September 12, 1S72. ] 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



215 



it is impossible to get cold outer air completely saturated with 

 moisture by means of evaporating-pans." Now, if he speaks of 

 evaporating-pans such as are used by me, I can but answer by a 

 shrug such as Galileo must have given when he was lold that 

 the earth ought not to, and did not, and could not, move round 

 the sun. I, therefore, only shrug, and ask my wet and dry bulb 

 thermometer what it thinks of that story. 



But I have a difficulty in finding common ground of argument 

 with your reporter, for his notions of the laws which relate to 

 heat and heated fluids seem to me to be, to say the least, in- 

 accurate. For instance, I stated that of heat produced from 

 fuel a certain portion, much or little as the case might be, must 

 be used to draw the air through the fuel, and that the heat 

 necessary for this purpose could not be made available for the 

 further purpose of heating. This is a " dictum" your reporter 

 " cannot agree with." Yet it is as self-evident as the dictum 

 that two and two cannot make five, and has been so self-evident 

 ever since folk agreed that they could not eat their cakes and 

 have them. 



So, again, your reporter says, " There is no real economy 

 of fuel in a tall shaft, it only insures more perfect combus- 

 tion," and then he gives some reasons which are exquisitely 

 wrong. The true reason why air rises through (let us say), a 

 6-foot chimney, is because the 6-foot air-column within the 

 chimney is lighter, say by 1 oz., than the 6-foot column outside 

 it. It has been made this 1 oz. lighter by the consumption of 

 the necessary quantity of fuel. If we raise the chimney to 

 12 feet, the difference between the weights of the outer and 

 inner columns will be doubled ; and if we wish the smoke to 

 issue with no greater velocity than it did at first, we must burn 

 only half the fuel. The half saved from draught uses is thus 

 available for heating uses. To set all this out fully would fake 

 some time; but, even as Aberuethy said, " Read my book," I 

 would refer your reporter to a paper you were good enough to 

 print in vol. i., new series, entitled, " What Causes a Draught." 

 If your reporter can accept the explanation there given he will 

 no longer say that "the rapidity of the rise of my hot-air 

 current entirely depends on the amount of heat it extracts from 

 the stove." On the contrary, he will find that I rely upon a 

 shaft to induce temperate currents, instead of urging a stove to 

 impel hot ones ; and this shaft may be above or below the 

 ground level, but if possible should he below. 



I fear that I have already trespassed too much upon your 

 space, but if I may continue I would say that my principle 

 No. 1 is not a " truism," for many gardeners advocate imperfect 

 glazing, and rejoice in their chinks. But while I denounce all 

 such " fissures of imperfect structure," I am fully sensible of 

 the need which they rudely supply. If nothing better could he 

 offered we might well accept such orifices as a means of in- 

 troducing fresh air. But if outer air is to be introduced, inner 

 air must be expelled, and the question remains, Shall we expel 

 the hottest or the coldest portion of it ? If you depend on 

 chinks or on top air the hottest is lost, by my system the coldest 

 departs. 



Your reporter speculates on the effect of a gale acting on the 

 escape-orifices, but does not seem to have observed that these 

 orifices are in duplicate, so that only those on the lee side need 

 be opened. But if I sin in this point I sin in good company, 

 for like remarks would apply to Mr. Taylor's very useful arrange- 

 ment (exhibited in the gold-medal house), which received, as 

 it deserved, your reporter's praise. Mr. Housman does not 

 forget how rapidly air cools (odd, isn't that, when it is so diffi- 

 cult to warm ?), for he points out how the vacuum produced by 

 such condensation induces a swifter rush through the stove 

 chamber, and so permits of fiercer firing on a fierce night. Nor 

 has he forgotten to provide slides in the middle house, from 

 which, if the surplus heat from the warmer houses is not suffi- 

 cient, supplies from the air-canal may be turned on. 



Space forbids me to treat of the laws relating to the radi- 

 ation of heat, and to it conductivity. These laws are widely 

 different, yet by many persons are confounded ; but I must ask 

 your reporter not to suppose that what he has said on these 

 points is unanswerable because unanswered, and ask him also 

 to accept an expression of thanks and good will. — Edward Hous- 

 man, Bromsgrove. 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



Remove decaying leaves from Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli, 

 and other crops of the Cabbage tribe, and trench them into 

 the soil in some spare part of the garden set apart for early 

 spring crops. Plant Endive in sheltered corners, where it can 

 be covered in severe weather with fern, dry litter, or mats. 

 Sow Cauliflowers on a warm border, in case the early sowings 

 prove too forward. Sow and plant Lettuces. Onions are not 

 generally so sound as usual, and are likely to keep badly. 

