December 5. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
187 
take a few round pieces of wood-charcoal, and put them in 
the tire until red; taking them on a shovel to the sieve, 
and immediately covering it completely over with Tobacco- 
leaf or Tobacco-paper. I then give it a sprinkling of water 
from a fine rose, and leave it for a time, going outside, and 
watching its progress through the glass. I never allow it to 
blaze, going in at short intervals to gather together the 
Tobacco, or put more on, as the case may require ; at each 
time giving it another sprinkling of water, to damp the 
surface. 
In this manner, I have burned scores of pounds of Tobacco 
among all varieties of delicate plants, with every desired effect; 
but there are some Ferns that will not endure its fumes 
in any shape. I take care to remove such. Before I begin, 
I make everything ready. If the house is large, I put pots 
in two or more places in the passages for the reception of the 
sieve; for the removal of tho pots to the different places 
would take more time than could with comfort be spent 
on it. 
I have lately got an apparatus made by the blacksmith to 
answer the purpose of tho sieve. It has a frame like that 
of a sieve, butnf sheet-iron; the bottom is of small iron rods 
about a-quarter-of-an-inch apart, running in parallels ; it has 
fixed feet or supports, three in number, four inches long; 
and a handle two feet long. Any country smith can afford 
to make such for three or four shillings, and it will serve a 
lifetime. I use Brown’s machine for frames. I make a 
hole in front of the bed, betwixt the frame and bed, where 1 
introduce the spout of the machine; as soon as the frame is 
full, I fill up the hole. I find it very handy for this purpose. 
—Angus McLeod, Wentworth Gardens, near Rotherham. 
FUMIGATING WITH TOBACCO. 
In answer to your correspondent, “ J. G.,”and at the request 
of your note to his question ; I am a little in his position, 
and after a four years trial I have, after nearly poisoning 
myself once or twice, at length, I think, succeeded in using 
Tobacco paper to some purpose, for the destruction of the 
green fly. Some time since, when my greenhouse was 
half its present size, I bought a Swan Nash stove, which 
proved quite inadequate for the, purpose I wanted it, viz., 
heating the house. To be short; I take the stove, and put a 
quarter of-a-pound of Tobacco-paper in, first of all putting a 
few live coals in ; make half the house, which is divided by 
glass sashes, perfectly air-tight, and let the stove burn till 
the house is so full that you can hardly go in to fetch the 
stove out. I then repeat the operation in the other house, 
and syringe the next morning. This is always effectual. I 
tried it last week with perfect success ; the house being, from 
some reason, very filthy. Each division is about fourteen 
feet by twelve feet.—C. T. J . 
QUERIES AND ANSWERS. 
GARDENING. 
ADVICE TO YOUNG GARDENERS. 
“ Being a constant reader of The Cottage Gardener, 
I have lately noticed in its pages one or two articles from 
Mr. Appleby, intitled, ‘ Advice to Young Gardeners;’ and, 
as I belong to that class, I beg to present my best thanks 
to him for that advice. In his last article, he spoke of the 
difficulties young gardeners find in getting books; and as I, 
like the rest of them, am not over-burdened with wages, but 
still am desirous of treading in the footsteps of the eminent 
men of the land, and, by that means, securing for myself 
a name and fame in the gardening world, I am obliged to 
scheme a little, and, for the benefit of those who may be 
similarly situated, I will just detail my experience in the 
matter. 
“ In the first place, I am a teetotaller, which effects for me 
a saving of at least one shilling per week; and then, 
secondly, I have left off smoking, by which means I save at 
least another sixpence. Thus, you will see, that by leaving 
off two unnecessary habits, I am one shilling and sixpence 
in pocket, and my health better, and my brains clearer, than 
ever they were before. I have seen young men who would 
say that they had not money enough to buy this book and 
that book, and yet, all the while, they would fool away 
double and treble the amount in cigars, or in buying shirt- 
studs, or something equally absurd. 
