248 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[January 16. 
an envelope properly directed, and two postage stamps.— J. B. Storey, 
Oakham. 
Payne’s Hives (W . A. E.). —You are quite right as to the prices, and 
if you send the money we have no doubt he will have you supplied. We 
shall be glad of a little of the seed you mention. 
Rhubarb Sowing ( Cornubiensis ).—It should have been “sown in 
j heat,” not “peat.” If you sow 100 seeds of Red Rhubarb, you may 
! expect to have seedlings all red in various degrees of intensity. 
I Potatoes (A Staffordshire Inquirer).— Plant Bylott's Flour balls, or 
: Martin's Early Seedling. Remove your brocoli plants with a good ball 
of earth round each. 
California (An Intending Emigrant). —By no means go thither if 
you arc tempted by visions of a gold harvest. We have now before us a 
letter written by an officer on board H. M. S. Dcedulus, dated St. 
Francisco, October 31st, and he says :—“ It is all luck now, you may dig 
for a week and not get anything. The diggins are getting worse and 
worse.” 
Fruit for North of Ireland (J. N ., Omagh). — Apples. —Kerry 
Pippin, Golden Reinette, King of Pippins, Scarlet Crofton, Ribston 
Pippin (Summer), Golden Pippin (October), Reinette du Canada, Pear¬ 
son’s Plate, Lamb-abbey Pearmain, Sturmer Pippin. Pears. —Citron de 
Carmes, Jargonelle, Dumnorc, Marie Louise, Louise Bonne of Jersey, 
Beurre d’Amalis, Bcurrf Diel, Monarch, Glout Morceaux, Hacon’s In¬ 
comparable, Beurre Ranee. Plums. —Orleans, Greengage, Kirk’s Coe’s 
Golden Drop, Washington, Pond’s Seedling, Quetsche St. INIartin’s, Heine, 
Claude Violette. Cherries. —May Duke, Royal Duke, Reine Hortense, 
Elton, Kentish Morello. We have placed the above fruits in their order 
of ripening, and you will see we have expunged some you named, and 
added others. The north of Ireland is not a very flattering climate as to 
tender fruits. 
Figs ( G. S. B.). —Figs in a dwarfed state planted out in a pit, will 
require from two to two and a half feet square to each plant. Some sorts, 
however, need more room than others, this is determinable by the size 
of the foliage conjointly with the habit of the plant. Mr. Rivers grows 
his figs (in pots) about the size of small currant bushes (see our editorial 
to-day). If you want to economise room, let us advise you to use a soil 
somewhat poor, or at least, certainly not rich. A plain maiden light 
loam will be quite good enough, and you can use liquid manure if 
necessary, whilst the fruits are swelling. The better your soil, the more 
room the plants require; just as do potatoes and other green crops. 
Various Queries ( Philocarpus ).—There are several “makers” of 
pruning knives, and each, it may be, in high esteem somewhere. We 
are not aware that there is any peculiar form extant, which ought to 
claim precedence over those which may be met with in every really re¬ 
spectable nurseryman’s shop in this kingdom. Spur-pruning is not the 
maxim with gooseberries. Pray purchase the back numbers of The 
Cottage Gardener. You will find all the information there, on this 
head, which you seek. Moss on apple, plum trees, &c., is readily 
extirpated on the remedial system, by applying the urinary matters of 
the farm-yard or the stable, during the “ rest,” or winter season. Any 
ordinary “dusting brush” will enable the operator to search every 
crevice. Nevertheless, as prevention is before cure, we may as well add, 
that those who follow the planting advice given in the pages of “ Tiie 
Cottage Gardener,” will not want to resort to remedial measures as 
to moss. Graft a cherry stock when as thick as a very stout goose-quill, if 
you are in haste. Sir H. Davy is right in recommending fresh dung to 
be used, if the matter is viewed abstractedly. Let us, how’ever, submit 
such doctrines to the various expediencies which are forced on us, studying 
the purpose to which they must be applied. As a general principle, the 
main point with manurial matters is get them to descend, not to ascend. 
