M^Intos)t's Practical Gardener. Igl 



only ; forming a complete System of modern Practice, in the various 

 Branches of Horticultural Science. Embellished with highly finished 

 Engravings of some of the most choice and valuable Fruits and Flowers 

 now cultivated in this Country. London. 8vo. Parts I. to VI. 2s, 6d. 

 each. One col. pi. and one plain pi. to each Part. 



Mr. Charles M'Intosh is well known among gardeners as a good practi- 

 cal botanist, a skilful cultivator, and of considerable taste in laying out 

 grounds. He has had a good deal of experience in the different depart- 

 ments of his profession, as the additions to his name imply, both in Eng- 

 land 'and Scotland, and therefore we may fairly expect from him a book 

 suitable to the present state of horticultural science. We do not think his 

 publishers have shown as much judgment in bringing out the work, as Mr. 

 M'Intosh has shown in writing it. Coloured plates of well-known fruits 

 and flowers, and an engraved titlepage, are of no sort of use to the practical 

 gardener, and a work of the present description does not require ornament. 

 The copperplate engravings of hot-houses, of which there is one to each 

 number, would have been just as well in wood, as far as utility is con- 

 cerned, and the work might have been afforded cheaper. So much for the 

 book-making part of this publication ; we shall now look over it and note 

 any thing not to be found in this Magazine or in our Encyclopcedia, or 

 otherwise deserving of remark. The work seems to be divided into four 

 parts, the culinary, fruit, forcing, and flower garden. 



The Culinary Garden. — After a very well written introduction, Chap. I. 

 treats of the formation of the kitchen-garden. Natural situations are bet- 

 ter than artificial ones, and much more economical. Too low and too high 

 situations are equally to be avoided. W. Atkinson, Esq., of Grove End, 

 architect, builds garden walls hollow, and introduces, within a few inches of 

 the bottom of the vacuit}', hot-water pipes, supplied from boilers heated 

 according to the method lately introduced or revived. " The distribution 

 of heat by this mode is so equal, that the pipes will be found as warm 50 or 

 60 ft. from the boiler, as they are where they are connected with it. This 

 is never the case with smoke flues, from which arise the many complaints, 

 that hot walls are burnt up in one part, and little affected by the heat irl 

 others." Of sunk walls, like those of ha-ha's, it is observed, " we once had 

 a sufficient proof of their superiority as far as regarded early crops." [We 

 should say, build them hollow, in order to preserve the surface dry.] Flint 

 walls are good ; "the first wall-fruits brought to Winchester market are 

 from trees planted on the ruins of the old city walls, which are chiefly com- 

 posed of flints One of the most complete, as well as the most capacious, 



reservoirs of water for a kitchen-garden, has been lately formed by Mr. 

 Forrest, at Syon House, the Duke of Northumberland's, and is constructed 

 entirely of iron." Water may be procured by boring, in many instances, 

 as at the Manor House in the New Forest, &c. 



Chap. II. treats of the Nature and Management of Soils, Chap. III. of 

 Manures, Chap. IV. of Draining, Chap. V. of the Systematic Alternation of 

 Crops, on which last subject the following alternation is given : — 



" 1. Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and savoys. 

 2. Common beans, French beans, and peas. 

 o. Carrots, beets, and parsneps. 



4. Turnips, early potatoes, onions, leeks, eschalots, &c. 

 R. Celery, endive, lettuce, &c. &c. 



" It is found in practice, that celery constitutes an excellent preparation 

 for asparagus, onions, and cauliflowers. 



" Turnips or potatoes are a good preparation for cabbages or greens. 

 " Broccoli or cabbages are a proper preparation for beans or peas. 

 " Cauliflowers prepare well for onions, leeks, or turnips. 



N 3 



