396 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Makch 30, 1858. 
specific directions can be given, but it is as well here to ob¬ 
serve, that in hot dry seasons, Peas do not answer well on 
very dry soils, consequently, it is more prudent to crop with 
something else, as, for instance, Kidney Beans or Scarlet 
Rwnners, both of which withstand a dry season better than 
Peas, and continue longer in bearing, especially Scarlet Ran- 
ners, which keep in use to the end of the season, after they 
once begin. But where it is determined to have Peas in the 
garden, the kinds grown must accord with the means at 
hand, and other points necessary here to consider. 
In general, some other crop is planted along with Peas, 
I unless it be those intended for very late use, and then a row 
j of Spinach only can well be grown ; but for the crops that 
i are expected to be got off by the first week in September, 
| or so, it is but to sow the rows much wider apart than 
usual, and to plant the crop intended to follow them, in 
rows between; so that the after (or winter) crop may 
succeed to the whole ground, at the fitting time; care 
| must, of course, be taken not to injure this crop while 
gathering the Peas, and as soon as the latter are no longer 
h useful, let them be removed. Do not even wait for this if 
!; they can be done without, as it is important to give the late 
j: crop all the chances possible, to strengthen in the autumn 
weeks, and if this crop be of the Broccoli or Cabbage tribe, 
they make much progress at this season. Nevertheless, the 
Peas must have some attention, and the kinds most suitable 
for the situation ought only to be sown. Generally speaking, 
those moderately tall are the best, and they may be selected 
amongst the class usually designated as best fitted for the 
general crop. The British Queen, and some others, are very 
good Peas, and many others of the Marrow section, are good 
bearers, for I would strongly advise the tall ones to be grown 
where stakes can be had, they produce so many more; but 
where they cannot be afforded, the dwarf kinds, as Woodford’s 
Marrow, Bedman's Imperial , and others not more than three 
\ feet high, had better be selected, and sown at intervals of ten 
i days, or so, until the beginning of July, after which they 
rarely succeed well. Of course, much depends on the ground, 
situation, and season; the latter having, perhaps, more in¬ 
fluence than anything else. In very dry, hot soils, sow thinly 
in the row, and occasionally water with manure water. 
Although I have advised those having only a small plot of 
ground to go to market, and buy their Peas, those having 
abundance of room, cannot always obtain them in their 
gardens, even in healthy good neighbourhoods, for it some¬ 
times happens that birds take such a fancy to Peas, that they 
rip open every pod ere the young Pea be fit to gather. This is 
often the case in rural districts, where gardens are surrounded, 
j as they often are, with woods or hedges, which harbour these 
| little warblers in greater quantities than is agreeable, in the 
| fruit and Pea season. The inexperienced must keep this in 
mind, and not be too sanguine in his expectations of pecks of 
j Peas, at all times, during the season. Prevention is a difficult 
matter to such sharp-eyed enemies. Netting will scarcely 
exclude them, and watching is tedious, and often out of the 
question; while the shooting of these mischievious depre¬ 
dators is often forbidden by the lady members of the establish¬ 
ment. All these reasons together render it prudent not to 
sow too many Peas in places where other crops would be 
equally useful, and more certain in not being molested. Eor 
half a dozen rows of Peas in a garden, bordered by a wood 
or other place frequented by birds, is a temptation which no 
rattling windmill, scarecrow, or other device, will prevent 
birds from meddling with. And as large fields of Peas are 
grown for market, and sold at a moderate price, the growing 
of a small quantity, under adverse circumstances, is often at¬ 
tended with more losses than was expected. A few for very 
early use may, in most cases, be advantageously grown; after¬ 
wards, if the garden be only a small one, and subject to the 
misfortunes above, I would say, plant something else.—J. 
Robson. 
BEDDING GERANIUM. 
