426 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
[ November 11, 1886. 
thing wrong somewhere. This is a nearly correct description of our 
system, or want of system, of heating, and the consequence is many 
bottom-heat pipes are burst at the sockets, for which the rusted iron 
filings used in the packing are responsible. The valves when turned leak 
badly till rusted up again, and a few cracked pipes complete the tale of 
misery. Fortunately, we have a good water supply, and a steady stream 
is always running in. Plenty will be ready to ask, “ Why not have all 
this rectified?” but this is much easier said than done. Nobody could 
say where to stop and what the cost would be, and besides a grand upset 
is not to my liking ; in fae’, I could not name a time of year when we 
could afford to stop everything in the way of growing plants, fruits, end 
vegetables. There are many more, I am afraid, in much the same pre¬ 
dicament, and we can only sympathise with and assist each other to the 
best of our ability. 
We cannot soften our water nor alter the arrangement of the pipes, 
and under the circumstances it must be a very good boiler indeed that 
will long stand against a train of unfavourable incidents. Various cast 
iron boilers have been tried, especially before I had charge of the place, 
and more have since been fixed and refixed by their maker, who would 
not accept defeat; but they all collapsed, either at the first strain or in 
about twelve months. The first offenders were upright tubulars (not 
Weeks’), and they burst at the lower ring, either from a too slow 
return, the cold water first passing through the hollow bars, or owing to a 
rapid settlement of rust or other heavy matter, which the heat rapidly 
transformed into rock. The old-fashioned upright tubulars are simply 
worthless, being liable to break down even where the water is perfectly soft. 
There are two glaring faults in their construction, both of which have 
been remedied by the leading hot-water engineers, but not by the local 
makers, who still persist in constructing them on the old lines. In the 
first place the bottom ring ought either to be ca6t more after the shape of 
a horseshoe, or with a gap in the ring, this admitting of expansion ; or 
better still on the duplex system, so well carried out by Messrs. Weeks. 
Then instead of there being only one small pipe connecting the hot-water 
bars with the boiler there ought to be two, this being especially needful 
when the settlement in the boiler accumulates quickly, or wherever hard 
water is used. When a very experienced friend first pointed out to me how 
important it is that there should be one good return pipe if not two to 
every boiler, I felt certain that the want of this had much to do with the 
collapses that have occurred here. When there are two 4-inch flow pipes 
and only one partially choked 3-inch return it is bound to end disastrously 
the first time a sharp frost necessitates hard firing, and it is the ring at a 
spot just in front of the furnace door that gives way beyond all power 
of repairing. The very thought of what we have had to contend with 
makes me shudder. These breakdowns are always annoying, happen 
when they will, but I have no word to describe the gardener’s feelings 
when it occurs, as it usually does, at the outset of a severe frost. 
Upright tubulars unfortunately are not the only failures, as it has been 
necessary to re-rivet saddle boilers and to frequently repair those that are 
welded. They give way somewhere, some in about five years, others after 
a longer duration. The most serviceable boiler ever fixed here, an 
improved Trentham or Cornish, gave no trouble for twelve years, but the 
breakdown happened as a matter of course when the upright tubular in 
connection with it was also " in a bad way.” Early last winter, at the 
commencement of a week’s frost, we were fixing one new boiler and re¬ 
pairing the other, the new working as best they could in the daytime, and 
so contriving as to admit of the pipes being filled and a fire lit each 
night. We were up all night long and adopted all soits of contrivances 
to keep out the frosts from those houses which the Trentham does not 
reach. It was altogether a case of gardening under difficulties, and it was 
not the first time I devoutly wished all the hot-water apparatuses at the 
bottom of the sea. I thought of all this when I saw the display of boilers 
and piping at Liverpool, and I quite sympathised with Mr. Witherspoon 
and his difficulties with defectively constructed joints. He should have 
had the gold medal if my vote could have been the casting one. 
The one great recommendation of the Trentham boiler is the fact that 
it can be repaired where it is most liable to burst wbhout the aid of a 
mason. With us it failed directly over the fire and within easy distance 
of the front. A small crack soon spread, and a steady stream proves too 
much for any ordinary fire. At first an iron plate half an inch thick, 
about 12 inches by 6 inches, and made to fit the boiler was bolted strongly 
over the weak place. Instead of red lead, which is liable to squeeze out, 
a square of the fireproof asbestos was enclosed, and this effectually stopped 
the leak. This papery material seems proof against a fierce fire, though 
in our case it was only subjected to the test for a few months ; at the same 
time when removed last winter it was apparently uninjured. The work 
of drilling holes and strongly bolting on the plates is very laborious, but 
in spite of the great heat necessarily got up eveiy night it was well done. 
As it happened it only staved oft a breakdown for a short time, as the 
roof of the boiler soon began to warp and crack afresh, and after an ex¬ 
amination it was decided to cut a piece measuring 18 inches by 15 inches 
clean out. When this was done it was found that the whole of the roof 
was encrusted with rock of nearly the ihickness of the water space, and 
the wonder is that any heat ever reached the houses connected with that 
boiler. In case I may appear to have exaggerated the state of affairs I am 
posting a sample of wbat came out of the boiler for the Editor to inspect. 
