270 
Journal of horticulture and cottage gardener. 
[ September 2S, 1886. 
water bars are separately connected, and can be removed without 
removing the boiler. The return pipe can be connected with the 
boiler instead of the tubular bars, and plain cast fire bars used if 
they are preferred. The whole of the surface of the boiler can be 
freed from soot in a few minutes from the soot boxes at the front. 
Two doors, it will be observed, are arranged to the front of the 
boiler, the lower one for cleaning and clinkering, and the higher 
one for feeding. 
The engravings represent the boiler as it worked in the contest 
at Liverpool, and it is clear that when filled with fuel it will keep 
the pipes hot and last for at least twelve hours. The fire was 
banked at 8 P.M., and at 8 a.m. the following morning the tempera¬ 
ture of the water in the flow was 104°, and in the return 100°, and 
the fire was a good one. This is a slow-combustion boder as well 
as a quick heating one. It can be set without a single brick, as was 
the case at Liverpool. Boilers that require no sinking or costly 
brickwork in setting them are certain to be in demand in the 
future. 
There are other boilers of a very similar make in the market—for 
instance, those of Messrs. Richardson & Co., Darlington, and 
Messrs. Stavely & Todd, London. These boilers have been 
illustrated in the Journal of Horticulture, and are not left out on the 
present occasion because they are inferior or less worthy than any 
that may be figured or described. There are numerous boilers that 
cannot be mentioned which are good, choice, and capable of doing 
their work well. The selection of a boiler is very much a matter 
of taste, which, in many instances, entirely depends upon the price. 
—W. Bardn-ey. 
(To be continued.) 
TRENCHED v. UNTRENCHED SOIL. 
Mp., Iggulden’s reply to “ A Kentish Gardener’s ’’ query on the 
aoove-mentioned topic is a most instructive and interesting one, and was, 
no doubt, looked forward to with much interest by many readers of this 
Journal. Mr. Jggnlden keeps to the principles which he has advanced 
on more than one occasion in the pages, of the Journal of Horticulture , 
and no doubt he is fully justified in so doing, seeing that he has given it 
good trials indifferent parts of the garden under his charge. As one 
who is acquainted with the garden under notice, I am able to state that 
the soil is of such a character as to require great forethought and patience, 
so as to obtain the best results at all seasons of the year. Trenching 
has advantages as well as disadvantages. Some soils can and are im¬ 
proved thereby, while others are often injured by the practice. Trenching 
has been carried out by gardeners, perhaps, from the earliest date on 
record, and doubtless will continue for years to come ; yet I think, with 
Mr. Iggulden, that it would often be best left undone. Partcf the garden 
here was trenched during the past winter ; Peas and Potatoes were the 
crops planted thereon. Neither crop showed any signs of improvement 
to justify the cause of trenching, the latter being carried out simply as 
an experiment. The best crop of Peas obtained this season were from 
ground well manured and deeply dug ody, the previous crop being late 
Broccoli, and lrom these sowings we are gathering good Peas daily at 
the present time. Some were sown in trenches dug two spades in width 
and prepared the same as for Celery, but the produce was not equal to 
those grown in ground that was prepared in the ordinary way. Possibly 
the method would have answered much better if we had had time to keep 
them well watered. Our soil is of a light sandy nature about from 
18 inches to 2 feet deep, resting on a bed of sandy clay, and is well 
drained. The ground dries wonderfully quickly—in fact, too quickly for 
growing plants to hold their own during such tropical weather as was 
experienced during July of the present year. Mulching has to be strictly 
attended to with us, otherwise Peas as well as other crops would net 
prove satisfactory. Strawy litter fresh from the stables we use for Runner 
Beans and Peas ; short grass from the mowing machine is freely used for 
Celery, Onions, Carrots and Vegetable Marrows, Tomatoes against walls 
outdoors, &c. ; the latter is applied almost weekly during the earlier part 
of the season. 
It is a singular fact that Lettuces and Kidney Beans in many instances 
produce heavier crops on ridges between Celery trenches than when 
grown in any other position, notwithstanding under these conditions no 
manure is given and the ground left unmoved, except 2 or 3 inches on the 
surrace. which is thrown out of the trenches. We have this season had 
much heavier crops of these Beans on Celery ridges than on ground that 
has been dug and manured, the plants, too, growing with unusual vigour 
in spite of their apparently unfavourable elevation and the long-continued 
snel! of dry weather at the time when the plants were in actual growth.— 
I WAS pleased to see Mr. Iggulden has altered his opinion about 
trenching sufficiently to admit that it is beneficial on s ;me soils. It would 
teem by Mr. Iggu'den’s letter that thesoil at Marstou is far too rich when 
trenched, as it grows Carrots and Parsnips too large to he serviceable. I 
wish I lived a little nearer to Mr. Iggulden, that I might see some of his 
vegetables. I have seen some of them at exhibitions that were well worthy 
of first honours ; but I suppose these would be grown on untrenched 
ground, and not on the different pieces of ground that he has trenched 
each season. There may be some soils which are not improved by 
trenching, but I have not had charge of such myself. I have seen 
soils that were the worse for being trenched, and that were in an 
unworkable condition for a loDg time. On one piece in particular that 
I knew o f , which had not been known to be trenched before, a spit 
of stiff subsoil wa9 brought to the surface which was quite unfit for 
sowing seeds on the first year. Had this been ba6tard-trenohed and at the 
same time leaves, ashes, or old soil from the potting bench worked in with 
the bottom trench the following season, or each season, a small poition of 
the second spit might be brought to the surface with much benefit, as it 
would gradually increase the depth of soil, making it more suitable for 
vegetables to root into. 
