March 3, 1863.] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



173 



four-inch piping, the boiler being of wrought-iron, and the fire 

 heat playing well around it before ascending the chimney. With 

 this arrangement it would be no difficult matter to keep the 

 house of 50 feet by 16, at a temperature of 80° ; but to do this 

 it would be necessary to keep a fire going day and night, and 

 this at the smallest consumption of fuel, tells ap in the course 

 of a few weeks. The boiler alluded to is a saddle one, of the 

 best of its kind, and set in the most approved manner, and 

 although I believe that the consumption of fuel was moderate, 

 yet the space to be heated was very small compared to what is 

 required of some boilers. There is a vast difference between 

 heating 120 feet of four-inch pipes, and heating 2000 feet of the 

 same-sized pipes, and if a boiler can be constructed on a plan 

 that will heat the quantity of water contained in the 2000 feet 

 of pipes, with the same consumption of fuel that was necessary 

 in the above-mentioned case, a great stride will be made in the 

 right direction. 



I believe tins is possible, and what I have seen of different 

 kinds of pipe-boilers convinces me that they are most efficient, 

 ■where a large body of water is to be heated. I do not pretend 

 to say that one kind is better than another ; whether Weeks', 

 Ormson's, or Clarke's are most effective. The pipes of these 

 being upright, or nearly so, they are, doubtless, less likely to 

 clog with soot than Messenger's boilers, the tubes of which are 

 arranged horizontally, and are triangular, and fitted so as to 

 leave three quarters of an inch space between. They are made 

 on the principle of presenting a maximum surface of water 

 to the fire ; and although this gives a large surface to clog with 

 soot, and, moreover, these boilers require constant cleaning, 

 still I believe they are the most efficient I know of, for heating 

 a large space. But one thing is necessary — there ought to be a 

 good draught, or the many intricate passages the flames have to 

 pass through, damp the fire, causing a waste of fuel. In order 

 to keep the fire going, much has to be raked out that would be 

 otherwise consumed, and however strongly a fire may burn at 

 times, it ought to be so arranged as to be under control, with 

 damper and ash-pit door. Where this is the case, it is not only 

 safer, as when extremely sharp frosts occur, but it is econo- 

 mical in all respects. It would be the reverse of economy to 

 find that the frost had got in, merely because it was found im- 

 possible to maintain sufficient heat to keep it out. I firmly 

 believe that hot water is the best, cleanest, and cheapest means 

 of keeping up a permanent heat ; but I believe there is still room 

 for great improvement in its application. In fact, there should 

 be no loss of heat from the boiler being placed too far from its 

 work, or other causes, and it should be perfectly under control. 

 — P. Chitty. 



SEEDS FKOM BARBADOES. 



I HATE received from Barbadoes some seeds, of which I send 

 a list as nearly as I can distinguish the names. Some are very 

 large. Will you inform me whether they are available in this 

 country ? I possess a small stove and conservatory. — Vicabtos. 

 Abrus precatorius Bread-and-Butter seed. Botanical 



Anona muricata name unknown 



Achras sapota Canna indica 



Circassian berries. Botanical name Guilandina Bondue. 



unknown Lent-blossom tree. Botanical name 



Cois laehryma unknown 



Blue Iporosea Mimosa viva 



Bixa orellana Sapindus saponaria 



[We do riot think that you will do much with your importa- 

 tion of seeds from Barbadoes, either for your own growth or in 

 the way of exchange for other plants. In fact, any gardener of 

 experience would be shy of receiving tropical seeds as a gift 

 unless gathered by a scientific practical botaniBt. To oblige you 

 and some other friends who have had packets of seed sent them, 

 which they value much more than practical men would be likely 

 to do, we will give a few remarks on your list. 



Abetts pbecatobitjs. — This is a strong-growing climber, very 

 abundant in Jamaica, where the roots are used as liquorice, and 

 the seeds as beads. It would require stove heat, and half of a 

 fair-sized roof to grow on, even if the roots were considerably 

 confined. The seeds may be soaked in water at 150° for twenty- 

 four hours before sowing. 



Anoua mueicata is the Sour Sop Custard Apple, which grows 

 as a small tree in mOBt of the West India islands, the fruit being 

 a succulent subacid berry, like a large plum or orange in size, 

 with a flavour and smell like our black currant. It would be 

 worth, while to try if this could be made to fruit in a dwarf state. 



Sow the seeds in Bandy loam in a strong moist heat, keeping the 

 soil rather dry for a week. 



AcmtAS sapota, the Sapodilla tree, grows to a good height. 

