March £«, 1891. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
2i3 
are scarcely aware of the miUions of germs of Fungi, Lichen^, and Fern 
spores which till the air at all times, but only germinate on finding a 
suitable home. For example, in a chalk district where Ferns are rare 
I once saw a well which was clothed a few feet down with innumerable 
small seedlings of the Hart’s Tongue Fern, and from my knowledge of 
the locality none grew near for miles, at least in a wild state. We are 
all sen sib e of a dusty sme 1 in entering a fernery or greenhouse. This 
arises from the presence of spores in the air, and is in consequence more 
noticeable in the summer mouth®. These spores travel unnoticed, and 
soon cover any damp spots with their lovely, if miniature and sometimes 
microscop’c, vegetable forms. 
As showing how aspect affects vegetation, the stone walls which 
abound in Devonshire will be covered on the sunny side with Aspleniums 
ruta-muraiia (Wall Eue) and Adiantum-nigrum (Spleenwort), while 
the shady side is beautified by the Scolopendrium and Lady Fern. The 
germinafon of the spores of Ferns is very interesting. At first a small, 
filmy green spot appears (called a prothallus), from which in due time 
at the edge a future Fern starts on its humble life. It is said that lime 
is absolutely essential to the growth of certain seeds, and that in its 
absence they fail to grow, whde others are k lied by it. The app’ication 
of certain manures will sometimes give extraordinary stimulus to hidden 
seeds, as when wood ashes are put on ^rass Trefo 1 and Clover appear 
as if by magic ; possibly they need a’kaline properties to make them 
germinate. In reference to the prerence of seeds in the soil, Mr. Maries 
recently stated that Piimuli obconica was obtained by chance in some 
earth he collectei benerth Piimuia stems in Japan, which he brought 
home and exposed in a g.-etnhouse. 
I must now conclude this paper, and if I have in any way excited 
interest in this matter my hearers are assured that I have barely 
touched the fringe of my subject, and that in this (as in all the open 
books of Nature), further search and inquiry will lead all humbly to 
acknowledge that, “ He doeth all things well,” and carry them back to 
the book of Genesis, wliere it is record‘d that the Creator’s fiat went 
forth for the virgin earth to bring fo.th the “• herb bearing seed and the 
fruit tree yielding fruit,” and the same regular cycle of growth, 
maturity, and reproduction obtains till the present day. 
A very interesting discussion followed. Mr. Cousens exhibited a 
curious flat-clawed seed pod like a crab, about 5 inches across, with seed 
vessels in the centre, which had been taken from Australian wool. Mr. 
D. Morris referrel to the successful shipment of Gambier he had just 
accomplished, and considered that the electric light at night had 
assisted the plants to retain their foliage. He also gave the modus 
02 )crandi in forming new plantations oE Pimento. The landowner clears 
a space of the larger trees and allows the scrub to grow up unchecked, 
and in about two or three years there is cover for the birds, which, after 
eating the fruit, pass the seeds through their bod'e®, and they soon take 
root, and the owner then thins them out at the proper distance, when 
a plantation is establishei in about five years; some prornss of 
fermentation being necessary for starting of the seed. It was generally 
agreed that the supposed growth of mummy Wheat had been fully 
exploded, and M. Vilmorin’s experiments were considered to have finally 
settled the quedion. It was also stated that the Opuntia had been 
distributed all over St, Helena in the town refuse by which the land 
was manured. It was also noted that the Foxglove (Digitalis) invariably 
came up where forests had been fired; but it was an open question 
whether the potash in the ashes or the letting in of light and air brought 
this about. It was stated that in some old hill pistures Charlock came 
up freely whe'e it had never been seen before, and this obtains on the 
chalk hflls of Kent. 
THE ARRANGEMENT OF HOT-WATER PIPES. 
The best mode of arranging hot-water pipes in fruit and other houses 
has been discussed many times in gardening journals. In the Gurdvnpr 
for 1879 a lengthy discuss'on w, s carried on, but, like many subsequent 
controversies on th’s subject, without any definite conclusions being 
arrived at. Those interested in the matter, and who have access to this 
publication, may do well to peruse the articles it contains on “Heating 
by Hot Water.” 
The only points where “ Heating Reformer” (Journal of Horticulture, 
present volume, page 179) differs from those writers are the arrangement 
of pipes over the Vine borders at intervals of 2 feet, and the employment 
of only one return pipe for every five flows. The objection which 
Mr. Divers (page 210) raises to this system is full of sound judgment. 
I doubt whether many gardeners would consent to the pipes being 
arranged over the borders in this manner. Surely “ Heating Reformer ” 
could find some better place for his pipes than the surface of the bouler, 
which requires so much attention. We believe that the primitive 
arrangement which “Heating Reformer” condemns is likely to prove a 
’css evil than the system he advocates. If a vinery is fitted with two 
TOW'S of pipes at or near the front, and the same quantity fiom the 
middle to the back of the house according to the way the bouse is 
arranged, there need be no attacks from red spider if the house is 
properly attended to. 
