r.THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COENTRY GENTLEMAN, 
November if, is. 0 . 
87 
if I were to give in, when I was sure of a point, merely 
to please my own friends and fellow-labourers. But no 
one need fear to beard me in my den if he uses .fair argu¬ 
ment. Might not one important point be arrived at by j 
this discussion on G-azanias P Might we not get them j 
all once more into one group, and, knowing that a 
spontaneous cross exists already between some two of 
their number, could we not give them an orchard-house 
treatment safe and dry as that of a first-class conservatory, i 
and free and airy as the open day, by which they might ; 
cross, and do away with our cross arguments about their 1 
sorts - and lineage ? D. Beaton, j 
— 
HEATING A GREENHOUSE BY A KITCHEN 
FIRE. 
In your number for the 9th ult., I find an answer to a cor- ; 
respondent, “ W. P. H.,” who wishes to heat his greenhouse ! 
over the kitchen by a boiler at the kitchen fire. 
I remember once hearing an old Scotchman say, “ The women : 
are at the bottom of ev’ry disturbance.” Now, although I do 
not quite agree with him, particularly about the word every, t 
still I think our shoemaker friend would find those in the j 
kitchen would be wanting a good fire for their cookery that . 
would be very apt to make a “disturbance” among the plants in 
his greenhouse, and causing an extra heat at a time when he 
would not want it; and at other times when more heat was 
wanted, the kitchen fire would not be the most economical for 
an amateur who “only grows plants for pleasure and not 
profit.” 
Now, with all due deference for our esteemed friend Mr. 
Fish, who by-the-by has taken great pains to answer the query, 
I would certainly recommend a hot-water apparatus quite inde¬ 
pendent of the kitchen fire, although the kitchen chimney might 
be made use of. 
If our amateur friend wishes, I will send a description of one 
I made a few years ago from drawings furnished me by a friend, 
the inventor, which I have regularly worked every spring to heat 
a two-light frame for forcing Achimenes, Gloxinias, &c., at a 
very small cost; or, should you deem it worth a place in your 
journal for the encouragement of brother amateurs, I will send 
you a sketch and description.— James Allen. 
[We have requested Mr. Allen to do as he obligingly offers. 
—Eds. C. G.] 
WORK FOR THE AUTUMN. 
That every season brings its accustomed duties is a maxim so 
well known as to require no comment here; but it sometimes 
happens that during a dull and spiritless period—like, for instance, 
the month of November, many things are liable to be neglected 
from no other motive than that “ there is plenty of time, it is not 
necessary to do them now.” The planting of trees and shrubs, or 
the making of alterations, cannot be too early brought to a close ; 
and yet we are often inclined to delay these jobs under the plea 
that there is “plenty of time, and perhaps better weather is 
coming.” The last excuse is certainly the more valid of the two, 
but it is of doubtful import. A better time to plant fruit and 
forest trees than November will not come until the same month 
returns again; it is therefore advisable to hasten this duty on as 
much as possible. There are other works, also, that it is neces¬ 
sary to forward at this season—the securing of vegetables already 
in use, and the forcing of others wanted in the dull winter 
months. The first of these will be dwelt on in the present 
paper, and the others will follow in due course. 
Red Beet. —The uncertainty there is of this root possessing 
the requisite colour, so much prized in Beet, has led many 
growers to preserve a little seed of their own; and good kinds of 
Beet, having the local name of the raiser for the time being, are 
plentiful enough. This, as has been explained in these pages 
before, need not be sown earlier than the middle of May; and 
being thinned in time, it is likely a good crop will be the result. 
Now this root is far from being as hardy as the Parsnip : it must, 
therefore, not be subjected to the severe frosts of winter, other¬ 
wise it will suffer as much as some of the tenderer kinds of 
Turnips. At the same time it ought not to be taken up and 
stored away too early, otherwise it loses that crispnesss which 
is of so much consequence to it. Taking it up a little before 
the severe frosts set in will usually preserve it, provided few 
or none of the fibres be injured by the removal. Neither 
must the top be cut off too close. Storing it away in some cool 
place in sand will also save it from withering, and it will keep 
a long time quite fresh in that condition. A few plants might 
be left in the ground merely for trial, but they must be covered 
up in some way during severe weather. 