 The fruit is as large as a quince, with a thick russet skin outside, 

 and a delicious melting flesh inside, with two Bmall stones or 

 seeds in the centre. These Bown and raised, the only likely 

 chance for making them fruit in a stove would be by cutting 

 the young Beedlings into cuttings, and thus trying to induce a 

 dwarf habit, bo as to fit them for our stoves of limited size. 



Circassian Bebeies. — Never heard of them. 



Coix lachkyma. — We gave an account of this curious tropical 

 Grass some time ago, and you will manage it very well in your 

 stove. The pearly-like seeds have been called " Job's Tears." 



Blue Ipoh;ea. — These will require a good moist heat to raise 

 them ; and it would be advisable to keep them in rather small 

 pots until you could see a flower. If you sowed them now, and 

 raised several plants, you might try some of them against a south 

 wall after the middle of June. There are so many blue Ipomseas 

 that it is quite impossible to know whether yourB are worth 

 keeping until you have proved them. 



Bixa OBELIANA. — This is naturally a high-growing tree, and, 

 therefore, we fear you will not be able to manage it in moderate 

 space. There is little attraction about it except its associations. 

 From the pulp which covers the seeds the drug amotto is made, 

 which, if not now much used for medical purposes, is, with or 

 without our knowledge, partaken of aa a colouring matter in a 

 good deal of the cheeBe and the butter we use. 



Bkead-and-Btjtteb Seeds. — These we cannot find out by 

 such a name. There are Butter-and-Eggs (the Narcissus incom- 

 parabilis), the Butter-bur (the Tussilago), the Butter-nut— a 

 Walnut (Juglans cinerea), and there are the Buttercups, which we 

 associate with daisies and the "long-times-ago." Again, there is 

 the Bread-root, the Psoralea eseulenta of Missouri, where the 

 roots are used somewhat in the manner of potatoes. There 

 is, again, the Bread-fruit, Artoearpus incisa, so plentiful and 

 useful in the South Sea Islands, growing there to the size of an 

 oak with us, and with foliage as finely cut, producing fruit as 

 large as a good-sized Swedish turnip ; and between the skin and 

 the large core the white edible matter is placed, which is so 

 supplied with starch that when a ripe fruit is roasted it eats 

 very like and is as pleasant as the best wheaten bread. The 

 seeds are generally about the size of a bean. Young plants are 

 to be found in the best London nurseries, and the plants are 

 elegant from their foliage ; but we do not recollect seeing the 

 fruit anywhere in this country. 



The Bread-nut is the last to which we will refer. This is 

 the Brosimum alicastrum, and most likely is what you have, 

 as it grows freely in Jamaica and the West India islands as 

 a slender tree or Bcrub shrub. It is often met with in our 

 stoves, though there is nothing attractive in its flowers, which, 

 in fact, may be said to have no petals. The mode of fruiting is 

 a good deal like that of Ricinus or Palma Christi. The young 

 leaves and the young Bhoots are eaten freely as fodder by cattle; 

 but they are not wholesome as they get hard and full grown. 

 There is a good quantity of milky starch and mucilage in the 

 nut-like seeds which are used, boiled, before they are quite hard ; 

 and when ripe and roasted eat very much like a roasted chest- 

 nut. In sowing, the nuts may be steeped previously in hot 

 water, or a little piece filed through at the end. If long kept 

 they lose their vitality. If meant for a small stove the seedlings 

 should be made into cuttings to induce a more dwarf compact 

 habit. 



Canna indica, the beautiful Indian Shot. — Steep the seeds 

 in water at 140° for twenty-four hours before sowing, and give 

 them a good bottom heat, and keep the surface of the pot covered 

 with damp moss before they appear. If kept in about 50" all 

 the winter they will be good ornaments for the greenhouse in 

 summer. Most seed lists now contain fine varieties of Canna. 

 In the south of England they make a fine effect out of doors in 

 summer with their bright flowers and fine foliage. 



Guilaxdina Bonduc.- — A large tree, chiefly found in the East 

 Indies, producing fine foliage and branches of yellow flowers, 

 and producing its seeds in a bean-like capsule. The seeds would 

 germinate sooner from being steeped in water. We think a house 

 like that at Kew or Chatsworth would be needed for this tree. 



Lent-blossom Tbee. — We have no idea what it is. 



Mimosa viva. — A pretty, Blender, low-growing shrub, rarely 

 rising 2 feet in height, resembling in appearance the Sensitive 

 Plant, which you will find no difficulty in managing in your 

 stove if you give plenty of heat and moisture. 



