22 6 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Januart 11, 1859. 
surface, by dressings. This kind originated some forty 
to fifty years since, if not more. When I came to Oulton, 
in March, 1828, there was a very fine dwarf tree of this 
kind, which bore freely; but, unluckily, my system of re¬ 
serving power over the roots, which I had even then 
commenced practising, had not been known to the planter. 
The natural soil was sandy, and at about two feet in 
depth a clear red pit sand was to be found. This tree re¬ 
mained more than twenty years afterwards ; and, in warm 
summers, those fruits which grew on the exterior boughs, 
and which, by consequence, became highly coloured, 
were most delightfully flavoured, in the months of March 
to May, for that is their period. But in bad summers 
they were worthless. When good, they are exceedingly 
tender, and full of juice of a highly vinous character; and 
a person who knew them not would imagine he was 
eating a first-rate Apple, on October 1st, from the tree, 
for they taste not of the fruit-room. On taking this huge 
tree up, to burn it, roots of all sizes were to be found 
ramifying in the sand, many of them four feet in depth. 
Peeling assured that this was a matter of climate, as well 
as of false rooting, I made up my mind not to be thus 
foiled, and I made a station for a fine plant I had grafted, 
just one foot deep of pure maiden, turfy loam—the tree, 
a dwarf, planted on the surface. I have now what I 
desired—a clean-barked, short-jointed bush, which has 
borne, this summer, a dozen Apples; but how altered 
from those of the old tree ! Those used to crack and rift 
most abominably, but these are sound, bright skinned, and 
much finer shaped. This is a favourite idea of mine, and 
one day I may handle the subject on its own grounds. 
I intend to continue such remarks, believing that it is 
of very considerable importance to offer to amateurs and 
the tyro the experience of many years. Let me at the 
same time caution them to use the advice warily. The 
experience of the most sage may be negatived by a great 
change of circumstances. Nevertheless, we must push 
on to principles, without fear of the cobweb-meshes of 
prescription. E. Erkin gton. 
(To he continued .) 
TANK HEATING, FOE PEOPAGATING, &c. 
Jd 
1. Piers on which the tank rests. 
2. Tank, three feet anti a half wide, divided in the middle, made of 
deal one inch and a half thick, four inches deep, and covered with 
slate. 
3. Clinkers above slate. 
4. Sides of outer boxes, set on tank, ore inch and a half thick. 
5. Sides of inner boxes, half an inch thick, and kept apart from the 
outside, so as to keep them from earth, &c. 
6. Earth, or tan, in boxes. 
When our correspondent (“ Paul Eicaut ”) speaks of 
building his pit, or propagating-house, against a north 
wall, I presume he means making a lean-to against the 
south side of it, facing the south, or nearly so. It would 
require a person of good experience, and a full knowledge 
of the things liking such treatment, to succeed in pro¬ 
pagating with a north aspect, more especially if that is 
the only convenience possessed. In summer, many things 
would strike sooner on a north aspect, witli less trouble 
than on a south one ; but the plants would require to be 
moved to sunlight as soon as they would bear it. In a 
house facing the south, each pot may be exposed to sun¬ 
light, or shaded, just as it may be required. 
7. Small shelves for plants. 
8. Passages. 
9. Front glass, opening outwards. 
10. Division glass between the two houses, sashes sliding past each 
other. 
11. Stage in greenhouse. 
12. Every alternate light slides down. 
13. Every alternate light opposite the fixed one slides down. 
14. Lights that do not slide are raised by brackets. 
So far as mere utility is concerned, it matters very 
little for the purpose intended, whether a lean-to house, 
or pit, is decided upon, or a span roof, with low walls to 
receive it, on the east and west side, the house running 
north and south, and sufficient headway in the centre to 
allow of free movement. Where expense is an object, 
and a high wall is already in existence, facing the south, 
that would be a consideration in the shape of economy. 
In either case, the roof might be a fixture, if desired. 
In the lean-to, the ventilators might be swung at top ; 
in the span-roofed, a double ridge-board might be used, 
as spoken of the other week, with ventilators between 
them. Before our correspondent decides, I would call 
