General Notices. 



653 



their sheds were kept more open. In this country, a lower temperature 

 would of course suffice for every ordinary purpose ; and as to the neces- 

 sity of removing the cattle occasionally, we understand this matter can be 

 managed as easily as the regulation of the flues under the present system. 

 Cattle, while they inhale oxygen, respire carbonic acid gas ; a species of 

 nourishment which, when not given to the extent of an over-dose, will 

 undoubtedly quicken and promote vegetation, independently of the saving 

 in fuel and men's time. The breath of the cattle serves for both heat 

 and moisture, and completely supersedes the necessity of watering; in 

 short, our informant, who is himself a very ingenious man, and who saw 

 the thing reduced to practice, is perfectly satisfied of the superiority of 

 the plan, and asserts that it is in the power of every farmer to possess a 

 green-house equal to the most of those attached to the gardens of country 

 gentlemen." (Dumfries and GaUoway Courier, Feb. 26. 1822.) 



The plan (fig. 110.) kindly given us by Mr. Armstrong shows the 



110 



cowstalls, a a a; the pit under a glass roof for vegetables, h; double doors 

 to this pit, cc, double doors to the cowhouse, del; openings having shutters 

 on a level with the heads of the cows, through which their breath is thrown 

 directly into the atmosphere of the plants, e e ; and trap under the back 

 passage, to a funnel for carrying away the dung, /. Of course, were a plan 

 on this principle to be adopted in this country, it might be made more 

 perfect in the details. We should like to see it tried by some of the great 

 cowkeepers about London, for forcing succory and tart rhubarb, and more 

 especially for early potatoes. In our Treatise on Hot-houses, pubUshed in 

 1804 (p. 152.), we suggested the idea of forming green-houses and vineries 

 over stables, cowhouses, or even over cottages. — Cond. 



Saul's Watering-Despatcher. — Sir, I send you a drawing and descrip- 

 tion of what I denominate my watering-despatcher. In Vol. V. p. 656. 

 you have figured and described a utensil called the sonde {fi^g 111.), and in 

 Vol. VII. p. 219. another very similar utensil {fig. 112.) called the aquarian, 

 or waterer ; an attentive consideration of both which will show that the 

 filling of either with water is a matter, if not of difficulty, at least of loss 



