beetle of the coleoptera tribe, is at present extremely troublesome in some districts, and whole crops are destroyed. The only preventive is, to destroy the insect in its larvæ state, by having every fruit picked up as soon as it falls from the tree, and given to the hogs, or otherwise disposed of, in a manner which shall prevent the insect from passing into the chrysalis state. By giving strict attention to this, its ravages will soon be impeded, and plenty of fruit preserved. The aphides, or aphis, do not touch the fruit, but injure the tree very much, by stopping the growth of the young shoots, and, consequently, prevent their forming flower buds; the trees also have a very disagreeable appearance. Several methods have been suggested to stop their increase; but, when the trees are large, it is almost impossible. On trees in pots, however, they can be more easily got rid ofby the frequent use of water, saturated with tobacco, in the proportion of half a pound of the latter to a gallon of the former: turn the water on the tobacco, boiling hot, and when it is cold, syringe the trees with it; if they are very thick upon the extremities of the young shoots, dip them into the mixture for a few minutes, and it will soon destroy them. By continued attention to syringing of the trees with pure water, as we have before recommended, they do not increase very fast, and are not very troublesome to trees in pots. If from neglect, however, they attack them, this remedy should be applied.

Diseases. The peach tree is subject to some diseases, which generally arise from a bad soil, or from injudicious management. That of the most common occurrence is the gum or canker. Trees planted in cold, stiff, wet soils, may be often observed with half or the whole of the branches covered with gum, which oozes out from around the buds, in most instances, but frequently from the wood between them. We have never been troubled with this disease in the short period which has elapsed since we have given attention to the cultivation of the peach in pots, which we attribute principally to the peculiar kind of soil, which, it will be remembered, was quite sandy and open; but it may appear where attention has not been paid to the soil, and where there has been mismanagement. The best method of putting a stop to its increase, if it once appears, is, to repot the trees in a new soil, made rather more sandy than we have recommended; cut away some of the large roots, and also head in the branches quite short; give the trees plenty of air, and, with due attention to water, &c. they will generally recover. It may be well here to observe, that the soil which we have used and which we have recommended, though seemingly too poor for trees in pots, contrary to the general rule, in which the compost is made doubly rich, is one peculiarly fitted for the peach tree, and one in which we have ever had an extremely vigorous growth of wood, and a good crop

of fruit. With that important ingredient in horticulture, liquid manure, which can be withheld or applied ad libitum, the cultivator has it in his power to produce either a strong or a weak growth; the soil is entirely under his management; but if the soil was made rich at first, its exciting quality could not be easily taken away. Mildew often strikes peach trees in green-houses, and we have seen them almost white with it: it has been supposed, by some scientific cultivators, to arise from the soil and situation, and we are inclined to the same opinion. Although we have not been troubled with it, nor do we believe it will ever make its appearance on trees in pots, we mention it as among the diseases peculiar to the peach. It is one gratifying fact, in favor of the culture of peaches in pots, that they are but little subject to diseases. The facility with which insects are destroyed is also a great inducement to their cultivation.

Though we have extended our remarks to a much greater length than we at first intended, we could not well have given our ideas in a much less space; considerable may yet be said on the management of the trees after the third year; but as this mostly relates to pruning, we trust the good judgment of every cultivator will, with our hints on this subject, gather sufficient information to guide him in his future practice. We hope our observations will have a tendency to extend the growth of this delicious fruit in pots. We have endeavored to simplify their culture as much as possible, in the desire we have to see every gentleman place on his table a tree loaded with peaches, to be plucked, fresh and ripe, from the tree.

ART. II. Descriptive Notice of Mr. Hogg's new Method of Heating by Hot Water. By A. J. DowNING, Botanic Garden and Nursery, Newburgh, N. Y.

WE have lately examined, with much satisfaction, a highly improved furnace and boiler, for circulating hot water by the level system, which is the invention of Mr. Hogg, junior, and which we had the pleasure of inspecting at Mr. Hogg's garden, New York. Annexed is a view of which: a, b, (fig. 8) is a strong, iron-bound, wooden cask, air-tight except through the tubes h, i, which contains the furnace, and serves as the boiler : c, d, is a conical cast-iron furnace for burning anthracite coal:

e, the grate at the bottom of the furnace, beneath which an ash pit should be formed: f, the flue or smoke-pipe: g, the aperture for introducing the fuel: h, i, cast-iron pipes of three inches diameter, for the circulation of the hot water; and j, an open 8

f

reservoir, through which the tubes and boiler are kept constantly supplied with water. Those who are not acquainted with the level system of warming by heated fluids, will, by looking at the figure, readily perceive that, upon filling the furnace c, d, with a proper quantity of fuel, the water in the boiler, becoming heated, rises and flows off through the pipe h, to the reservoir j, whence, becoming cooler, it returns immediately through the pipe i, to the bottom of the boiler; and so long as the supply of water and fuel is kept up, the circulation is unceasing. The great improvement in the present apparatus consists in placing the furnace in the midst of the body of water, which completely surrounds it. The rapidity with which the water is heated, and the economy of fuel, are the two very important points gained. To these may also be added the small space occupied by the whole fixtures, and the convenience of its introduction, in desirable cases, in concealed situations, within the hot-house itself, as it is by no means necessary to construct a separate apartment for the furnace and boiler, as they may be placed wherever an ordinary cask would have room to stand.

