398 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Maech 30, 1858. 
and Apples took no harm from rather severe frost; one lot of 
both sorts have been abroad, in a large open flower-pot, from 
the middle of December to the 1st of March, and they are 
quite sound; the others are part of those amongst grass, 
covered with a broken handglass, mentioned at page 132. 
We can state with confidence, that both lots were repeatedly 
frozen, and in two instances by 6° of frost—once in January, 
the other on Candlemas-day. Since then, both Pears and 
Apples have been often- frozen together, dui'ing the present 
bitterly frosty weather; but, of course, we were careful not to 
touch or handle them in that state. 
The Apples were common sorts, mixed with Beurre Ranee, 
Jean de Witte , and Suzette de Bavay Pears; all of which 
are plump and sound, and not shrivelled like those of the 
| same kinds in the fruit-room. 
The Pears on the grass are Beurre Ranee , Raster Beurre , 
Suzette de Bavay , winter Crassanne, and Knight's Monarch. 
These are all in an excellent state of preservation, as those 
already mentioned; and we have to notice, that we kept some 
Winter Nells Pears the same way until the 12th of January, 
while the rest of the crop (this really good sort) hardly kept 
till Christmas. 
Thinking that what we had to say on this subject might be 
disputed, we showed some of our Pears to Mr. J. Cann, of 
Wymondham, who, we think, is known to Mr. Rivers as a 
good judge of Pears, and he spoke highly of them, especially 
the flavour of the Winter Nelis. We mention the last more 
particularly, as being not only contrary to our own previous 
ideas, but apparently also to those of Mr. Errington, whose 
knowledge of fruit is superior. In his passing notice of our 
paper on keeping Pears, he remarks at page 159 :—“ This, I 
suppose, was to imitate, as far as possible, the condition a 
fallen fruit is frequently found in under the tree, having 
escaped the gatherer, being snugly ensconced amongst the 
decayed leaves of the trees . . . they are apt to become 
somewhat insipid in such situations.” 
We may further notice, that we also exposed, to a week’s 
severe frost, a very fine ripe friut of Mr. Rivers’ new Raster 
Beurre , which we had from Mr. Cann (named above) ; and, 
after lying a few hours on a warm flue, its flavour was excel¬ 
lent. Although it was off a standard, it was far superior, in 
size and flavour, to the old Raster Beurre off a wall; but not 
j having fruited the new sort, we speak with diffidence as to its 
identity. We think, however, that enough has been said to 
show, at least, that stored up Apples and Pears require no 
extra protection in severe weather; also, that they keep 
longest in a cool place. And, if we mistake not, Mr. 
Cobbet mentions that, in America, Apples were often frozen 
! without harm, when kept in the dark ; but we have shown 
that the same may be said of both them and Pears in the 
I light. We should note, that the sun often shone upon our 
Pears under the frail protection. 
Connected with this subject, we may notice, that Mr. Inglis, 
of Kirkmay House, Eifeshire, makes some observations, at 
; page 265, on our previous remarks on Napoleon Pears not 
I keeping longer than the middle of December. These are his 
words :—“ He had just eaten a Napoleon Pear as sound and 
as firm as the day it was pulled, only more mellow; had a few 
| more dozens of the same . . . from their present appearance 
| might keep for another month at least.” No date is given, 
but we think that he means the end of January. Is he sure, 
however, that his Napoleon is of the common kind, and not 
Napoleon d'Hirer, or the winter one, which we only know by 
name; also, that the colour of the wood and buds of both 
are alike ? But, be this as it may, we have grown the old one 
upwards of twenty years; and seldom, or never, had this ex¬ 
cellent Pear keep to Christmas. However, we know something 
of the climate of Fifeshire, for there we spent “ life’s early 
day ; ” and refer Mr. Inglis to our other paper, on keeping 
Pears, in No. 484, in which he may see that his statement 
| accords with our remark,—“ That some of our best sorts of 
Pears vary in keeping in different parts of the country.”— 
J. WlGHTON. 
WEEK’S ONE-BOILER SYSTEM. 
