DeoemlMr 17, 1871. ] 



JOURNAL OP HORTIOOIiTDRE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



541 



see that in E. maculata there is a profasely hairy stem, while 

 that of E. hTpericifolia is nearly Bmooth. The same is true 

 of the frait. The leaves of the former species are very obliqae 

 at the base, the latter nearly rfgular. The flowers are pro- 

 daoed in all the asils. In the E. hypericifolia the stems have 

 a tendency to be nodose at the joints, while E. macalata is 

 nearly free from this character, and the flowers are mainly in 

 heads at the ends of the branches. The E. macalata after 

 the fongoid attack becoming erect, also becomes nodose, and 

 has the flowers on the ends of the comparatively smooth branch- 

 lets, while the leaves have lost their pointed obliquity; and, 

 in short, all the characters make an intermediate between the 

 two species. He said it wonld not be fair to assume, from 

 these facts, that Euphorbia hypericifolia was an evolution 

 from E. macalata, but, as there could be no doubt that nu- 

 trition was one of the factors in the government of form, we 

 could say that certain phases of nutrition brought about by 

 an attack of a minute fungus would change the characters to 

 the direction of those in that species. 



EXTRACTING LARCH CONE SEEDS. 

 Is answer to " B. B.," the best way to extract the seeds from 

 Larch or any of the Fir cones, is to gather them in summer, 

 put them loosely in sacks, and lay on a moderately heated 

 flue, turning them two or three times a-day until they begin 

 to open, then place on sheets full in the sun for a few days, 

 taking them in at night to some dry place. The seeds will 

 easily come out by slightly beating them with a stick. — 

 S. Taylob, CastUcroft. 



NOTES CK VILLA axd SUBURBAN GARDENING. 



A Hotbed and its Management. — At this dull time of the 

 year, and duller still in gardening matters so far as the amateur 

 is concerned, who, as many of them have gardens, but no 

 glass houses, and just a few frames or a pit, which afford the 

 means of doing a little forcing provided the necessary ma- 

 terial can be found. Where this can be done, and their fancy 

 leads them to the cultivation of early Cucumbers, let me remind 

 them that this is now the time to set about the work, because 

 the collecting of manure and the necessary preparation will 

 take some time, and at th'is slack time of the year such time can 

 be better afforded than at any other. Procuring the materials 

 may be to many a very difficult part of the business, inasmuch 

 if they are not made on the premises it has to be purchased. 

 But let us make the matter as easy as we can by saying that it 

 is not necessary that the bed should be made up of pure horse 

 manure only, but it is beneficial as a moderator of heat to add 

 quite one-third of fresh leaves from the trees ; Oak leaves if 

 possible, they being more lasting, especially if added in a dry 

 state. However, many a hotbed is made without any addition 

 to the manure, and very well they answer if done properly. In 

 provincial towns leaves may many times be procured for the 

 work of collecting or for a very trifling amount by purchase. 

 First of all it is better to decide about the frame, whether a 

 single light or double one. I advise the latter if sufficient ma- 

 terial can be got together and ensured, not only for the bed 

 proper, but also for the after-work of liniEgs, ire. As at this 

 early time of the year the bed will need to be when made up 

 quite 4 feet 6 inches high at the back, and 3 feet 6 inches at the 

 front, and as the materials first heated as they ought to be before 

 making up, and all the rank heat sweated out of ir, will reduce 

 the bulk quite one-half, an idea wiU be given as to the necessary 

 quantity for the first start. About twice a-week, if the material 

 is in heating condition, it will need turning over, and each time 

 it ought to turned inside out and well mixed, and it may be a 

 fortnight before it is ready. But I must first mention that be- 

 fore the turning commences the necessary quantity must be got 

 together, as it does not answer to continue adding fresh and 

 rank manure to that half-prepared. The bed will be much 

 loncer in becoming sweet by that plan, and some of the material 

 will be too far gone for use. 



Now we come to the making of the bed ; and this should be 

 placed in a sheltered yet sunny spot, but not on a wet cold 

 bottom of earth. Either the bottom must be raised up by a foot 

 of rubble for drainage or a layer of rough wood a foot thick, 

 covered over with rough Utter before the bed is made up. This 

 plan is a wonderful help to the bed in retaining its heat, and 

 also a good medium for drainage. Set out the bed 6 inches 

 wider than the frames on all sides, and build it up firm by beat- 

 ing down with the fork as the work goes on, but it is not to be 

 trodden. When all is done place the frame upon it, and shut it 

 up till the steam and heat begins to rise, and then let out three 

 or four times a-day by opening the light about an inch, not 

 more, or the heat wiU not rise gradually, as the bed will receive 



a check. Perhaps a week will be needed to ascertain the heat- 

 ing power of the bed. Beds are liable to become too hot, or there 

 may be a little rank heat to get rid of before farther proceeding. 

