302 Culture of the Cockscomh, 



80. Matthiola incana v. coccinea. 80. Matthiok incana var. coccinea. 



81. Dianthus hortensis. 81. Dianthus hortensis. 



82. Lobelia dec umbens. 82. Anemone coronaria plena. ^ 



83. Lobefo cardinalis. 83. Tuli2}a Gesnemna plena lutea. 



84. Fiola amoe'na. 84. Tiola amffi'na. 



85. Pelargonium zonale, Bcarlet va- 85. ^nem6ne coronaria simplex. 



negated. 



86. .<4nem6ne pavonina, Isotoma 86. Jnemdne pavonina. 



axillaris. 



87. Anemone hortensis simplex, 87. Jnemone hortensis simplex. 



Heliophila araboides. 

 The mass e to be separated with lines of pinks. The lobes may be filled 

 as follows : — 1. Isotoma axillaris ; 2. Scarlet Ten-weeks' Stock ; 3. Cam- 

 panula pentagonia; 4. Purple Ten-weeks' Stock; 5. Campanula carpa- 

 thica ; 6. White Ten-weeks' Stock ; the centre, of roses, mignonette, &c. 



Art. XV. On the Culture of the Cockscomb, ivith a Description 

 of the Compost made use of. By Mr. John Harrison, Gardener 

 at Syston Park. 



Sir, 



In compliance with your request, I have great pleasure in 

 communicating to you my mode of cultivating the cockscomb, 

 with a description of the compost which I make use of; also 

 the mode of preparing it for use, &c. 



In the spring season I provide a quantity of swarth or turf 

 from a pasture-field, which is pared off about 2 in. thick, 

 where the soil is a strong rich loam ; I form this into a pile 

 3 ft. high, laying the grass side downwards, covering each 

 layer of turf 1 in. thick with equal quantities of decayed hot- 

 bed manure, fresh droppings of horses, and swine's dung, 

 clear from litter, and well incorporated. 



In autumn I take down the pile, and cut the turf in pieces 

 of 2 in. square, adding to three barrows of turf one barrow of 

 decayed oak leaves or vegetable mould, and one barrow of 

 sharp sandy bog earth, which are well mixed together, and 

 formed into a shallow ridge, and frequently turned during 

 winter, in order that the frost shall penetrate through the 

 whole. 



About the last week in February, or the beginning of 

 March, having a hot-bed in readiness that has been well 

 worked and fermented (which is a very essential point), I sow 

 my seed very thin in No. 48-sized pots, being well drained, 

 and filled with a compost consisting of one thu'd part rich 

 loamy earth, one third part leaf mould, and one sixth part 

 sharp sandy bog mould, broken fine. The pots are plunged 

 in the bed up to the rims, placing under each pot a piece 

 of thin slate, to prevent any rancid steam from entering the 

 bottom of the pots. As soon as the plants appear, they have 