I have no experience of five flows being provided for each return 
pipe—nor want ; but I was employetl some years ago as a journeyman 
where three flows w'ere worked for a time with only one return. This 
answered in a vinery near the boiler, but prove! a failure in an early' 
Peach house at the other end of the same range. In this house 
circulation was almost at a standstill in the early pirt of the yeir, 
when an uniform temperature was required. The substitution of a 
return pipe for each flow proved a remedy. It is not likely that five 
instearl of the three flows to each return pipe would have mended 
matters. The use of three flows to each return })'pe does not answer in 
a stove or other equally warm plant houm at any gi eat distance from the 
boiler. The imjiortance of carrying mains outside the structures to 
bo hca*ei is a matter that cannot be too strongly impressel upon 
gardeners. 
Respecting the desirability of having both flow and return pipes 
fittel with valves, I may say that I am now suffering from the 
inconvenience caused by valves being fitted to the flow pipes only. 
Where the house happens to be near the brilcr the temperature is at no 
time entirely under the contml of the gardener, a state of things that is 
by no means pleasant.—W. R. Williams, Great Marlow. 
I CAN assure Mr. Divers there need be no diificuity w’n.atever in 
renewing Vine borders with the pipes arranged in a manner as described 
by me on page 179. Had he called here in the month of October three 
y'ears since he would have seen work going on in such a manner that he 
must have confessed there was no difficulty in getting fork, spade, or 
shovel through the 2 feet space between the pipe.®. We find no difficulty 
cither in tipping a wheelbarrowful of .sod between the pipes in making 
up the border, and one could not wish to do more than that, it not being 
usual to have carts inside ordinary vineries. As we do not expect to 
have to renew the borders again for another ten years at least I do not 
think it would be wise to have the hot-water pipes arranged in a mass 
along the front, or indeed in any other part of the vineiy, merely for 
the sake of an imaginary difficulty'. Surely this is but a weak argument 
to advance against the distributing pdan of hot-water pipe airangement. 
So much for the matter of convenience in renewing the borders, 
Mr. Divers says there is “ not a great number of feeding roots close 
to the stems of the Vines.” Does he not think this is owing to the 
faulty method of clustering the pijies near to the front of the house, and 
consequently near to the stems of the Vines, as they are generally' 
situated at the front of the house? becau.se he says that “several pipes 
at the front of the house often dry the.border very much.” Now I have 
alway'S been taught that “ borders which arc dried very much ” are not 
likely to be well furnished with feeding roots, owing, of course, to the 
lack of moisture. My experience leads me to say' that there is a goodly 
number of feeding roots close to the stems of the Vines. This fact of 
the roots being more evenly spread over the border—that is, close to the 
stems of the Vines as well as farther away from them, may be attri¬ 
butable to the plan I advise and practise of spreading the heat in a 
more equal manner over the border, thus avoiiling drying the border 
very much by clustering of the pipes in one jiarticular place. Sure’y, 
Mr. Divers, y'ou are assisting my argument considerably as to the utility' 
of the plan in arranging the hot-water pipies as far as the welfare of the 
Vines is concerned, and that I take to be of more consequence than the 
more convenience of renewing the border, say once in a dozen yeans. 
Even then it is but a small affair in willing hands. 
With regard to the thorough manner in wli’ch the water will 
circulate through five flow pipes into one return, Mr. Divers may rest 
assured that the plan is perfect. If he has the wish to put it to a test 
he can have the opportunity by' callbi' here at any time. The Editor will, 
I have no doubt, give him the loute, and vouch for the welcome he 
would find, as he knows quite well that I have not the slightest qualm 
about giving a practical lesson in heating a vinery on the “ spreading 
out ” system. 
Regarding the case of insufficient circulation which is quoted, and 
w'hich Mr. Divers had to deal with, I cannot of course s.ay anything, 
not knowing the eircumstances, but .should say that the plan previously 
was a faulty one. I have not y'et known an instance where the return 
pipes exceed the flow' pipes in number, and have not a word to say 
against the jilan if it answers. 
Perhaps I might venture to suggest that “ some of the finest fruit in 
the kingdom,” which is grown in houses heated in the manner I describe 
as being “ most objectionable,” is ripened later in the y'ear than I name 
—June. In that case the evil of clustering the jiipes together along the 
front of the house is not nearly so great, because much less heat from 
the pipes is required to maintain the necessary temperatures for Grapes, 
which are ripened later in the year—say during August and September 
for instance, the reason for which is obvious.— Heating Refokmer. 
AUCHENRAITH. 
To realise fully how great is the pleasure which a ganlcn affords 
one must not go to a big show place w'ith its acres of glass houses and 
gardeners by the dozen, but rather turn to one of those snug enclosures 
which surround the homes of the middle class, w'hose owner has sufficient 
means and leisure to obtain what he wishes, with ability to manage Ids 
own garden. More than this, he must have that taste for ganlening 
which is inborn, together with an intimate knowleilge of horticiilture 
and a sufficient acquaintance with arboriculture to insure a judicious 
selection and tasteful arrangement of his trees and shrubs. Above all he 
must really love his garden, and be on terms of close intimacy with eveiy 
plant in it ; for the true enjoyment of a garden comes not from the mere 
possession of wealth and the power it gives to purchase treasures rich 
and lare from the teeming stores of Flora and Pomona. Each denizen 
of it must have its history, must speak to its owner in a language which 