With regard t > trenches for Peas, mine were placed out about Christmas 
time in the same way as for Celery, a heavy coating of manure being dug 
in, and we have never missed a day (excepting three days in July when 
my employers were away) without sending Peas into the house since the 
beginning of July up to this date (September 17th), and some are now 
getting too old for table use, and if good weather continue I hope to have 
sufficient to send in daily for at least another fortnight. With me, Peas 
have continue d unusually prolific this year, while last year they were the 
reverfe. I may add that we have had company staying here nearly the 
whole of the time Peas have been in season, and they have many times 
been sent in twice a day. I may be wrong, but I attribute my success to 
growing them in trenches prepared in winter.—J. L. B. 
I do not agree with the surface cultivation advocated by Mr. Iggu'don. 
A heavy soil is not likely to benefit by deep cultivation unless it is 
drained. I am practising on a clay soil that has been drained, and I 
always bastard-trench fur anything I wish to grow particularly well. I 
cau assert that it benefits the crop it is intended for, and succeeding crops 
too. If Mr. Iggulden will examine the Lettuces, &c., on the ridges 
between Celery trenches he will find the roots have penetrated the undug 
soil to the bottom, and I believe the’r luxuriance is caused by the double 
depth of fertile soil. Few gardeners are allowed to treat a kitchen garden 
in the manner “ F. H., Cobliam ,” described in the former discussion ; but if 
I had charge of an undrained garden with a sour clay soil, I would first 
drain it, then bastard-trench it, and dig into the b ttom spit ashes, 
rubbish heap, road scrapings, lime, or anything likely to make it work 
better, and by thus letting the water out and the air in the depth of 
fertile soil would be doubled in a few years, and it would be against 
scientific and practical t aching if the crops were not benefited by such 
treatment.—A. L. G. 
HECKFIELD. 
Gardeners who are in the habit of visiting these fine gardens, which 
are most picturesquely situated five miles from Winchfield station, com¬ 
manding such extensive views in the county of Hants, always find much 
to interest them at all seasons of the year. The general “keep” of the 
whole place is so good that one feels almost inclined to envy the method 
by which such a vast amount of work is accomplished, and this without 
any great bustle and excitement. The different details are so carefully 
“ mapped ” out beforehand that everything works like clockwork. It is 
no exaggeration to say that this is one of the best kept places in the 
country ; scarcely a weed can be found anywhere. And this is not all, 
the crops in every department are excellent. Nowhere can such a varied 
assortment of bedding be found in a private place. True, the natural 
advantages of the place are all in its favour—pure air, excellent shelter 
from winds, and a free-working soil. Space will not allow of a full 
description of the garden, but I wish to record a few salient points which 
I noted during a recent short stay. The extent to which Chrysanthemum 
culture has been taken up here would astonish those persons who have 
heard Mr. Wildsmith speak in not too favourable terms of the “ big 
bloom” method of growing these plants, but knowing that a “convert” 
was being made at Hedcfield to the present method of producing first- 
class blooms, I was not surprised (o find as fine a collection of plants as 
can be seen. The varieties include the best. The plants are tall, strong, 
and well ripened, possessing foliage of that thick leathery description 
which is so essential to success. The buds are most of them “ taken ” at 
the right time for producing fine blooms and prolonging the show of 
flowers at home. I shall be much surprised if blooms from these plants 
do not figure prominently at some of the autumn shows. There is a 
magnificent crop of Peaches on the walls outside, the trees being clean, 
showing clearly the benefits of constant and correct attention to their 
requirements. Pears are not quite such a heavy crop as is customary 
here, but still there is wbat many would call a good show. The trees 
are in the beet condition as regards health, holding out promises of what 
they will do another year. 
Two long borders, one on each side of the central path in the kitchen 
grrden, are very attractive ju.-t now. A capital hedge, about 5 feet high, 
of Cupressus Lawsmiana forms the background; alongside this and 
trained flat to the hedge is a row of single Dahlias ; below are yellow and 
white Marguerites, a few Pelargoniums, and some Ageratums; then the 
front, a space of about 2 feet wide, is planted in panels of Autennaria 
tomentosa, Alternantheras, and Begonia Princess Beatrice, a new variety 
sent out by Messrs. Sutt >n & Sons, and a capital bedder, growing dwarf 
and flowering in profusion ; the flowtrs are white, with age they assumj 
a salmon tinge. Other panels are filled with a new Iresine, bright in 
colour, which originated with Mr. Coleman at Eastnor Castle Gardens. 
It is a sport from I. Lindeni, and is likely to be a valuable acquisition to 
the flower garden. The centre of the panels was occupied with neatly 
grown plants of Cupressus Lawsoniana erecta viridia and Retinospora 
