32 
burst the top open. We should prefer a strong top to resist 
this pressure, especially as you have to convey it such a 
distance before reaching the house. We know of some 
small houses, that cost only about a fourth of what some 
boiler people charged, just by using a boiler exactly as you 
propose. 
3. Let the chamber be open to the house, and you lose 
little heat; have an opening at the boiler end for air, and 
you may thus always have fresh air in the house.] 
HEATING PINERY AND VINERY WITH ONE 
BOILER. 
“ Will you be so good as to give me your opinion on tbe 
heating of a Pine Stove and Vinery from one boiler. The 
boiler is one of those which I call a tubular boiler; it has 
eight upright tubes connected to two circular flat ends. I 
believe it is Mr. Weeks’s invention. The flow pipe is only 
a three-inch pipe, and it has to fill two six-inch pipes, and 
return into the boiler by a three-inch pipe again. The three- 
inch pipe only runs five feet before it is connected to the 
two six-inch pipes, and then it runs round the house, and is 
then connected to a three-inch pipe to return into the 
boiler, tbe same length as the flow. This is the Pine Stove. 
The Vinery has four six-inch pipes down the front of tbe 
house, and is connected to the boiler by a three-incli pipe. 
This is my predecessor’s plan. I intend building some pits 
for Tines and Melons, and am thinking of having a saddle 
boiler. The pits will be fifty feet long, in three divisions, 
and I am thinking of having the flow-pipes rather 
larger than the return. But I will have your opinion on it, 
if you will have the kindness to give me it. I would also 
like to know what taps or valves are the best, or if you 
know of any other invention better than them, as I have 
heard of one.—J. J.” 
[1. The mode of heating you describe, as you no doubt 
find, will answer admirably. The flow will be quicker than 
if the flow and return at the boiler had been larger; and 
much practice with the sort of boiler spoken of, as well as 
others, confirms us in the opinion that the boiler is unex¬ 
ceptionable. We presume you can heat the Stove and 
Vinery separately, at pleasure. Mr. Weeks generally has 
valves or stop-cocks for that purpose. 
2. We have no doubt your proposed plan will answer, 
though we see little advantage or disadvantage in having 
the return-pipe smaller than the flow one. Except the 
neatness, convenience, and expense of the thing, when 
several places are to be heated from one boiler, we place 
wooden-plugs, valves, and stop cocks, on the same category. 
When several pits are to be heated, it is best to take the 
flow-pipe to a common cistern, and then branch off from 
thence. If one range in several divisions is to be heated, 
valves at the intersections will be necessary, unless you 
regulate by air, and do not mind a little fuel. For this 
purpose, though we have not tried it, we believe that nothing 
answers better than a small pipe between the several 
junctions, such as one or three-quarters-of-an-inch in 
diameter, and supplied with a tap, such as is used for a 
beer-barrel. Those who have never tried it, would be 
amazed to find how soon such a small opening will suffice 
to heat the water beyond it.] 
POULTRY. 
BILL OF THE AYLESBURY DUCK. 
“ I have some Aylesbury Ducks with black spots on their 
beaks. Will this prevent their taking prizes? They had 
none when they were hatched; in fact, they have only ap¬ 
peared lately.—X. Y. Z.” 
[So great a blemish in appearance as is caused by the 
presence of black spots on the bill of an Aylesbury Duck is 
always considered to disqualify a bird thus defective. This 
stain is of comparative rare occurrence in ducklings; but 
usually appears the concomitant of advancing age, and this 
irrespective of certain conditions which have been sometimes 
considered as likely to induce this discolouration, such as 
being kept on a peaty soil, or having access to water flowing 
from a bog.] 
OflTOBER 10. | 
POULTRY-PENS AT ALTRINCHAM. 
“ We perceive you make favourable mention of our Patent J 
Exhibition Pens, as used at the Altrincham (Manchester 
and Liverpool Agricultural Society), and Radcliff (Bury and ' 
Radcliff Agricultural Society), Poultry Shows. But you say, ; 
‘ One only drawback remains for explanation, and we trust 
its simple mention will altogether prevent its repetition in 
future years. Many of the pens were still unpacked at the 
time the public were admitted, and, consequently, the judges, 
whilst awarding the prizes, were crowded upon on all sides 
by the interested and contending exhibitors, &c.’ 
