397 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, March 30, 1858. 
In order to assist our readers in comprehending the prin¬ 
ciple of its Operation, we annex the following section of the 
Structure, drawn from recollection of the model exhibited at 
tlie Fruit-Growers’ Meeting at Rochester. 
The arrows show the currents of air. The partition a 
separates the ice vault from the fruit-room. The air in contact 
Avith the ice, of course, descends in consequence of its density 
from coldness. It must, therefore, flow into the fruit-room, 
through the opening or slit under the partition a. The 
warmer ah*, in the fruit-room, must inevitably flow back 
through the upper opening, over the partition a. Thus a con¬ 
stant stream of cold air pours into the fruit-room; and, by the 
use of registers to open or close the openings, the precise 
degree of temperature may be controlled with the greatest 
accuracy. The circulation of air is kept up precisely in the 
same way that hot water currents are maintained, in warming 
, greenhouses and other apartments. 
When the air in the fruit-room becomes impure, the 
| ventilator b is opened a few minutes for its escape, and fresh 
air comes down from the garret immediately above, through 
the orifioes c c, which are also opened only at the same time. 
Fresh air is constantly admitted into the garret at the ends. 
The walls of the structure are made double, and filled with 
saw-dust, as in a common ice-house above ground. 
NOTES ON NEW AND RARE PLANTS. 
Adenocalymna comosum. Dec. Nat. ord., Bignoniacece. 
—Native of Brazil. Stem strong, climbing, branching freely. 
Leaves opposite, on short stout petioles, trifoliate. Leaflets 
acutely ovate, quite entire, smooth, slightly coriaceous; veins 
prominent on the under-side, dark green; the centre one is 
sometimes represented by a cirrhose, or tendril-like appendage. 
Inflorescence racemose, furnished with deciduous bracts, 
axillary. Peduncle and pedicels short, and rigidly stout. 
Calyx short, tubular, with a limb of five acutely ovate seg¬ 
ments, green. Corolla large, bright yellow. Tube contracted 
1 near the base, and dilating towards the limbs, very deeply 
channeled on the under-side j obscurely so above. Limb 
divided into five oborate, or obcordate, segments, wavy. 
Stamens four; two long and two short. Style long, stout, 
surmounted by an ovate, two-lipped stigma. 
A most beautiful stove climber, with long-lasting flowers, 
produced in considerable profusion; and being a winter¬ 
blooming plant, it is highly desirable. A strong loamy soil, 
, with about a third portion of peat and sand, seems the most 
suitable for it. It may succeed very well, cultivated in a pot; 
but it is best planted out, and trained up the rafters. After 
the blooming is done, it should be well cut in. It propagates 
freely enough from cuttings of half-ripened stubby shoots. 
Hardenbergia digitata. Lindl. Nat. ord., Legumi- 
moscc .—Native of the Swan River. Stem climbing, slender, 
branching freely, and extending far. Stipules small, and 
triangular. Petioles about two and a half inches long. Leaves 
digitate; sometimes trifoliate. Leaflets lanceolate, obtuse, 
minutely mucronate; the centre one on a long petiole; 
margins reflexed; veins beautifully reticulated; thin in texture, 
bright green. Raceme long, and many flowered. Flowers 
beautiful bright blue. Calyx short, furnished witli five acute 
teeth. Upper petal nearly orbicular ; the two lateral petals 
obovate-oblong, oblique; and the two anterior biies incurved, 
obtuse, and adhering to each other. 
A very handsome greenhouse climber. The flowers are not 
lasting, but very profuse. Loam and peat (the former pre¬ 
dominating), with a fair portion of sand, are the compost it 
likes best. Cuttings root freely. It blooms in the winter and 
spring months. 
Barnadesia rosea. Lindl. Nat. ord., Composites.- —Native 
of South America. Shrubby, with slender stems, furnished 
with spines at the joints. Leaves opposite, or alternate or 
ternate, entire, nearly lanceolate, tapering gradually into a 
short petiole, smooth, dark green. Inflorescence capitate; 
terminal, sessile. Involucre cylindrical, long, dilated at the 
base. Scales closely imbricated, acutely ovato-lanceolate j 
those in the upper part almost linear, and longer. Florets 
strap-shaped, two-lipped; the outer one furnished with four 
teeth, beautiful rose colour. Anthers united. Fruit hairy. 
Pappus villous. 
A very desirable stove plant. Loam and peat, with a little 
sand, over plenty of drainage, siut it very well. After bloom¬ 
ing it should be well cut in, and induced to grow freely; and 
when the wood is well ripened, the plant may be allowed a 
good rest. To bloom it well, it should be started in strong 
bottom heat, when it will produce foliage, as well as flowers, 
freely; but without this, leaves are usually scarce when it 
blooms in winter. It may always be had in bloom in winter, 
but it also flowers in summer. Cuttings root with great free¬ 
dom.—S. G. W. 
CHEAP GLASS STRUCTURES. 
I bind that plain rafters answer just as well as rabbetted 
ones for glazing purposes. About six months ago I puttied 
four panes, 26 inches by 12, on the rafters of a skeleton shed, 
erected over a border used for early vegetables ; the posts and 
rafters being fixed for the greater convenience of putting the 
mats on. It was thought that a high wind would force the 
panes off*; but their having withstood the late gale—almost 
a hurricane here—is sufficient proof that the plan will answer. 
In order to make the test as severe as possible, the panes had 
no support at top and bottom ; and the rest of the roof, and 
front also, was left without any covering. By making the 
panes nearly meet over the centre of the rafters, none of the 
wood-work is exposed to the weather, and but the merest line 
of putty. 
I also substituted, for the posts and boarding commonly 
used for the sides of orchard houses, oak slabs, placed upright, 
close together; and the wall plate screwed to the flat sides, not 
on the top. These slabs are considerably cheaper than larch 
posts and deal boards, besides being stronger and more durable. 
The price here—and they may be had cheaper—is 6s. 100 feet 
superficial. About every fourth slab should he hinged to its 
neighbour, as a’door, for ventilation. Thus an orchard house, 
the sides of which are 4 feet high, and the slabs 6\ feet long 
(2J feet in the ground), would cost 6\d. for every foot run 
for the slabs. Add to this the cost of the plate, screws, 
hinges, &c., and some 2-inch by.£-inch battens to complete 
the junction of the slabs in those places where they do not 
quite meet, and the total cost of the sides of the house will 
not exceed 9d. per foot run. Thus a span-roofed orchard 
house 20 feet by 15 feet, having an area of 300 feet, will not 
cost more than £15—just Is. a foot; the amateur being his 
own builder, and there is no difficulty whatever, as I can testify. 
The rafters for such a house as the above may be cut out of a 
7 by 2\ spruce batten, which maybe purchased at any timber 
yard, of the best quality, for 2d. a foot or less, and it will make 
four rafters 3£ inches by 1* inch. Strong enough up to 
10 feet long.— Abel Nott, Worcestershire. 
KEEPING PEARS AND APPLES. 
We lately mentioned the results of some experiments in 
keeping Pears, and spoke with some hesitation respecting ex¬ 
posing them in severe weather. Since then, however, we have 
paid more attention to the subject, and found that both Pears 
