276 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 14. 1892. 
the pipes are run say fully 18 inches below the roof. As evidence of 
the ease with which it is possible to force heat to a good height, I 
observed in the Mitcham Public Hall the other day that it was heated 
on one side by 2J-inch flow and return pipes, and on the other side by a 
single pipe, the return passing another way, and yet the boiler was in 
the basement of the building 20 feet below. The pipes were fitted with 
a large expansion tube, standing erect; but something of the same 
kind might be fixed in a house horizontally if needed. It is a pity that 
this question of top heating is not more thoroughly applied, warming 
the air, where it enters at the roof, and not compelling it to descend 
deeply to become heated.—A. D. 
Events op the Week. —To-day (Thursday, April 14th) there is a 
meeting of the Brighton and Sussex Horticultural Society. On Tuesday, 
April 19th, the Show of the National Auricula and Primula Society 
(Southern Section) takes place at the Drill Hall, and a luncheon is 
fixed for 2 p.m. at the Hotel Windsor, Sir J. T. D. Llewelyn being 
expected to preside. In the afternoon there will be a lecture on English 
Florists’ Tulips. On the evening of the same day the monthly dinner 
of the Horticultural Club will take place, when Mr. H. E. Milner, F.L.S., 
will give a lecture on “ Landscape Gardening.” On the 20th a sale of 
greenhouse plants, Palms, Gladioli, single and double Begonias, Eoses, 
and other plants’, will be held at Protheroe & Morris’ rooms. 
- The Weather in London. —After a period of bright warm 
weather, lasting several days, the temperature fell rapidly, and the 
12th opened dull and very cold. This was maintained over Wednesday, 
light rain falling most of the day, with snow later, and the temperature 
remaining very low. This will give a check to vegetation, which had 
advanced with great rapidity during the week ending April 9th. 
-The International Fruit Show. —A meeting in further¬ 
ance of this Exhibition was held on Tuesday last, and subsequently a 
deputation, including Sir James Whitehead, Bart., with Messrs. Phillip 
Crowley, George Paul, J. Laing, B. Wynne, J. Wright, and R. Dean, 
waited on the Lord Mayor at the Mansion House. His lordship 
expressed his warm approval of the project, and it is expected that the 
City will accord active support. 
—— United Horticultural Benefit and Provident 
Society. —The quarterly meeting of this Society was held at the 
Caledonian Hotel on Monday evening last. The chair was taken by 
Mr. G. W. Cummins, and the election of new members was first 
proceeded with, ten more being added to the list. Two cheques were 
granted to the nominees of members that have died—viz., Mr. Benjamin 
Coombe, who died at Victoria, Texas ; and Mr. William Rosier, late of 
Putney. The sick list was very heavy during the first two months, 
but at the present time there is not one on the funds, which shows that 
the health of the members of the Society is extremely good. The usual 
business being concluded, a hearty vote of thanks to the Chairman ended 
the meeting. 
- Copper Insecticide.—I fancy your correspondent must have 
used an impure sample of sulphate of copper containing the salt of 
iron. Carbonate of copper is blue, carbonate of iron is brown. My 
mention of sub-sulphate related to copperas, not bluestone. I am, as you 
know, an old practical amateur chemist and know what lam talking about. 
The phenomena pointed distinctly to iron. I have just gone through 
the process with bluestone and washing soda, result carbonate of 
copper, blue as the sky, and nothing else whatever.— Chemicus. 
- Education in Gardening.—I am pleased to see the note of 
encouragement to young gardeners regarding the writing of essays, and 
hope a beneficial effect will be derived from it. When a young man 
writes an article intent upon bringing it before the many readers of the 
Journal he must needs use the greatest care and exactness in describing 
his ideas. In so doing he not only conveys to others his practical 
experience, but impresses more vividly upon his own mind the cultural 
details of the subject in question. Mistakes are liable to be made, 
especially by beginners, but they seldom pass unchallenged, for there 
is generally someone to point them out, either in a friendly or a 
criticising manner. Opinions differ on various subjects, which some¬ 
times make them the more interesting, and a little discussion serves to 
thrash out any weak points and bring more prominently before the 
reader the course to be adopted.—J. Clarke, Roby. 
