200 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
November 27, 1886 
PEARS v. PEACHES. 
I am constrained to say in reply, “Tardy Mr. 
Simcoe,” and to attribute the tardiness, not to others 
having refrained from criticising my notes, but from 
the summer of 1886, in addition to that of 1885, having 
proved so very favourable to the ripening of the wood 
of Peaches cultivated out of doors ; hence Mr. Simcoe’s 
gratifying results. My notes were made as the result 
of several years’ close observation, and may be taken 
as applying to very many, for it is generally acknow¬ 
ledged that in a great many localities it is next to 
useless to attempt to grow good Peaches out of doors. 
Seasons, no doubt, when unfavourable at certain stages, 
render extra care absolutely necessary, more particularly 
after the fruit is set; but when 1 tell Mr. Simcoe that 
I have purchased the very best trees procurable at most 
of the leading nurseries, have carefully planted them 
in good maiden loam, and every after attention has 
been paid to them, at the end of five years I have been 
compelled to remove those same trees and re-plant, 
without so much as having had a single fruit from 
them—this season I have already removed two such 
delinquents in Hale’s Early and Marquis of Down- 
shire—surely 1 ma} T be pardoned for having advocated 
the planting of our better sorts of Pears in lieu of 
Peaches, when, with all the care bestowed, no benefits 
accrue. 
Mr. Simcoe is evidently “in Clover without the 
lay.” To such my notes were not addressed, but only 
to those placed in similar difficulties to myself, lily 
garden is in close contiguity to the vein of brine, upon 
which is founded the famous Droitwicli baths, and not 
far from the garden we have two springs ; probably, 
these may have something to do with the failure of the 
cultivation of the Peach ; added to which, our natural 
soil is very shallow, resting on a bed of fiery marl. At 
any rate, it is most unsatisfactory, after devoting every 
attention—giving due protection and so on—to have, 
comparatively, no return. 
This season, in common with most others, we have 
gathered more than usual ; but still no reliance can be 
placed upon the out-door crop, whereas, with, as I 
before said, trees under glass certainty is assured. I 
reiterate my remark as to the four v. fourteen trees. 
I have taken this past season over twenty dozen fruits 
from some of my in-door trees ; by simple multiplication 
it will be readily seen that my remarks rvere fully 
justified, even though Mr. Simcoe appears so gratified 
at having gathered over 1,000 from “ sixteen trees.” I 
ought to add—in reply to his remarks on Peach culture, 
almost insinuating a lack of knowedge or energy—that 
I have some trees on the south w r all now which have 
been systematically lifted and root pruned where 
necessary every two years, and these are equally as 
unsatisfactory as the rest, wfith the exception of one 
tree of Early York, which has this year made what I 
will term fairly good wood.— IF. C. 
-- 
STOKE-HOLES AND HEATING 
BY HOT WATER. 
Since this matter was first introduced in your 
columns, several correspondents have given notes 
relative to it; but as yet none have hit upon the point 
where opinions, I mean practical as against theoretical, 
are found to differ. The practice of sinking the boiler 
several feet below the level of both flow and return 
pipes, has been so long in use, and is so generally 
recognised as being essential to a proper circulation of 
the water, that it almost seems a piece of heresy to 
dispute it. And if the subject is ever approached with 
a view of questioning the soundness of the practice, it 
is almost certain to call down upon us the condemna¬ 
tion of the theoretical, or I may say, the scientific 
party. 
I think all who have had to do with a system of 
heating by means of hot-water pipes are thoroughly 
agreed as to the soundness of the principle that a rise in 
the pipes is necessary to ensure a good circulation—I will 
not say a rapid one ; but it is here that the engineers 
and what I may call the new school of practitioners 
choose to differ. And the real point at issue is this, 
whether in doing away with deep stoke-holes and so 
fixing the boiler at, say, 1 ft. below the level of the 
return pipe, as good and as rapid circulation cannot be 
ensured as by the older system. In other words, 
instead of having the pipes fixed so as to have a 
continuous rise throughout their whole length, would 
the circulation not be as rapid in having that rise 
made vertically, or as near to the boiler as possible ? 
