513 



JOURNAL OF HOETICTTLTUttE AND COTTAGE GAKDENFE. [ December 27, lS6i. 



Bottom Heat Deficient (B. T. i?.).— We think your simplest plan will 

 be to lower your slate a foot or 15 inches, so as to be 2 or 3 inches from tie 

 •tpes. These two pipes ought to give yon enough of bottom heat. Stop 

 tHe top holes in the slats, and, if necessary, make two or three holes at the 

 bottom of the chamber, near where your return-pipe now is. If you want 

 more piping we think you would require it most for the atmosphere of the 

 house. We presume your pipes in the vinery are all right as to level. The 

 simplest way of heating such an arrangement would have been to have 

 taken a now from the boiler to a cistern at the farther end of thepropagating- 

 house— say 2 or 3 feet above the highest piping— and from thence, by plugs, 

 give top or bottom, or vinery hsat, as required. 



Hyacinth Culture in Holland (A. JV. Morin). — The articles to which 

 von allude appeared in Nos. 19, 29, 21, 24, and 25, May and June 1353. 

 They have not been republished. 



New Roses (H. L.).— Our Number published on Nov. 1 contains a 

 criticism on the new Roses. You can have it free by post if you send four 

 penny postage stamps to our office with your direction. 



Heating a Pit (T. W. XT. E.).~ Such pits, to be heated with dung, must 

 be provided with linings, if early Melons or Cucumbers are desired. As 

 you wish to have an open area round your pioe3 for bottom heat, your best 

 plan would be to cover the chamber with sla'te, within 2 or 3 inches of the 

 pipe. Place 6 inches of open rubble over the slate, beneath the soil, with 

 openings back and front, by pipes or otherwise, to let the heat up. By 

 pouring water into these openings, among the rubble, over the slates, you 

 can have a moist bottom heat and a moist top heat at command, and a dry 

 heat, as you desire. We have no objection to a tank, or evaporating-pans, 

 on your pipes, but the above would be the simplest. For early work for 

 such a pit you would need two four-inch pipes for bottom heat, and two for 

 top heat. For late spring, summer, and autumn work, two pipes at bottom 

 would do, if top heat, by means of openings, could be taken when necessary. 

 For winter Cucumbers you would require three bottom and three top pipes. 

 The simplest plan of all would be to have pipe3 alone for bottom heat, sur- 

 rounded with clinkers, brickbats, &c, with means for sending water amongst 

 these clinkers and bats when necessary. The reason why so many people 

 fail in obtaining bottom heat from pipes is— the air gets too confined, and 

 thus becomes a non-conductor; the material placed over them also gets too 

 dry, and that becomes a non-conductor as well. It is a mistake to have 

 a mound over such pipes, and expect it to be heated through, unless the air 

 at the bottom of the mass is kept moist and in motion. See answers to 

 other correspondents to-day, and lately, and Mr. Fish's description of 

 heating at Mr. Lane's, of Berkhampstead, last season. There is no difficulty 

 in getting plenty of bottom heat in Mr. Lane's enclosed chambers. "Without 

 chambers, with merely open rubble round the pipes, the secrets of success 

 are moist air, and air in motion. These two little facts are, as respects 

 heating by bottom beat, worth the expense of several volumes. The age of 

 monuments, however, is passed, and well passed. 



Sex of Aucuba (Idem). — The common Aucuba japonica of our gardens 

 is the female variety. Mr. Standish has the male variety, introduced by 

 Mr. Foitune. 



Vines Unfruitful (Tyro).— If yon look back to Mr. Fish's description 

 of border-making at Keele Hall and Trentham, or see what is said on the 

 subject in the "Vine Manual," published at our office, von will see that vou 

 could not have done worse than plant the Vines at 'the bottom of your 

 border, and take the stems in at the bottom of the front wall, as shown in 

 your black ink line. Tour red ink line wonld be preferable, but even that 

 shows the Vine planted too low. As vonr front wall is 2£ feet high, make 

 your border 2 feet 4 inches in height; place 9 inches of open rubble at 

 the bottom, with a drain in front, and spread out the roots of the young 

 Vines within 4 inches of the surface. Tour Apples are small specimens of 

 the Old Golden Pippin. They attain four times the =ize in an orchard- 

 house. 



Lobelia Gorbonii (A Lover of Floicers) .—Lobelia Gordonii is a good 

 deal in the same way as Paxtoniana. A lot of these Lobelias requires a 

 microscope to distinguish them. We raised seedlings of Paxtoniana last 

 year, and though like, they also differed a little from the parent, and we 

 suspect this will be the case with the others less or more. 



Sunderland Public Park (M. _B.)._ We do not know whether t'ue 

 prizes for the plans have been awarded . Ton had better write to the Town 

 Clerk of Sunderland. 



Icehouse (G. C, Penrith).— We thinkin vourcase,lf the house is small, 

 the lining with straw would be an advantage, but as it becomes wet it should 

 be withdrawn. For years we have used none, and we thus get rid of much 

 wasting vapour. 



Late Vinery <J. Goolear).— It will be safest to keep your vinery shut 

 during frost. You may use it until March or April for wintering bedding 

 plants. You will not start the Vines if you do not raise the temperature 

 above Irom 40° to 45°. You may wash vour Vines with a paint of clay and 

 sulphur. Yon may do the same with Gishurst at about half a Dound to the 

 gallon. 



Azalea Leaves Falling (Liverpool).— The treatment yon describe is 

 good, only the buds were set or the growth made before the plants were 

 placed outside ; a cool house, however, wonld have been a better position 

 for them, for the sudden changes consequent on their being placed out of 

 doors, and brought in again, have had an injurious effect on the plants. 

