from May, 1, 1830, to April 30, 1840. 



133 



Among the principal subjects to which attention has been 

 directed with this view since the year 1830, the following may be 

 mentioned as the more important ; 



In the Fruit and Kitchen Department, various modes of training 

 and pruning fruit trees under a variety of circumstances, the ap- 

 plication of bottom heat, the effects of draining and treating the 

 borders in which wall fruit is planted, the influence of heat and 

 moisture on Vines, with and without ventilation, various modes of 

 treating Pine Apples, and very extensive experiments on the 

 Potatoe in connection with and consequent on those of Mr. 

 Knight. 



In the Hothouse department, besides the trial of different 

 methods of heating with hot water, to which special reference is 

 made below, much has been done to investigate the comparative 

 merits of different descriptions of fruit, many experiments have 

 been tried on the special modes of treating Orchidaceous epiphytes, 

 and a careful investigation has been for some time carrying on con- 

 cerning the effects, real or supposed, of kyanked timber on the 

 growth of plants, the results of which cannot of course be made 

 known until repeated trials have removed all doubts that may yet 

 be entertained on the subject. The recent construction of the new 

 Conservatory may also be regarded as a great horticultural ex 

 periment, for the purpose of solving some very interesting problems 

 connected with artificial climate. 



In the Hardy department, where less art is required to assist 

 or control natural effects, there is necessarily less to be done in the 

 way of experiment, but here also much attention has been paid to 

 various modes of raising seeds with the greatest certainty, to the 

 best means of protecting half-hardy plants from winter or spring 

 frosts, and to the powers of enduring cold possessed by different 

 species. 



With regard to heating by means of hot water, it must be 

 obvious, that, from the want of means to construct houses, the Society 



