August 23, 18M. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENEE. 



147 



proper; but at the most appropriate end we would have 

 some 6 or 10. feet additional as a lobby, looting the same as 

 the rest of the house outside, but with a glass division and 

 doorway in it, separating it from the other part. In one 

 side of this lobby we would sink our stokehole, either for 

 flue or hot water, and this we would cover with a wooden 

 door, and over this you might set a table for plants, to be 

 easily moved into the passage when the flue wanted looking 

 to. This would effectually hide all appearance of a stoke- 

 hole and furnace, unless to the initiated, and many things 

 could be kept in this furnace-lobby in winter. In summer, 

 when no fires were wanted, it would look like the rest of the 

 house. Now, as to the smoke-outlet, supposing that was 

 wanted merely at one end, still, for uniformity, we would 

 have an ornamental iron shaft, or one of terra cotta, or 

 earthenware, somewhat ornamental, fixed at each end, and 

 the pair would so balance as to do away with any idea of 

 ugliness. They might also be conneoted with breaks and 

 juttings-out along the ridge-board, so that the smoke column 

 and its balancing neighbour would come in as necessary 

 adjuncts. As for the smoke itself, except when lighting the 

 fire, little smoke need be seen if broken coke is used, and a 

 little air is caused to play over the fuel in the furnace. Of 

 course, if smoky coals are used, there will be more difficulty 

 in disposing of the smoke. By such means as indicated 

 the chimney, or rather chimneys, will be ornamental rather 

 than otherwise. Were it not for being so detached from 

 any other building, no smoke at all need be seen. For a 

 more extended greenhouse it might, in similar circum- 

 stances, be desirable to carry the smoke in a tunnel to the 

 nearest chimney of the establishment. What we suggest 

 has reference to the circumstances you describe, keeping- 

 economy, efficiency, and graceful uniformity in view. Many 

 greenhouses are disfigured because they look like a pig with 

 one ear; the- other ear, or the appearance of the double 

 ornamental chimney, would have pleased the most fastidious 

 taste, especially of those who are influenced by the first 

 appearance, and not by stern questions of utility. Either 

 iron, somewhat ornamental, or earthenware tubes, not less 

 than 9 inches in diameter, should be used as smoke-vents in 

 such a house. 



Fourthly, We would prefer such a house to stand north 

 and south, instead of east and west, as the full morning and 

 afternoon sun can thus be taken advantage of, and the hot- 

 test sun will strike the house transversely. The other direc- 

 tion will, however, do very well, and it will have one advan- 

 tage standing east and west, that only the south side of the 

 span will require shading. Mr. Cox does this efficiently at 

 Kimpton Hoo by thin calico curtains inside, fixed by rings or 

 pivots, which remain on in hot weather in summer, and can 

 be easily taken off and replaced. 



Fifthly and lastly, As regards expense we would rather 

 not touch on it. That will be a matter for the designer and 

 the builder when the plan is decided on. The more work, the 

 more money ; the more ornament, the more expense.. You 

 can easily ascertain what the glass would cost at 2d. per foot, 

 the expense of sash-bar rafters, if the roof is to be fixed, 

 which should be at least 3A inches deep by 1 k inch across, 

 also, the expense of glazing, the cost of walls per foot or 

 per yard. The having a fixed roof will reduce the ex- 

 penses very much, but then you cannot move the house 

 without taking it to pieces. Making the roof in sashes will 

 pretty well double the expense. We have had particulars 

 of the five-pound curate's greenhouse, and the cheap wood- 

 and-glass houses of Mr. Rivers, and our own experience leads 

 lis to the conclusion that that great gardener has not in 

 cheapness exaggerated a jot. But beyond these simple struc- 

 tures, everything in the shape of durability and extra elegance 

 must be paid for. The best plan for you to adopt after fixing 

 on a plan, is to have everything done by a respectable builder 

 when you have settled on the price. If you have a stone- 

 mason or a bricklayer to employ, then a carpenter, then a 

 glazier and painter, and then a hot-water man, you must 

 expect to pay not merely for the workmanship, but for the 

 superintendence of the work being done in each department. 

 Not being in the trade we would rather not give prices ; as, 

 when we have ventured on this ground, and found ourselves 

 pretty correct, some half dozen of letters would come, stating 

 that we would ruin the trade, and another half dozen tell 

 ing us the writers would willingly undertake such work at 



a lower figure than we stated. Still the alteration of circum- 

 stances is so great, and the least departure from the simply 

 useful so expensive, that it is much better that every gentle- 

 man should make an agreement for himself. Let him, 

 however, well consider the matter, and have scarcely any 

 deviations from the plan for which the estimate is given, if 

 rigid economy is his object, as for each deviation it is only 

 right that he should pay. — R. F.] 



