156 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[Decembf.k 5, 
9 lemons, 9 lbs. of raisins picked and shred ; let the whole stand a week, 
then strain through a sieve; stir in about a tablespoonful of good yeast, 
and put it into a cask; when it has done working, bung it up for six 
months, then draw off and bottle. A little of the liquor must be kept for 
filling up as it works. It is a beautifully clear sparkling wine. 
No. 5. To ten gallons of water (ale measure) put 30 lbs. of loaf sugar, 
the rinds of 7 lemons pared very thin, and the whites of six eggs well 
beaten, also the shells; boil it half an hour, pour it into a cooler, and 
when only new milk warm add three quarts and one pint (or rather more) 
of elder flowers shaken from the stalks; when nearly cold put in half a 
pint of new yeast, stir it twice each day until the flowers come to the top 
and turn brown ; then strain it from the flowers and tun it. Put into the 
cask 6 lbs. of Smyrna currants or raisins, the juice of the lemons, and a 
pint of good brandy, when you close your cask, throw in an ounce ol 
isinglass, let it stand four months, and then bottle it. N.B. It should 
not be bunged up till it has worked sufficiently in the cask. 
Blistering of Nectarine Leaves ( Philocarpus). —We have re¬ 
peatedly stated that this arises from excessive juiciness or moisture in the 
leaves, arising cither from too great a root-action in proportion to the 
activity of the leaf in elaborating the sap, or from an excess of water in 
the soil. Sudden checks by night frosts and easterly winds may exaspe¬ 
rate the distortion by rendering the vessels in the leaves still less able to 
digest the sap forced into them. Draining the soil, or, still better, grow¬ 
ing the trees on stations, and sheltering them whilst in bloom and until 
summer is at hand, are effectual preventives of such blistering. Peas 
sown now in the open ground will not come in earlier than those sown 
similarly in February, unless the winter prove unusually mild. Grapes 
not ripened may be left on the vine without injuring it; but we do not 
know your object for so doing—they will not ripen next year. Leave on 
the large leaves of the Brussels Sprouts. Any London seedsman can 
supply the Dwarf Indian Corn. 
Compost (A Liverpool Subscriber). —Your mixture of spent tan, de¬ 
cayed animal carcases, and the cleaning of the lime pits of a tan yard, 
must be a very fertilizing compost if the tan is also decayed. Twenty 
tons per acre would be a good dressing with it for both arable and pas¬ 
ture land. 
Amateur (Burp St. Edmunds) .—Our correspondent says that the 
Horticultural Society of that town consider “ that person an amateur 
who attends to the plants he exhibits, and only occasionally employs a 
gardener for the more laborious work,” and we consider such a person an 
amateur provided he does not so attend to plants “as a profession, or 
for pecuniary advantage” (see Cottage Gardener’s Dictionary, p. 31). 
Many little florists attend to their plants themselves, and only occasion¬ 
ally employ assistants for the harder work. 
Tree Onion. —We beg of our readers to regard the following notice:— 
“ The numerous applications having nearly exhausted my stock, I must 
defer the pleasure of a further supply until next season. It would faci¬ 
litate the growth if the small bulbs were potted immediately, and kept 
in a cold frame or pit till March, and then to be planted in the open 
ground.”—S. N. H., Bury St. Edmunds. 
Charcoal Burning In-doors (G. F. W .).—Charcoal might be 
burnt in a hall well ventilated, though the stove had no flue, without 
causing fatal consequences, but nothing can prevent such a practice 
being unhealthy. Sprinkling salt on the charcoal has no power to pre¬ 
vent the production of carbonic acid gas, of which consist the “ dele¬ 
terious fumes of charcoal.” You will have seen your other query 
answered last week. 
Petunias, Geraniums, &c., Damping-off (J. S. L.). —This occurs 
in a small greenhouse where a stove is only lighted to keep out frost. 
You have your plants too moist in proportion to the temperature and 
light: give less water and more air. See what Mr. Fish says to-day. 
Asparagus Beds ( Cestrian ). — You have made these at the worst 
possible time ; March or April, when the young plants begin to vegetate, 
is the proper time for planting them. You made the bed very well, but 
putting horse-dung over the plants is bad. The crowns of the plants 
should not be more than two inches below the surface; reduce your 
covering to this depth and then leave them alone. No frost, however 
severe, will hurt them. Supply them plentifully with liquid manure 
twice a-week when they are growing next summer. 
Saline Refuse (J. K .).—This mixture is of 50 parts gypsum, 40 
parts lime, and 10 parts sulphates, muriates, and silicates of soda and 
lime. It will be of advantage to pasture sown broadcast in March over 
the land, at the rate of ten bushels to the acre; if wet, it may be mixed 
with earth or ashes to enable it to be delivered by hand; we should thus 
apply it in preference to mixing it with animal manure. To a clayey 
kitchen-garden it would be of little use. A sprinkling, about one pound 
to a square yard, would be of service to asparagus and sea-kale when 
they are growing. 
Gooseberries (S. S.). —At page 391 of last volume you will find a list 
fully directory. 
Vine with Red Leaves in Autumn (Ibid), —We cannot tell certainly 
the name from this circumstance. The leaves of the Black Muscadel 
become bright scarlet in autumn ; those of the Claret Grape then become 
of a blood colour, and those of the Cambridge Botanic Garden Grape 
change to bright crimson. Prune the side shoots of your Uaspberry 
canes so as to leave only two or three eyes. We keep our Chamontelle 
pears in a dry temperate room, and take care to have them on table the 
very day they are ripe ; they are improved by having them in a warm 
room, or before the fire, for a few hours before putting them on table. 