-We are apprised of the death of Mr. James Smith of Darley 
Dale Nurseries, Derbyshire, which occurred on the 29th ult. in the 
eighty-third year of his age. The Darley Dale Nurseries are famed 
chiefly for Rhododendrons, Amejican plants, and hardy shrubs. 
- New Daffodils. —Mr. W. B. Hartland sends us blooms of the 
new Spanish Daffodil Cervantes, primrose colour, with a much-serrated 
corona, also a bloom of Zipporah raised at Cork, deep yellow, with 
smooth perianth segments and long corona, in character resembling 
the Tenby Daffodil. 
- The Late Mr. Major’s Plants. —As will be noticed in our 
advertising columns the unique collection of Cacti, large Himalayan 
Rhododendrons, and other plants belonging to the executors of the late 
Mr. C. M. Major of Cromwell House, Croydon, are now being offered for 
sale on the premises by the gardener. 
-Bulbs in Holland. —We are informed that the Hyacinths 
are now in fine flower in Haarlem, Holland, and will be at their best 
during the Easter holidays. The public sales of Hyacinths begin on 
the 19th, and will continue every day till the beginning of May. The 
show beds of Hyacinths and Tulips at Messrs. Krelage’s nursery will 
be opened on Easter Sunday. Admittance is allowed daily from 10 to 
12 A.M., and from 2 to 4 P.M. The Show will probably be open till 
the middle of May, but it will be at its best during the latter half of 
April. A pamphlet containing historical notes on the Dutch show 
beds, and the names of the varieties exhibited, has been issued. 
- Post Boxes. —Many kinds of boxes have been designed for 
sending flowers, cuttings, and other garden products by post, and another 
comes to hand from Messrs. F. J. Harris & Co., 14, Golden Lane, London, 
E.C. It is very good indeed, being simply designed, neat, and strong. 
Particulars will be found in the advertisement columns. 
- Peach Stones as Fuel. —In California, says a daily contem¬ 
porary, it is found that Peach stones burn as well as the best coal, and 
give out more heat in proportion to weight. The stones taken out of the 
fruit that is tinned or dried are collected and sold at the rate of 24s. a 
ton. Apricot stones also burn, but not so jwell as Peach, and do not 
command so good a price. 
- Hardy Fruit Blossom in Vorkshire. —The show of blossom 
on hardy fruit trees augurs well for a full crop of fruit during the present 
season, provided we escape late frosts. Apples, Pears, Plums, Apricots, 
Nuts, and berry trees all promise well. The old foliage on Strawberry 
plants is quite withered up. They, in common with Broccoli, suffered 
severely during the prevalence of severe frosts accompanied by a 
keen east wind early in February, nevertheless the crowns are pushing 
strongly.—J. T. 
- Daffodils on the Pyrenees. —A writer in Nature Notes, 
calling attention to “ the iniquity of rooting up wild flowers to sell 
them to English dealers,” says he could name a district in the Basses 
Pyrenees where not a single wild Daffodil is now to be found. The 
flower was once abundant there, but an English resident chose to bargain 
with a well-known dealer to furnish him with roots, and this has been 
attended by grave injustice to France. 
-Yellow Flesh Turnips.—W hen talking to an audience 
recently about garden roots, I fear I somewhat startled them by 
asserting that nothing but foolish prejudice prevented us here in the 
south from growing and consuming yellow flesh Turnips, especially 
such kinds as Golden Ball or Orange Jelly, which are really yellow 
counterparcs of our Early Six Weeks or Snowball; but I went even 
further, and strongly advised that bulbs of the field Swede Turnip, 
which ordinarily produced in the open ground tops far more pleasing to 
the palate when cooked than are the tops of white Turnips, should be 
placed in soil in dark places for the purpose of having the tops in a 
delicate blanched state to be eaten as Seakale. I was therefore interested 
to read the note on this topic at page 259, because it bore out my own 
assertion in relation to the value of the Swede as a garden root, although 
it is not essential that it should have garden culture if a quantity of 
sound bulbs can be purchased or otherwise obtained from the fields 
in the autumn for winter and spring blanching. Why we should 
neglect so capital a root as this Swedish Turnip, and allow it to be used 
exclusively as food for cattle, can be attributed to prejudice and nothing 
