"I. C. W.," Fishkill. N. Y., writes: "Will you say through the Monthly whether plants in general, roses, carnations, violets, etc., in particular, would be benefited by watering and syringing during the winter season with warm or hot water instead of cold ? If hot, how hot do you think would be advisable ? Immersing plants in hot water, 1300, is said to destroy insects without injury to the plants. Would syringing with water at that temperature have the same effect ? Do you think plants as above would be forwarded, or their blooms be forwarded, if always wet with quite warm water instead of cold ?"

[The advantages of bottom heat, as it was called - that is to say, heat applied to the roots of plants - were always deemed very great by gardeners of the old school, and though some special cases have been cited to show that there was not much advantage in these systems, we are induced to think there is more value in it than modern cultivators are disposed to give it. The argument against it is that it is atmospheric heat that makes plants grow, and that, growth once started, the roots will of necessity respond, even though the roots be actually encased in frost. We all know that a peach or apricot against a sunny wall will push into flower in midwinter, though snow and ice cover the ground above the roots, if a few very warm midday suns shine on the wall or fence against which the branches may be traced. Again, in grape culture under glass it is among the commonest of experiences, where the vines are in outside borders and the tops only under glass, and in a forcing house, that the tops will come out into leaf and flower just as well, in just as short a time, when the roots are encased in a solid frozen mass of earth, as when the border has been protected wholly from frost.

It must be confessed that these facts are very strong as against any value from the application of heat, whether by means of warm water or otherwise, to the roots of plants.

Yet we cannot believe that the great mass of belief and practice of the old gardeners, who so loved to provide means for bottom heat, were absolutely baseless; and we prefer to say that careful experiments on the advantages of hot and cold water in plant culture are yet among the very desirable things.

In regard to syringing with hot water, instead of dipping, we cannot say. We do know that turning the plant in the pot upside down and immersing it for an instant in water of a temperature of 1300 will destroy any insect; but it seems such a waste of hot water to use it for syringing, that we suppose no one ever thought to so employ it. We know of no reason why, where hot water is abundant, it should not be used; only careful experiment can decide this. Very soft and tender leaves may be injured at a temperature of 1300; on the other hand, after passing through a syringe the original temperature may have to be increased in order that the insects may have the full benefit of the fatal degree. - Ed. G. M].