One of the chief reasons I had, for calling at the Wellington 
Road Nursery, was to test what I had heard of the heating 
there with one boiler, before the cold weather was gone; and, 
I must say, that the system is more complete there, even than 
in Messrs. Weeks and Co.’s own establishment. The boiler 
has three upright rows of pipes, and there are four flow-pipes, 
and four return-pipes from and to it, and five thousand five 
hundred feet of piping, chiefly four-inch pipes—all are heated 
most comfortably by this one boiler. The Messrs. Henderson 
are delighted with the comfort, safety, and economy of 
the plan. Every one of the numerous pits, and pit houses, 
have bottom and top heat at pleasure, and the one can be 
worked without the other. Any house, or pit, of any length, 
or size, may be divided into three, or four, or a dozen divisions, 
and any one of the divisions may be worked for Cucumbers, 
or Pine Apples; while the next, on either side, may be a 
heathery, or for scarlet Geraniums; and bottom heat can 
be had for summer in any of the houses, after the glass roof is 
removed, to grow many kinds of store plants in the open air. 
If some really practical man, like Mr. Rivers, were to take up 
the subject of warming the bottom of the borders for certain 
trees and crops, during the summer months, the result would 
be as valuable, as his great fact of orchard houses, and this one- 
boiler system is powerful enough for anything of the kind ; 
but the best proof of both its power, and of its economy, is, 
that such firms as that of the Wellington Road Nursery, and 
that of Mr. Smith, at Norwood, have preferred it to all others, 
for the efficient working of their nursery establishments.— 
D. Beaton. 
A DESCRIPTIVE LIST OE POTATOES. 
In describing the many varieties of Potatoes, grown by me 
within these last few years, and which have been carefully 
noted by me in my memorandum-book, I beg to say, any 
further information respecting any of the varieties men¬ 
tioned, I shall, as far as lays in my power, be happy to give. 
I should also feel obliged for any further information your 
able correspondents may be in possession of. Many of the 
names are, no doubt, local, as I cannot find them mentioned 
in any list; but when I state my collection came from all 
parts of the country, the names may be quite familiar to some, 
and total strangers to others. The varieties of the Potato, as 
I have before stated, are very numerous; and the same variety 
of Potato, grown in different parts, has so many different 
names, that it is difficult to buy a dozen varieties without 
getting duplicates. I am of opinion that everybody has a 
favourite variety, and all consider it, as a mother does her 
infant—the best. 
Lapstone, oe Haigh’s Seedling. — This variety was 
raised at Leeds, and belongs to the class called “second 
early.” It is a distinct Kidney, and often resembles in shape 
a shoemaker’s lapstone. It has a smooth skin, and shallow 
eye, with a slight tinge of pink at one end. It is an excellent 
cropper, full size, moderate haulm, and in flavour second to 
no other Kidney. 
Walnut-leaved Kidney, a very excellent early variety; 
the foliage is round, similar to that of the Walnut. This 
Potato was formerly grown extensively in Somersetshire. It 
is a full-sized, good cropper; eye well up ; moderate haulm ; 
a good cooking variety; and generally escapes the disease. 
Albion Kidney. —This Potato is identical with the Cham¬ 
pion Kidney, sent out by Mr. Tilley, of Bath, and advertised 
by him, two or three years since, as the best Potato in the 
world. Although I cannot agree with him on this point, 
yet I confess it is a desirable variety; early, productive, good 
shape, moderate haulm, but liable to be attacked by disease. 
Jackson’s Impeoved Ash-leaved Kidney. —This variety 
is a better cropper than the old variety, quite as early, with 
short haulm ; one of the best for frame or early work. It is 
an excellent plan to encourage this variety to sprout before 
planting it. 
Eakly Sydenham was raised in the neighbourhood of 
St.John’s, Worcester. This is the best model of a round 
Potato I have seen; it is full size, very early, productive; eye j 
very prominent; short shiny haulm; tubers slightly tinged 
with pink ; very wliite, and excellent when boiled. Hitherto ! 
quite free from disease. 
Eaely Shaw. —Once a very popular variety. It is a large, j 
coarse, hollow-eyed, yellow-flesh Potato. On some soils it j 
comes good-flavoured and firm, while on others hollow and i 
