14 
the spring like most of our annuals ; but next week you shall see all 
about them. 
Repotting Geraniums (F. H.). —As your geraniums will not be ready 
for potting till the first week in October, you had better not put them in 
their flowering pots till the beginning of February, and the interval will 
no more than compensate for “ Aunt Harriett’s ” six weeks of autumn 
weather. At all events do not put them into large pots in October, 
unless you are a first-rate grower of them. 
Roses {Ibid). —The directions given to cure a dreadful malady on the 
vine, were altogether inapplicable for your roses. You washed all the salt 
down to the roots, and probably killed or injured them too much. We 
cannot too often repeat that salts are as dangerous in the hands of some 
people as gunpowder. How would you like to fire off a cannon without 
any one near you, or fire a train for a blast in a quarry. Easy processes 
to those who understand them, but otherwise as dangerous as salts ? 
Habrotiiamnus Fasciculatds (J. French). —The plant you allude 
to is protected by Mr. Beaton in winter by a moveable covering of glass, 
and the wall is heated by hot-water pipes passing along the middle of it 
at the ground line, the centre of the wall being in open cells. You had 
better take up your plant of Habrothamnus this winter, as you propose, 
and do not trust it to thatching until the shoots are old enough to look as 
dry as walking sticks, then with dry thatch it is easy enough to keep them 
out all the winter. 
Pyrus Japonica {Ibid). —This is not a pear but a quince, and is 
properly Cydonia Japonica. It is propagated by layers made in the 
spring, and by cuttings of the roots, from four to six inches long. 
Removing Bulbs {Scrutator). —Without knowing more of your stock 
than that it consists of “bulbs,” it is not in our power to tell you 
whether the plants can be removed next March or not. Hundreds of 
bulbs can be removed in March, but many more could not then be dis¬ 
turbed without putting them back from flowering ; some for one season, 
and some for two seasons, and a few for five years at least; but all bulbs, 
save a few Irids, may be removed at any time, without endangering the 
life of the bulbs itself, if the work is done properly—that is, not to pull 
them up, but to take all their roots with them if possible, and those that 
are in growth should be laid at full length in a basket on damp moss, and 
covered with the same if they can be replanted the same week, if not, the 
leaves must not be longer kept in the dark, but the bulbs and roots must 
be kept dark and moist, and also the leaves supplied with water. Dahlias 
are not bulbs but tubers. Take them up and store them as directed at 
page 409 of last number. 
I Tom Thumb and Fancy Geranium Seedlings (A Constant 
! Reader). —The latter should be kept growing slowly ; they will not stand 
the starving system much. The first may also be grown if you have con- 
' vcnience, as Scarlet Geraniums are very bending, submitting to almost 
any treatment, in reason. If your plant was large, grow it little until 
spring. If small, the warmest place in the greenhouse, or an airy spot 
even in the stove or forcing-house, would suit it. See an article on pre¬ 
serving plants during the winter. * 
Fuchsias {Ibid). —These in a greenhouse during winter should not 
be kept dry, but if placed beneath the stage they will require much less 
water than when placed upon it, and they are no ornament there until 
they have broken into fresh leaf. 
Yuccas {Ibid). —These, showing their large roots above the tops of 
the pots, may either be repotted now, or as the autumn is getting on, 
in the spring of the year. The large roots should not be broken, as you 
will injure the plants. 
Araucaria Excelsa and Cunningiiamii (Ibid). —These are too 
tender to bear our winter in common circumstances, whether standing in 
pots or planted in the ground. 
Cephalotus, or Pitcher Plant ( W . B .).— Though there is some- 
! thing of a pitcher-like appearance among the leaves, yet this pretty little 
| curious plant is not usually designated the Pitcher plant. It flourishes best 
I in boggy soil, or in a mixture of peat and chopped sphagnum, kept well 
I supplied with water, placed in the lightest and warmest end of the green- 
| house, and a bell-glass placed over it. Though thus frequently kept in 
j the greenhouse, it likes a cool stove best in winter. In propagating it 
from divisions, a similar method must be adopted, with the difference of 
giving it a higher temperature, to encourage it to root freely. What is 
; properly termed the Pitcher plant, Nepenthes distillatoria , requires the 
1 warmest and moistest part of a plant stove. If first potted in a suitable 
sized pot, in a mixture of peat earth and sphagnum moss, well drained, and 
then this pot packed in a stout basket or open box of moss, so as to 
j retain moisture, and this basket be fixed over a cistern or an evaporating 
1 pan, through which a hot-water pipe passes, then the plant would be 
' placed in a situation to enjoy itself. 
Roses (A Subscriber). —Your enquiries will be answered fully soon. 
Bulbs (S. H. R.). —The sooner you pot these intended for blooming 
| in the greenhouse the better. Use rich light soil, a little rotten dung, 
leaf-mould, sand, and what you have discarded at times from the pot 
' plants, and accumulates beneath most potting benches, will answer well. 
l)o not place your bulbs deep, nor yet press the soil much. Three Van 
Thol tulips may be put in a six-inch pot, and one of the large narcissus. 
