220 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 9, 1886. 
planted maidens, tvith a single stem of one year’s growth. 
They were planted, pruned, and trained in the following 
manner. In planting the wail trees were kept 6 inches away 
from the bottom of the wall, the roots spread out carefully, 
covered, the ground made firm, and mulched afterwards. 
The stems were pruned or cut back to within 18 inches of 
the ground, and fastened loosely to the wall. In the following 
year they produced from three to five shoots each, which 
were carefully nailed to the wall as required during the 
season, and allowed to grow to their full length. At pruning 
time the centre shoot of each tree was cut back to within 
18 or 20 inches from where it started, according to the 
strength of the growth, and the two or four remaining shoots, 
as the case might be, were nailed to the wall their full 
length ; the two lower shoots horizontally, one on each side 
of the main stem and the others at a slight angle up the 
wall. From this time on, until the trees had filled their 
allotted space, they were examined regularly every spring 
shortly after starting into growth, and all the superfluous 
buds rubbed off the leading shoots, and a few of the buds 
near the ends of the branches picked off to strengthen the 
terminal bud. I never prune or shorten the points of the 
permanent branches until they have grown their full length, 
unless they have met with an accident, or the wood happens 
not to be sufficiently ripe to remain, and I may also say I 
never pinch and stop the growths during the summer, the 
same as recommended by many writers. To build up the 
trees and furnish the walls with them in the shortest time 
possible, the leading shoot of the current year’s growth is 
stopped after it has grown about 2 feet in length, this causes 
it to send cut lateral branches. In good seasons the wood 
ripens well, and a year’s growth is gained by adopting this 
method. The breastwood is taken off two or three times 
during the summer, and the points of the permanent branches 
nailed in as required. 
When the trees are pruned, which is as soon after the 
leaves fall as possible, the roots are mulched with rough stable 
litter for a breadth of 3 feet from the wall, and the trees 
syringed with a wineglass of petroleum to a gallon of water. 
All is thoroughly mixed by the syringe continually churning 
it up during the operation. The petroleum thus applied kills 
scale and all insects it comes in contact with, and it gives 
the bark of the trees a smooth and healthy appearance. This 
finished, the branches are then secured in the proper position 
for the year. The maiden pyramidal trees are built up much 
in the same way. The year after planting they throw out 
several shoots. One of the strongest of these is selected for 
a leader, which ultimately becomes the stem of the tree. 
All the cffher shoots are rubbed off except three of the best 
placed, which are retained to form the base and framework of 
the tree. The shoots are allowed to make the season’s 
growth without being stopped in any way. When pruning 
them the leading shoot is left from 18 inches to 2 feet long, 
and the side branches a little shorter, according to the 
strength of the wood. This system is practised year after 
year—cutting out all cross and superfluous wood, and train¬ 
ing and furnishing the tree with well arranged branches until 
it has filled its space. The growth is then spurred in the usual 
way close to the permanent wood every season at pruning.— 
A. Pettigrew, Castle Gardens, Cardiff. 
[Some portions of fruit bearing branches sent to us show 
that the Pear trees at Cardiff Castle are in splendid condition. 
The clusters of fruit were among the heaviest we have seen, 
and the crop was practically borne on natural spurs, not 
spurs formed by close pinching and pruning ] 
HEATING BY HOT WATER. 
[Read before the Members of the Preston and Fulwood Iloral and Horticultural 
Society, August 7th ] 
( Continued from page 206.) 
Patent .Toints.— Some advance has certainly been made during 
recent years in the manufacture of patent joints for fitting together 
hot-water pipes. For tenants’ fixtures and the horticultural trade 
they are undoubtedly valuable, because they can be taken to pieces 
without the aid of a fitter or the destruction of any of the pipes. 
The patent flange joints of Mr. B. Harlow may be mentioned. These 
joints, in case of failure, allow of any length of pipe being removed 
without disturbing the remainder. A labourer could fit or take them 
to pieces. The joints are fitted together by the aid of an indiarubber 
ring or rope and red lead, then screwed together by two bolts, one on 
each side ; one length of pipe being cast with a slight projection, 
while in the other to be fitted with it is a similar-sized cavity, so that 
when bolted together the ring or packing material is pressed firmly 
into the cavity that it is impossible for the joints to leak. This 
maker's flange pipes were used by Mr. Sam Deards in the late boiler 
contest at Liverpool. Not a joint leaked, and they were fitted 
together and taken to pieces in the shortest possible time. Certainly 
in my opinion one of the best patent joints in the market is Messrs. 
