June 21, 1883. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 527 
rubble will be required there. Put the pipes, a flow and return, just above the 
floor. Have a chamber above them by laying slabs of wood or stone a foot above 
them, across from the inner to the outer wall, upon a few courses of brickwork 
built against each wall for that purpose. Two-inch planking lasts three or four 
years, and answers perfectly to support soil or plunging material, the top heat 
to be afforded by a flow and retnrn along one side slightly above the top of the 
interior pits, and resting either upon a ledge of brickwork or iron crutches. 
These pipes are to run through the entire length of both compartments, but 
close by the warm side of the partition they must be connected by T-pieces 
with a valve upon the flow pipe to shut off heat from the cool end, circulation 
then going on by means of the T connections only in the warm end. A valve 
should also be put upon the flow pipe for bottom heat near the boiler to shut 
off heat at will. If you can afford space for a cemented tank, water in it would 
be of the same temperature as that of the pit, and therefore suitable for the 
plants, just as it would be in a tub or waterpot standing in the pit. The upper 
part of both ends should be glazed uniform with the partition. Side ventilation 
is not required for so small a building. The open-feed syphon is not what you 
suppose, and you had better make other provision as suggested for warm water. 
If you have had no experience in setting a boiler and fixing pipes you had better 
get some competent person to do this work for you. If you send an accurately 
drawn plan to the firm you mention, and state exactly what you require, they 
will send you the necessary connections for making the apparatus complete. 
Names of Plants (J. IF. K.). —1, Lamium Orvala; 2, Saxifraga G-eum ; 
8, Veronica gentiaiaoides ; 4, Polygonum Persicaria. (F. C. D.). —1, Veronica 
rupestris; 2, Centaurea montana ; 3, Hemerocallis flava; 4, Habrothamuus 
fascicularis. ( A. B. C.). —Sedum acre. ( M. J.). —1, Ptelia trifoliata; 2, Phila- 
delphus coronarius ; 3, Sedum carneum variecatum ; 4, Begonia insignia ; 5, B. 
manicata; 6 , Lastraia decomposita. (II. il .).— 1, Omplialodes, perhaps 0 . am- 
plexicaulis, but specimen insufficient for determining the point; 2, Limnanthes 
grandiflorus ; 3, Orchis maculata if the leaves are spotted, 0. pyramidalis if they 
are green. Thrushes kill shell snails, but we do not remember whether black¬ 
birds do so. (B. Ogston). —Dendrobium Dalhousianum, which flowers on the old 
growths, and your plant has evidently done well. See a reply to another corre¬ 
spondent. The other flower you have sent is Maxiliaria nigrescens. (S. T.). —1, 
Cypripedium superbiens; 2, unrecognisable; 3, Ranunculus aconitifolius fl.-pl.; 
4. Begonia marga. (C. IF. S.). —Crattegus mexicana. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— JUNE 20th. 
Outdoor Strawberries are now making a good appearance, and prices are 
much lower, indoor fruit being nearly exhausted. Our market is also well 
supplied with all classes of goods. Trade brisk. Grapes heavy. 
FRUIT. 
S. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
8. 
d 
Apples. 
2 
0 to 7 
0 
Grapes . 
Ib. 
2 
0 to 5 
0 
0 
40 
0 
10 
0 
20 
0 
Apricots. 
! box 
2 
0 
2 
6 
Melons. 
each 
3 
0 
7 
0 
Cherries. 
. i sieve 
0 
0 
0 
0 
.Nectarines. 
dozen 
0 
0 
18 
0 
Chestnuts. 
. bushe 1 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Oranges . 
100 
6 
0 
10 
0 
Currants, Black. 
. i sieve 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Peaches . 
dozen 
6 
0 
18 
0 
,, Red... 
. i sieve 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Pears.kitchen .. 
dozen 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Figs. 
. dozen 
4 
0 
6 
0 
dessert . 
dozen 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Filberts. 
lb. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Pine Apples, English th. 
4 
0 
5 
0 
Cobs... 
. 100 lb. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Raspberries. 
lb. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Gooseberries .... 1 sieve 
3 
6 
4 
6 
Strawberries .... 
Ib. 
1 
0 
3 
3 
VEGETABLES. 
s. d 
8. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
8. 
d 
Artichokes. 
2 
0 to 4 
0 
Mushrooms . 
punnet 
i 
0 to 1 
6 
Asparagus, English bundle 
3 
0 
6 
0 
Mustard &. Cress . 
punnet 
0 
2 
0 
3 
Asparagus, French bundle 
2 
0 
0 
0 
Onions. 
bushel 
2 
6 
3 
6 
Beans,Kidney .. 
100 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Parsley. doz.bunches 
3 
0 
4 
0 
Beet ,Red. 
i 
0 
2 
0 
Parsnips. 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Broccoli. 
0 
9 
1 
6 
Peas . 
q nart 
2 
0 
0 
0 
Cabbage . 
0 
6 
1 
0 
Potatoes, New ... 
Ib. 
0 
2 
0 
4 
100 
1 
6 
2 
0 
6 
0 
10 
0 
Carrots . 
