General Notices. 311 



to receive standards, or slight buttresses, to keep the wall or partition per- 

 pendicular ; and against the face of the wall trellis-work of wood, or other 

 fit material, may be placed, for the support of the branches of the trees. 

 Walls or partitions for gardens formed in this way will transmit the heat 

 of the sun through them ; and hence fruit, which may be growing against 

 these walls having a northern aspect, will receive the benefit of the sun's 

 warmth, transmitted through the slates. In the construction of these trans- 

 mitting walls, the patentee does not confine himself to slate, but considers 

 that plates of iron, applied in the same way, might answer the purpose 

 nearly as well, provided that their surfaces were blackened, which would 

 cause them to absorb more of the solar rays. Even frames of glass might 

 answer the purpose, applied in the same manner, and perhaps some other 

 materials might do ; but it is desirable that the frames should be light enough 

 to admit of their being removed without difficulty, in order that these par- 

 titions may be shifted from place to place [put under cover during winter], 

 and set up in different parts of the garden, as convenience may dictate. 

 (Newton's Journal, vol. iii. p. 257.) 



A Composition for the Shoes of Gardeners. — Sir, Perceiving how assidu- 

 ous, and I may say public-spirited, you are in recommending any measures 

 calculated to increase the comforts of working gardeners, particularly in 

 providing them with sabots, or wooden shoes, to protect the feet from cold 

 during the pruning season (Vol. V. p. 575.), I venture to send you the follow- 

 ing receipt for a composition or ointment for shoes, which I have myself long 

 been in the habit of using, and have found, by experience, to be a very ex- 

 cellent one. However familiar this or similar receipts may be to some of 

 your readers, to others it may be unknown, and therefore acceptable : — 

 Take 1 pint of boiled linseed oil ; 2 oz. yellow wax ; 1 oz. Burgundy pitch ; 

 2 oz. spirit of turpentine. Melt the ingredients well together, over a slow 

 fire, and apply the composition to' the shoes with an ordinary brush, repeat- 

 ing the operation as often as the ointment will dry in. Take care to rub it 

 well into the seams, and set the shoes to dry in the sun. This composition 

 not only renders the shoes more impervious to wet, but preserves and gives 

 a tone to the leather, and enables it afterwards to take an exceedingly fine 

 polish from blacking. I would, therefore, recommend its use, not only for 

 strong shoes to gardeners, farmers, sportsmen, &c, who are obliged to be 

 much exposed to the wet, but for shoes and boots in general. The com- 

 position may be kept in an earthen cup or gallipot for a length of time, and 

 laid by for use as occasion requires. 



" Si quid novisti rectius istis, 



Candidus imperti; si non, his utere mecum." 



I am, Sir, yours, &c. — Dryshod. Jan. 9. 1830. 



Packing Fruit Trees for Exportation. — Sir, The following is the plan 

 adopted by Mr. Prince of New York, in packing fruit trees, and which I can 

 recommend, from experience, to your readers : — As soon as the tree is taken 

 out of the ground, the roots are dipped in a thick mixture of earth and water. 

 The roots are then tied in bundles, and dipped in all at once, and a mat is 

 lapped over them, to keep the earth round them together. They are after- 

 wards placed in a box, and a piece of wood is fixed across the box, over 

 the top part of the roots, to prevent them from moving, as the branches are 

 not lapped up at all. I have had trees packed in this manner, which have 

 remained in the above condition four months ; and, when unpacked, the 

 roots were throwing out new fibres. This occurred last spring; and, 

 although the season was so unfavourable, the trees made exceedingly fine 

 strong shoots. The plan adopted by Messrs. Buel and Wilson, of the Al- 

 bany nursery, in packing their fruit trees, is as follows : — They dip the 

 roots well in a mixture of earth and water ; but instead of lapping the roots 

 in a mat, they lay them in the end of the box, and fill in between them with 



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