233 



I 



old Hovey's Seedling,— while the innumerable new 

 ones go under as fast as they bob above the surface. 

 We see this is also the case in other parts. In a 

 recent number of the Southern Cultivator, Mr. 

 Berckmans,after noticing the behavior of many new 

 ones, winds up by saying : 



"I have met with so few good varieties among 

 those lately originated that I am yearly more con- 

 firmed in the opinion I expressed several years ago 

 in regard to the Wilson's Albany, that 'it was 

 equalled by few others and surpassed by no variety,^ 

 and I am satisfied that those who have carefully 

 cultivated it and compared with other varieties, will 

 fully concur in this opinion. Not only is this true 

 for this section, but, as a proof of its value, there is 

 no variety so extensively cultivated in New Jersey, 

 Long Island and Philadelphia, than Wilson';^ Al- 

 bany, — notwithstanding the numberless highly- 

 heralded new varieties which have been introduced 

 within the past five years. Every year seems to 

 add to its popularity, and I, for one, am satisfied to 

 cultivate the Wilson as a berry containing more good 

 qualities than any other in cultivation." 



Now, not to be misunderstood, we may say that 

 we do not oppose, but encourage, the raising of new 

 seedlings, — but when we are told that this or that 

 seedling is to be the greatest boon ever conferred on 

 man, and we are to pay enormously for the privi- 

 lege of participating in this boon, we thin.^: we may 

 be pardoned for advising, in view of the past history 



seedlings, to wait and see. Our correspondent's 

 arguments really tend that way. For what is the 

 use of paying roundly for a new seedling if, by a 

 natural law, we ought to pay roundly for another, 

 to replace it next year or so. — Ed.] 



HOT WATUR TANKS NECESSARY 

 FOR PROPAGATION ? 

 BY J. M. 



Having had several cases of disappointment in 

 regard to tanks, brought to my notice. I have been 

 induced to ask the above question, from a convic- 

 tion on my part that they are not of such vast 

 importance to the majority of propagators as gen- 

 erally supposed. I have known several cases where 

 they have been erected for their fancied great supe- 

 riority, and have proven themselves an evil, and 

 have been in, the end abandoned as an incumbrance. 

 The difficulty seems to be that they produce so much 

 moisture that an enormous and otherwise an unne- 

 cessary heatbecomes requisite to counteract their evil 

 influence. We find that plants which otherwise 

 would thrive at a temperature of 60° are killed by 

 the moisture completely rotting them. 



I have frequently observed this and have felt that 

 although under some circumstances tanks may be 

 beneficial or even essential, yet the many small pro- 

 pagators would be benefited by being without them. 

 In the month of December, January and February, 

 a propagating house will be found to contain suffi- 

 cient moisture, for all necessary purposes and bot- 

 tom heat can be conveyed to our plants without the 

 aid of hot water tanks, I have known cases where 

 tanks have been in use, and the consequence has 

 been, that one-third of the house became useless, 

 from the excessive moisture, the following winter 

 the tank was discontinued, when with the same 

 temperature, plants grew well in the previously un- 

 occupied space, and the number of plants propaga- 

 ted were far more and better than previously. I am 

 sensible that tanks can be constructed so that no 

 moisture can escape, but they become merely a me- 

 dium for the conveyance of bottom heat. This can 

 be done in other ways, with far less cost than the 

 constructing of a tank, and the question is, whether 

 the benefits of a tank, constructed perfectly air 

 and water tight are so great as to counterbalance 

 the extra cost of such construction. I do noi think 

 it does, and believe that as many plants with less 

 cost couM be propagated without the use of them. 



[This is a question of profit and loss. If there 

 is fire enough a house can be made as dry by a pro- 

 perly arranged tank as by any other mode of heating; 

 and on the other hand if a house be naturally damp, 

 the best flue will not prevent the plants from damp- 

 ing off. 



Our experience seems to be that for a small house 

 the flue is the cheapest and best, but for a large ex- 

 tent of glass the hot water systems are cheaper than 

 many fires would be. We should however be glad 

 to have the experience of other gardeners, for 

 although every one talks as though this was a set- 

 tled question, it is not so by any means.] 



TREE PBRNS. 



NOTE BY MR. FENDLER 



In the April number of the Monthly page 120, I 

 find alittle mistake (perhaps a mere slip of the pen), 

 about the height of tree-ferns, which I cannot pass 

 without bringing to your notice. Tree ferns have 

 always been the favorite class of plants with me, 

 and hence I paid particular attention to their size, 

 habit, shape and species. I lived for years in one 

 of the best fern regions of South America, where it 

 was easy to count more than a thousand tree ferns 

 in a single day, and I can assure you that I have 

 met with many from twenty to forty feet high. 



