the above observations the 
window-gardener will see the necessity of keeping his 
plants clean, especially in dull weather ; and the possessors 
of frames and greenhouses the propriety of washing the 
glass frequently. 
In regulating the plants, it will be well to wash the 
foliage of Oranges, Caméilias, and other smooth-leaved 
plants, with a sponge and clean water ; and the dust may 
be removed from Pelargéniums, and other woolly-leaved 
plants, by brushing them lightly with a soft brush. After 
the plants are cleaned, the pots should be washed, and the 
surface of each replaced with fresh soil ; and if they re- 
quire it, they should be neatly tied to fresh stakes. It is 
not an uncommon occurrence to see a stick as thick as a 
man’s thumb supporting the delicate stem of a Calceolaria, 
or forming part of a trellis for a fragile and elegant 
climber. This is bad taste; and it should be recollected 
that, as a support of this kind is only a necessary evil, 
the more slender the sticks are the better, provided 
they are strong enough to sustain the plant. Stout 
green thread, or painted twine are good substitutes for 
matting. 
Carnations, Picotees, Auriculas, and Polyanthuses in 
frames, should have all the air possible in mild weather ; 
but they must be protected from wet. It is a good plan 
to have the frame raised upon a brick, placed beneath each 
corner, with movable boards to fit around it, so that they 
may be let down in mild weather, to admit a current of 
air among the pots, and be replaced in case of frost. Re- 
move all decaying matter, so as to keep the atmosphere 
within as pure as possible, and prevent the attack of mil- 
dew on the plants.—W. P. Ayres. 
HOME CORRESPONDENCE. 
Salt as a Manure.—I am one of those who consider a 
little fact worth a great deal of theory ; consequently I 
feel no hesitation in relinquishing my theoretical opinions 
concerning salt as a manure, after the statements made by 
Mr. Brewisin alate Number. I may state, however, that 
one of my objects was to bring out facts, if such could be 