As to your hempen rope for preserving your blossom, we remember 
a trite old saying to this effect—“ An empty house is better than a bad 
tenant.” Pray put aside the “hempen rope” this one spring, and 
according to advice in our back numbers, try the retarding principle for 
once. 
Various Questions (C. T. J .).—1. A list of 12 or 15 Calceolarias 
for bedding purposes. See page 201, where Mr. Appleby mentions 10, 
most of which we have proved, with the exception of Bottel's Hero and 
Vivid , but which we have no doubt are good. Add Caies * Yellow; Salvi - 
folia, yellow and tall; Frostii, dwarf yellow; Indian Chief, compact, 
dwarf, brownish purple; Lord of the Isles, buff, dwarf, free flowering. 
| 2. Cinerarias. —We do not know of any peculiarly fitted for bedding pur- 
I poses, as they will not stand the sun well in summer. These with the 
j habit of old King answer best. If you want some worth growing, select 
I for yourself from page 182, all of which are good—the newest being the 
j dearest. 3. Geraniums. —You do not say how many ; and Mr. Beaton 
did the matter such justice that we fear to intrude. Tom Thumb, and 
I Punch, and Improved Frogmore, are the best dwarf scarlets; Pumila 
I and Lilliputian are rare little things ; Compactum is about the best red ; 
I and Lucia rosea, and some of its varieties, are the best pinks; but it is 
I fitter for a pot than a bed. All the variegated-leaved ones are pretty 
whether with red or pink blossoms. Prince of Orange and Citriodoru 
make pretty whitish beds, and their foliage is fragrant; Unique makes a 
fine purple bed. 4. Petunias (6).—The old Phcenicca makes a splendid 
dark bed ; so does Prince Albert in a quiet place and well supported. 
Shrubland rose is a beautiful thing, with a clear eye; Madame Parfuit 
is a nice striped thing, and so is Sir Walter Scott; Pet (Ivery’s), pale 
mottled pink, margined with purple. There are many whites of superior 
form, but partaking more or less of the old Nyctaginiflora, which, for a 
large bed, is not to be laughed at. 5. Chvia Asters.— You must depend 
upon your seedsman, he will send you almost as many colours as you can 
think of. 6. Ranunculus (12).—For borders none equals the Turban J 
Ranunculus. For a bed properly prepared, to be planted in the end of 
February, the following may be chosen:— White, Pausanias; White and 
rose, Tcmcrairc; white, purple-edged , Reine des fleurs; rose, spotted, 
Evelina; dark rose, Surpasse tout; buff, Maurice ; orange, Ccdo nulli; ' 
yellow, La purite and Voltaire ; very dark, Tippoo Saib ; crimson, Duke 
of Bedford ; scarlet, Rubens ; purple, Terpsichore, &c. All the others, 
except No. 6, may be planted out about the 20tli of May. 7. Passiflora 
quadrangularis will not bloom in your greenhouse—winter temperature 
40° to 45°, summer temperature 60° and upwards—unless in summer; 
and then you must wait until it mounts near the top of the house, which 
you must keep warm there on purpose. 
List of Plants for a Greenhouse (Ibid). — It is 13 feet by 12 feet. 
As you have already Ericas, Epacrises, Cytisus, Gastrolobiums, Gera¬ 
niums, Fuchsias, Azaleas, Cinerarias, Roses, Petunias, Verbenas, Gar¬ 
denia, &c., we are afraid to recommend more ; however, we should like 
to tempt you with a few 7 Camellias and Corrceas, of which lists have 
lately been given. You must make up your mind, however, not to have 
large specimens, as you already have got far too much, if you have no 
cold pit, &c., to help you. 
