By J. C. LOUDON, F.L.S. H.S. &c. AUTHOR OF THE ENCYCLOPEDIAS OF GARDENING AND OF AGRICULTURE, AND LONDON: PRINTED FOR LONGMAN, REES, ORME, BROWN, AND GREEN, PATERNOSTER-ROW. In this Third Volume of the Gardener's Magazine, the reader will find some improvements on the plan of the former Volumes. These are, the accentuation of botanic names; the indication of generic names as, commemorative, classical, aboriginal, or composed; and, when specific names are Englished, the literal meaning given. The details and the advantages of these improvements are explained in Vol. II. p. 447. Taking a general view of the improvements in gardening which are recorded in this Volume, the leading feature, and one of very considerable interest in the exotic department, is the mode of heating hot-houses by hot water. Though the invention was made above half a century ago in France, and applied there for artificial incubation, as well as to the hot-houses in the Jardin des Plantes, it does not appear to have been introduced into England till the year 1815, when the house No. 1. in Russel Place, London, was heated in this manner by the Comte Chabannes, and afterwards the hot-houses at Sundridge Park by the same individual, in 1816 and 1817. The use of steam withdrew for a time the attention of engineers from the subject of hot water; but that element has again been resorted to, apparently without any knowledge of what had been already done by others, by Mr. Whale and Mr. Atkinson. Neither of these gentlemen, it appears, was aware of M. Bonnemain's invention in Paris, in 1777, or the Comte Chabanne's operations in London and at Sundridge Park. Mr. Tredgold (p. 427.) has claimed for Mr. Atkinson the merit of having first successfully applied the hot water system to hot-houses in England; and, unquestionably, Mr. Atkinson's apparatus of 1822, is more simple than that of the Comte Chabannes at Sundridge Park of 1816, though not more effectual. The details of which the above is the summary, will be found in pages 186. 254. 365. 368. and 423-432.; and further information on the subject, received even since this Preface was prepared for the press, is unavoidably reserved for our succeeding Volume. Some most desirable acquisitions to Floriculture are described in the analysis of botanical works in our Catalogue raisonnée; and we refer to pages 342. 385., and Vol. II. p. 460., for some Dutch and German practices, which, if adopted in this country, would, at an easy rate, increase the enjoyments of the wealthy who possess gardens; prove profitable to the tradesman gardener; and advantageous to the public consumer of garden vegetables. J. C. L. London, Bayswater, Feb. 1828. |