THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, January 11, 1859. 
231 
it is above,— i.e., higher than the boiler,—if your flow-pipe from 
that point to the farther end of your house rose gradually a 
couple of inches, or even three, it would bo all the better; and at 
that highest point, a small open gas-pipe should be fitted in,—the 
open end standing as high as the top of the cistern,—which will 
prevent air accumulating. It would be advisable that this open 
end of the air-pipe was taken through the house outside, as 
sometimes, when a strong fire was used, the steam and hot water 
might be thrown out in scalding drops. 
4. Sufficiency of pipes.—In a house, span-roofed, 20 feet long, 
10| feet wide, 7 feet from the floor to the apex, and sides 3! feet 
high, and, we presume, opaque,—the 50 to 00 leet, which you 
have to spare on one end and side, will be sufficient to keep the 
house at 45°, if the pipes are four-inch ones. If the sides of the 
house (the 3 feet 6 inches) had any glass, it would take all the 
piping to do so in severe weather. If it would have been equally 
convenient, it would have been better to take the piping right 
round the house, having the highest point and the air-pipe in the 
centre, from which point the pipe should fall gradually to the 
boiler. In the case of a greenhouse, where sudden heats are more 
wanted than in forcing-houses, three three-inch pipes would be 
preferable to two four-inch ones. But, if a person keeps his eyes 
on the heavens, the four-inch ones will heat soon enough. 
5. We presume all the roof is to be fixed. We do not admire 
your ugly contrivances for ventilation. We would sooner have 
some sashes to move, or those small swing-lights at or near the 
level of the roof, instead of these dovecot-like things. Ventilators 
should also be fixed in the two ends; and, of course, there will 
be ventilators in both sides. 
You give us no idea of judging of the position of the propa- 
gating-house (8 feet wide, 18 feet long) ; but if the two pipes are to 
be enclosed in a bed 3 feet wide, and covered with bricks, clinkers, 
and then ashes, and your house is high enough to resemble the 
greenhouse, or so as you can walk comfortably inside of it, you will 
not have enough of heat, if you commence propagating tender 
things very early. You would have plenty under your cuttings, 
covered with handlights, &c.; but, for fresh-potted tilings, your 
stage, or bed, would scarcely have enough heat. For propa- 
pagating greenhouse or bedding plants, your means will be ample. 
For early, tender work, you had better have top as well as 
bottom-heat. As you say you cannot sink your boiler below 
2 feet, you must keep this in mind in your propagating-house, so 
that the pipes there are not below the boiler. It matters not if 
they are several feet above it, if not quite so high as the supply 
cistern. 
6. The west side is fair as to steepness. Is there any reason 
why the glass there should be 7 feet, and the east side G feet ? 
We think we have noticed the matters referred to; but would be 
obliged to have all the questions stated in one place. A rough 
plan is very useful, but it takes up much time, when, before we 
can see all that is wanted, we have to refer backwards and for- 
w-ards to several parts and sides of a letter.] 
RENOVATING OLD VINES. 
“ I have an old vinery—a very old and very deep border. The 
Vines aro pretty good, planted outside, and taken in through 
pigeon-holes, about a foot above the border. The crop used to be 
miserable—scarce and poor. I could not very w r ell spare the 
Vines, as I was doing away with them in another house. Two 
years ago, I got some fresh turf chopped up, and put against the 
bare stems. I very soon saw young roots w-orking through the 
turf, and a great improvement in the Vine, and twice the number 
of bunches that I had the previous year ; but shanked, as usual. 
Last year, I had some more fresh turf added, and continued im¬ 
provement was quite visible in Vine and fruit; but still shanking. 
I have now young Vines established in other vineries, and I 
will try what one will do, by taking all the border away, and 
cutting away all the roots, except those grown in the fresh soil 
and out of the once-bare stem. I have the border, or pit, clear 
now; the young roots tied up in straw and mats, to protect from ; 
frost. The pit is forty-two inches deep. I put one foot of 
broken stones in the bottom, six inches of coal cinders on the top 
of the stones, two layers of turf uncut, grass downwards, on the 
cinders; then a foot of turf, cut into pieces of two, three, or four 
inches ; and then I spread the roots, and put a little leaf mould 
over them, half an inch deep, or thereabouts; and then fill up 
with broken turf, as before. I cover the whole with some short 
dung from the frames, to protect a little from frost. I do not 
mean to force the Vines—merely to assist a little. I will prune 
severely. Will you say if I may expect to keep clear from 
shanking ?”—P. P., Mutton. 
