202 
THE COTTAGE GAEDENER. 
December 10. 
of the pot, which causes a constant supply of food to 
descend to the roots from the fresh compost, and 
although limited, it will prove sufScient for their supply 
till the fruit is perfected; whereas, by this usual practice 
of supplying the roots copiously with water, the nu¬ 
tritious fluids are entirely washed out of the pot, &c.” 
Thus it will be seen how it is that Mr. H. so very seldom 
waters at the root. The frequency of the syringings 
must in part depend on the weather, and the time of 
year; in summer, morning and evening; but in winter 
some caution is necessary—perhaps about three or four 
times a week. One thing must here be observed. Most 
good cultivators judge by the axils of the leaves, and 
make a point not to repeat the syringing until the axils 
of the leaves are nearly dry. This points at once to 
the necessity for a lively temperature, as well as motion 
in the air by ventilation. 
Temi’er.\ture. —Although we have briefly observed 
on air-heat before, we must add a little more imder this 
head. Mr. H. says—“ The temperature required for 
succession plants in the winter, is from 55° to 00'^ at 
night, and 05° to 75" during the day. In autumn, 
winter, and spring, if fruit are to be swelled, they will 
require ()0° to 70° at night, and 70° to 80° during the 
day. In the summer, the maximum, under the effect of 
strong sunshine, may rise to 00°, and may be allowed to 
drop as low as 70° by the morning. In very bright 
sunny weather, the plants in fruit had better be shaded 
than admit too much air at any time of the day. In 
order to swell this fruit to a large size no air ought to 
be given until the thermometer reaches 80° to 85°, 
which will generally be by Jiine or half-past in the 
morning. To keep it down to this, give it the benefit 
of air until half-past ten, then close the house,— 
shade the plants, and water them over the leaves; then 
let them remain until half-past two or three in the 
afternoon ; then unshade, and let them have all the 
benefit of light and sun, giving a little air, which must 
remain until half-past four, then close the house, and 
syringe again over the leaves of the plants, which will 
keep them moist during the whole of the night.” 
Watering. —This is so seldom requisite under the 
Hamiltonian system that we merely refer to it in its 
order to keep the eye fixed on the fact. Of course, we 
mean watering at root by the ordinary water-pot. 
Ventilation. —Although Mr. H. seems to care less 
about this than most cultivators, it is his diurnal 
practice, more or less. Nevertheless, we do think 
that although for profit his plan is superior to any, yet 
those who aim at the very highest amount of flavour, 
and a small crown, would do well to go much beyond 
him in ventilating points. Of the close treatment, it 
may bo safely affirmed, that it has a tendency to produce 
big crowns, and these certainly detract from the appear¬ 
ance of the fruit on the table. Mr. H. advocates 
shading occasionally. Now, the question is, whether 
cast and west roofs would not obviate the necessity of 
this, and thereby save expense and trouble? Wo recom¬ 
mend those about to enter on Pine-culturc to give this 
a thought, and, in doing so, to bear in mind Sir. -I. 
Paxton's ridge-and-furrow roofs. 'We beg again to 
quote our good friend Hamilton in support of this— 
“ I am of your opinion, that span-roofed houses ought 
to be built with the ends north and south ; if they arc 
not, there must be a good deal of shading, otherwise 
their leaves will be completely drained of their moisture. 
I speak from experience; they will have holes burned 
in them occasionally.” It has been generally under¬ 
stood that the Pine requires a winter's rest, or, in other 
words, should be compelled to cease growing I'or some 
eight or ten weeks by a low temperature and a dry 
atmosphere. Mr. H., like most of the good people in 
the tail-chimney districts, is all for (piick return for 
capital; and although he does not deny that the elabo¬ 
rations at that period are less complete, yet he will 
not hear of loss of time, believing it—yea, knowing 
it—possible, by good management, to still push on 
(although by more tardy steps) the plants to the desired 
end. We here think, with all deference, that he carries 
the idea a little too far; but our readers will judge 
for themselves. 
And now for a correction of errors into which we may 
have fallen. At page 24, an inadvertency occurs which 
will surely be pardoned, when it is considered that we 
have had to wade our way through, at least, half-a-score 
letters, and, in addition, to watch every idea set forth 
in Mr. H.’s book. One misleading point, which is a 
kind of ambiguity, stands thus—“ The flow and return 
in each bed are totally unconnected with each other, or 
with the flow and return round the exterior, &c., &c.” 
Now, what we really meant to express was this—that 
each bed had a flow and return of its own to provide 
the bottom or root w'armth; and that each side of 
the house, north and south, was also, in like manner, 
fitted up for atmospheric heat. It was also stated, at the 
same page, that ‘‘ there must be a great preponderance 
of heat at the boiler end;” this, however, it appears is 
not the case. We wrote to Mr. H. once more, after his 
repeated kindnesses, to invite criticisms as to mistakes, 
and he has at once set the matter right; for it would 
appear by his description, that his house is entirely 
surrounded by piping for the atmosphere, and to use 
his own words, “ there is not half a-degree difi'erence 
between the ends.” Thus: the boiler, we will say a, 
has a flow and return into the iron pan (which Mr. H. 
calls his cesspool), b. Erom this “cesspool,” or, rather, 
iron-pan (which forms the medium of communication 
between the boiler and the pipes), proceeds along the 
south cavity, or alley, a flow, and, of course, return-pipe 
to and from a similar iron-pan, g, in the south-west 
corner; be it understood, that in this case the boiler is 
at the east end of the house. In like manner, a flow 
and return proceeds along the north cavity, or alley, to 
the same iron-pan; but this piping has to traverse the 
west end, of course, before it can reach the iron-pan, b. 
This will, we hope, render all plain; if not, we will 
try again. 
To conclude, let us, on our own part, and also 
that of our readers, heartily thank Mr. H. for his very 
great civility in furnishing information. We owe it to a 
long acquaintance, doubtless; but, knowing the man 
well, there was a secret assurance that we might pre¬ 
sume on his help. To be sure, it would have been 
much easier to have skimmed his book, and to have 
sketched an “article” out of it, which, indeed, could not 
have erred much; it appeared better, however, to have, 
if not new matter, at least a confirmation of the old, 
from the fountain head, and this a good feeling of long 
standing enabled us to obtain. But those who would 
fain know the minutiie of Pine-growing by his system, 
must lay by a few pence and buy his little book. An 
expositor, after all, is not an author; the public lie at 
the mercy of his views. In that original work, though 
small, though dressed in rude attire, and, we may add, 
not enriched by a high style of composition, may be 
found by the considerate a host of ideas, or the germs of 
them, carrying every mark of originality, and of a mind 
determined to test every previous practice by nature's 
own standard. We need scarcely observe, that in dissi¬ 
pating the idea of a chamber being a necessary adjunct 
to Pine-culture, he has done the gardening world no 
small service, for these chambers are exiicnsivc things. 
Wo do not say that he has been the first to get rid of 
this superfluity ; he may, or may not be so ; but if ho is 
not, who is the man? 
Wo have to acknowledge assistance from IMr. 1). 
Davis, also, of Heaton-Lane Foundry, Stockport, who 
has been in tlic habit of fitting up Pineries on Hamil- 