“An Amateur,” at page 300, asks you to recommend a 
good bedding Geranium with white variegated foliage. Will 
j you allow me to recommend Lee's Attraction ? This, with its 
[ crimson horse-shoe foliage and cerise-coloured flowers, makes 
a rich and lovely bed, far superior to Flower of the Bay, or to 
Brilliant. The latter, though of good habit, and a very pro¬ 
fuse bloomer, nearly loses its variegation when bedded out; 
and Mountain of Light is only fit to grow in connection with 
Golden Chain , for sake of its foliage, the flowers being picked 
off. 
You say we are still in want of a good varigated Geranium 
with large truss, good shape, and colour, &c„ I think some of 
those recently sent out by the Messrs. E. G. Henderson, Lee, 
Kinghorn, &c., are all that can be desired, judging from form, 
colour, size of truss, fine foliage, &c. But how they may suc¬ 
ceed, when bedded out, remains to be proved this ensuing sea¬ 
son. But what is certainly most wanted in the way of varie¬ 
gated Geraniums, for bedding out, is something like Golden 
Chain foliage, with robust growth, and a good flower. 
Golden Chain only succeeds well in some favoured localities, 
and when it does so, the flowers ought always to be picked 
off, as they are quite worthless, and disfigure the bed rather 
than otherwise; and a flower-bed without flowers is some¬ 
what anomalous. 
Will you kindly inform me, if you know of any bedding 
plant with yellow variegated foliage ? I procured a Geranium 
called Lady Cottenliam , or Golden Circle , but this I found, in 
all respects, inferior to Golden Chain. — Another Amateur. 
SCHOOLEl r ’S PATENT PRESERVATORY. j 
The main feature of the preservatory is the production of 
continual currents of cold dry air, without mechanical aid, by 
the use of ice. It is well known that to preserve meat, or 
fruit, a certain degree of cold is desired. Nor is this alone 
requisite; the air must be dry and pure, or the moisture would 
destroy all. We construct adjoining each other two rooms, 
separated by a partition, open a few inches at top and bottom. 
These rooms are insulated against the ranging temperature of 
the outside air, by packings several inches thick on all sides of 
nonconducting material, such as charcoal, saw-dust, tan-bark, 
or any d.ry vegetable matter, changing the size and peculiar 
position, shape, &c., to any locality or purpose desired. As 
an instance of the range of size, we have here one house fifty by 
one hundred feet, and eight others, down to the small chest 
on the same plan, three feet by six feet. The operation is thus : 
The ice-room containing ice,—the ah* in contact with it becomes 
suddenly cooled; its moisture is condensed ; it becomes 
heavier; and flows under the partition,—pure dry air at a 
temperature a little above that of the ice itself, into the pre¬ 
serving-room among the articles, forcing the lighter and 
warmer air to the top of the room, whence it flows to the ice- 
room, and is drawn down among the ice, where it in turn 
deposits its moisture, and flows out again, thus producing a 
self-contained and actuated current of cold dry air. When, 
after a time, this air becomes impregnated with the odour of 
the articles in store, ventilators are provided for expelling it 
immediately, and restoring fresh air. 
Lewis E. Allen, Esq., of Black Rock, New York, writes as 
follows :—“ I have seen the preservatory several times during 
the past season, and examined the articles stored in it, and 
confirm all that Mr. Alberger states in relation to them. I 
believe the adoption of such a preservatory by the dairymen, 
fruit-growers, hotel-keepers—in'fact by all who have perishable 
material, which they wish long preserved, will add greatly to 
their interests and profit by doing so. 
“ I saw milk two weeks old in one of these structures, which 
was as sweet as on the day it was deposited there, and covered 
by a thick crust of the richest cream. Eor butter dairies, the 
preservatory would be of incalculable service. 
“ I have not the slightest pecuniary interest in this inven¬ 
tion, and look upon it only as I do upon all those discoveries j 
which tend to relieve labour of its burdens, and work for the 
great good of the human family. 
“ I intend to erect one on my own farm the coming season, 
believing it to be much more effectual in its objects than the ! 
common, yet very well constructed, ice-house, which I have ; 
had in use for many years.” 
In addition to tins testimony, we may add that after an 
examination by a Committee, a gold medal was awarded by 
the Executive Committee of the New York State Agricultural 
Society, a few weeks since, to this invention. 