EOYAL HOETICULTUEAL SOCIETY, 

 August 16th. 



Floral Committee. — This was one of the most interesting 

 meetings of the season. Subjects for examination were un- 

 usually numerous. Mr. Chafer's grand spikes of seedling 

 Hollyhocks were in themselves, a splendid exhibition. Mr. 

 Chater had brought some of these seedlings on the previous 

 Tuesday, under the idea that it was one of the days for the 

 Committee's meeting. By the aid of a Sub-Committee and 

 the Chairman, who were summoned to a special meeting for 

 another purpose on that day, certificates were awarded, which 

 will be noticed in the following report : — 



The Rev. E. Hawke, Willingham Rectory, sent cut flowers 

 of seedlingEollyhocksWillinghamBefianee, light rose, bright 

 colour — •first-class certificate ; Gladiator, dark maroon or ruby 

 — first-class certificate ; Cavalier, a carmine rose— second- 

 class certificate. These were all very promising flowers. 

 Mr. Payer, nurseryman, Folkestone, sent four seedling Pelar- 

 goniums — Charles Payer, Mrs. A. Payer, Giant Golden 

 Chain, Folkestonii, far behind the class of flowers of the 

 present day. Mr. Norford, Bronipton, sent Verbena Purple 

 Prince, a dwarf-habited plant, with very small purple truss ; 

 Mr. Turner, Slough, seedling Verbena Princess of Wales, 

 very delicate white ground, with pale rosy stripes, by no 

 means an effective flower; also one flower of a promising 

 Hollyhock, Yellow Perfection. Mr. Bowie, Clapham Rise, 

 exhibited twenty seedling Gladioli scarcely in bloom, nor 

 did there appear anything extra or novel in them. Mr. 

 Cooling, Bath, had a very pretty striped seedling Verbena, 

 Annie, the best striped variety we have seen, pale pinkish 

 ground, with broad bright rose stripe, which received a 

 second-class certificate; and Tropseolum Fire Queen, not 

 distinct from King of Tom Thumbs. Mr. Bland, " Star 

 and Garter," Richmond, sent a double Fuchsia, Charmer, 

 deficient in colour as well as form ; and Mr. Perkins, 

 Coventry, Verbena Earl of Aylesford, bright scarlet, but 

 inferior in every way to Lord Leigh and Foxhunter.. 



Mr. Chater, Saffron Walden, exhibited many superb spikes 

 of seedling Hollyhocks, the only and proper way of showing 

 their merits ; for it is much more difficult to show a spike of 

 good flowers than three good flowers selected from a spike. » 

 Spikes of several of the seedlings sent on the 9th were again 

 brought for inspection. The following received first-class 

 certificates : — Decision, a remarkably fine flower, buff, shaded 

 with salmon ; Rev. E. Hawke, salmon, suffused with rose, 

 a very fine flower; Chairman, deeply-shaded cerise; Fanny 

 Chater, a first-rate flower,, rose tinted with carmine ; Acme, 

 a seedling of 1S63, had received a first-class certificate ; 

 James Allen, purplish puce, a most useful colour ; Cygnet, 

 the finest white ever exhibited. Second-class certificates, 

 were awarded to Competitor, rosy lilac ; Othello, shaded 

 maroon ; Fairest of the Fair, deep rose. Two other seed- 

 lings — Bev. H. Dombrain, a salmon rose ; and CyruSj pale 

 orange— were not noticed. 



Mr. Chater also exhibited for the Rev. E. Hawke a spike 

 of a seedling named Albion, a white flower faintly tinged 

 with lemon, for which a second-class certificate was awarded. 



Among Mr. Chafer's cut flowers were Hercules, a fine full 

 flower, yellow, shaded withfawn — first-class certificate; Rev. 

 Joshua Dix, bright red, very fine in texture and colour, a 

 seedling of 1863— first-class certificate ; and among other 

 seedlings we noticed Zeno, an orange buff; Millicent, a 

 bright rose ; Sanspareil, carmine rose ; and Rubra purpurea. 

 Such a collection of seedlings no individual has ever ex- 

 hibited in one day ; Mr. Chater must feel gratified at his 

 success. In a collection of forty-eight cut flowers which 

 received a. special certificate were Peeress, Countess Russell, 

 Joshua Clark, Erebus, Royal Scarlet, Lady Dacres, Lady 

 Paxton, Pericles, Princess, Invincible, Princess of Wales, 



