September 29, 1870. ] JOURNAL OF HOBTICtTLT OBB AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. 



249 



have heard of and seen Borne wonderful boilers, bnt some- 

 how the wonderful soon becomes the rather common and every- 

 day affair. That your boiler is a good one and easily managed 

 we do not doubt. It is just the old upright cylinder boiler 

 with these little differences : The fireplace on which it is 

 placed is rather larger than usual ; the top of the boiler is 

 nearly double the width of the base, spreading regularly out to 

 that width. The upright cylinder inside is of the usual regular 

 shape, but that is appropriated almost entirely to the holding 

 of fuel, which drops down as it is consumed, the heated air, it 

 is true, passing partly through the fuel ; but the chief heat 

 from the fire passes directly from it through flues round the 

 sides of the boiler, meeting over the top, and thence into the 

 chimney. We have no doubt that by filling this cylinder with 

 fuel the fire will last a long time, if you moderate the draught 

 at the ashpit-door. We believe that when fairly set going you 

 will have little smoke, as the fuel will be well heated and 

 carbonised before dropping into the fireplace, but with these 

 advantages there is this disadvantage, that there is but a 

 small part of the boiler exposed to tne direct action of the red- 

 hot fuel in the fireplace. 



We should be very sorry to damp the aspirations of anyone, 

 and especially an amateur, but having registered your in- 

 vention we would let well alone ; and if you asked our advice, 

 it would be not to waste money on a patent. In your plan 

 there is nothing new. For years back we have had sections of 

 boilers sent to us, some as Bimple, and others much more 

 complex than yours, and having the peculiarity of making the 

 inside of the cylinder chiefly a fuel-box, so that you might have 

 trouble enough with your patent if ever you should want to 

 protect it. As a warning we may mention two facts — First, 

 in a celebrated nursery we lately saw standing a substantial 

 double saddle-back boiler, invented by one of the firm, and 

 which had answered very well with them, yet, notwithstanding 

 their influence, they have not yet sold enough of them to pay 

 the first cost of moulding and casting. The second fact is, 

 that some of the greatest gardeners in the country, alter trying 

 all kinds of boilers, are actually falling back on the common 

 saddle-backs, and depending chiefly on the direct action of the 

 fire, and regulating draught by the ashpit-door and the damper. 

 Provided a boiler is well set, a first-rate stoker will well make 

 almost any boiler the best for a continuance.] 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



Continue to destroy weeds wherever they appear ; clear 

 away all decaying leaves from Broccoli and Brussels Sprouts, 

 and have them or any decaying vegetable matter, at once 

 trenched into unoccupied ground ; still, the extent of unoccu- 

 pied ground in a well-managed kitchen garden ought at this 

 season to be very small. Prepare a quarter of ground for the 

 main crop of Cabbages for next May, June, and July. Let it be 

 thoroughly manured and trenched, as they will have to remain 

 perhaps twelve months in the same spot, for if well managed 

 they will produce after cutting an abundant crop of greens of 

 the Colewort character. If ground and plants be to spare, a 

 great quantity of the Early Tork should be planted out in well- 

 manured beds or borders at about 6 inches apart ; these will 

 be " in cut " before the early Cabbage comes in, perhaps by the 

 end of March. The Cauliflowers sown in August will be getting 

 gross ; they Bhould be removed forthwith. Some personB pot 

 them, and doing bo is an excellent plan for the earliest lot. 

 They may be kept thus in a cold frame or pit until the begin- 

 ning of February, when they may be planted under hand-glaBses. 

 Those for succession crops if growing too strong may be pulled 

 np, thrown on the ground for half an hour to check the fibres. 

 and then be planted out in poor soil where they are to remain. 

 To prevent the attacks of slugs on young Cauliflower and Let- 

 tuce plants, mix soot and lime in equal quantities, and dust 

 them over with this once or twice weekly. We must now ex- 

 pect frost very soon, and ought to prepare accordingly. Lettuce, 

 for instance, just coming into use may be lifted with balls and 

 placed in frames. Look over Onions that have been stored, 

 and remove any that are beginning to decay. Make the last 

 out-door sowing of Radishes, which, if the winter do not set in 

 early, may prove useful. Let the latest-sown Turnips have a 

 thorough thinning and weeding. In late situations where To- 

 matoes are just ripening let them be gathered or ripened-off in 

 the houses, as the least froBt is fatal to them. 



FRUIT GARDEN. 



