1 1 8 Retrospective Criticism. 



continued stationary, the internal rose 5°, while the temperature of the 

 water giving out the additional warmth itself lost 44°. Again, Jan. 18., at ten 

 P.M., external temperature, 21°; inteimal temperature, 76°; water, 212°. 

 Here we have the external temperature 11° coldei; the internal 17° hotter, 

 than in the former instance, while the water was the same, viz., 212°; and 

 from ten p.m. on the 18th, till seven a.m. on the 19th, the external 

 air fell 7° , the internal 8°, and the water 32°. To follow figures no far- 

 ther, I only beg to remark, that,, Mr. Harrison [at Petworth] being allowed 

 to be a very clever gardener, a sensible man, and an author (I regret I 

 have not the honour of his acquaintance), his table may lead some per- 

 sons to entertain expectations as to the results of hot water that will 

 certainly not be reaUsed; a circumstance I should very much regret: 

 and it is with the sole view of pi'eventing mistakes, that I beg the attention 

 of Mr. Harrison may again be turned to the subject. He is, without 

 question, aware that 



" Facts are chiels that winna ding. 

 And downa be disputed." 



If he would " try again, " and in a similar table give us a second series of 

 results, with the coals instead of the winds in column the sixth, I, for one, 

 would be much obliged to him. The table you mention was communi- 

 cated by Mr. Cottam. Now, as to him, I do not believe there is any 

 man alive in England that understands the subject better than he does, 

 as far as scientific pnnciple is concerned. Its practical application is, perhaps, 

 better understood by many humbler men ; and, however flattering the 

 results stated in Mr. Harrison's table may be to Mr. Cottam's apparatus, 

 I feel convinced no one would more regret an erroneous impression being 

 created concerning it than Mr. Cottam himself I am. Sir, yours, &c. — 

 J. Hislop. Ashtcad Park, Dec. 10. 1832. 



The Button- Wood- Tree of the Americans is the J'ldtamis occidentdlis L. — 

 I mention this, because, although Dr. Mease, in speaking (Vol. VHI. 

 p. 133.) of immense American button trees, has identified them with 

 the genus Plataniis, j'et the button-wood tree of English collections 

 is the shrub Cephalanthus occidentalis : both this shrub and the Platani 

 have, almost doubtless, obtained the name of button wood from their 

 flowers being borne in globular heads, somewhat resembling buttons. — 



j.n. 



TheHoop Petticoat Narcissus {Coriuldria serbtina Haw.). — In Vol. VIII. 

 p. 724., you remark the comparative hardihood of this plant, which is a 

 favourite one with me. I had a great many, when I lived in Warwickshire, 

 growing in a border under the south front of the house, and I found them 

 as hardy as crocuses. They were never taken up or covered in winter, 

 and they flowei'ed profusely every season. Many of them grew nearly 

 under the drippings from the roof. They are very showy bulbs, and I 

 wonder they are not more common. — Selim. Jan. 1. 1833. 



We feel with Selim in admiration of this charming flower ; but theii- 

 rarity is caused by the nurserymen charging \s. 6d. for a bulb of this 

 species ; so that whoever would gratify his wish to plant a dozen or two 

 bulbs of it in his borders must first have a sovereign or two to spare. We 

 have known a lady, now dead, a lover of flowers, who, on seeing this plant 

 in a garden she had visited, went straight to her seedsman, and ordered 

 half a dozen of bulbs. When they were supplied, they were charged 95.; at 

 which the lady was so surprised, that she begged to decline taking more 

 than one of them. — J. D. 



Species of Plants in the smoky Atmosphere of London. — In addition to 

 the kinds named. Vol. VIII. p. 244., lime tree and the Siberian lilac may be 

 registered : these are growing in a very confined garden behind the Poul- 