No doubt in certain cases a deep stoke-hole is necessary, 
as, for instance, where the pipes have to be carried 
under paths or doorways in their progress from the 
boiler to the buildings to be heated. 
In case I may be misunderstood, however, let me 
say that by the vertical rise, the hot column of water 
■will he carried to its highest level at a point as near 
to the boiler as possible, and that, thereafter, the pipes 
would practically form return pipes, being either fixed 
at a level or with a gradual descent. By this means it 
is urged, and with every show of reason, that the 
return current in the flow pipe, and which is admitted 
to take place to a greater or less degree in all pipes 
having a continuous rise would be altogether avoided. 
There can be no doubt that this return current in 
the flow pipe must be the great hindrance in the 
rapidity of the circulation ; and it is almost obvious 
that the longer the distance the pipes are carried, and 
the higher the gradient, the greater will be the 
resistance of the return current. The hot water, on 
issuing from the boiler, will naturally seek and travel 
along the upper part of the inside of the pipe ; while 
it is just as natural, according to all laws of gravitation, 
that this return current, being to a certain degree 
colder, will run down the plane, thus causing opposing 
currents in the pipe. 
It is also an accepted theory with houses built on 
different levels, that as the highest point of the pipes 
is generally the hottest, so, accordingly, those houses 
placed on the highest level will be the hottest. But 
this is not always the case, as I can cite instances to 
the contrary ; as also to the theory of the highest point 
of the pipes being the hottest. One notable instance 
of the latter was in a stove of 30 ft. in length by 13 ft. 
in width, in which the pipes at the highest end were 
scarcely heated, unless by exceptionally hard firing, 
although the rise was about 18 ins. ; but the fault of 
this lay in the fixing of the pipes, necessitating a 
dip at about one-third of their length. In another 
instance, where the pipes were fixed in the same way, 
the result was the same ; but upon being altered and 
placed on a level, with a gentle fall in the return pipe, 
the difference in the temperature of the pipes was 
scarcely perceptible to the touch throughout their 
length, and, in addition, not requiring over two-thirds 
of the fuel formerly used to keep up a sufficient degree 
of heat. — R. Stevens, Raston. 
-- 
HUNTROYDE PARK. 
Being in the neighbourhood of Burnley a few days 
ago, I paid the gardens at Huntroyde, the seat of Col. 
Le Gendre Starkie, a visit, on purpose to have a look at 
the Chrysanthemums and other things of interest in 
this well-known place ; for it was here that Viola 
cornuta was brought out to such perfection as a 
bedding plant, some twenty-five years ago. So far 
as I could learn, the grounds have undergone almost 
a transformation since that time, and in place of many 
unsightly corners and rough pieces of ground, new 
walks and ornamental plantations have been added. 
A very choice collection of conifers has been planted 
here, and they all appear to be taking well to their 
new quarters. Mr. H. Lindsay, the able gardener, 
who has been here about twenty years, is having all 
these choice plants properly labelled with an imperish¬ 
able label, so that all who see them now, or come 
hereafter, may know what plants they are gazing upon ; 
it w'ould be better if many other places would follow 
this example. At the time of my visit, all bedding-out 
stuff was past its best, and both beds and borders had 
begun to assume their wintry garb. It was thus that 
the choice conifers, and especially some good plants of 
Cupressus, showed up to advantage. 
Passing through several ranges of Vineries, all of 
which have had abundant crops of fruit, we entered a 
tall lean-to well filled with a general collection of 
useful decorative and winter-flowering plants, including 
a large lot of Chrysanthemums, all grown purposely 
for making large flowers. All the best varieties are 
grown; but one object is kept in view, this is to grow 
only such varieties as are distinct in colour. This 
house has every bit of space utilised, all the main 
rafters being covered with some useful plant for cutting 
flowers from, such as Tea Roses, Ivy-leaved Pelar¬ 
goniums, Clematis indivisa lobata, and Lapagerias, the 
back wall being covered with Camellias. 
