August 9, 1864, ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



103 



had been tried, and at last a tribe which would hardly 

 have suggested itself to any one, the Begonias, was found 

 to be the most suitable. Those who have only seen these 

 in pots can have but little idea of them as they are grown 

 here. Plants which were placed in crevices with not more 

 than a quart of earth had grown so vigorously that they had 

 run over the rockwork, forming large handsome leaves, and 

 evidently showing that this was their real character — viz., 

 rock plants. Nor is this the only way in which experiments 

 have been tried. The colour of the glass was a matter that 

 gave him some concern, and various tints had been tried ; 

 but at last he came to the conclusion that a claret or reddish 

 brown was best suited for throwing up the green foliage 

 within, containing as it did the red, which was the comple- 

 mentary colour to the blue and yellow which in various 

 degrees made up the green of the Perns and Mosses. It 

 has a curious appearance outside, but unquestionably effected 

 Mr. Bewley's purpose. Not that there was anything of 

 unhealthiness in the Pern-house that required it absolutely, 

 but it only tended to increase and intensify the beautiful 

 freshness within. Amongst other plants used for decorating 

 the sides and, roofs were Picus stipulata, Begonia fuchsi- 

 oides, Ivies of various species, Hoyas, Woodwardia radicans, 

 Trichomanes radicans, &c. — in fact it is a fairy scene, which, 

 as the old story goes, must be seen to be properly admired. 



Nor can I omit what I believe is Mr. Bewley's especial 

 pet. He has in his dining-room a large oblong Fern case, 

 containing the most beautifully luxuriant mass of the Kil- 

 larney Fern that can be possibly imagined. Mr. B. says 

 that the great secret in growing this is not to encumber 

 the case with soil, but to plant amongst pieces of rock, 

 using comparatively but little mould. I can only say that 

 in its way the case was on a par with the very beautiful 

 mass of the Tonbridge Wells Fern which I saw last year at 

 Lady Dorothy NevilTs. 



Since Mr. Fish's visit two years ago Mr. Bewley has added 

 another very charming feature to his grounds in a garden for 

 his daughter, who felt that she could not enjoy the garden 

 owing to its fame bringing a constant stream of visitors. 

 This garden may perhaps be best described as a cloister, 

 round two sides of which run a series of gothic arches glazed 

 at top. These arches are made of tufa, and at their base 

 were planted Honeysuckles, Ivies, Clematis, &c. The borders 

 are planted with flowering Peaches, Rhododendrons, &c. ; 

 and this indeed was the only exception I could make to the 

 great taste displayed, as they were too large for the space, 

 and did not agree well with the other arrangements. But 

 what glorious masses of Ferns there were ! Wouldn't Mr. 

 Ivery be delighted to see some of his choicest pets flourish- 

 ing here in such grand vigour ? Here was Athyrium Filix- 

 fcemina Frizellise, there plumosum ; here, again, a noble 

 plant, Athyrium Filix-mas crispum, there Osmunda regalis 

 was treated to a place especially prepared for it and two 

 other kindred species. But I question very much whether 

 it is necessary to give this Fern so much moisture as is 

 commonly done. I saw it treated as an ordinary garden 

 plant in the garden of Lord George Hill, and the plants 

 were from 4 to 5 feet high ; while on a sod of turf near his 

 lordship's excellent hotel at Gweedore I saw a nice plant of 

 it luxuriantly flourishing on the top of a dry bank. Then 

 the Aspleniums were well represented, and, indeed, the 

 greater number of our British Ferns. As this is only a 

 recent construction it will improve from year to year ; but 

 even now it is as beautiful in appearance as it is novel in 

 design. In the lawn enclosed by these cloisters flower-beds 

 were introduced, as well as standard Rhododendrons and 

 Conifers; while at one end a wide-spreading Beech invited 

 any Tityrus or Melibosus to repose beneath its umbrageous 

 branches. 



It would be impossible to adequately describe the beauties 

 of the conservatories and houses, nor, indeed, do I consider 

 it at all necessary, as it has been done so well and ably by 

 Mr. Fish ; but I have thought it well to mark a few things 

 that struck me, in the hope that they may show some of 

 our friends what can be done in poor Ireland. Many people 

 seem to have an idea that in all things she is behind the 

 rest of the world, but I think Mr. Bewley may fairly chal- 

 lenge this country to produce any collection superior to his 

 own; and to one who, like myself, can look back on what 

 horticulture was some thirty years ago in Ireland and con- 



sider its condition now, it is indeed very marvellous to see 

 the improvement. 



