170 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
in March in a hotbed, and as soon as the seedlings are up, harden them 
off; and if you nurse them well to the end of May, and then turn the 
balls out along with the old bulbs, they also will bloom next autumn. 
Madame Pompador Chrysanthemum (Ibid). —This is a dark red and 
a dark purple also, and dark half a dozen other shades besides, if we had 
time to think of them. It is useless sending us stamps. Except in very 
special cases, we write no private answers; and we are often surprised 
that our correspondents wish to be exclusively informed on any point. 
It does not occur to them that, perhaps, five hundred of our readers are 
benefited as well in these simple answers. 
Hawthorn or Whitethorn (A Subscriber). —These are collected 
for nurserymen by women and boys. The price paid for them depends 
upon the crop. In plentiful seasons they give from 8d. to Is. per bushel. 
They are collected into a long heap, covered with soil, and allowed to 
remain in the heap till the second spring after they are gathered. They 
are then sown, and come up the same year. For exportation, we should 
put small quantities of the berries in open canvas bags, and then hang 
them from the roof of a cabin, so as to be kept dry and cool. We can 
give no information as to the price per pound of the seed, but we think it 
would not be extravagant. Inquire of some nurserymen in your neigh¬ 
bourhood that grows thorns in quantities for sale. 
Chalk Downs (Sarum). —We believe that these might be planted 
not only to the great improvement of the beauty of the neighbourhood, 
but also to the increase of the average temperature of the place, and to 
the pecuniary advantage of the proprietor. It so happened that when 
your note reached us we had some verses from a classic friend lying 
before us—verses written on one of such calcareous wastes (Compton 
Down), and not far from where Richard Cromwell passed the last years 
of his life, much more happily than he did those whilst the unwilling 
Protector of England. We must spare space for these rhymed good 
thoughts:— 
I climb’d a mound of russet green,— 
November’s air was moist and chill; 
I set me to explore the scene, 
But all was wintry, sad, and still. 
The distant view was cold and grey, 
And mingled with the troubled sky ; 
Dark woods and fields extended lay, 
Far as I bent my wand’ring eye. 
I turn’d me—nothing fix’d my gaze, 
Save here and there a sable yew, 
And flocks which linger’d still to graze 
On sloping downs of purply hue. 
I turn’d me still, and then there rose 
Before me, in a sheltered vale, 
The Village Church, in sweet repose, 
Lit by a sunbeam streaming pale. 
Grey were its walls, its roof, its tower; 
Around were shrubs in crimson dyed; 
And elms that shed their golden shower, 
Oft as the fitful breezes sighed. 
The spot with warmth and brightness glow’d, 
Amid surrounding damp and gloom— 
As if to cheer the pilgrim’s road 
Who seeks his home beyond the tomb. 
Behold him now in fancy’s eye, 
With furrowed brow and silv’ry hair ! 
His faded vigour tells how nigh 
The end of all his grief and care. 
Here, ’midst his penury and toil, 
He finds refreshment, peace, and joy; 
’Tis here he feels a Father smile 
And promise bliss without alloy. 
Nor think he feels but passing gleams. 
That leave him cheerless as before : 
No ! here true hope’s unfailing beams 
In boundless, ceaseless, radiance pour. 
That radiance, veiled from faithless eyes,* 
Flows from the Eternal Fount above, 
Where changeless reigns, beyond the skies, 
The Sun of righteousness and love ! 
Mildew (A Lover of Flowers from Childhood).—The “malady” on 
your crocus roots is overcome, we hope, long before this time; but as sul¬ 
phur early applied, did not stop it depend on it it was not mildew, though 
it looked much like it. It must have arisen from one of a hundred kinds 
of rottenness which we term mouldy. 
Bignonia radicans (Ibid). —This is now called Tecoma radicans. 
You may prune it close like a grape vine, and from the few eyes you leave 
shoots will come out next spring, which will flower at the end of the same 
season. 
Glycine sinensis (Ibid). —This is best pruned just like an old pear- 
tree. It flowers in a manner between that of a pear-tree and an apricot- 
tree, on old spurs, on little snags (little side shoots), and on the bottom 
of strong young wood made last year. When you want to let a flourish- 
* Compare Malachi iv. 2 with Rev. xxi. 23. 
[December 12. 
ing young plant go-ahead, it is a good rule to prune back, now, two- 
thirds of last summer’s growth; and if it has filled its space, prune all the 
shoots back to a few eyes. 
Standard Plum and Cherry-trees (Ibid). —These, five to six feet I 
high in the stem, you cannot well manage by planting against a wall and 1 
then training down the shoots; but if you have head room for them up¬ 
wards, or right and left., you might manage very well, by cutting-off close 
the shoots from one side of the heads. 