 The leaves' failing so much is in most instances principallv caused bv forcing 

 the plants to set their buds early in the season, and long weak "growths 

 are the consequence. The leaves fall early because tbev were formed early 

 and imperftctly. We fear the drainage is not over-perfect, that the 

 piants have been too freely watered, and the soil thus rendered unsuitable 

 for the roots. A temperature of from 40° to 45' from fire heat is- quite warm 

 enough for Azaleas in winter. Yon say you noticed appearances of red 

 spider on the leaves. This is rather uncommon; it was more likelv to be 

 thnps. Yon syringed the leaves with tobacco water, and that has been too 

 strong, and turned the leaves brown— in fact destroyed them. The house 

 should have been fumigated with tobacco, and so filled with the smoke that 

 not a plant could have been seen from the outside. Leave the plants alone 

 now, water only when they require it, and we think they will bloom well 

 after all. Make the drainage more secure after they have bloomed, and 

 pot them if they require it, elevating the necks of the plants a little in 

 the centre of the pots. The buds of the shoots sent were sound, and will 

 bloom we think. 



if axes of Fruits (C. if.).— Your Apple is certainly quite distinct from 



Ribston Pippin, and is apparently a very excellent keeper, but we cannot 

 say what it is. One of the specimens is exactly like a Ribston in appearance, 

 but the flavour is quite different. (J.B. Z.).— Pears.— I, Colmar; 3, Broom- 

 park ; 5, Knight's Monarch ; 6, Beurre de Ranee ; 7, Passe Colmar. Apples. 

 — 2, Orel's ; 7, Dutch Mignonne ; S, King of the Pippins ; 1 1, Sam Young ; 

 12. Coe's Golden Drop ; 14, Devonshire Queen ; 16. Bedfordshire Foundling. 

 The numbers not named are unrecognised. (Montgomery). —The large 

 green Apples are Yorkshire Greening, and the round yellow ones Dume'.ow's 

 Seedling. (/. M. Miller).— 3, Passe Colmar ; 4, Beurre d'Aremberg. The 

 others were smashed. 



Names of Plants (M. P.).— I, Blechnum occidental minus ; 2, Doodia 

 caudata; 3, Goniophlebium appendiculatum ; 4, Lastrea patens; 5, Asple- 

 nium fontanum. 



POULTEY, BEE, and HOUSEHOLD CHRONICLE. 



HAMBlTEGH fowls aee peofitable. 



Having kept Gold and Silver-pencilled Hamburgh fowls 

 for some years I am able to speak respecting them. As 

 layers they stand alone, never ceasing to lay but at moulting 

 time ; and the Golden lay much larger eggs than the Silver, 

 and are healthy, bright, happy birds if allowed freedom, 

 but they will not thrive in confinement. Being obliged to 

 keep mine confined for about five weeks before the grass was 

 cut, though a tolerable yard was allowed to each breed, 

 their feathers became in a most deplorable state. First, 

 the cock lost all the soft down of his hackles, the stump of 

 the feather3 remaining. The heads, breasts, and nearly all 

 the feathers of the hens then became diseased. I tried 

 cocoa-nut oil and turmeric rubbed on but to no purpose, and 

 until the moulting season they never recovered their fine 

 plumage. The cock nearly died. They ate well and continued 

 laying, but they were frightful objects to look at. During 

 this time they were well supplied with lettuce and greens, 

 and always allowed to run on the lawn and garden every 

 morning for a short time. I have found half-bred Silver or 

 Gold Hamburghs lay larger eggs, and never offer to sit more 

 than once in a year; and these would be the breed of 

 poultry " Ckanticleee " wants as ■'■' good egg-producers, 

 hardy, easily reared, and not large." They m ix well with the 

 thoroughbred, and do not prevent the exhibition of prize 

 poultry. I should advise a cross of the Dorking and Ham- 

 burgh, and then putting some of these pullets with the 

 thoroughbred birds. They (Hamburghs) are very easily 

 reared and beautiful when first hatched. Out of thirty or 

 forty I did not lose one this summer. 



Very good birds may be bought by answering the ad- 

 vertisements in this Journal and learning the pedigree of 

 the fowls. 



A few feathers cut off one wing, leaving the flight or large 

 wing feathers, will not disfigure the Hamburghs, and will 

 prevent their flying over every fence. — Shaep-sptte, 



POIJLTET-KEEPns"G FEOM A COJOLEECIAL 

 POINT OF VIEW. 



(Continued from page 502.) 



THE BOOSTING AND LAVING EOOM. 



This should be kept scrupulously clean, swept out daily, 

 and occasionally thoroughly whitewashed. The floor, com- 

 posed of concrete, ought to be slightly sanded over daily. The 

 sides and ceiling, also the divisions of the 

 nests for laying, should be made of boards 

 well whitewashed. The nest (fig. 5), should 

 be made of earthenware, and partly filled 

 with fine sand or cocoa-nut refuse, and 

 slightly sprinkled over with flowers of 

 sulphur. . 



The roosting-perches should be formed 

 of hot-water pipes, as they are of the 

 utmost importance to keep the poultry 

 warm during the cold nights, and cool daring the hot nights, 

 which will induce continuous egg-laying at a period when 

 eggs are most scarce,, whether for hatching or consumption. 



Most persons must have observed that even the heaviest 

 fowls will seek to perch nearest the ceiling, and that when 

 roosting their feathers are ruffled or open. This is easily 

 explained by all persons conversant with aerostatic laws — 

 namely, that heated air being lighter than cold air, the 

 former will ascend: consequently the warmest place in a 



Fig 5. 

 Earthenware Nest. 