 However, when the heat can be ensured at about 90' without 

 fear of becoming hotter, the soil may be put in, and this no 

 more than a couple of bushels in the centre of each light thrown 

 in a heap. This soil should be a mixture of turfy loam one- 

 half, and leaf soU and rotten manure one-quarter each. When 

 this becomes warmed through sow a few seeds in a pot. and 

 plunge it in the soil, or sow the seeds in the soil itself, they 

 will soon be up ; however, let them remain till the rough leaf 

 appears, then pull all out except one plant to each light, or take 

 them up and pot them to provide against future wants. Keep 

 the temperature at night as near 70° as possible ; and as they 

 grow the white roots will be seen at the outside of the soil, then 

 it is necessary to add a few inches of soil, and proceed in this 

 way till the plants grow large enough to peg down and stop, 

 when the bed may be finished off by soiling-down. I ought to 

 say that the precaution should be taken to warm the soil before 

 taking it to the frame, otherwise it lowers the temperature to 

 such an extent that is not easily recovered. The same whenever 

 water is applied. As time goes on, and the heat cools down too 

 low, linings of manure should be applied ; but if the weather is 

 mild, only back and front- at first, and the next time the two 

 beds may be done. This will, perhaps, be a better guarantee 

 for a uniform temperature. Besides the night heat here stated 

 above, one of 80° in the day by sun heat and air will cause them 

 to thrive. Sow, a bed of this kind requires constant watching. 

 i If it is put up in an exposed place, and a windy night occurs, 

 the heat is blown entirely out of the bed, or perhaps to one part 

 of it, when in a mild day it would become too hot, and perhaps 

 bum the roots of the plant. Again, sometimes it happens that 

 after the bed is made up, and the plants growing, the bed sud- 

 denly becomes too hot. At such a time, if the weather is so cold 

 as to preclude air-giving, the sides have to be pierced with a 

 pole in several places to let the heat out, and at nights it is 

 always necessary to cover up the frame little or much, according 

 to the weather. So that those who pride themselves in growing 

 Cucumbers by dung heat must make up their minds to pay them 

 every attention in order to be successful. 



I mentioned in the early part of this paper that I admired a 

 double-light frame, I will now state my reasons. Towards mid- 

 summer, when the plants of this first crop shows signs of ex- 

 haustion, one light can be cleared out to the bottom of the 

 bed — that is, manure as well as soil, and a fresh lot put-in in 

 the same condition as before, and treated the same in turn ; 

 the soil is put on, and the plants, which should be previously 

 prepared, planted out from their pots. The light is divided off 

 by boards, and treated as a separate frame. In time the other 

 light is served in the same way, and so a succession of Cucum- 

 bers is kept up by this system in a very satiefactcry way. It 

 may be said that when one light is cleared out the roots of those 

 plants in the opposite light must be cut, and it is true they are ; 

 but I have never known them to show any injury from it, and 

 I have often practiced the plan. The system can be recom- 

 mended to those with small conveniences, and that is my reason 

 for naming it. Last year I knew an amateur who followed it 

 up, and, besides supplying his own table, sold enough Cucumbers 

 to pay for the manure and his trouble throughout the summer. 

 I believe he has already collected his materials for a bed on the 

 same plan. 



Now there are many sorts of Cucumbers to be had, most of 

 them good for particular purposes, but not hardy enough in con- 

 stitution to be recommended to an amateur with such conve- 

 niences as I have described. I therefore take this opportunity 

 to state that one of the best Cucumbers— I may say the best 

 sort I have ever found, and I have tried many — is Cooling's 

 Derbyshire Hero. This will be found a real amateur's Cucum- 

 ber, for it grows from Jo to IS inches in length, is very prolific, 

 a vigorous grower, with a hardy constitution, just the thing for a 

 frame, and outdoor beds also. I make up a bed outdoors every 

 year, and plant it out, and treat it the same as the ridge Cu- 

 cumbers, and it is thoroughly satisfactory. Those who knew 

 Leslie's Long Eidge Cucumber, good as it was, will, I believe, 

 find its Boperior in the one I recommend. — Thomas Becobd. 



LOUGHCREW, 



THE SEAT OF J. L. SAPER, ESQ. 



When- Loudon published his celebrated " Encyclopsedia of 

 Gardening," he said of Loughcrew that " it gave every promise 

 of magnificence.'' The promises have been amply fulfilled. 

 In every department — the garden, farm, plantations, and 

 general keeping of the estate, it is superior to most country 

 ' residences in Ireland, and inferior to very few. There is a 

 unique completeness about all its arrangements which is 

 seldom met with. Each department is carried out extensively, 

 and the work well done. Ton can see good farming and good 

 gardening— prize stock and well-stocked preserves. Few Irish 



