THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
November 13. 
94 
Hurnloldtii was actually in flower. The air at a 
distance from the pond was then about 10°, but we 
were assured by Mr. Donn, the foreman of Messrs. 
Weeks, that during the coldest nights, the water in the 
aquarium being at 80°, the temperature of the air at 
one foot from its surface had never fallen below 65°. 
Another interesting fact connected with hot-water 
aquariums is told in the following letter, with which 
Messrs. Weeks have favoured us :— 
“We put into our Victoria regia pond in April a score 
of gold fish, which have now attained a large size, and 
i are of a most beautiful colour. They have propagated 
to such an extent that the pond is completely filled 
with fish in different stages of growth, and the very 
minute ones are well coloured (a desideratum which could 
only be gained in seven years in a cold pond). The 
water is kept at a temperature of from 70° to 80°, con¬ 
sequently they are continually spawning, and increasing 
indefinitely. We are induced to give this information, 
being certain that it might become a profitable branch 
of rural economy, as they come to maturity in an in¬ 
credible short time at a mere nominal expense. The 
most lovely tropical aquatics could also be cultivated. 
Also many half-hardy plants will stand on the rock- 
work surrounding ponds, as the heat and evaporation 
from the water would repel, in a great measure, severe 
frost. Thus both profit and pleasure would be combined 
in making such useful and ornamental appendages to 
the garden. The heating apparatus could be erected 
very cheaply, and would warm a dwelling-house, or green¬ 
house, and be brought under ground to heat likewise ' 
the pond.” 
What Messrs. Weeks say can be done, is actually I 
done on their own premises, and the arrangement is j 
worthy of inspection. The beneficial effect of the j 
warm water upon gold and silver fish, we are informed, j 
has been long known to the artisans employed in the 
Lancashire manufactories, who have tanks supplied 
with hot water from the engine boilers, for the purpose 
of breeding and growing those fish for sale. 
GARDENING GOSSIP. 
Our two gardening contemporaries are at issue as to 
the delinquency or innocence of Mr. Edwards, for win¬ 
ning a prize with a stand of Tulips, containing one 
named Pilot, not of his own growth. We shall not 
enter more fully upon the subject until we have seen 
more evidence. The Tulip is said to have been Mr. 
Turner’s—now the best of all evidence will be that 
of this gentleman, and we entertain no doubt, that if 
called upon, he will give that evidence honestly and 
fearlessly. Let us observe, also, that the subject is too 
grave to be treated flippantly, for if the gentleman is 
guilty of the fraud and falsehood alleged, he is totally 
unworthy to hold office, as he does, in a society which 
must be without authority so soon as those who have 
influence there cease to be acknowledged as honourable. 
1 here is no doubt that we are upon the eve of great 
changes in Floricultural Societies. Each will be looked 
up to for some recognition of the points to be aimed at 
by exhibitors. The Norwich and Norfolk Horticultural 
Society has not only decided that all flowers shall be | 
judged according to the principles laid down in Glenny’s [ 
“ Properties of Flowers and Plants,” but they have also 
had an abridgement of them printed for circulation 
among the members, so that every exhibitor knows 
what he is to aim at, and the judges’ instructions are 
positive. Many others have come to the same resolution, 
but have not printed any portion. The Bury florists 
have, we are told, reprinted a good portion of the work, 
and published the rules as their own. If so, this is an 
unwarrantable, because unjust, appropriation. It may 
be hinted to the Societies, that the resolution to judge j 
by the properties of flowers, should be printed in their 
schedule, or the exhibitors will be none the wiser. 
Tulips have always been a leading favourite among 
true florists, and men in tbe humblest walks of life have 
often suffered great privations in their mode of living, 
rather than be behind their neighbours in the quality 
of their collections. For many years, the arrangement 
of a bed of Tulips used to be after one fashion, we 
mean of course among those who professed an arrange¬ 
ment at all, for many considered nothing but the height 
of the different rows, and mixed them any-how. 
Of this favourite flower there are three classes: Boses, 
which have white grounds, with various shades of red; 
Bizarres, which have yellow grounds, with any colour for 
the markings; and Byblomens, which have white grounds, 
with lilacs and purples for the markings. Presuming that 
two of the same class ought not to come together in the 
same row, the arrangement used to be thus— 1 meaning j 
Rose, 2 Byblomen, and 3 Bizarre :— 
1 2 3 1 2 3 1 
2 3 1 2 3 1 2 
3 12 3 12 3 
1 2 3 1 2 3 1 
In 1832, or 1833, The Horticultural Journal contained 
instructions for a beneficial change, by making the bed 
uniform—thus :— 
1 2 3 1 3 2 1 
2 3 12 13 2 
3 1 2 3 2 1 3 
1 2 3 1 3 2 1 
By this arrangement, instead of the same class going in 
a sloping direction from one side of the bed to the other, 
they divided right and left, herring-bone fashion; and 
whatever class was on one side of the middle row was also 
on the other. This alteration greatly improved the appear¬ 
ance of the bed, and even this was improved upon by the 
same writer, by directions that, as well as the same classes, 
there should he the same varieties. Thus, if the middle 
flower was Louis XVI., Rose Claudiana should he next on 
each side, and Bizarre Polyphemus next on each, and Rose ' 
Geres blanche outside; by thus putting all the flowers in j 
duplicate, the bed presents a most beautiful and uniform 
appearance; because, as there are many degrees of bright¬ 
ness, darkness, and colour on each class, it would be as 
awkward to have a light rose on one side and a dark one on 
the other as it is to have two different classes. 
In a discussion on beeping the Dahlia through the 
winter, there was a general complaint, that although 
some tubers kept as sound as they were when taken up, 
the collar was found to have completely decayed under 
the skin, and all the eyes destroyed. 