Climbers (Ibid). — Hoya carnosa will require a warm place fully 
exposed to light, and then it will do well, keeping it dry in winter. We 
would substitute a Mandevilla suaveolens, a Dolichos lignosus, and a 
Plumbago capensis, which, though not a climber, will answer as one, 
instead of the Cobasa, the Eccremocurpus, and the Maurandya, which 
will not only grow out of all bounds, but will be a constant vexation with 
their decaying foliage in winter. 
Various Queries (J. W. T .).—1. Why plants should have succes¬ 
sive shifts, instead of one shift, in potting ? Because there is less danger j 
attending it, especially where there is any hap-hazard work with the I 
watering-pot; both plans have their advantages and disadvantages, which 
may ere long be discussed. Tender Azaleas frequently drop their leaves 
at this time, from being kept too late out of doors in the autumn, and 
being allowed to get too dry. As they, like many other evergreens, 
yearly lose a portion of their leaves, these generally fall before the buds 
swell much, even under the best treatment. The Pelargoniums shifted , 
a month before Christmas, from 3^-inch to 9-inch pots, and looking | 
exceedingly well now, show that you understand all about it. Neverthe¬ 
less, we would have taken the plan of your neighbour, and, at such a j 
season especially, preferred pots of 5 or 6 inches. We suspect they will 
require more heat and attention than otherwise would have been neces- j 
sary. We like to give large shifts after the dark days are gone. You 
must be on the look out, or your neighbour may yet twit you about your 
large shift. Your proposed umbrella trellis is just the thing for Ver¬ 
benas ; in fact, it is much the same as was recommended sometime ago, 
only the centre should be a little higher, and then the mass of bloom 
would resemble a very flat rounded cone. You must grow them well to 
get them filled in May. They would require to be in their blooming 
pots in the beginning of March at latest. The following, we think, will 
suit you :— White, White Perfection, Mont Blanc; blueish pifrple, Impe- 
ratrice, Josephine, and the old Emma; jmrple, Royal Purple and Defi¬ 
ance; scarlet, Emperor of Scarlets, Emperor of China; crimson, Gem, 
Pink, Delight; light pink, Madame Rattier; flesh colour, Vulcan and | 
Superb; dark crimson, Saint Margaret, Princess Alice, light, with 
pinkish eye. For dwarf compact masses, but which will not run far ! 
over the sides of the pot, the following will answer:—Louis Philippe, 
dark crimson; Samce, large bright pink; Charlwoodii, small dark 
purple; Barkerii, bright scarlet; Duke of Cormvall, small crimson; j 
Mehemet Ali, crimson. These are all cheap. The greenhouse plants 
named will suit your purpose, except that for good plants you must 
give more money. The Lapageria rosea is said to be a beautiful large- 
flowered twiner, found in Peru. ThcT Pleroma eleguns requires careful 
treatment; you will find some weeks back a note as to its management. 
Various (Lancelot). —There is no white variety of Ageratum Mexi - ! 
canum that we know of. Lobelia erinus albus, sown at the end of Feb¬ 
ruary in heat, will flower after midsummer. It does not always come 
true from seed. It is a good plant for a very small bed. You ask us to 
“ name a flower that may be raised from seed to flower the first year, and 
to correspond with a bed of heliotrope—Ageratum excepted.” We can- j 
not do it; we do not know anything that will do that way. Tom Thumb, 
Punch, and Shi-ubland Scarlet stand as 1—5, and 9 with regard to size 
and strength : they are three sorts of scarlet. La Belle d'Afric is a dark 
geranium with a pink eye, very dwarf. Ytolinskii and Statuiskii arc as 
one for a flower-bed, and only fit for very small neutral beds, owing to 
their want of colour. Sidonia is a beautiful striped flower, but a tender 
plant; the same about Ibrahim Pacha, but his colour is good—red and 
white. Bouquet de Flora is one of those namby-pamby flowers they call 
white. It makes a nice bed by itself nevertheless, and so will all in your 
list; but, with the exception of Lady Mary Fox, none of them will be 
effective in a good arrangement of colour. 
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.—January l6th, 1851. 