He may have seen similar instances of incrustation, but I never have, nor 
could have credited previously that a boiler would have got into such a 
bad state in a comparatively short space of time. A man worked hard all 
one day in clearing out the rock from that boiler, and some could not then 
b e £°t a t- A fresh stout plate well paced at the edges with iron filings 
and red lead was strongly fixed over the opening made, and it answers 
well. As many as thirty-two stout square-headed screws were used, and I 
have no doubt such strong work will be lasting. Flimsy repairs are use¬ 
less, especially in such trying positions, and we were fortunate in being 
able to command the services of experienced mechanics. It is no economy 
to patch up an old-fashioned boiler, seeing how much more powerful and 
less fuel-consuming are the most modern inventions, especially saddle 
boilers with a waterway back or “ check end,” but nearly any boiler can 
be repaired, and if the work is well done will last for many years longer. 
—W. IGGULDEN. 
SEASONABLE HINTS ON FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
This month is a busy and important one for florists, and it is not too 
much to say that on the care and attention bestowed now will depend the 
success or failure of another season. Other circumstances may cause it 
afterwards to make or mar the season’s prospects, but if neglect takes 
place now nothing will remedy it afterwards. A few hints, then, from an 
old florist may not be out of place. 
Auriculas. —These must now be put into their winter quarters. 
Some have houses in which “ to bestow their goods,” others—that is, the 
larger proportion of growers, use frames. These must now be removed 
from the shaded aspect in which they have been (or ought to have been) 
all the summer to a position facing the south, so that they may get the 
benefit of the winter sun when it condescends to shine. All dead and decay¬ 
ing leaves should be gently stripped off, and if there are any aphides they 
should be got rid of, either by brushing or fumigation, and the pots kept 
clear of weeds. I do not know how others have found it, but although this 
has been one of the finest and warmest autumns that we have experienced 
for many years I never had so few autumn trusses. As I potted at the usual 
time and treated my plants precisely as I have done in former years I 
know of no reason that will account for this. 
Carnations and Picotees. —Those who, like myself, trusted to 
plants in beds received a rude shock this season. For two winters my 
plants had done well, and I hoped that I could dispense with flowering 
them in pots, but the severitv of last season was too much for them and 
grievous gaps marked the bed, so I am this year returning to pot culture, 
and shall bloom them under a rough structure I have put up for flowering 
my Chrysanthemums under. The layers, which have all been taken oft 
some time and just planted thickly in a bed, will now be taken up, potted 
where the plants are large, one in a 48-pot, or two when they are small, but 
if there is plenty of space they are better potted singly. The compost 
used should be very simple—pure loam, with a little leaf mould added, but 
no manure. It is not desired that the plants should grow during the 
winter, but make plenty of roots. After potting they should be kept close 
for a few days after being gently watered, and they should then be re¬ 
moved to a frame facing south, and have abundance of air given at all 
seasonable times, a close damp atmosphere inducing spot. 
Gladioli. —This is an anxious month for these, as on their suc¬ 
cessful housing depends a good deal of the success of next year’s 
blooms. The beds containing them will have to be carefully watched, for 
there are some corms which are earlier than others, and will have to be 
lifted first. The early part of the month was very favourable for ripening 
them, but within the last fortnight we have had in Kent more than 
3 inches of rain, and where the ground is at all heavy it has made the 
ground too sticky for much to be done with them. Opinions vary as to 
the best time for taking them up. Mr. Burrell leaves his to a very late 
time, even covering his beds with long litter to prevent the frost getting 
at them. They say at Fontainebleau that November is the month for 
lifting them, but in a note I had from there a fortnight ago they told me 
that they were already doing so. When they are taken up they should 
be placed in a cool shed where the air can get at them, but from which 
frost is excluded, so that they can be dried gradually. I never found that 
corms what are lifted in a sound state go off afterwards, but if they are 
spotted they are most likely to go from bad to worse. Some advocate 
their being left with all the earth adhering to them, but neither at 
Fontainebleau or Langport is this idea carried out. The “ spawn ” should 
be carefully saved of good varieties when the bulbs are cleaned off, and 
be put into paper bags with some dry sand; there they may be kept until 
the spring. When I clear off my corms I place them in a frame specially 
made for them, and place it in a dark cellar where frost cannot reach 
them, writing their names on the bulbs themselves, so that if they do get 
disarranged in any way they may be easily known. 
Pansies.— These may now be placed like Carnations and Auriculas in 
frames, and be treated in a similar manner. Where they are grown in 
beds care must be taken to save them from being broken or twisted by 
high winds, and a top-dressing of old manure about 1 inch in thickness 
will be found useful for keeping the plants in order, as well as helping 
their growth. 
Ranunculi.— I have been much puzzled by the observations on 
these tubers in a recent Journal, when the writer of the calendar said, 
“ The Turban varieties of Ranunculuses are best for bedding out late in 
January. Late in January or early in February are good times for planting 
them.” I hardly know what he means by Turbans being best for bedding 
out. Of course if you want to have beds all of one colour this is true, 
but the Persian varieties are equally good ; and as to planting the 
Turbans then. It is, 1 think, the first time I have seen that recom¬ 
mendation. They ought to be, or at any rate they are always, planted in 
October, while the Persians are reserved for spring. It is to me a great 
surprise that these (the Persians) are not more generally grown, for they 
are now easily obtained. After having tried in many quarters for s >rts 
that would bring back to me those which made so vivid an impression on 
me fifty years ago, I received a collection from Messrs. Ant. Roozen and 
