246 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ September 27, 1877. 



one ; yon work with bo much more pleasure and energy when 

 carrying out a new project on the spur of the moment. 



I first called on several nurserymen in the neighbourhood 

 and asked their opinions as to whether a span-roof or lean-to 

 would be best, also should I build on the level or how much 

 below. Adopting their suggestions, I decided to sink 18 inches 

 and to have a span roof ; firstly because you economise the 

 heat and prevent a rapid evaporation by beiDg somewhat below 

 the surface, and secondly because a span roof is the only one 

 under which to grow symmetrical plants. I was not very par- 

 ticular as to Bize — not, however, wishing to exceed about 12 feet 

 by 9, so that in purchasing my lights for the roof I was easily 

 accommodated. After a little searching I found and bought 

 two glazed lights 11 feet by 4 feet 6 inches for £2 5s., a door 

 in frame 10s., carriage 7s. 6d. 



Now I had data to work upon ; so I at once called in a brick- 

 layer and a labourer, who dug out the necessary space and 

 put up the walls, 4 feet in height by 4i inches thick, price 

 £2 7s. 6d. Next I employed the village carpenter to work 

 with me in making the side lights and ends, also to help me 

 to put the whole thing together : his account with timber was 

 £3 10s. Then I went at it alone, measured for the glass, and 

 though I had never put in a pane in my life I determined to 

 glaze it, having first aeked someone to show me how to mani- 

 pulate. I only had one minute's instruction. Well, I sur- 

 mounted that difficulty much easier than I expected. Glass, 

 putty, and knives, 17s.; paint (24 lbs.) and brushes, 12s. 6d. ; 

 timber for stages, 9s., which I put up in this way — three tiers 

 on the north and a level stage on the south, leaving 2 feet 

 6 inches in centre for pathway. Dimensions when complete, 

 inBide 10 feet G inches by 7 feet 6 inches ; 4-feet brick wall, 

 15-inch side lights. 



Now came the knotty point, in fact several knotty points — ■ 

 how to heat, and with what to fill the house, &c, for I was so 

 thoroughly ignorant on all matters connected with greenhouses, 

 having spent most of my life travelling in Australia and China, 

 that I had to work very much in the dark ; but he who truly 

 loves plants and flowers soon finds out the way to treat them 

 successfully. In the first place I resolved not to make my 

 greenhouse simply a storehouse for Geraniums, Fuohsias, and 

 ordinary bedding plants, especially as I afterwards found that 

 I could keep them well enough in a cold room, but to grow as 

 many distinct and different varieties of flowers, Ferns, &c, as 

 I could manage in the space at command that I might have 

 a constant and increasing pleasure in watching the growth and 

 development of beauty in various forms and stages, instead of 

 the ordinary satisfaction of turning out a batch of Geraniums, 

 Calceolarias, &c. 



I procured a few Adiantums, Primulas, Cinerarias, cuttings 

 of French Geraniums Dr. Andry, Fulgens, Victor and Neptune, 

 a plant of Pleroma elegans, Plumbago capensis, six Azaleas, 

 two Camellias, one Aloe frutescens, two Acacias, Bix Cyclamens, 

 six Cactuses, one Deutzia gracilis, and two Cytisuses. These 

 I thought enough for a Btart, though I afterwards became 

 more ambitious. The selection of these plants was due partly 

 to advice of friends, but mostly to that comprehensive little 

 work "The Greenhouse," published at your office. 



Autumn being far advanced I began to look about me for a 

 heating apparatus, and after numerous inquiries I decided on 

 a Roberts's patent terra-cotta stove, and saw one advertised, 

 largest size with smoke pipe for 25s. I bought it, and I 

 think on reckoning up the items you will find the entire 

 cost for building, painting, heating, &c, amounts to about 

 £12 15s. The stove I found effective but difficult to manage. 

 It ia most simply constructed, and the directions bo plain 

 that it seems impossible to go wrong. However, I managed 

 it at last, and found very little trouble in keeping the heat 

 up to 50° in the depth of winter without any fresh supply 

 of fuel for from twelve to twenty-four hours, and I have 

 even found it quite hot at the expiration of thirty-six hours. 

 Ton mnst own it is worth a little trouble to arrive at this 

 result when I tell you it only costs about £2 15s. to keep 

 up quite the heat of a semi-stove house for eight months. 

 One great drawback I had to contend with was the dry heat, 

 which generated red spider on the Azaleas, shrivelled up the 

 Adiantums, &a. ; so after thinking it over I hit upon a plan 

 which has proved invaluable. I procured a sheet of iron 2 feet 

 by 2 feet punched with holes round the edges for nails ; I then 

 fixed together four pieces of wood 1 inch by 4, nailed on the 

 iron plate, putting a pieoe of list between it and the wood — 

 making, in fact, a shallow box with an iron bottom nearly 

 watertight. I then half filled the box with sawdust, put in a 



gallon of water, and placed the whole on the top of the stove. 