“ The principal works I read are the 1 Popular Educator,’ 
‘ Orr’s Circle of the Sciences,’ ‘ The Cottage Gardener,’ and 
Cassell’s Paper. The ‘ Gardeners’ Chronicle’ 1 have lent me. 
The whole cost of the above, exclusive of the 1 Chronicle,’ 
does not exceed eightpencc. As a guide to arithmetic, I use 
Cassell’s, which is a very good one, and cost one shilling; 
and, for studying tho French language, I find no work so 
useful as the lessons reprinted from the ‘Working Man’s 
Friend,’ by the same author, which may be obtained through 
any bookseller, at the trifling cost of sixpence. 
“ In conclusion, I beg to tender my most sincere thanks 
to all the writers in Tiie Cottage Gardener for the many- 
valuable hints I have picked up from time to time from its 
pages; and earnestly do 1 hope that they may be long 
spared to co-operate witli tho Editor in diffusing a knowledge 
of gardening throughout the world.—B. Bincoff.” 
[Your letter does you great credit; and we are very glad 
that you are pleased with the papers addressed to Young 
Gardeners. VVe publish your letter in full, in the hope that 
your example will induce many more, situated like yourself, 
to follow in the same steps. To be sober and diligent, as it 
evidently appears you are, is most commendable, and 
must eventually promote your good object, establish your 
character, give your employers great satisfaction, and afford 
great comfort and self-approval to yourself. You must try 
to improve your writing, and study grammar ; for both are 
indispensable to a head-gardener. Continue to read and 
study the various books you mention, and other works and 
studies that Mr. Appleby and others recommend to you, 
and we may safely venture to prophecy that you will reach 
your laudable ambition of obtaining “ a name and fame ” in 
the gardening world.] 
CONSTRUCTION OF AN ORCHID-HOUSE. 
“ I purpose, shortly, to erect an Orcliid-liouse, and as I 
wish to combine economy with efficiency, beg you will 
kindly assist me in the pages of The Cottage Gardener. 
The house, a plan of which I enclose, I purpose to be 
thirty-five feet long, sixteen feet wide, inside measurement, 
span-roof ten feet high in centre, side walls five feet six 
inches high ; no upright lights, as carpenter’s work, timber, 
&c., is much dearer than brick; the walls to be hollow, with 
ventilation by holes in top of outer wall, and bottom of 
inner. The air will come in close to the hot-water pipes ; 
by that it will be sufficiently heated. 
“There will be a division (glass) in the centre, which 
will give two houses, seventeen feet by six feet each ; one for 
Indian Orchids, the other cooler. I propose to have top 
ventilation, by having two beams running parallel the length 
of the house, with about six inches interval, and a board 
hinged on top. The moveable board to project over the 
others to insure no rain getting in. 
“ Now, the main point, viz., heating. I have read about 
various systems, and discussed square boilers, conical do., 
horse-shoe, and saddle, until my brain is circulating more 
rapidly than water in an inch pipe. 
“ I must say, I am in favour of an oblong boiler, open at 
top, Atkinson’s plan, as, with unskilled attendants, it is 
easier managed, and kept clean. However, I am open to 
conviction. In the corner of the garden there is a tool- 
house, about ten feet square. I propose to build the house 
at the corner of this, running north and south. I would 
have a small room, about five feet wide, at the end of the 
Orchid-house, to contain boiler, fire-place, and some fuel; 
this could communicate with the tool-house by a door. I 
would have the chimney to go up the centre of the end wall 
of the Orchid-house, which would give additional heat; and 
I would also have a communication between the boiler-room 
and house, by a ventilator, so that no heat would be lost. 
I would have the under row of pipes (four-inch) with a 
gutter cast on them, for insuring plenty of moisture. 
“ Will this give heat enough ? or would you advise tanks? 
bearing in mind that economy is a great object.— An Old 
Subscriber, Dublin." 