We could wish no better proof of the thorough competency of this application for warming the air of hot-houses to any desirable temperature, than that which we witnessed at Mr. Hogg's garden. An apparatus of moderate dimensions was put up last autumn in a hastily and slightly constructed wooden house, fifty or sixty feet in length, which, with its joints open to every wind, and without any external covering upon the glass, was kept at a temperature of 50° with the greatest facility, during the coldest weather, the thermometer ranging meanwhile from 8 to 10° below zero, Fahrenheit. We believe Mr. Hogg, junior, is about patenting his excellent invention, and we cannot refrain from expressing our conviction, that it will (jointly with other systems of heating by hot water), in a great measure, if not entirely, supersede the common brick flues, so drying to the atmosphere of plant-houses, and so deleterious in the escaping smoke to the plants themselves.

A number of the above boilers and tubes have been erected, under the superintendence of Mr. Hogg, in the neighborhood of New York, in the conservatories and green-houses of different gentlemen, where, as we learn, they have proved highly satisfactory. Yours, Newburgh, N. Y. June 6, 1836. A. J. DowNING.

The apparatus for heating green-houses, as described above by our valued correspondent, appears to us to combine many advantages for ordinary forcing-houses, green-houses, graperies, &c., and we are happy in thus early laying before our readers this new invention. One great objection to the erection of green-houses, and similar structures, for the protection of plants during our severe winters, is, the expense attendant upon heating them. Nothing can surpass the system of heating by hot water; yet the first cost of the erection of the apparatus which is required by the common method is so great, that many are induced to continue the old smoke flues, and others are forced to forego the pleasure to be derived, in our dreary winters, from the green-house. Every new invention or discovery which will in any way lessen the expense of warming such structures, will tend to cause their erection, and thus create, by the spread of a taste and a desire for plants, a demand for the products of the

nurseryman.

In this wonderful age of improvements, all new inventions, unless they are such as have cost the inventor years of labor and perseverance to bring them to perfection, should be public property. The patent law, in some cases, may be of considerable benefit to projectors of improvements, but so common have the applications become for such protection as it was intended to afford for inventions, that it consists now in but little more than the name. If the system of heating by hot water, as invented by Mr. Hogg, junior, is of such real utility as it appears to be, to horticulturalists and florists, it would certainly be the most judicious course to pursue, to bring it extensively into notice, and, by cheapening the cost of erection as much as possible, induce amateurs and lovers of gardening to build green-houses, graperies, &c. We do most sincerely hope that Mr. Hogg will give up the intention, if he has ever had any, of patenting his invention. As a nurseryman, we should never think of his doing so; and we have too high an opinion of his good judgment to believe he will. This improvement, however so great, cannot certainly be believed, in this age, to be the ultimatum of heating green-houses by hot water; and there may yet be discovered other and better modes. We should wish Mr. Hogg to reap some benefit for his discovery; and we have not the least doubt but the increase of floricultural taste, which will in a greater or

less degree take place, as a knowledge in relation to it is diffused, will create such a demand for plants, that Mr. Hogg, as well as every nurseryman, will find that he will be a gainer by not confining his improvements by any law.-Conds.

ART. III. A few Remarks on the Treatment of Cyclamens. By S. SWEETSER.

THIS very beautiful bulb, though by no means a rare plant, is far, however, from being common, or at least, is very seldom seen in flower. I have a few plants, which, with no particular care, produce forty or fifty flowers each, every season; and if the following remarks will render its culture less difficult, they are willingly at your disposal.

The compost I have made use of for cyclamens is composed of nearly the following kinds of soils :-loam, dung, leaf mould, and sand-the latter in not quite so large proportion as the three former. After the bulbs have done blooming, or have made their growth, in the spring, they should be turned out into the border, in the garden, and planted in a warm, unshaded aspect, in a rich spot, if not naturally so-loam and leaf mould, with sand, should be added. Set them an inch or more under the surface of the soil.

During summer they should receive supplies of water, in dry weather, and the soil occasionally loosened round the bulbs. About the latter end of August or beginning of September, the plants should be taken up into pots. The proper size for good strong roots is number four; smaller ones may be put in the next size below. Use the compost recommended above, and take the plants up carefully, placing one in each pot; settle the compost well, by giving the pot one or two gentle taps, and set the plants away in a half shady place for a few days. Afterwards inure them to the sun, and when the other plants are removed to the green-house or parlor, take these in. also. During the winter keep them in an airy place, and give them moderate supplies of water. Toward spring they will begin to throw up their flower stems, when they must be supplied more liberally with this element; water every day in dry weather, and the plants will grow rapidly and throw up from forty to fifty flower-buds;