Other question next week. 
Campanula Carpatica (Verax ).—If the original species, with blue 
flowers, is sown very early in the spring in a gentle hotbed, and well 
attended, it will probably bloom in the autumn. Your other question 
next week. 
Fresh Gas Lime (Capt. J. F.). —We have no hesitation in applying 
this to arable land as a manure; in fact, by keeping it loses the little 
ammonia it contains, and becomes a mixture of sulphate of lime and 
chalk. It would not do to apply it fresh as a top-dressing to growing 
plants, but if spread over vacant ground previously to digging or plough¬ 
ing, and used in moderate quantities, it may be applied fresh. 
Tree Onion. —Mr. N. S. Hudson, Bury St. Edmunds, obligingly 
writes as follows:—“Many of your readers having been supplied, and 
expressing a desire to know the mode of cultivation, I have only to ob¬ 
serve, that the small bulbs sent will produce fine onions next year, and 
when taken up in the autumn, and planted again in the spring, will afford 
a good supply for the future, as it is only the larger ones that give a crop 
of bulbs on the top of the stem. It will be found requisite to support the 
plants during their growth.” 
Hens Laving Shell-less Eggs (J. Neioy). —When they do this 
habitually, it becomes a disease, and is called the lush or oon , arising 
usually from torpid digestion. Give each hen a small teaspoonful of gin, 
and feed them for a while on soft nourishing food, small quantities at a 
time. 
Stove for Greenhouse (W. E.). —You do not tell us what you re¬ 
quire it for, whether for forcing the vine, or to keep frost from the 
plants. 
Mildewed Crocus (A Lover of Flowers from Childhood). —The bulb 
you sent us was quite dead and dry. If they are all like that, nothing 
remains but to procure fresh bulbs. 
Heating Pit (Speeds). —Wc have no doubt that the plan given at 
page 56 of last volume will answer well for your pit to strike cuttings. 
Ask two or three whitesmiths in your neighbourhood, what they will con¬ 
struct it for. Do not apply ammoniacal liquor to your worn-out land 
until the time when you are about to give the last ploughing before 
sowing or planting. A gallon to every thirty square yards will not be too 
much. The price is merely nominal. 
Ferns in Norfolk.— -A correspondent, in every way trustworthy, 
writes to us as follows : “As one of your correspondents inquires in what 
parts of Norfolk the Adder’s Tongue (Ophioglossum vulgatum) and the 
Moon Ferns (Botrychium lunaria) are to be found, I am glad that I am 
able to give him the information which lie wishes for, at least with respect 
to the habitat of the former plant. It is not at all uncommon in some of 
the pastures in the neighbourhood of Watton : it grows abundantly in a 
meadow close to my house (Ovington Parsonage). I urn informed that 
Botrychium lunaria grows at Shropham, six or seven miles south of 
W atton, but I believe sparingly, on a piece of ornamented land opposite 
the Hall, on the right hand of the road leading from Watton to the 
village of Shropham, and thence to Kenninghall.” 
Comedians (Dramaticus). —We have read with great pleasure your 
able note in defence of your profession ; and it shall be forwarded to the 
authoress of “ My Flowers,” who, be assured, would not willingly need¬ 
lessly cause an annoyance to any one. 
Vine-leaves Blotched (Tirydail). —Ventilate more perfectly. Wc 
believe the blotches arise from the moisture loaded with ammonia arising 
from the manure of your cows in your vinery condensing during the 
night on the leaves. Can you not use means to get rid of the ammonia, 
by watering the stalls, See., with chloride of lime daily ? We look for¬ 
ward with pleasure to your promised communication. 
Names of Plants (Boston). —We think the sprig you sent is 
of Acacia Jioribunda. You say it came from Australia, and that 
you “have it growing against a walLwith a western aspect.” We 
shall be much obliged| 4 by your stating where you live, how many 
years you have grown it in the open air, and what protection you give it 
in winter. (I. S.). —Your plants are Ccelestinu ageratoides, a greenhouse 
perennial, and one of our best bedding-out plants ; and Erica persoluta 
alba. (J. F. Armstrong). —1. A species of Jungermannia. 2. Asplenium 
adiantum nigrum. 3. Asplenium ruta-muraria. Your grass-like fibres, 
we think, are those of the New Zealand flax, produced from a kind of lily, 
Phormium tenax. Your hothouse plant is Justicia pictu. (Devonshire). — 
We cannot tell the name of your fir from so small a specimen. (J. L. f 
Epsom). —Your plant is the Eucomis punctata , a greenhouse plant, 
readily increased by offsets ; be sparing of the water-pot until the plant 
begins to start again next year; do not injure the present leaves of the 
plant, but let them die off naturally. A good rich sandy loam suits it 
well. Your specimen is well grow r n. Wc wish all of our correspondents 
would send such good specimens, we should then find but little difficulty 
in answering them. 
London: Printed by Harry Wooldridge, Winchester High-street, 
in the Parish of Saint Mary Kalendar; and Published by William 
Somerville Orr, at tfie Office, No. 2, Amen Corner, in the Parish of 
Christ Church, City of London.—December, 5th, 1850. 