“ In this article, you do not mention our names as the 
contractors, and we did not, therefore, at first, intend noticing 
this paragraph; but as we have since come to the deter¬ 
mination of publicly advertising our pens, we consider it but 
fair that as prominent a place should be given to our 
explanation as to the paragraph, which, without such expla¬ 
nation, might injure our credit as contractors ; and we shall, 
therefore, feel much obliged for the insertion, in your next 
number, of this letter. 
“ The Altrincham Show was the first one for which the 
pens were hired, and, consequently, we manufactured only 
the number ordered, viz., 100. But on the Tuesday pre¬ 
ceding the show (which was held on Friday), we received 
orders from Mr. Neild (of the local committee) for upwards 
of 100 more, as that amount would be required. As the 
pens require being galvanized after manufacture, it was 
impossible for us to get them on the rails before the 
Thursday, and the Railway Company did not bring them to 
Altrinoham till about 10 o’clock on the Friday morning. 
You will, therefore, see that there is no fault appertaining 
to us ; and as to the Radcliff Show, which took place on the 
Monday following, the same pens had to cross the lines of 
three distinct Railway Companies, and it was solely in 
consequence of the squabbling between the rival companies 
that the pens were not delivered in time.—B. Greening 
& Co." 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
*** We request that no one will write to the departmental writers of 
The Cottage Gardener. It gives them unjustifiable trouble and 
expense. All communications should be addressed “ To the Editor of 
The Cottage Gardener, 2, Amen Corner, Paternoster Row, London .” 
Sending Poultry to Exhibitions (S. J. Lo.). — It is quite impos¬ 
sible to answer for their safety; but they are continually sent hundreds 
of miles to such exhibitions without any attendance, and return quite 
safe. 
Cucumbers (H. P.). —You can grow Cucumbers in boxes in yourplant 
stove, if you place them close to the glass. We can give no advice 
whether you should do so, for we know nothing about your place or 
plants. 
Burning Clay.— Twig, as well as ourselves, will be much obliged 
by any one giving full directions how this can be effectually done. Mr. 
Barnes did not publish a book upon the subject. 
Plants for New Zealand (W. L. T.). —If you refer to our 265th 
number you will find full particulars. They are too long to extract. 
Plantain in Lawn {Slater). —There is no mode of destroying it but 
by cutting it out with a knife or spud, and putting a pinch of salt into 
the hole. The ammoniacal and other fumes from Gas Tar are bene¬ 
ficial to plants, but destructive to insects; so there may be some¬ 
thing in this extract you have enclosed.—“A discovery, which is likely 
to be of great advantage to agriculture, has just been reported to 
the Agricultural Society of Clermont (Oise). A gardener, whose frames 
and hothouses required painting, decided on making them black, as likely 
to attract the heat better, and, from a principle of economy, he made 
use of gas-tar instead of black paint. The work was performed during 
the winter; and, on the approach of spring, the gardener was surprised 
to find that all the spiders and insects which usually infested his hot¬ 
house had disappeared, and also that a vine, which, for the last two years, 
had so fallen off that he intended to replace it by another, had acquired 
fresh force and vigour, and gave every sign of producing a large crop of 
grapes. He afterwards used the same substance to the posts and trellis- 
work which supported the trees in the open air, and met with the same 
result, all the caterpillars and other insects completely disappearing. It 
is said that similar experiments have been made in some of the vineyards 
of the Gironde with similar results.”— Galignani. 
London: Printed by Harry Wooldridge, Winchester High-street, 
in the Parish of Saint Mary Kalendar; and Published by William 
Somerville Orr, of Church Hill, Walthamstow, in the County of 
Essex, at the Office, No. 2, Amen Corner, in the Parish of Christ¬ 
church, City of London.—October 10, 1854. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
