46 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ Februaby, 
space was covered with faggots of brushwood, one faggot thick, placed close to¬ 
gether, levelled, and then covered with a layer of straw. The ice was drawn off 
the lake, and the walls, as I may call them, were built up with large pieces of 
ice of all shapes, the joints being broken ; in fact, they were put together like the 
stones in a rubble wall, the thickness being about 18 in. or 2 ft. Inside this the 
space was filled with pounded ice. The walls were carried up about 6 ft. high, 
and the pounded ice drawn in at the top in the form of a ridge. When all was 
packed together, the ridge was covered with a layer of straw, and some straight 
wheat-straw was placed round the sides. At about 2 ft. from the ice-wall some 
wooden hurdles were driven into the ground, and the space between filled with 
leaves trodden firmly in. The ridge was covered in a similar way. Over all, leaves 
included, was placed a layer of straw, the outside being neatly thatched. When 
finished, the ice-stack looked like a small hay-stack. In this way the ice kept very 
well all the summer. I believe a good layer of sawdust or cocoa-nut refuse next 
the ice, before the leaves were put on, would have been an advantage. To those 
who have no ice-house, I can honestly recommend the stack system. Of late 
years we have not required to adopt this plan, as we have an excellent ice-house? 
that gives us all we require. I have often wondered that hotel-keepers in the 
country, who mostly have the opportunity, do not make some provision in this 
way, as it is simply done; and to say nothing of the luxury, ice is frequently 
sought for in cases of illness.— William Hill, Keele Hall Gardens. 
GAEDEN GOSSIP. 
HE Royal Aquarium and Summer and Winter Garden at Westminster was 
opened to the public by H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh on the 22nd ult. 
The premises occupy three acres, with a considerable frontage in Tothill 
Street. The principal hall is 400 ft. long and 160 ft. wide, the width of 
the main avenue or nave, which is covered with a semicircular roof 72 ft. from the floor, 
being 80 ft. This semicircular roof is chiefly of glass and metal, and hence admits a flood of 
light; it is glazed on Rendle’s system, with flat panes, which are so fixed that they are per¬ 
fectly water-tight, and not only admit no wet from the exterior, but, by means of a notched 
groove, the moisture which may be condensed on the inner surface of the roof is also carried 
off. This building is intended to be used for concerts and promenading, the display of 
fish being confined to the side aisles and provided for in large tanks, which have the walls 
surfaced with imitations of rocks. The principal promenade is to be a summer and winter 
garden, being furnished with handsome tree-ferns, palms, &c., as permanent plants, and from 
time to time filled up and embellished with flowers in season. Five great flower-shows are 
to be held during the year, the programme for which is drawn up on an exceedingly 
liberal scale. These are each of two days’ duration, and are to commence on April 12, May 
10 and 30, July 5, and October 4 respectively. 
-^HE Schedule of Prizes offered at the Royal Horticultural Society"*s Shows 
in 1876 is now issued, from which it appears that the number of exhibitions has 
been reduced to four, viz., a spring show on March 15 ; great summer show on 
June 7 and 8; florists’ flower-show on July 10 and 20; and great fruit-show on November 8. 
The amount of prize-money offered by the Society is about £1,115, and various special 
prizes are added. 
- J^R. Ingram, of Belvoir, writes in reference to some of Mr. Laxtons 
