432 THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN'S COMPANION. —September IG, 1850. 
two Pine Apples, first, Mr. Dawson, Panshanger, Herts; 
second, Mr. Jones, Dowluis ; and an extra prize 
for six Pines to Mr. Peed. For single Queens, first, 
Mr. Barnes, gardener to Lady Belle; second, to Mr. 
Bray, gardener to J. L'ousada, Esq., Peak House, 
near Sidinouth ; and third, to Mr. Page, Park Hill. 
For single Providence, first, Mr. Bray aforesaid, and 
next, Mr. Stuart, gardener to the Duko of Devon¬ 
shire. For two dishes of Muscat Grapes, first, Mr. 
Snow, gardener to Earl de Grey ; second, Mr. Fleming. 
For largest single bunches of Grapes, first, Mr. Young ; 
second, Mr. Tillyard ; third, Mr. Vare, Brentwood. For 
Peaches and Nectarines, first, Mr. Frost and Mr. T. 
Dawson; second, Mr. Tillyard; third, Mr. Fleming, 
and ditto Mr. Shrimpton. For Apricots, first, Mr. 
McEwen, Bod organ ; second, Mr. Evans; third, Mr. 
Nicholson. Peaches, and Nectarines, six dishes, first, no 
name; second, Mr Hudson, gardener to Mrs. Bar- 
chard, Wandsworth ; third, Mr. 1 illyard ; and an extra to 
Mr. Snow. Pigs, two dishes, first, Mr. Bowsie, gardener 
to the Bight Honourable H. Labouchere; second, Mr. 
Eobinsou, Warnford Park; third, Mr. Taylor, ditto 
Mr. McEwen, Bodorgan; and an extra to Mr. Snow. 
Cherries, two dishes, first, Mr Dawson, Panshanger; 
second, Mr. Hudson; third, Mr. Bet.teridge, Norwood; 
and an extra to Mr. Fleming. Plums in three dishes, 
first, to Mr. Snow; second, Mr. Bowsie; third, Mr. 
Bohiuson ; aud an extra to Mr. Kemp. For six dishes of 
. fruit, first, Mr. Mitchell; second, Mr. Tegg; third, Mr. 
Bobinson. For kitchen Apples, first, to Mr. Munro; 
second, Mr. Mitchell; and for Pears the first prize to 
Mr. Mitchell. Other fruits :— Green Madras Citrons, 
Mr. Fleming; ripe ditto, Mr Williams, gardener to 
Mr. Warner. Sweet Oranges, no name. Lemons, ditto. 
Fruit of Passijiora cinnabarina, from a conservatory, 
High Grove; those were green, oblong, and not 
larger than the fruit of P. edulis. Grapes of super-ex¬ 
cellence, Mr. Fleming. Mr. Ingram, and Mr. Clarke. For 
a whole collection of Grapes, Mr. Fleming. These were 
Barbarossa, Muscat ottonelle, Muscat Noir dAugers, 
New Black Muscat, Muscat, citronella, Royal Musca¬ 
dine, Dutch Hainbro’, Muscat Groomier du Could, or 
some such name, &e. D. Beaton. 
ICE - PIOUSES NOT PBESEEVING ICE. 
Notwithstanding all that has been said about the 
keeping of ice, and the ease and simplicity with which it 
is said to be preserved, it is, nevertheless, true, that in 
some situations it is with difficulty made to keep later 
than the middle of August, and often not so late as that, 
even in ice-houses or wells apparently well adapted for 
the purpose. One of these cases being in the immediate 
neighbourhood where 1 write from, 1 herewith give the 
particulars. 
