MAY. 
147 
into four or five compartments, which are each regulated with the 
greatest nicety by means of valves in the hot-water pipes. For bottom 
heat, hot-water pipes are laid in a chamber which is covered' by 
slates. On this are placed about two feet in depth of leaves, in which 
the plants, in pots, are plunged. By adopting this plan the fluctuating 
evil of the common leaf bed is avoided, while at the same time a great 
amount of labour is saved, and the injurious effects of lifting large 
plants in and out of the pits avoided. Certainly, the stock of Pine 
plants at Bicton is the most healthy and well grown that we have had 
the pleasure of seeing for a long time. 
0. P. 
{To he continued.) 
REVIEWS. 
Report of the Committee of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. 
This Report has recently reached us, and from it we find that a 
Committee, or a set of judges, is appointed by the Society, to visit the 
principal gardens in the district, from the proprietors of which 
application may have been made for inspection, for the purpose of 
competing for prizes, as will be shown from the following extract from 
page 10:— 
PREMIUMS AWARDED. Dollars. 
For the neatest kept, most attractive, and showy Flower Garden, to 
Hon. Joseph S. Cabot . . . . . . . . 20 00 
For the second best to T. W. Walker, Esq. . . . . . . 10 00 
For the best managed, most economically conducted, and well-kept 
graperies, to Mrs. Durfee. . . . . . . . . 20 00 
For the most economically-managed, best cultivated, and most neatly 
kept pleasure grounds to Charles Copeland . . . . . 20 00 
For the best cultivated and most luxuriant vegetable department, 
T. W. Walker, Esq. . . . . . . . . . 20 00 
GRATUITIES. 
For the fine condition of his grounds generally, and especially for the 
grapery and flower department, to George W. Pratt, Esq. . . 20 00 
To Mr. Young, Mrs. Durfee’s gardener, for the fine and neat condition 
of his grass plats, lawns, and banks . . . . . . 10 00 
To Hovey & Co., for their fine specimens of Pears and Strawberries, 
and a splendid bed of Japan Lilies. 20 00 
We need scarcely say that this plan is peculiar to America, and is 
not adopted in England. It seems, however, to work well there, and the 
observations of the Committee on each place they visited is given in 
detail. Some of their remarks have a refreshing quaintness not often 
found in the dry details of flower shows. For instance, at page 5, 
is a description of the Committee’s visit to Mr. Allen’s Lily-house, 
where 
“ Hanging on one side of the apartment, as you enter, is seen what at first 
sight might be taken for Indian trophies, or curiosities from Herculaneum, but 
which on a nearer approach we found to be old pieces of wood, from which grow 
out, like an excrescence, flowers or plants, drawing their only sustenance 
apparently from wood and air, entirely independent of Mother Earth, and 
L 2 