For an early display we generally prefer four-inch pots for single bulbs of 
hyacinths. When all potted, set them down on a piece of ground, made 
[October 3. 
firm, and having a layer of ashes and a little salt, to prevent worms 
getting up, and then cover them all over several inches thick with the 
ashes, or old tan, or even with earth or leaves. To keep away mice, it is 
advisable to cut a quantity of prickly furze and strew over the pots, 
before covering them. When full of roots, and the tops pushing, you 
may place some of the forwardcst in a hotbed, to bring them into bloom 
about the new year, and others will follow in succession. When done 
flowering, you must encourage the foliage as long as possible, if you 
expect them to be useful in the future ; but you must not expect to pot 
them until a second season. Sec Mr. Beaton’s method of planting 
them out. 
Gladiolus (Ibid). —This, still green, we should allow to remain as 
long as the weather is mild, or even until it received a little frost. As 
you know not what it is, we would advise you to take part of it up then, 
and lay it in pans in the greenhouse until the stems withered; and the 
other part cover up with leaves, and let them take their chance in the 
open ground. 
Pasting-down Preserves.— Mr, Aloes informs us it is done as 
follows:—Cut a piece of stout writing paper (foolscap) about an inch 
larger than the mouth of the jar to be covered; paste one side all over 
with a small brush ; then stretch the paper over the jar’s mouth, with the 
pasted side next the preserve, and while the latter is hot, smoothing the 
edges down closely, and then the work is done. The preserve being, at 
least, a quarter of an inch from the top of the jar, the paper will not 
touch it, and the comparative absence of air from that space, I think, is 
the grand secret of success. 
Dissolving Indian Rubber (H. G.). —Naptha dissolves Indian 
rubber, but it requires to be heated, and the heat applied for some time. 
Oil of turpentine also dissolves it under the same circumstances. Both 
are used in preparing Mackintosh’s and other waterproof fabrics. 
Destroying Nettles ( Urtica ).—If you pour the diluted sulphuric 
acid over this it will be killed. Your only mode of destroying the nettles 
in your grass field, is to pare off the turf w here they are, to fork out tlieir 
roots, water the place with sulphuric acid, diluted at the rate of one 
pound to a gallon of water, and then to return the turf; watching for the 
reappearance of any nettle in the spring, and then to take off the turf and 
fork that nettle out also. 
Our Calendars (J. R. Wood ).—These are calculated for all parts of 
England, because there are very few operations in gardening that will 
not succeed if done a week earlier or a week later even in the medium 
latitude for which those calendars are prepared. Those of our readers 
who live far north, may be safest by performing any operation directed a 
little in advance of the time specified, but if a week later they need not 
despair of success. 
Dibble (W. X. W .).—If you require a dibble that delivers the seed, 
we know of none so good as Dr. Newington’s. 
Wild Flowers (J. P .).—Hooker’s British Flora , with coloured 
plates, comes nearest to your wishes. The price is a guinea. 
Potatoes not Diseased under an Asn (Ibid). —We know of no 
virtue in the ash to keep away the murrain, though we believe our fore¬ 
fathers thought driving cattle with an ashen goad kept them from being 
bewitched. Potatoes under the shade of trees usually are much diseased, 
because such situations are most wet and shaded. The ash-roots running 
near the surface are well know'll to keep it poor and dry; these circum¬ 
stances may account for the fact you mention; because witness and rich¬ 
ness in the soil are the greatest promoters of the disease. 
Solfatabe Rose (Rev. E. C . II .).—We know your parish in Wor¬ 
cestershire perfectly well, and we can say from our own experience in 
that quarter that the Solfatare rose, if you have the true one (a hybrid of 
the Tea-scented), shall not flower with you as a standard two seasons out 
of ten; besides, if the stock is very good, you ought to let the shoots 
grow at least twenty feet in three years ; in other w'ords, this rose is not 
suited for standards at all in England. It is a first-rate sort in Paris, 
but with us only a third rate. We keep it under glass in winter, and a 
south aspected wall all the year round. It flow'ers with us in May and in 
October, but after all it is not worth much in colour or form. Very pale 
buff and as ragged as a colt. 
Pyrus Jatonica Fruit (Ibid). —This is now called Cydonia japonica, 
being a quince; a recipe for preserving the fruit is given at page 288 of 
our second volume. 
Gladiolus Planting (Minnie). — There are gladioli that must be 
planted now, and others not till the spring. Consult the indexes for 
their names, Sec. See. Those you plant now may have any of the low 
annuals transplanted amongst them as soon as the gladioli tops are above 
ground ; Nemophila insignis for instance; but we dislike altogether to 
recommend particular plants for particular beds. The best friends in the 
world disagree on such topics, and we very much-dislike to disagree with 
any one if we can help it. The Guernsey people would not send you 
spring gladioli, w'ith directions to plant them now. 
London: Printed by Harry Wooldridge, Winchester High-street, 
in the Parish of Saint Mary Kalendar; and Published by William 
Somerville Orr, at the Office, No. 2, Amen Corner, in the Parish of 
Christ Church, City of London.—October 3rd, 1850. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
