128 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ February 17, 1E87. 
we have engraved from a photograph, showing that “half of the 
berries” are not “always like Peas.”] 
WATERTIGHT ASHPITS. 
I HAVE been greatly interested in the discussion which has taken 
place on watertight ashpits, and can fully endorse what has been said 
in their favour from a practical point of view. About four years ago 
we had to replace one of ourdarge boilers—size 0 feet by 3 feet; under 
this was placed a cast iron pan about 6 inches deep, which is filled with 
water every morning. Previous to this pan being put in we had no end 
of trouble with bars anil clinkers running into one solid mass, also 
twisting and burning, and the expense in new bars was a serious item. 
Since using the watertight ashpits the bars put in four years ago have 
not been renewed and are as good as ever. Other two boilers of similar 
size with the same arrangements have since been put down with equally 
satisfactory results. 
M I can also endorse what Mr. Simpson says as to bars being placed 
too close so as to prevent a sufficient quantity of air getting to the fire. 
There is then a great waste of fuel, as the gases arising from it are 
passing up the flue unused. To prove this you have only to take a 
cover off the flue and insert a naked light, when the gases will ignite, 
and you have one mass of flame in the flue which ought to have been 
consumed in the fire and around the boiler. 
Waterway grate bars do not find favour here. No doubt they absorb 
heat when in direct contact with the fire, but ours are not steam boilers, 
and cannot be clinkered as often as the steam boilers. As soon as they 
are coated with clinker or ashes, then the water in those bars is cooled 
by the action of the air passing between them to the fire.—T. C. A. 
THYRSACANTHUS RUTILANS. 
This is one of the most attractive plants we have for winter blooming. 
The flowers, which are bright scarlet, borne in long pendulous racemes, 
contrast greatly with the dark green leaves, giving the plant an elegant 
appearance. It is a free flowerer, producing its bright flowers through 
the dark winter months when, as a rule, stoves are quite destitute of 
flower. They may be propagated by cuttings, which should be taken off 
after the plant has finished flowering, inserted into thumb pots, and 
placed in a good bottom heat, where they will soon root if kept moist and 
shaded. 
As soon as rooted, pot them in a good compost of light loam, leaf 
mould, and sand, some well-decomposed manure might also be added ; 
place them in a good heat, where the plants should be kept growing as 
quickly as possible, so as to obtain them of a good size, after which they 
should be kept rootbound, which will induce them to flower freely. 
Six-inch pots will be found the most useful for this plant (as that size is 
generally used for table decoration) for which purpose the Thyrsacanthus 
is well adapted. If the drainage is in good order the old plants will 
only need top-dressing the second year, when they should be succeeded 
by young ones.— C. Collins. 
NAILING WALL TREES. 
The majority of gardens of any importance are surrounded by walls, 
and it is both profitable and enjoyable to have these walls well clothed 
with fruit trees. To do this it is important that the trees be in good 
health, but their appearance depends chiefly on the manner in which 
they are trained. It has been remarked that the crops on many wall 
trees have not been in proportion to the great attention given to their 
training, and certainly a tree without fruit is not attractive ; but those 
who train their trees carefully contrive to secure a crop of fruit. 
The winter season is the time to nail trees. When the work is 
neglected then, and the trees are allowed to bloom before the main 
branches at least are fixed in their places, it will be found a difficult 
matter to do it properly, whereas just now it is very easy. The last 
lesson I ever had in nailing was at Dalkeith, in Mr. W. Thomson’s time. 
It took a pair of us nearly three months to complete the work, and the 
experience gained then has never been forgotten. Each was made 
secure for the year. This should be the main object of all who nail 
fruit trees in winter ; when they are only “ tacked up ” here and there 
the weight of the foliage and fruit in summer may cause the branch, to 
fall. I have seen much fruit lost in this way, and many good trees per¬ 
manently disfigured. Cast iron nails are best for wall trees, and should 
always be used. If driven in carefully not one in a thousand will 
break. Strips of cloth should be used for all the smaller branches, and 
tarred cord for the larger. The cloth ahould be strong and so fresh as to 
remain good for one season at least. Pieces half an inch or so in width 
and about 3 inches in length are the most suitable. Larger pieces may 
be used if necessary. 
. In begjn n i n g to nail a tree a little forethought should be exercised 
in distributing the branches. If they are closely arranged on one part I 
ot the wall and far apart on another, this shows a great want of con¬ 
sideration. The main branches should be tied in first, and if evenly 
distributed over the space the tree is likely to cover it becomes an easy 
matter to nail in the smaller side branches so as to furnish the wail 1 
regularly.- In teaching young men to nail wall trees we generally allow i 
them to finish a tree according to their own ideas, and invariably find 1 
that they crowd the branches in one part and leave large vacancies in i 
others ; and as the mistake is easily explained by pointing it out, it does 
not often occur a second time. No great harm results to the trees by 
this thick and thin nailing so long as there are no leaves on the 
branches, but when in full foliage that part where the branches are 
close together will be such a mass of leaves as to prove immediately and 
permanently injurious to the tree.—A Kitchen Gardener. 