Large and useful pits and frames are well filled with 
winter Lettuce, Parsley, French Beans, &c., and a very 
fine lot of Strawberries, in pots for early forcing, stand 
in a yard between this house and a range of stoves, 
Pineries and Peach houses. The Pine beds are well- 
filled with both fruiting and succession plants in a 
healthy condition. The stoves, as well as the front 
part of the Pineries, are well filled with a fine lot of 
young plants, comprising Crotons, Dracaenas, young 
Palms, &c., all kept in small pots for table and room 
decoration. Several plants of Philodendron Carderii 
were beginning to make up into nice specimens. 
On the roofs of these houses, and planted in the 
beds, are Bougainvillea glabra, loaded with flowers, 
Passiflora princeps and Allamandas. One of the houses 
contains a choice collection of Orchids, a specimen 
of which was pointed out as exceptionally rare, and had 
one flower open ; this was Trichocentrum albo-pur- 
pureum. Good plants of Phalsenopsis amabilis in flower, 
and P. Schilleriana showing flower, all very healthy ; 
Saccolabiums, Aerides, Angriecum sesquipedale, Vandas, 
Ccelogynes, Calanthes and Dendrobiums, make up a 
very choice collection. The Peach houses are promising 
well for next season’s crop, and the occupants of the 
early house are already swelling their buds. 
This district is not a very genial one for a gardener 
having early forcing to do, the large quantity of rain 
and dull weather to be contended with not being suit¬ 
able for this early work. The large Black Hamburgh 
Vine, which has been planted 111 years, has a house 
devoted specially to it. It seems to enjoy the treatment 
it is receiving at Mr. Lindsay’s hands, and yields a 
good substantial crop every year ; in fact, it sets such 
a vast lot of bunches that great quantities have to be 
taken off to allow the average crop to mature itself; 
this season over 1,100 bunches were thinned away. 
The whole of the glass is heated with two powerful 
Trentham boilers, and they appear to be doing their 
work well. — IF. G. 
-- 
THE SWEET POTATO. 
The sweet Potato (Batatas edulis) is, according to 
the European Mail, the main food crop at Barbadoes, 
where the yam is little known, whereas at Jamaica the 
converse is the case, the Yam (Dioscorea) being very 
largely grown all through the interior hills, while the 
cultivation of the sweet Potato is confined to a few 
places in the lowlands. The following information was 
obtained by the editor of the European Mail from Mr. 
D. Morris, late director of the Public Gardens, Jamaica, 
and now of the Royal Gardens, Kew. Since the large 
emigration of negroes to the Isthmus of Panama, 
there has arisen a considerable trade in Yams between 
Jamaica and Colon, to the manifest advantage, in 
present cash returns, of the former country. Un¬ 
fortunately, the cultivation of Yams entails the catting 
down of forest year by year, as good Yams seldom do 
well, in the manner cultivated at Jamaica, except by 
the “rotation of land”—a peculiar negro mode of 
interpreting the European idea of “rotation of crops.” 
Hence it is not very desirable, from a general economic 
point of view, to extend or encourage the cultivation 
of Yams. With the sweet Potato, however, it is dif¬ 
ferent. This can be grown without the sacrifice year 
by year of valuable virgin forest, and it is, in many 
respects, a crop well adapted to all the lowlands, not 
only of Jamaica, but also of the West Indies generally. 
Besides being utilised directly for food purposes, it 
would appear that a new demand is likely to arise for 
the tubers of the sweet Potato in connection with the 
production of alcohol. The first notice of the sweet 
Potato being utilised in this manner appeared in a 
report to the Foreign Office given by Consul Hertslet 
on the trade and commerce of the Azores for 1884. 
Owing to a variety of causes, it appears that culti¬ 
vators at St. Michael’s and other Islands of the Azores, 
who had hitherto looked upon Oranges as their staple 
production, were so disheartened by low prices and 
the diminished crops yielded by their trees, that they 
resolved to clear their land of everything, and plant it 
afresh with sweet Potatos. The whole of the crop thus 
raised was used in the preparation of alcohol. During 
the year 1884, 1,826 pipes of alcohol, of the value of 
£40,518, made from sweet Potatos, were exported from 
the Azores to Lisbon, and subsequently, the trade 
assumed still larger proportions. 
Encouraged by the success of the enterprise at the 
Azores, it appears that a French chemist, Monsieur 