Foster & Pearson’s. It is so made that the pipes can be fitted 
together with one fast and one loose flange or two loose ones. A 
short length of pipe is fitted between, and then by the aid of india- 
rubber rings the joint is made watertight, when the bolts are screwed 
up. Any short length of piping can be fitted with these joints in 
case of failure, which is a great advantage. The rings or flanges of 
this joint are so cast with square edges that any number of pipes can 
be laid one on the top of the other. This joint acts as an expansion 
joint, and on this account alone is important. With this joint one 
pipe cannot well be taken out without unbolting the second, but this 
is not much trouble. It is very similar to Messrs. Jones & Attwood’s 
expansion joint, with the addition of square edges on the flange. 
Valves. —It is impossible to dispense with these in arrangements 
of heating by hot water—that is, in all well-arranged schemes. 
Where only one house is heated from the boiler there is no occasion 
for valves, but in large or moderately large establishments—in fact, 
in all systems where there is more than one house to be heated from 
the same boiler—valves are indispensable, in order to regulate the 
temperatui-e that may be desired. In extensive arrangements it is 
important that large high-piessure screw valves with brass slides and 
facings be employed on both the flow and return from the boiler or 
boilers as the case may be. This is requisite if two boilers are set 
side by side, so that they can be worked conjointly or separately as 
may be desired. If good valves are used one boiler can be worked 
if the other fails during severe weather ; but without the aid of 
valves to prevent the water returning into both boilers the whole 
system would be stopped until repairs had been completed. The 
same kind of valves should be placed on every branch from the 
mains, so that the pipes in any of the houses can be shut off, repaired, 
or altered without disturbing the working of any other portion. Each 
house should also be provided with screw valves on both the flows 
and returns. When this is done any repairs or alterations can be 
made at any time with one house while all the others may be at work. 
In many instances valves are only placed on the flow pipe ; but all 
such systems are incomplete, for when arranged thus the heat must 
be stopped from all the houses connected with the branch from the 
mains and beyond the valves that have been provided on it. From a 
letter before me I find that Messrs. F. & J. Mee’s large screw valves 
are perfectly watertight with a pressure of 85 lbs. to the square inch. 
These valves are working in Derbyshire, and if I am not mistaken 
this firm first brought these screw valves before the public, but am 
open for correction on this point. 
Throttle valves should not be placed in such positions, for they 
will not hold the water back. They are good for placing in the 
pipes where a check only is needed. The old make need not be 
described, for it has been entirely superseded, and the difficulty' of 
taking out the wing or disc overcome for cleaning or repairs. Messrs. 
Foster & Pearson’s new patent is a great acquisition, for the working 
part of the valve—that is, the wing—can be taken out in any position 
if set fast. Not only can this be done, but the seat of the valve as 
well. The cap or cover is secured by two bolts, and when these are 
unloosed the whole of the valve can be lifted out, whether turned on, 
off, or in any intermediate position. This is a convenient valve, and 
as durable as it is convenient, for it is fitted with a brass seat, the 
disc being of the same material. H valves are useful in arrangements 
where the heat has to pass through one house to the other. By the 
aid of two throttle valves beyond the II piece one house can be 
heat'd without the other, but there should always be a valve in the 
centre of the H piece, so that it can be shut off to prevent circula¬ 
tion round the one house instead of both when necessary to heat the 
two. When only one needs heating the valves beyond should be 
closed and the one in the II piece open. The ordinary H piece with 
the old throttle valve will answer for this purpose. An excellent 
valve of this description that I have seen is manufactured by Messrs. 
Messenger & Co., Loughborough. 
Expansion Valves.— Where the length of mains are great, 
expansion valves should be placed on both the flow and return pipes, 
It is not so essential to place them on the latter as the former, 