If wet weather set in let the Strawberry plants in pots be 



proteoted either by turning the pots on their sides or by placing 

 them in cold frames, but in either case so that worms may be 

 excluded. Continue to collect late varieties of Pears and Apples. 

 Walnuts are also quite fit to gather. Attend to Apples in the 

 fruit room aB before directed. 



FLOWER GARDEN. 



The time is at hand for alterations and the planting of choice 

 shrubs. Where extensive alterations are contemplated, more 

 especially in planting flowers, observations should be made 

 before the flowers lose their character and the trees and shrubs 

 are stripped of their foliage. Cuttings should be carefully 

 looked over to see that nothing has been omitted, and that a 

 sufficient quantity of everything is in a promising state for 

 making good plants before winter. It should be borne in mind 

 that plants which are at all difficult to winter if rooted after 

 this time may be considerably thinned before spring, and also 

 that they will not be sufficiently strong to furnish cuttings for 

 spring propagation ; consequently a larger quantity should be 

 provided than would have been necessary had the cuttings been 

 put in six weeks ago. If there is a reserve stock of strong 

 plants in pots, to have which is a safe practice where many 

 bedding plants are required, and if there is proper convenience 

 for growing them and propagating in spring, they will furnish 

 a large number of cuttings next March, and become as good 

 plants by turning-out time as cuttings put in now. In the case 

 of such plants as Ageratums, Petunias, Heliotropes, and dwarf 

 Lobelias it is useless wintering young stock, as they grow so 

 freely in heat, and are so easily propagated from soft cuttings, 

 that a few good-sized old plants, which require but little room 

 or attention in winter, will furnish a very large quantity of 

 plants by bedding-ont time. Attend to the potting of cuttings 

 sufficiently rooted, and give every after-attention to them in 

 order to have them well established. Persevere with leaf- 

 sweeping and other routine work. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



Chrysanthemums intended for the decoration of these struc- 

 tures should be placed under cover at once and receive every 

 attention. Regular watering is one of the most important 

 matters, for if allowed to become dry, if only for a few hours, 

 decay or yellowness immediately takes place in the under 

 leaves. They will from this time eDJoy liquid manure con- 

 stantly, provided it is perfectly clear and weak. All suckers 

 should be pulled away as they are formed. See to thorough 

 staking here, and the extermination of all insects. Large 

 specimens of the following make a fine figure at this period : — 

 Buddlea Lindleyana, Gesnera lateritia, Salvia patens, Begonia 

 incarnata, Phlox Drummondi, Ipomcea ficifolia (trellis), Thnn- 

 bergias, Plumbagos, JuBticias, Clerodendrons, &c. Stocks and 

 Mignonette sown a few weeks ago may now be transplanted, 

 especially the Stocks. If any early bloom is desired, half a 

 dozen plants may be put into a well-drained 5-inch pot. The 

 last shift should now be given to forward Cinerarias intended 

 to bloom tbia autumn and early in spring; use most liberal 

 drainage, and put them under cover close to the glass, with a 

 free circulation of air. Tagetes lucida is a good late-flowering 

 plant ; although of long standing, it is not so generally known 

 as it deserves to be, and grown in pots it makes a good display 

 in November, the flowers being a rich yellow. Tie Azaleas 

 into form as soon as can be done, in order to give them a neat 

 appearance. Look carefully after the watering of large hard- 

 wooded plants in pots, especially Heaths, which are soon in- 

 jured by being either over or under-watered. Examine the 

 specimens often and carefully, and when they are found to be 

 dry water thoroughly, so as to moisten the whole of the ball ; 

 also look sharply after mildew on softwooded Heaths, and dust 

 the plants with sulphur directly the enemy is perceived. Look 

 carefully after red spider on Brassieas, Chorozemas, and any- 

 thing else found to be liable to the pest. Red spider is easily 

 got rid of by layiDg the affected plant on its side and well 

 washing the under sides of the leaves with the engine, applying 

 the water with as much force as the foliage will bear. Repot 

 strong-growing Pelargoniums ; plants fairly established after 

 repotting can hardly be kept too cool. Keep tree Yiolets clear 

 of their great enemy, red spider, by a liberal ubo of the 

 syringe, and give them plenty of manure water, which will 

 assist in keeping them in vigorous health. Primulas must 

 also be carefully attended to, in order to encourage them to 

 make rapid growth. 



STOVE. 



The above, as well as other gardening structures, partakes 

 in general of some re-arrangement at this period, when the 



