August IT. 
COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION. 
349 
tional plug to look after, but you can thus supply heat 
at pleasure where you want it. After April, two pipes 
placed low enough to permit of rubble and soil above 
them, and openings, as previously alluded to, would do 
for both top and bottom-heat, but three would be better, 
two flows and one return. 
2. The contemplated span-roofed house will be a 
most useful and economical one. It will be best to 
have the sashes fixed. Give air at the sides, by venti¬ 
lators, every four feet in the wall, made of board, fifteen 
inches by niue, or thereabouts, and opening such oppo¬ 
site the pipes. Have moveable ventilators at the ridge, 
as lately described, or a foot at the ridge might be 
made so as to be elevated for half the length from each 
end, by a wheel aud screw, and when let down fitting 
into a groove. You will want the pipes round the 
house to keep some plants well in winter. It matters 
not whether these are side by side, on a level, or the one 
above the other; but notice what was said lately on 
having a small air-pipe inserted at the highest points. 
3. We do not prefer crown-glass, uuless for the front 
of ornamental houses—quite the reverse; British sheet, 
or Hartley’s patent, will answer for roofs admirably. 
4/ I have grown Melons very well in a pit heated 
by a flue underneath, a chamber being formed witli 
logs of wood laid across, aud openings at the sides to 
let up the heat at pleasure. I recollect, however, of a 
flue bursting, and destroying the Melons in a few 
minutes with the noxious exhalations. If your flue at 
the bottom was not very bad, it might be worth while 
repairing it; the drawback is, that one explosion may 
do such mischief. It. Fish. 
English Larks on Long-Island. —We have received 
a very welcome note from a friend, informing us that 
the English sky-lark has become domesticated upon our 
Long-Island shores. We think it will be of interest to 
many to learn the facts, and we therefore take the liberty 
of publishing the letter, though not meant for publica¬ 
tion : 
“ Hear Sir : I have just read in your new book entitled 
* Star Papers,’ of your high-wrought enthusiasm at hearing 
the English sky-lark, as he rose from the dewy grass 
singing up to heaven. I think, sir, that I can sympathise 
with you in your admiration for this world-renowned 
songster, for I have often greeted the sun at his rising, that 
I might have a morning song before resuming my daily 
studies. But I heard him on Long-Island. The veritable 
English sky-lark is now acclimated, civilized, and naturalised 
as an adopted American citizen, and is to be found in the 
neighbourhood where they w'ere first placed in quite large 
numbers. About ten years ago a wealthy Englishman, 
living at East New-York, L. I., set a pair of valuable larks 
free, for the very purpose of introducing them into this 
country. He lias succeeded admirably, and deserves the 
commendation of all lovers of birds and song. Though I 
have spent my life in the same neighbourhood, I regret to 
say that I cannot now recall the name of this public bene¬ 
factor. If, sir, you should ever wish to hear the cause of 
one burst of your eloquence in your * Star Papers,’ take an 
early ride to East New-York, inquire for Mr. Simmons, who 
will direct you where you may often go to hear your 
favourite bird. 
“ Yours, etc.” 
We mean to take an early opportunity of bearing 
these foreign singers. We have heard, for the first 
time this year, in Brooklyn, a singing bird, among the 
trees between Hicks and Willow-streets, that is unlike 
any of our native songsters, aud so much resembles the 
sky lark that we remarked the fact to friends before 
receiving this letter. It was between 4 and 5 in the 
morning that we heard it, on several successive days. 
If these gracious warblers have taken a fancy to 
Brooklyn trees, we give them a cordial welcome, and 
pledge ourselves to stand between them aud any native 
American prejudices on the part of home birds. We 
have perceived some tokens of jealousy on the part of 
one fellow, to the manor born—a Shanghai—in a 
neighbouring yard, who has several mornings redoubled 
bis exertions with most asthmatic results. This is a 
jealousy entirely unnecessary. We do not think an 
English sky-lark will ever be able to surpass Sir 
Shanghai in his own peculiarly melodious song. Let 
there be peace between the top and bottom of the tree ! 
Attempts have been made to domesticate the nightin¬ 
gale, without success hitherto. We know not the causes 
of failure, We know not why all the European song¬ 
sters may not be imported and bred in our woods and 
fields. Already foreign fish have been domesticated in 
our waters, and we know not why the process should 
not go on .—Neiv York [ndepenilent. 
STEPHANOTIS FLORIBUNDA CULTURE. 
We have now abundance of handsome and free-flower¬ 
ing stove plants, but none that possess so many good 
and first-rate properties as the one I have selected and 
I placed at the head of this article. It may seem super- 
' fluous to write on the culture of a plant so universally 
grown, but I have bad enquiries from correspondents 
desiring information as to the reason why their plants 
do uot flower; and one enquires why bis plant does not 
thrive; and as there may be others equally as un¬ 
successful, a brief essay on the means of overcoming 
these difficulties will, 1 have no doubt, be acceptable. 
There is here a large plant of this charming and 
universally-admired stove climber now in full flower. 
It nearly covers the roof of a small propogating-house. 
This day I counted upwards of fifty bunches of perfect 
: flowers as white as snow, “omp. hunches with ab many 
as ten blooms to each, and more with eight- and nine 
flowers of a larger size than ordinary, and scores of 
| bunches have been gathered since May for the London 
bouquets. It is quite a sight worth seeing, and has 
been and is still in the best condition, still growing, and 
showing more bunches of flowers advancing to perfection. 
This plant was a large one when it was purchased at 
Mr. Ambrose’s sale at Battersea, two years ago, for fifty 
I shillings, and has proved to be a cheap plant, even at 
that large sum. Some of my visitors will have it that 
it is a variety, on account of its blooming so very freely, 
and at the same time producing such large bunches and 
large individual flowers. It may be so, though I never 
could perceive any different marks sufficiently distinct 
to constitute a variety. However, as I have been so 
successful in blooming it, I am in a position to answer 
the enquiries of our correspondent by detailing the 
culture I have adopted with such success. 
History. —Stephanotis Jioribunda was introduced into 
this country about 1839, from that little-known Island, 
| Madagascar, aud has, consequently, only been known 
in culture about fifteen or sixteen years. In 1840, I 
was gardener to T. Brocklehurst, Esq., at the Fence, 
near Macclesfield. I remember well Mr. Knight, of 
Chelsea, sending a small plant of it there with this 
remark :—“ This plant you must have; it is the best plant 
I ever sent out; and so you will find, though it has not 
yet flowered in England.” That Mr. Knight was correct 
iu his estimate of the merit of this plant hundreds of 
cultivators can testify. There are four points or 
properties required to constitute a really good plant; 
namely,—first, fine evergreen foliage ; second, handsome, 
sweet-scented flowers; third, abundance of bloom pro¬ 
duced in succession for a long season ; and fourth, easy 
of culture and propagation. All these the Stephanotis 
has in the highest degree. 
