Retrospective Criticism, 45' 



sufficient to guard the covers from injury, it is clear that the deeper they are 

 placed the safer they will be. — A. Saul. Castle Hill, Dec. 3. 1840. 



The Glazing of the Chatsworth Conservatory. — It unfortunately happened 

 that I was in Ireland when you were kind enough to send the proof here of 

 part of your November [1840] Number of the Magazine. In noticing the 

 great conservatory at p. 572. you state that Mr. Drake glazed it with squares 

 3 ft. 9 in. long, at \s. 4d. per foot square. You will remember my stating at 

 the time I gave you this information that Messrs. Chance, the manufacturers, 

 had desired me to say it was impossible for them to supply others at this price, 

 as they did not realise any thing by the transaction. They were desirous of 

 bringing this glass into notice, and had therefore offered to supply the quantity 

 I required at a low rate, being at the same time in a great measure ignorant of 

 the trouble and expense it would give them, as they had not manufactured 

 glass of the size required before. When the conservatory was first projected, 

 it was the intention to glaze it with small crown glass, but after great consi- 

 deration, and a good deal of conversation with Mr. Drake on the matter, he 

 wished me to try British sheet glass in lengths about 14 in. long ; this drew 

 my attention more particularly to the sheet glass, and, after making various 

 experiiments, I decided to do it with glass in one pane, or to use small crown 

 glass. Messrs. Chance, equally desirous with me for the large squares, met 

 my views in the most liberal way, and undertook to supply it at a low rate, 

 which enabled Mr. Drake to glaze the house at the price mentioned. I am 

 anxious your readers should be set right on this head, as Mr. Drake and the 

 Messrs. Chance have been subjected to considerable trouble, and many per- 

 sons have referred to me for the correctness of the statement, 



I may add, that so satisfied and pleased am I with this glass, that I would 

 recommend its adoption in all horticultural buildings, for strength, beauty, and 

 ultimate economy ; from its thickness, and the even manner which it beds 

 down to the bars, so very considerable a quantity of fuel is saved in early forcing 

 and stove plant houses, that the extra expense of glass would in many cases 

 be saved in fuel alone in two years. — Joseph Paxton. Chatsworth, Dec. 9. 



The Conservative Wall at Chatsworth. Gardener's Magazine for 1840, 

 p. 572. — I have been much interested in reading the accounts you give of the 

 conservative wall at Chatsworth. I wish I had such a one at command, I 

 think I would clothe it still better ; but unfortunately you have destroyed all 

 the benefit to cultivators, by the arrangement you have given. The list would 

 have been far more useful had you divided the plants : distinguishing those 

 that had the benefit of the flue; those that were only protected by the coping, 

 buttresses, and curtain ; and those for which the coping and buttresses alone 

 were sufficient guard. Could you not give such a list in a subsequent Number? 

 [Perhaps Mr. Paxton will be so kind as to supply it.] I am sure it would be 

 welcome to many as well as to myself. — J. C. Kent. Chamber's Court, near 

 Upton on Severn, Nov. 12. 1840. 



We trust some of our readers will enable us to comply with our corre- 

 spondent's wishes, as to conservatory wall plants in general. — Cond. 



Shriveling and Shanking of Grapes. — There has been so much discussion 

 in your Magazine on the shriveling and want of size and colour in grapes, that 

 I make bold to give my humble opinion also, more especially as I consider our 

 friend W. H. (Vol. for 1840, p. 598.) not altogether correct in thinking that the 

 shriveling proceeds from the border being too rich and stimulating. Crowded 

 foliage will be injurious, as far as preventing free access to light and air. Nor 

 do I acquiesce with our learned friend Dr. Lindley, in supposing that it pro- 

 ceeds from the roots being too cold for the internal atmosphere. I had vines 

 under my care at Edgerston in Roxburghshire, in the spring of 1837, when 

 the thermometer stood at 13° out of doors, and the internal atmosphere was 

 72°. The vines were planted on the outside of the house, with their stems 

 wrapped up with moss (i^ypnum), and the border mulched. They were planted 

 in a compost of strong hazelly loam, formed from the sward of a pasture 