Endive. —Hard weather is also fatal to this plant, but from 
another cause. Its leaves are only relished as a salad when in 
the blanched condition, which is only obtained at a great sacrifice 
to their hardihood : in other words, blanching is a disease, and 
when the plant is suffering from this, it cannot withstand the 
severities of our climate. It is, therefore, prudent to take up a 
quantity of the best Endive plants (that are blanched and ready 
for use) with balls of earth to each, and lay them somewhere 
under cover, and where they can be protected from severe frosts 
and heavy, continuous rain ; at the same time other plants may 
be subjected to the blanching process, by either tying them up or 
by inverting a flower-pot, tile, saucer, or something that way 
upon them. From ten to fifteen days will suffice to blanch the 
White Curled Endive : the Batavian and its varieties, being more 
for spring work, will be described in due time. 
Celery. —The same remark, applicable to Endive, holds good 
with this. A good, well-blanched head of Celery is more sus¬ 
ceptible to injuries from severe frosts than a more green and 
hardy description of plant; but Celery can often be covered up 
to a slight degree in the place where it is grown, but a small 
quantity may be taken up for present use and laid in sand. 
This is especially advisable to do when severe weather threatens; 
and it will be much more comfortable to get at, and will keep 
some time uninjured, if not in contact with anything too dry 
and warm. In the absence of sand, earth will do that is free 
from worms; but do not by any means leave Celery too long in 
plain water, as that robs it of its flavour, and it has a watery, 
insipid taste. 
Jerusalem Artichokes. —These are hardy enough ; but for 
the comfort of being at all times able to get at them, a few 
taken up and kept in sand or earth will be handy. The whole 
bulk might be taken up, if thought necessary, and stowed away 
in a cool place ; but in general they remain in the ground 
until February. This, however, need not be so if the ground 
be wanted for anything else. 
Besides the above, a few heads of Broccoli ought to be taken 
up and hung up in some cool place, to preserve such from frost 
as are fit for use. A quantity of Lettuce might also be stowed 
away in a frame for the same reason. And such things as 
Scorzonera, Salsafy, Horseradish , and other roots may be dug 
up in any quantity and housed for use in bad weather, taking 
the advantage of a fine day to get them up, as the after-comfort 
of handling such things when in the dry is a matter not to be 
lost sight of.—J. Robson. 
GRAPES SHANKING—SLIGHT HEAT FOR 
AN ORCHARD-HOUSE. 
I have some Vines planted in a north border, they have all 
shanked off. The border, however, itself has been covered with 
tiles since the beginning of August, and, therefore, no wet could 
have reached it. Besides, it is made on the principle of a pit— 
admitting a dung lining within brick walls, the top covered with 
boards like a Cucumber-pit. The whole space underneath the 
border is hollow, with pigeon-holes to admit the heat. The 
border itself is not more than two feet deep, and rests on turf 
with stones on perforated brickwork. I wish to inquire whether 
all these precautions ought not to be sufficient to operate against 
the disadvantage of a north border with little or no sun, and 
whether Grapes might not be expected to thrive under this 
treatment of the roots, or whether a common border to the 
south would be better than this artificial border to the north ? 
A g ain : I would wish to inquire what would be the most 
economical way of heating an orchard-house, not to force, but 
to bring it on a little earlier, and ripen the wood ? Whether a 
stove in the house with a smoke-flue running the length of it, 
would be enough ? It is sixty feet long, but only eight feet six 
inches wide. The path is in the middle sunk below the beds. 
The height is about seven feet and a half.— A Subscribes. 
[We would decidedly prefer the south side for the border. 
Are you sure you prevented the border getting very wet and 
cold with all the tile-covering and excellent drainage ? Are you 
