January 16.J 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
2A5 
fine species, though not equal to the last. The flowers 
appear from the axils of the leaves in bunches of three 
or four flowers. These are large, and of a beautiful 
rosy lilac colour, appearing in June, and continuing in 
flower till September. It is a strong quick grower, with 
fine foliage. 3s. (id. 
I. ficifolia (Fig-leaved I.); S. America.—A hardy 
free-growing and free flowering species. Will thrive 
well in a conservatory during the summer months, but 
is well worthy of being grown in the stove. The 
flowers are blue and of a medium size. 2s. (id. 
I. Learii (Mr. Lear's I.); S. America.—Flowers large, 
and of the most brilliant azure blue, produced in great 
numbers from May to October. As this is such a fine 
climber, and flowers so long and grows so fast, it ought 
to have plenty of space allowed, it is quite capable, if 
planted out in rich soil, of covering in one season the 
entire roof of a moderate-sized conservatory or stove, 
and a better covering for effect of colouring can scarcely 
j be conceived. We cannot recommend this fine creeper 
j too much. It is worthy of general cultivation, and will, 
during summer, thrive well even in a greenhouse. 
2s. (id. 
I. mutarilis (Changeable I.) ; S. America.— The 
habit of this species is much like the I. Learii. The 
flowers change from blue to rose: in the morning they 
are bright blue, and in the evening they assume a rosy 
tint scarcely less beautiful. 
I. Tyrianthina (Tyrian Purple I.).—This is a fine 
species with deep purple flowers, exceedingly handsome. 
It is hardy enough for a greenhouse in summer. We 
once saw it doing well out of doors trained to an 
umbrella-shaped trellis. It is, however, too tender to 
live through winter even in a greenhouse, and is, there¬ 
fore, essentially a stove plant. 
P ropagation. — Ipomcea Ho rsfallies does not easily 
strike by cuttings; it must be grafted upon one-year-old 
plants of I. insignis, which strike easily. Graft in the 
same manner as described above for Combretum pur- 
pureum . and at the same time. Cuttings of the free- 
growing kinds may be struck and rooted in the same 
way as the Combretum. T. Appleby. 
(To be continued.) 
FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
The fine weather of the early part of this month will 
have enabled our floricultural friends to give plenty of 
air, and water too if the soil in the pots has really become 
quite dry: the roots must be kept alive, or the effects of 
frost will be ruinous. 
Examine the roots of Dahlias, and cut away all 
■decaying parts, or the disease will soon spread. Also 
see to the roots of your choice Ranunculuses, and expose 
them to the light for a few days before planting. This 
should be all finished by the first week in February. Be 
careful and keep the beds dry, so as they may work easy 
when you wish to plant. Examine also the Auriculas 
and Polyanthuses; stir the surface of the soil in the 
pots, and clear away all rubbish, decaying leaves, snails, 
and slugs. Should any worm-casts appear, turn the 
plants out of the pots, and pick out and destroy the 
worms. Ray strict attention to protection to all plants 
in pots in frames, &c.; and do not forget the Tulip-beds 
also. If the mild weather continues, shade them from 
the sun to keep them back—the frosts are yet sure to 
come, and if the plants get above ground they will 
suffer severely. T. Appleby. 
THE KITCHEN-GARDEN. 
All out-of-door operations must be perseveringly 
attended to, although we must at the same time be 
guided by the weather,- so that they may be performed 
with method, and be made to answer the desired purpose, 
if the weather continues moist and mild. Slug baits 
shordd be laid as previously directed, and nothing will 
be found more likely to attract their notice than new 
brewer’s graius. Time may generally be better afforded 
now for these matters than when the season gets farther 
advanced, and every advantage should be taken to 
manure, trench, ridge, bank, surface-stir, and get forward 
with every available operation that can possibly be 
attended to now, for as the season daily advances, so 
will the requisite operations appeal- to increase; and 
the favourableness or unfavourableness of the season 
has so much influence over gardening operations, that 
it is requisite for those who have to carry them on 
throughout the year, to be always strictly economical of 
their time, turning every minute to the best account. 
Frosty mornings at tins season of the year are often 
prevalent after foggy, rainy, mild evenings, and in order 
to succeed in the production of good, luxuriant early 
crops of vegetable, salads, &c., a watchful eye should be 
at all times on the alert, for it is astonishing the sacri¬ 
fice and destruction of valuable property that may be 
prevented by a little care and forethought, in having all 
tilings prepared against such casualties. Even common 
dry dust stored away in the summer season in old boxes, 
barrels, or sheds, is invaluable for winter comfort and 
protection to vegetation. Charred old tan, saw or wood 
dust, or charred earth of any kind, is still more valuable, 
as these are not only first-rate protecting materials, but 
they act also as stimulants to every kind of vegetable. 
Jerusalem Artichokes. —Those who may cultivate this 
useful tuberous-rooted vegetable, and who have also 
pigs, poultry, or game to feed with them, will find the 
present a good season for trenching them out, replanting 
and sorting them; the best sized tubers will be saved 
for table, aud the others placed in a convenient place, 
so as to lie available for pig’s, &c., when required ; we 
find that poultry of all kinds, as well as the Gold, Silver, 
and common Pheasant, are particularly fond of the arti¬ 
choke ; and we believe the common pheasant may be 
enticed and domesticated to any particular cover by 
feeding them with this tuber. 
Framing. —All available fermenting materials should 
be collected together, turned, and well parted and mixed 
together; the season is now advancing when it will be 
required for various hotbeds, linings, &c. The Aspa¬ 
ragus should be taken up at intervals of twenty days 
and placed on slight kindly-made hotbeds. Here a daily 
supply throughout the season is required; such as is in 
full cut should be occasionally well watered with tepid 
water, which has a small portion of salt dissolved in it, 
and a portion of liquid manure also. Rhubarb, too, 
should be placed in heat in succession, so as to keep up 
the required supply; and Sea-hale should be covered 
with fermenting materials in a regular manner, so that 
a kindly steady heat shoidd be maintained, and only 
enough covered at a time to keep up the required siqiply. 
The last year’s planted Rhubarb, if it has been well 
managed, should now have fine strong bold crowns, and 
it should not be forced if it can be avoided. Although 
the last crop may be taken from it, by placing over its 
crowns before this month expires, a cone of dust or 
fine ashes, taking care to examine the crowns in Feb¬ 
ruary, and as soon as the growth has commenced earth 
it up with fine pulverized earth, to the height of eight or 
ten inches, cone-shaped; the earth may he scraped up 
on a fine day between the rows, if the earth’s surface has 
been kept well forked and scarified. 
During the winter, beautiful Sea-hale may also be pro¬ 
duced, in the same way as the rhubarb, without any 
material injury to the next season’s plants; indeed, no 
injury can be done if a little after-assistance is supplied 
in the way of liquid manure, with salt added to it; the 
season of Sea-kale may be considerably prolonged by the 
