DECEMBER. 
369 
inside to the outside border, which is also heated in nearly a similar 
manner, a flow-pipe being carried to the front of the border, along 
which it passes, and makes three or four returns. By this means 
the border is heated to a temperature averaging about 70° while 
forcing is going on. The pipes are laid in dry cross drains, which are 
again intersected at right angles by others to equalise the heat, so as to 
warm equally the under surface of the border ; and this Mr. Breadley 
finds, from a daily registration of the heat in the drains, to be the case, 
without any trouble or anxiety. The upper surface of the borders is 
also protected from rain and snow by tarpaulings secured to a frame¬ 
work laid over the borders, so as to allow of its being rolled up during 
fine weather, and laid down when it is wished to keep rain from the 
border. Taken altogether, we never saw better provision made for 
supplying vinery borders with bottom heat, or for protecting them from 
the influence of bad weather. From the above details of construction, 
our readers will not be surprised to hear that we never saw Vines 
exhibiting greater vigour, or producing fruit of better quality. One or 
two of the vineries were cleared off, but the later houses contained 
crops of magnificent Muscats and Hamburghs. We observed, too, a 
Vine of the Barbarossa with a full crop of immense bunches, which 
gave great promise of colouring well. 
The value of bottom heat as a great auxiliary to the forcing of exotic 
fruits has been frequently pointed out in this work, and what we 
witnessed at Somerleyton is quite confirmatory of the soundness of the 
theory. 
The garden walls are mostly covered with glass—one after the 
Trentham model. In one we noticed Figs and Apricots; another 
contains some fine Peach-trees, with dwarf Plums trained near the 
glass ; the crops had been good, and some fine late Peaches, and Golden 
Drop and Jefferson Plums, were still remaining. We rather incline 
to the opinion that these glass casings for walls may prove more 
valuable as retarding houses than for ripening ordinary crops of wall 
fruit; for, provided you give sufficient protection to the trees till the 
fruit sets, and then throw the house open day and night, the fruit will 
be considerably later than on the open wall, and from the dryness 
^^hich can be maintained in these structures. Peaches and Plums may 
be kept in good condition till December ; and they have one great 
advantage over open walls, which is, that birds and insects can be 
effectually excluded. We have several late Peaches—as'the Bourdin, 
Teton de Venus, Late Admirable, and Sal way, which probably by 
these means can be obtained in fair condition up to the end of 
November. Mr. Breadley is an enthusiastic fruit grower ; his collec¬ 
tions of Pears and Apples are extensive. On the walls we observed 
fine crops of the most popular kinds, as well as on pyramidal trees. 
Of some new kinds under trial the following have borne fruit this 
season :—Alexandre Bivort, Alexandre Lambre, Bergamotte d’Esperen, 
Beurre Beckmans, Beurre Gris d’Hiver Nouveau, Beurre Sterckman, 
Josephine de Malines, Doyenne Bussoch. 
The orchard lies on the opposite side of the road, leading to the 
offices. Jhe crops this season are very good, and fruit more than 
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