[We think you will be free from shanking for some time to 
come, and always, if you havo secured drainage, and keep 
1 the roots enticed to the surface. If you have no drain, and 
j neglect excitement to the surface, the roots in a few years may 
be induced to go through your ashes and stones in search of 
moisture. ITad we been in your case, we should not only have 
saved the fine young roots, but also a good portion of the old, rather 
naked ones ; as these, when raised to a higher level, in such fresh 
compost, would soon throw out fresh roots ; and these, in general, 
are not so apt to get down as younger roots proceeding directly 
from the stems. We have little doubt, however, that the Vines 
will improve wonderfully.] 
COX’S ORANGE PIPPIN. 
At the exhibition of fruit, in November, 1857, at Willis’s 
Rooms, the Judges gave this Apple the first prize. Their opinion 
was impugned by your correspondent, “ H.,” in The Cottaoe 
Gardener, page 134 ; and the Secretary of the Pomologieal 
Society, without any knowledge of the circumstances under 
which the Judges gave their award, parrot-like, in his report of 
the Pomologieal Meeting, in October last, also questioned the 
soundness of the opinion passed by the Judges of the Apples at 
the above exhibition. 
Your correspondent “ I.,” at page 214, has given most truth¬ 
fully, all, or nearly all, that is necessary to be made public, about 
what occurred in 1857, in judging the Apples ; but a few words 
in support of Iris assertions, although not required, may not 
be amiss. 
In my official capacity as one of the Judges of the Apiples, I 
looked over the enormous collection of line fruit with dismay, for 
it seemed improbable we could finish testing them in time. We 
soon, however, came to a magnificent array of plates of Eibston 
Pippins. At once we agreed to make that kind a standard as to 
flavour. We accordingly tasted one or tw r o from each plate, and 
selecting the best plate, placed it on one side to be referred to. I 
may here mention, that we did not find any quite up to their 
usual qualities : they were not so juicy as usual, and sweet only, 
without the fine aroma peculiar to the sort. 
Some fine plates of Cox's Orange Pippin next attracted our 
attention. They were tasted, and found so tender in their flesh, 
so full of juice, with a fine rich aroma, that a plate was selected 
and placed by the side of our selected Ribstons. Many, very 
many, other kinds were tested, and found inferior to our two 
selected plates. Then came the grand and last test—the selected 
1libstons and the selected Orange Pippins : there was not a mo¬ 
ment’,} hesitation—the latter were found to be infinitely superior to 
our old and well-established favourite Ribstonx, and the first prize 
was accordingly awarded. I happened to be one of the Judges 
of another department, in St. James’s llall, at the last fruit exlii- 
bition (November, 1858), and, having done my work, I was 
sauntering round the llall, when I came up to the poor teeth-tired 
Apple-tasters. They were just then discussing the merit s of Cox's 
Orange Pippin. I felt interested, and asked for a slice. Alas! 
how changed! My pet sort was merely a nice sweet Apple, not 
very juicy, and very much like the old Golden Reinette, in flavour. 
I next tasted a Eibston Pippin, and found it much superior. It 
will thus be seen, that the Judges in both cases w'ere correct in 
their decisions. They were not led astray by any prestige, but 
gave the first prize to the best. 
Inconstancy in the flavour of fruits is nothing new : it is very 
rarely that the same variety is of equal excellence in consecutive 
seasons. In the “good old times,” the gardener did not send 
his Crassane Pears to his employer’s dessert, if lie found them of 
inferior flavour, but quietly threw them away. We manage 
these tilings differently now, and in annually tasting, exhibitions 
will, I think, in the end throw some light on this Pomologieal 
mystery—the cause of fruits from the same tree, and under the 
same culture, almost annually differing so widely in their flavour. 
Last summer seemed perfect as to its ripening power, and yet, 
out of some eight or ten plates of Crassane Pears, at the St. 
James’s Hall Exhibition, scarcely ono contained a fruit of good 
flavour—some were absolutely nauseous. 
The numerous plates of IVinter Nelis Pears were greatly in¬ 
ferior to their usual quality; and of GanseVs Bergamot —the 
