Kew Garde f2s, fVillmofs Gardens, 8^c. 591 



carrying on, under the direction of Mr. Smith, a correspondence with the 

 public botanic gardens, British and Continental. An intelligent gardener, an 

 old workman in these gardens, and who has been lately visiting the gardens of 

 the metropolis, has sent us the following paragraph respecting them : — 



" A difference of opinion appears to exist in regard to the sum required to 

 make this garden useful as a botanic garden ; from my own experience I am 'n- 

 clined to believe that much might be done even with the present allowance. 

 But surely an additional 1000/. a year might be spared for sending botanical 

 collectors abroad. I cannot but think that part of the sum which appears to 

 be yearly expended in repairing the present hot-houses, would be better em- 

 ployed in enlarging and otherwise improving them ; and this might be done 

 gradually, beginning with the palm-house, which, at present, is altogether dis- 

 creditable to the garden. It is with no ordinary feelings that I behold my 

 old friends, the fine old palms in this house, gradually going to decay ; and I 

 do hope that, before long, something will be done before they are irreparably 



lost.— J. wr 



Mr. Willmofs Gardetis, Isleworth. — October 3. Having seen the chunk- 

 stove advertised as being used by Mr. Willmot with great advantage, we 

 called to see it. The stove is small', portable, placed within the house (a 

 vinery), and burns only coke or cinders. The fire is placed in one cylinder, 

 which is surrounded by another, and the air, which enters at the bottom and 

 passes up the space between, being there heated, is distributed along the front 

 of the house in two perforated tubes proceeding right and left from the stove. 

 The fuel is supplied from the top by a very ingenious contrivance, viz. a 

 box the bottom of which is fitted exactly to the upper orifice of the fuel 

 chamber; and being filled with fuel, the bottom, which slides in grooves,is drawn 

 out, and the fuel is dropped into the fuel chamber without the admission of 

 smoke or dust into the house. Before the fuel box is removed, the cover of the 

 fire chamber, which also slides in grooves, is pushed in and thus replaced. The 

 smoke from the coke or cinders passes through the front wall of the house 

 in a sheet-iron tube of about 3 in. in diameter, and the hot-air tubes are of 

 the same material and dimensions. To counteract the effects of the dry heat 

 produced, a tin tray filled with water is placed over each tube, so as to be in 

 contact with it and evaporate the water. There can be no doubt but that this 

 is a very economical mode ol heating, not onl}' with reference to the first cost 

 of the apparatus, but to the daily cost of the fuel ; but it has two disadvan- 

 tages. In the first place, the dry heat produced is unfavourable to vegetation, 

 and cannot easily be rendered moist, because the heat issues in the form of 

 streams of hot air ; and not by I'adiation, from the surface of heated tubes, 

 as in the case of smoke, water, or steam, confined in flues or pipes : and, 

 secondly, should the fire be stronger at any time, from any accidental circum- 

 stance, such as better cinders or coke being used, or the smoke fiinnel and 

 the inside of the furnace being newly cleared out; or should a very mild night 

 unexpectedly occur ; then the quantity of heated air suddenly produced will 

 be so great as to overheat the house, and greatly injure the foliage of the 

 plants. On the other hand, if the fire were to go out unexpectedly, there is no 

 sufficient reservoir of heat, as there is in the case of flues or hot- water pipes ; 

 for the heat in the fuel, after the fire is gone out, is rapidly carried off by the 

 circulation of the air. We admit that, by great care on the part of the gar- 

 dener, this may be mitigated ; but, from the mode being liable to accidents of 

 this kind, it cannot be generally recommended. For heating a house or pit 

 where there are no flues or other means of heating, it may become a useful 

 expedient. However, if we have not done justice to this mode of heating, we 

 are open to the corrections and reasoning of Mr. Willmot. 



The Horticultural Society's Garden. — October 3. We have little to add, 

 respecting the conservatory, to what we have said in our preceding volume, 

 p. 351. and 332. The workmanship is excellent, and the plants are looking 

 well, but the structure, considered with reference to design and taste, is, in our 

 humble opinion, objectionable to a degree that would justify the use of much 



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