 They will, therefore, require to be spread out thinly and fre- 

 quently looked over. Thin Winter Spinach ; vacancies may be 



filled-up by transplanting, and by this means also the crop of 

 Lettuce-leaved Spinach may be extended. 



FRUIT GARDEN. 



Particular attention is now required to be directed to the 

 gathering of the earliest varieties of Apples and Pears. As a 

 rule, the latter maj r be considered fit when the stalk parts from 

 the spur by merely raising the fruit to a horizontal position 

 without pulling. The Flemish Beauty is, however, an ex- 

 ception, and must be gathered whilst it still retains consider- 

 able hold, otherwise it becomes dry and musky instead of 

 being melting and sweet. The particular tinge of colour which. 

 Peaches and Nectarines acquire when ripe should be particu- 

 larly observed, in order that they may not be touched till they 

 readily part from the tree. Funnel-shaped gatherers lined 

 with velvet have been recommended, but the hand is far pre- 

 ferable if applied so as to grasp the fruit with gentle and equal 

 pressure on five points of contact. In some cases the flavour 

 of these fruits will be improved if they be not used till the 

 day after they are gathered, but they must be laid softly on 

 cloth or on cotton covered with tissue paper. 



FLOWER GARDEN. 



As the numerous varieties of Verbenas are now in bloom, 

 the best kinds should be selected for bedding-out next year. 

 The particular habit and colour of each should be noticed in 

 order to select desirable varieties for bedding-out next year. 

 The same precaution and observation hold good in regard 

 to Petunias, Fuchsias, and Pelargoniums in order to ensure 

 good arrangement at planting-out time next season. Where 

 there are conveniences for storing them in winter, as many 

 kinds should be grown as possible for planting on rockwork, 

 in borders, &c, to produce variety; but in clumps nothing 

 but first-rate kind6 should be planted. Auriculas must be 

 sheltered from bright sunshine as well as excessive rain, keep- 

 ing the pots free from weeds, and occasionally stirring the 

 surface of the soil with a blunt stick. It is now a good time 

 to procure plants from a distance, that they may be estab- 

 lished before winter. Layers of Carnations and Picotees. 

 when sufficiently rooted may be taken off the stools and 

 potted in pint pots ; the soil should bo of a sandy texture 

 without any manure being mixed with it, in order to prevent 

 the plants assuming too gross a habit, which is prejudicial to 

 their health during winter. Pinks should be planted in their 

 blooming beds without delay. "Occasionally they are potted 

 and sheltered in a similar manner to the Carnation, and then, 

 turned out with the ball entire in the spring ; where there is 

 the necessary convenience this is best. Pansies may now 

 be divided and planted out. Cuttings of the weakest shoots 

 now strike root easily and make better plants than those of 

 more robust habit. Dahlias should have all malformed flowers 

 removed as soon as perceived, and where necessary some of 

 the branches thinned-out. Trap earwigs in every possible 

 way, and keep the ground clean round the plants. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



Climbers will always require attention to keep the shoots iis 

 their proper places. Take care, in training, that that part ofi 

 the trellis or stakes nearest the bottom does not become bare 

 of flowering shoots, as the beauty of these plants depends on 

 their being clothed with foliage and flowers from the rim of 

 the pot. Pot-off seedling Calceolarias in small pots, and keep, 

 them close in a frame for a few days. Put in cuttings of all 

 the best kinds, which will readily strike in a common frame. 

 Lilies from Japan will now be in great beauty ; supply them 

 bountifully with water, and shade the flowers from powerful 

 sunshine to prolong their beauty. Pay attention now to Chry- 

 santhemums ; they must not be stopped later than this to 

 produce fine heads of bloom ; a little liquid manure will assist 

 them, let it be applied twice a-week if your desire is fine 

 plants with large flowers. The plants out of doors should now 

 be in readiness for housing whenever a change in the weather 

 is apparent. The season is now so far advanced with a con- 

 tinuance of summer-like weather, that we should be pre- 

 pared for the reverse. See that every plant is duly staked 

 and drained, the pot or tub it may be growing in clean- 

 washed, the surface of the soil open and free from weeds 

 or moss, and if any indication is apparent of slugs or worms 

 give a root-watering with lime water. See that thorough 

 cleanliness and order is established throughout, and that each 

 plant is so placed as to admit of its receiving its due share of 

 light and air. Keep these structures open night and day after 

 the plants are placed, only reducing the ventilation when un- 

 f ivourable weather occurs, and even then with moderation 