0 
4 
0 
0 
Kiduey. 
cwt. 
6 
0 
10 
0 
Cauliflowers_ 
2 
e 
3 
0 
Radishes_ doz. bunches 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Celery. 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Rhubarb. 
bundle 
0 
4 
0 
0 
Coleworts_doz. bunches 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Salsafv. 
bundle 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Cucumbers. 
0 
4 
0 
6 
Scorzonera . 
bnudie 
1 
6 
0 
0 
Endive. 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Seakale . 
basket 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Fennel...... 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Shallots. 
3 
0 
0 
Herbs . 
0 
2 
0 
0 
Spinach . 
bushel 
2 
6 
3 
0 
Leeks. 
0 
S 
0 
4 
Tomatoes . 
Ib. 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Lettuces . 
1 
0 
i 
s 
Turnips . 
bunch 
0 
2 
0 
2 
POULTRY AND PIGEON CHRONICLE. 
CORN-SAVING- BY MACHINERY. 
Although we have contributed our opinions, as well as the 
best practices of intelligent farmers, on the subject of harvesting 
Wheat, Barley, and Oats in three numbers of this Journal, dated 
1st, 8th, and 15th of August, 1878, we still think it important to 
consider the attempts which have been made to exhaust the heat 
from corn stacks, as well as those of hay during the past year. 
We must say that our opinion was that reducing the heat of 
j corn ricks by the use of the fan would prove much more easy, 
as well as more effective, than when used upon hay stacks. We 
T ~ — ' - -- 
also looked forward to the trial of fans at Beading, for it must 
be remembered that Messrs. Suttons’ prize of £100 was offered 
for the best method of drying hay and corn, and the Judges 
appointed to decide the matter thought it desirable that some 
of the fans should be tried upon some description of corn crop ; 
and it seemed probable that these machines might succeed in 
drying sheafed corn, although they had failed in saving hay in 
good condition. The Judges selected the fans to compete in 
this trial—three of those exhibited by Messrs. Coultas, Lister, 
and Phillips. We take our information from the Judges’ report, 
published in the Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society of 
the proceedings at the Society’s meeting at Beading, 1882, which 
states :—“ On the 9th of August the Barley, which had not 
ripened so kindly and evenly as had been expected, was thought 
fit for cutting. It was not dead ripe, and there were some 
patches of the field which were certainly unripe. Much of the 
crop was so laid and twisted about that the cutting was not very 
easily done.” 
In uncertain and broken weather farmers are frequently 
tempted to stack their corn when it is only half dry, especially 
of those crops like Oats and late Barley, which come in for 
consumption on the farm both corn and straw ; and in wet 
harvests it is almost impossible in certain districts of the king¬ 
dom, especially when the harvest is late, to secure the Barley in 
which Clover seeds have been sown in really good condition, 
and at such times much corn is often either spoiled in the 
field or mow-burnt, and seriously injured in the stack. “As, how¬ 
ever, a large proportion of the material of a corn stack is ripe 
straw without sap enough to make it heat, and further as a rick 
of corn when first made is much more open to admit the air 
than one of hay, there seemed in the opinion of the operators 
of the fans to be fair grounds for supposing that exhaust fans 
would be working under favourable conditions if applied to the 
stacks of corn ; and it must be remembered in this case that the 
absence of green Clover was fully supplied and compensated for, 
so far as regards these trials, by a plentiful supply of Thistles 
and a thick undergrowth of weeds and trumpery. The crop was 
purchased by the Stewards of the Society for the purpose of the 
trials upon corn stacks. The field was divided into three equal 
portions, and three reaping machines, which Messrs. Hornsby 
and Sons were good enough to lend to the Society, called the 
“Indispensable” spring-balance self-raking reapers, and one of 
these were started in each plot on the morning of the 9th August. 
The competitors drew lots for the different shares, and the result 
was that Mr. Coultas had plot 1, Mr. Phillips plot 2, and 
Messrs. Lister & Co. plot 3. The first day of working was very 
bright and warm, and a continuance of such weather would have 
baulked the competitors, by leaving them no chance of exhibit¬ 
ing the powers of their fans ; but the morning of the 10th was 
cloudy and threatening, and the Thistles and weeds were green 
and full of sap when the sheaves were bound. Stacking was 
begun, however, about nine o’clock on the morning of the 10th, 
and pretty well completed on the evening of the 11th. The 
exhibitors had made their preparations for the stacks before the 
cutting of the corn began, in accordance with the directions they 
had received. They were told that each exhibitor would have 
to deal with two stacks of about the same size, and they were 
invited to place their fans in such a position and to lay dampers, 
or otherwise to make their arrangements, so that they could 
work both stacks at the same time, or each one separately, as 
they may prefer. They were also directed to supply themselves 
with thermometer tubes, which were to be placed in the stacks 
pointing to the N., E., S., and W. The tubes were also to be 
made of wood, as being considered to be more trustworthy than 
those of iron. The shafts in the centre of the stacks were formed 
by a wooden cage, 2 feet square at the base, and tapering to 