A gentleman, anxious to have ice throughout the 
summer, dug an ice-well near a piece of water, from 
whence it might be easily filled. The dimensions inside 
are about fifteen feet deep by twelve feet in diameter, 
the roof being fiat, and composed of cemented tiles; 
but the sides were ordinary brickwork, with a mode¬ 
rate-sized door near the top, with a few feet of 
passage, and another door in the usual way. the whole 
being covered in with earth and shrubs planted there¬ 
on, some overhanging trees shading it from the south 
as well; tbe only portion above the ordinary surface 
of the ground being some three or four feet, and 
that cased over in such a way as to resemble an 
I ordinary mound. The soil in which it was dug was a 
I light, open one, resting pn a loose, black sand, much 
I charged with water ; but, to remedy this, as well as to 
j carry away the water from the melted ice, a drain was 
i laid from below the bottom of the well, and trapped, to 
prevent the air travelling backwards. Now, having 
taken all this care, the gentleman naturally expected 
ice to keep throughout the summer, instead of which, it 
was all gone the first season by the beginning of July, 
and since then has never kept later than the middle of 
that month, the consumption being very small in all 
cases. 
Now, what is to bo done in tbe above ease? Here is 
what appears to be a capacious, good ice-house, that 
will not keep the ice; and the query is, How is it to be 
made to do so ? 
1 am aware that some will be finding fault with tbe 
wet subsoil next to a quicksand ; but then it is met by I 
a drain, which carries oil’ the water without its coining ! 
in contact with the ice, and there is nothing else, appa¬ 
rently, wanting to make tho ice keep well. 
As a contrast to the above l may mention that the 
ice-house at this place (Linton Park) answers remark¬ 
ably well, its capacity being about the same as the one 
alluded to, only different in shape, being about twenty- 
one feet deep, measuring from the crown of the dome 
to the bottom, and about eleven feet in diameter at 
the widest part near the top, the bottom being about 
five feet wide. Jt is built, or rather, dug, on the side of 
a steep bill, on a dry, stony subsoil, that will absorb 
any amount of water that, might be poured upon it; in 
fact, one of the best natural drains that can be. The 
ice keeps well in it, for I have seen a body of ico ten 
feet thick in the early part of September; aud yet it 
differs but little in situation and other features from 
the one mentioned above, the only apparent difference 
being that the one is surrounded by a wet, springy'saud, 
the other by a very dry, stony material. That these 
should make the difference in the keeping properties of 
the ice is odd, as" the melting water is earned away in 
the one as well as it is sucked in by the other. It may 
be that the spring water, or rather, the vapour from 
it, warms the house in the one case, aud thereby melis 
tbe ice, which is not met by anything of a like nature 
in the other; for we all know that spring water, how¬ 
ever cold it may feel in summer, is many degrees above 
the freezing point, and a visible vapour will arise from 
it in frosty weather, as is often seen at such times in 
those natural springs which open to the surface; and in ! 
rural districts it is often remarked as a “sharp, frosty 
morning when the well smokes.” It is not too much j 
to suppose that the warmth supplied by this spring 
water contributes to the wasting of the ice, although it 
must be observed that no water accumulates inside, and, I 
in fact, it does not percolate the brickwork to any extent, 
but has been contrived to drain off behind it: neither ' 
does the bottom of tbe ice come in contact with it, for it ■ 
is supported on faggot-wood or other open, non-conduct- j 
ing material. Still, as I say, the house does not keep i 
iis ice well; and what is to be done to make it do so ? t 
Perhaps some one who has curpd such an ice-house j 
will he kind enough to give the benefit, of his experience, ! 
which will he of infinitely more service than the most ! 
plausible opinion; and as the owner is anxious for 
something to be done in the way of improving it, lie 
will, most likely, be guided by any well-confirmed 
example of a house or well being cured when previ¬ 
ously it, had failed to keep ice satisfactorily. 
While on this question'l may say that much difference 
of opinion has existed at various times upon keeping I 
ice. Thirty years ago it was customary to exclude the I 
air by all possible means, by having long passages with j 
intermediate doors, and portions of this passage crammed I 
full of straw, the chinks or crevices of the doors being I 
plastered up with mortar, and straw itself laid over the | 
ice inside, as well as packed against the side walls in the 
course of filling the house All these contrivances, no 
doubt, contributed to the well-keeping of the ice; but 
they were sad liinderauces in the way of getting at it 