CULTIVATION OF THE POTATO. 
In an answer to “ R.” at page 101, an opportunity is given to 
readers to give their experience on the cultivation of the Potato. That 
the Potato is rendered less robust and much weakened in constitution 
by allowing the tubers to start into growth, then to have these growths 
rubbed off before planting, there need be no question about. Alien a 
Potato has had its constitution destroyed through any cause, it is seldom 
it can be restored to its original vigour, unless by very special treatment 
in cultivation, such as planting in good virgin soil without manure, and 
the plants kept in a growing state without check until they are fully 
ripened. The tubers should then be lifted, spread out, and exposed to 
the sun, either in a house in thin layers, or, better, upon a raised bank 
spread not more that a foot deep, and well covered, so as to be safe from 
frost. In these small ridges they do not heat. Heating in bulk impairs 
their constitution. The more starchy Potatoes are, the more liable they 
are to heat when in a body, and in that state are undesirable for 
planting. 
Potatoes intended for planting should be carefully selected. Potatoes 
are liable to sport, some varieties so much so that in three or four years 
the original shape, colour, and quality are practically lost. Others 
remain “fixed,” some lam acquainted with having retained their original 
nature for half a century. When the Champion was first sent out I had 
some tubers sent me for trial. Although the Champion was sent as 
a disease resister, and is still so regarded by many persons, it was the 
first out of thirty varieties I had planted to be attacked with the 
murrain. At the present time I am using the Champion. It is a solid 
Potato, and I like its flavour, but it has sported. The samples before 
me now are of two distinct kinds, the one rough skinned and of excellent 
quality, the other a little larger, smooth skinned, and of a stringy nature, 
ill flavoured, and of bad quality, but both are Champions. If all the 
Champions in cultivation are of a similar nature, the sooner the culti¬ 
vator makes a selection and discards the coarse ones the better will it be 
for all concerned. Many of our farmers pay by far too little attention 
to selecting Potatoes as well as of grain for seed. 
Mr. R. Inglis (page 87) speaks about a White Fortyfold. There arc 
many of these which have sported from the red variety. About a dozen 
years ago I selected a white tuber from the Red Eortyfold ; perhaps 
from paying more attention to it the tubers grew a little larger, 
but they were not of better quality than the red variety. 
I have had seedlings that in half a dozen years gave me as many 
varieties; it is a good point in Potatoes if they are of a fixed nature 
and not given to sport. With me the Magnum Ilonum has retained its 
original character, and is a useful Potato which keeps well for nearly 
a year. I saw some last year during the month of August quite firm 
that were lifted in October previous. It has long been the custom for 
farmers in the lowlands to get their Potatoes for planting from moor¬ 
land districts, where they had been grown on moss; such Potatoes 
were always considered superior for planting than those of a better 
quality grown upon harder ground, but whether it was because they 
were moss-grown or later in starting into growth I cannot say, or because 
they were had for less money I cannot say. Possibly their comparative 
cheapness commended them to the favour of purchasers for planting. 
I am of the opinion that it ought not to be so much a question 
whether the tubers intended for planting should be large or small, as it 
should be to have well grown and fully matured tubers, selecting those 
only of fine form and general outline of the original proven variety ; and 
if due care is taken of them from lifting till planting, so that nothing in 
the treatment causes any abnormal change in the tissues of the tubers, 
and the Potatoes intended for planting be specially cultivated with care 
for that purpose, they would not be so liable to degenerate as they 
sometimes are when cultivated in an indiscriminate manner. Whatever 
is worth doing is worth doing well. The cultivation of the Potato from 
its usefulness as an article of food deserves all the attention that can be 
bestowed upon it in that direction.—W. T. 
EARLY PEAS. 
Some situations are more favourable than others for growing thi 
much-esteemed vegetable for early use. On looking over an old diary 
I saw entered, “William I. Pea sown (outside) March 10th, gathered first 
dish June 18th ; Day’s Early Sunrise Pea same date, gathered June 30th.” 
Thus showing that William I. is ten or twelve days earlier than Day’s 
Early Sunrise.. Whereas last year William I. and Carter’s First Crop 
were sown in boxes (inside) on March 10th, planted out on a south 
border, and we gathered from William I. July 4th, when Carter’s .First 
Crop followed ten days' or so later, proving that William I. is well adapted 
for early use. 
Where the soil is cold and the seasons late, it is advisable to Sow the 
first batch inside. They may be sown in pots, or turves placed in boxes. 
I prefer the latter, for when this plan is adopted there is no damage done 
to the roots when planted out. First take thick turves cut into pieces 
about a foot or 13 inches in length and 6 inches wide ; then make a 
groove about 4 inches wide up the centre and place in boxes, close 
