1868 . ] 
VIOLA CORNUTA. 
281 
no amount of watering had any effect on it; the hot weather seemed more 
than the plants could bear. I had some strong plants put out at the usual 
bedding time, in May, hut they did no good; in fact they were a complete 
failure, although they had a plentiful supply of water. 
For spring and early summer flowers I do not know a plant more 
effective and pleasing, or better worth all the attention it requires. It is 
propagated by seeds, by cuttings, and by dividing the old plants. 
Bloxholm Hall Gardens, Sleaford. David Lumsden. 
ON PRESERVING ICE. 
^ OING into the Ice house the other day and finding some of last winter’s 
stock there in pretty good order, the following question occurred to 
me—Why do our ice stores often fail at a time when a supply is 
most required—viz., through August and September? To treat the 
question scientifically, and according to its merits, would require an 
abler pen than mine, hut having been tolerably successful in meeting the 
demand upon me through the season, for a succession of years, and that too, 
when the ice stored has been both difficult to obtain, and sometimes of 
inferior quality, I offer a few remarks upon my practice. 
I will presume that all those whose duty it is to secure a stock of ice 
have the preliminary arrangements completed, such as clearing the house ; 
looking to the drainage—especially the main drain, which should be made 
quite secure against stoppages ; providing the implements required, as well 
as straw, &c., for packing; and clearing of weeds and other impurities, the 
water that is to supply the ice. All of this should be done before the 
approach of frost, which sometimes comes on early and unexpectedly. The 
ice should not be taken from stagnant pools or ditches if it can be avoided, 
as in this case the full enjoyment of it is lost to the consumer, its impurity 
rendering it totally unfit for any other purpose save that of cooling wines 
and other viands in covered dishes. To fit the ice for table use it should 
be selected from the purest water. Unlike our American brethren, who with 
their broad and deep lakes, severe winters, &c., can cut their ice a foot in 
thickness, and pack it away in large solid blocks in which it will keep for 
two or more years, we Britishers are compelled through our fickle climate 
and milder winters, to store an article not more, often less, than 2 inches 
thick, and with a large percentage of snow in it besides. This latter in¬ 
gredient makes the ice more porous, and consequently rendering it more 
open to the influence of changeable weather, unfits it for long keeping. In¬ 
dependently of this I believe local circumstances often exercise a certain 
influence prejudicial to the long keeping of ice, for in some localities little 
difficulty is found in preserving it, while in others where all possible care 
is taken, the attempt is often unsuccessful. 