Mensuration (Patria). —A thorough knowledge of this can be ob¬ 
tained from books, if you understand the principal arithmetical rules. 
Practical Mathematics , Part I. (price 4s.); and The Key to it (price 
3s. 6d.), in Chamber’s Educational Course will be your best guide. 
Dorking Fowls (E. D.). —We have the information you require, if 
you will send us a stamped envelope with your address on it. 
Land near London (D. H.).— To answer such a sweeping question 
as “ how to make the most of your plot of ground ? ” would take the 
space in our columns sufficient to hold twelve of our monthly papers on 
“ Allotment Farming.” We can, therefore, only refer you to these. Buy 
the back volumes of The Cottage Gardener, and begin with reading 
what is said about “ Allotment Fanning for January,” at page 133 of vol. i. 
We should be happy to answer any specific question when you are in a 
difficulty. 
Celery (Grand Homme). —We find Nutt's Champion Celery the best. 
It may be had of him at Sheffield. We never manure for Potatoes , but 
grow them on soil moderately fertile from manuring for previous crops. 
You may sow Peas now, if you take proper precautions to guard them 
from mice and birds. We never recommend dealers. Keep your 
Hens warm and feed them on stimulating food, as we have more than 
once directed, to make them lay. 
Fruits True to Name (J. B , Dublin). —Write to any of the first - 
rate nurserymen near London. 
Clayey Soil (P. M. H.). —You have been rightly recommended to 
burn some of it to improve its staple. The top spit probably is the most 
fertile, so do not burn that; but if you burnt the next spade’s depth all 
over the field, and then spread and dug the ashes into the top spit, you 
would change the character of your soil. We should also give it a good 
covering with lime and tanner’s bark. 
House Sewage (W. W. B.). —You may apply it a gallon to a square 
yard without any addition, provided the ground is vacant. Apply it just 
before digging for the insertion of a crop. 
Blind for Greenhouse (Ibid). —You will have seen that our cor¬ 
respondent J. B. uses only boiled linseed oil for rendering his blind 
waterproof; a still more effective composition for the purpose is given at 
page 123 of our second volume. If you cover the sides of your green¬ 
house you will better exclude the frost, but it adds to the trouble, and is 
not essential. 
Rifting Logs (Ludovicus). —As we knew a man who was nearly killed 
in blowing up the root of a tree, we cannot recommend your plan. The 
eternal ice mentioned by Mr. Beaton, is in the central valley of some 
mountains in the Highlands of Scotland. Skates are not within our bill 
of fare. 
Cottage Gardeners* Dictionary (H. T. H. B .).—We cannot 
imagine how you have been mistaken; it is only published in one size, 
small octavo. 
Names of Plants ( Ormskirk ).—The rose of which you sent a bud, 
is Lord Macartney's rose (Rosa bracteata). It is nearly evergreen, a 
native of China, and was introduced into this country in 1/95. There is 
a variety of it named Maria Leonidas , which is a pure white, and quite 
double, and a perpetual bloomer. (A Subsm'iber from the First). — 
Your shrub is the common Spindle-tree, Euonymus curopceus; and 
your Ferns: 1. Asplenium trichomanes, and 2. Polypodium vulgare. 
Names of Apples (Rev. T. H. R.). —1. Norfolk Beaufin. 2. Striped 
Beaufin. 
Taylor’s Hive (S. S.). —The bars in this are one inch and an eighth 
wide, and three-fourths of an inch thick.'** The hive should be 11^ inches 
square, and 8$ inches high, inside measure. The top piece screwed on 
is not removed when a second hive is added. The second hive is added 
without disturbance, by withdrawing the slides. Buy the 4th edition of 
Taylor’s Bee-keepers' Manual. It will save you more trouble and ex¬ 
pense than the 4s. you will pay for it. 
Honey-candying (An Original Subscriber). —The same thing which 
makes water freeze causes honey to crystallize—namely, cold. Very fine 
honey crystallizes much more readily than that of a second or third rate 
quality. If kept in the combs (by far the best way of keeping it), it will 
bear a considerable degree of cold without candying ; but when drained, 
it is almost impossible to prevent it. Evaporation and fermentation are 
also connected with the candying or crystallizing. Honey put fresh into 
a vessel, hermetically sealed, would probably not crystallize. By keeping 
it in the comb, divided into small quantities in the cells, fermentation is 
prevented. 
Stove for Greenhouse (W. E.). —As you only require it to keep 
out the frost, a small one like that used by J. B., in his “Five-pound 
Greenhouse,” will answer your purpose. 
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.—December, 12th, 1850. 