 In less than a week the beneficial effect was plainly observable, 

 indeed it proved a complete success. 



It then occurred to me that this tray of hot moist sawdust 

 might be still further utilised ; bo I placed on it according to 

 season and requirements pots and pans of cuttings, Verbenas, 

 Heliotropes, Deutzias, Lobelias, and many other things that 

 will not readily germinata or strike when most required — 

 namely early spring. Everything grew and rooted in a won- 

 derfully short space of time. The plants were potted-off in 

 60's, returned to the tray for a week, then removed to narrow 

 shelves swung with copper wire from the rafters so as to be 

 close to the glass. The only fault I found was that they grew 

 too quickly. 



As to the management of the stove itBelf I feel constrained 

 to give my fullest experience, the more especially as I know 

 many who have entirely failed in its management. Indeed I 

 called on a florist this morning to show him a new Gloxinia 

 I had raised since March, and he asked how I heated. I told 

 him. He was much surprised, as he had heard the stoves in 

 question were complete failures. In the first place the stove 

 is in three parts — stand or ashpan, body, and lid. I found 

 the separation of the body from the stand to be a mistake, so 

 had them cemented together. Then I had a 4-inch instead 

 of the UBual 3-inch smoke pipe : this causes a greater draught 

 and obviates the necessity for sweeping, which operation is 

 troublesome and dirty, besides being detrimental to the plants ; 

 whereas with the larger flue you have only to wait till the fire 

 is well blazing, then with a few smart taps up and down the 

 pipe the soot falls, catches fire, cleans the chimney, and gets 

 the heat up at the same time. Close the dampers to a quarter 

 of an inch, then in about an hour, or lees if you find the stove 

 heating regularly, Bhut them closely. Assuming that you light 

 your fire at 8 p ji. you will under all ordinary circumstances 

 find it Btill giving out sufficient heat at the same hour next 

 evening. Now, as to lighting, a most important item. Fill 

 the portable pan three parts with coal, then a piece of paper, 

 then a good handful or more of dry wood (I use mine hot 

 from the oven), on the top of that a good shovelful of fair- 

 sized coals, and it is ready. For the sake of giving fuller 

 information we will suppose you wish to change your fire, heat 

 going down. This requires practice to prevent injury to the 

 plants from fumes which must escape. First remove the tray 

 of sawdust, then open the top ventilator; with a strong iron 

 hook in hand take the top off the stove, lift out of the house the 

 exhausted pan, pop in the fresh one, throw in a match on the 

 paper, put on the lid, shut the ventilator, and the whole process 

 is finished in less than a minute ; then you have nothing to do 

 but regulate the dampers as above advised. All this may appear 

 very simple, but it took me at least six months to find out the 

 right way to manage the thing effectively. This is only my 

 first year's experience, but it was practical, and acting upon it 

 I made many improvements the second year. — Respice FiNEir. 



STRAWBERRIES— SOIL— SORTS. 



Most gardeners will agree with me that much so-oalled 

 Strawberry culture is unworthy of the name, is just a mere 

 manuring of the soil, planting of the plants, watering, weed- 

 ing, and cutting off runners — the ordinary routine in point of 

 fact, without any attempt to find out if the soil itself requires 

 any special treatment to render it suitable for the production 

 of fine fruit : hence, therefore, this outcry about sorts and 

 Boils so calculated to mislead that it cannot be left unnoticed. 



On page 14S I stated that " all kinds grow strongly and 

 bear fruit abundantly in a rich loam, or in soil that is brought 

 by cultivation as nearly as may be into a similar condition to 

 it." I repeat the statement here, and challenge anyone to 

 refute it. " Amaieck, Cirencester" says I go a little too far, 

 or to put it in other words, am a little too positive about this 

 matter, quoting Messrs. Rivers, Darwin, and Beaton to prove 

 it. Now these are the names of good men and true. All 

 honour to them ! Their words have not been lightly spoken. 

 What say they ? Darwin: That " successful culture of British 

 Queen depends upon the condition of the soil." Beaton: 

 That " to grow British Queen at Shrubland the whole nature 

 of the soil must be altered." Rivera : That " Eliza does not 

 thrive except upon a chalky soil." I do not, therefore, hesi- 

 tate to olaiin the two first of these great authorities as being 

 clearly on my side, and am able to assert from my own expe- 

 rience that splendid orops of Eliza have been produced by 

 plants growing in soil without any perceptible traces of chalk, 



