300 Tally for Plants in Borders. 



description of fuel is of the form shown at t in Jig. l04.; and it is 

 employed for raking the fire through the bars underneath, as 

 anthracite coal goes out if stirred in the usual way. 



Since the month of September 1835, my brother has erected 

 nine or ten of these boilers in New York and its neighbourhood, 

 and my father writes to me stating that they give general satis- 

 faction. The price of the boiler is 35 dollars, or 8/. 



London, February 18. 1836. 



Art. V. A nent and convenient Tally for ornamental Plants in 

 Borders. By Charles Lawrence, F.H.S., &c. 



I HAVE frequently seen communications in the Gardener's 

 Magazine, on the subjects of tallies for plants and fences for 

 trees ; and, though these may not seem very important objects, 

 they are of such daily use to those who have many plants to 

 na«ie, and trees to protect, that I wish to afford my brother 

 gardeners the result of my experience on them. 



With respect to tallies, I have tried a very great variety 

 which have been recommended by others, and I have found 

 objections to them all. I resolved, at last, to .have some made 

 of china, not glazed ; and was pleased with their clean and neat 

 appearance. I mark them with black paint, reduced with 

 sweet oil to the consistency of cream, so as just to flow slowly 

 through a common pen. With this a hundred tallies may be 

 marked, in the neatest manner, in two hours, with ease. I found 

 these, after they had been out a year, just as white, and the let- 

 tering as perfect, as when they were first put in the ground. 

 Some marked with paint reduced with spirits of turpentine were 

 nearly obliterated. I send you three specimens marked, for the 

 inspection of any one who may wish to see them. The largest 

 size is for plants or shrubs lying at a distance from the walks ; 

 and the small size for border plants, or large pots ; but 

 there is a still smaller size for ordinary pots. The tally 

 without a stem is used to hang on standard plants (roses, for 

 instance), and is suspended by malleable wire. When the tallies 

 are no longer wanted for the particular plants for which they 

 were marked, they are laid aside until a large number is accu- 

 mulated. We then put a pound of pearl ashes into an earthen 

 vessel, and pour on them two or three quarts of boiling water. 

 The tallies are placed in this for an hour, and then put to dry. 

 The lettering is thereby completely effaced, and the tally is re- 

 stored to the same condition as when first made. They are obtained 

 from Worcester ; and I purchase them retail, at one shilling a 

 dozen, taking one sort with another. They could be procured, 

 in large quantities, probably at one third less cost. They 

 are not suitable for nursery purposes, except in ornamental 