There was one whisper that I heard, however, which 

 grieved me somewhat ; and that was that the fatal policy 

 of ignoring florists' flowers, and exalting stove and green- 

 house plants and Orchids, is creeping into the councils of the 

 Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland. I may instance as an 

 example, that florists are expected to exhibit Carnations and 

 Picotees on the 1st of September, because the Society could 

 not afford to have the smaller exhibitions at which those 

 flowers used to be exhibited, and this with, I believe, nearly 

 X1000 in hand ! Two large growers have given up growing 

 them for exhibition, feeling that it was impossible to fulfil 

 the conditions required ; and hence a beautiful and favourite 

 flower will be neglected. As an outsider, only interested in 

 the success of horticulture, I hope that my words may be 

 taken as they are meant — in a friendly spirit, and used for 

 the best interests of the pursuit of horticulture. — D., Deal. 



HEATING BY STOVES. 



In No. 153, page 172, there is an Arnott's stove strongly 

 recommended ; but I should doubt the practicability of daily 

 cleaning out the clinkers, &c, as the depth between a and e 

 is so great. Could not the same plan be carried out with an 

 opening at top just in front of the chimney ? Would the 

 bent pipe answer as well if made of one-inch gas-pipe and 

 to come out through the cover at top ? 



In Vol. XXVIIL, page 630, is another Arnott's stove with- 

 out hot-water pipes, and which I t hink of trying, but " J. S." 

 omits to state the length of flue in his eighteen-feet house. 

 I have always heard that these stoves require to go into a 

 chimney within 3 or 4 feet in order to obtain a good draught. 

 The furnace-cover is said to be 13 inches square ; but this 

 must be too small to cover a wall 4£ inches thick back and 

 front, with a ten-inch opening. It should be 19 inches 

 square at least. I am constructing a pit 20 feet long by 7 

 wide, and 6 high in the centre, sunk 2 feet. Should I place 

 one of these stoves in the centre with a chimney to go out 

 at once ? Should a chamber be formed at the west end so 

 as to grow Cucumbers and act as a propagating-pit ? What 

 sized pipe would be required for a chamber 2£- feet wide 

 by 1 deep (What depth is best?), and 20 feet long? Per- 

 haps for such a pit the bent pipe passing once through the 

 furnace would not be sufficient. 



I have a greenhouse 15 feet by Si, with a hipped roof, 

 back wall to the east, and on the west side is a tank 4 inches 

 deep, 2 feet wide, and 8 feet long. I have fixed one of 

 Riddell's slow-combustion stoves inside the house. It works 

 well and is easily cleaned out and supplied with fuel at top. 

 The three-quarter-inch pipe is bent to go into the wooden 

 tank. The stove, no doubt, will keep out frost in winter, 

 but on trying the stove and tank for two or three weeks I 

 find the water gets sufficiently warm to heat the sand above 

 the slate covering to the tank in two hours. If I were to 

 make up the fire to last the night I should have the water 

 boiling and at too great a heat. I had a great difficulty in 

 keeping back the steam at the opening where I supplied the 

 tank with water. I placed a large tin box over the opening, 

 dipping into the sand, to keep back the steam. This takes 

 up much room. Would not a two-inch drain-pipe, with a 

 cover fitting into sand, do as well to keep back the steam ? I 

 am obliged to take the flue in a 31-inch iron horizontal pipe, 

 30 feet across a yard into a chimney. It draws sufficiently 

 well at present. I burn coke and cinders. How can I check 

 the heat in the tank? If the fire is not attended to it is 

 out in two hours. My great trouble in heating this small 

 house was having no flue or c him ney to go into. So small 

 an iron chimney would soon have become clogged if coal 

 had been used with the usual furnace and flue. — G. C. 



[Your various questions clearly show the importance of 

 making every plan and system stand or fall on its own 

 merits. Many plans and systems fail because those who 

 adopt them must leave out something, or add something of 

 their own devising, and then they are always good enough 

 to blame not their own superior wisdom, but the system 

 which they did not adopt, from attempting to improve it. 

 Now, though we have not tried it, yet in opposition to your 

 doubts, and judging from analogy and experience of other 



