302 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER 
[March 6. 
worked, with only a few days intermission, till the 30th December, and 
were in full work again on 14th February instant, and the early flowers 
are now yielding a large supply.** 
Eschsciioltzia compacta ( Queen Mab). —There is an annual so 
named, and it has the quality agreeable to its name. It is a preferable 
species to the older ones. It is new, and may be had of any respectable 
seedsman. 
Woodli c e (It. H.). —To destroy these, place fresh bones in their 
tracks, and every morning, before it is light, pour boiling water upon 
them. Lay sliced potatoes amongst the plants, and turn them up every 
morning and destroy the woodlice. Keep some toads in the house, they 
will greedily devour them. 
Orange-trees from Italy (F. Little). —You will obtain the prices 
of these by writing to Mr. E. H. Wood, Italian Warehouseman, 38, 
Oxford-street, or to Messrs. Barto Vailed, and Co., 21, Haymarket, 
London. The spring is the best time for purchasing. 
Alstr(emerias, &c. {Queen Mab), — A. aurea pulchella and varieties 
may be left in the borders through the winter if protected with a covering 
of tan, but it is safer to take them up and pot them. Nemophila insignis 
grandiflora is a desirable variety, and quite as free a bloomer as N. in¬ 
signia. The best blue Pcnstemon is gentianoides , var. Marshalli. 
Longest Frame Cucumber {Cottage Gardener). That which you 
can most readily obtain is Allen's Victory of Suffolk, it is full two feet 
long when well grown. Mushroom spawn, to grow in cucumber beds in 
the open air, should be inserted at the end of April. Other questions 
next week. 
Solanum Jasminoides {A Subscriber). —You can obtain it of any 
nurseryman who advertises in our columns, for about eighteen pence. 
India Seeds {A Younker). —We hope you are young, because that 
is your only excuse for writing the note before us. Your other notes 
are unreceived. Sow the above now. They are probably not worth the 
trouble. Shift your Boronia serrulata, and let it be established in its 
new pot before you prune it. 
Peaches, &c., Newly Planted {Clericus). —It is too late to prune 
them now; train in the branches and disbud during the summer; they 
will probably require but little pruning in the autumn. The Abutilon 
striatum requires no pruning. The sulphur mixture will not injure the 
buds if these are not too nearly bursting. Matting, as a shelter, will not 
draw and weaken the buds if it is taken off early in the morning. 
Cheap Cottage {E. Hannam). —We will give you some information 
next week. 
Cochin China Fowls {H. B.). —You will find these described by 
Mr. Copeland to-day. Hens sometimes will persist in all laying in one nest. 
When one sits, put her into another nest, and cover her close for a day. 
Passion-flower Grafting ( Peter). —Do this as soon as the buds 
are well swollen, showing the year’s active growth has commenced. We 
know the Negro potato well, and we enter fully into your “pleasant 
remembrance of the great balls of sparkling flour which used to make 
their appearance on the nursery-table, looking as if some black currant 
juice had been thrown over them, and then been sprinkled with snow !’* 
Have any of our readers some of this variety to dispose of? 
Conservatory {M. S. S.). —The greatest beauty and most pleasure to 
you would be derived from your conservatory, and we think that its own 
permanent inhabitants, aided by your eighteen-feet pit, and your several 
frames, ought to keep it gaily furnished throughout the year. Before 
you build your conservatory go and see Mr. Wilson’s at Stamford Hill. 
Brocoli sowing ( H.N.). —You may have a supply from October until 
the end of May, by sowing according to the following list:—Sow Early 
Purple Cape and Grange's Early Cauliflower Brocoli the second week 
in April and the first week in June. The produce will be fit for table 
during October, and until the middle of December. Sow Green Close- 
headed the first week in April. The heads will be ready in November, 
and until January ends. Sow Dwarf-brown the second week in April. 
It will be in production from February to end of April. Sow Sulphur- 
coloured and Spring-white the second week of April. Their heads will 
be ready during the April and May following. 
Work on the Vine {H. S.). —Buy Errington and Johnson on The 
Vine; you can procure it from Mr. Bohn through any bookseller. 
Soap-making {W.). —We received Mr. K.’s letter as well as yours, 
and have vainly endeavoured to obtain any useful information. 
Sunflower-sf.ed for Poultry {G. Tasker). —It is useless for you 
to grow this unless you grow a good breadth, say the sixteenth-part of an 
acre. Manure the ground generally; you will have seen what we said 
last week about raising the plants. You may raise celery plants on a 
warm border as you propose. The roots of the plants should be as unin¬ 
jured as possible when they are transplanted. 
Old Pear and Apple-trees {George). —Scrape off their bark, paint 
them over with a mixture of clay and urine; and have the branches 
grafted with any good varieties you choose. It is very likely your soil 
requires draining. It would be the work of years to bring the old trees 
into bearing without grafting them. 
Mossy Meadow {A Subscriber from the first). —Harrow it; sow it 
with about half the quantities of grass seeds we directed a few weeks 
since for a similar soil; dress it at the same time with a cwt. of super¬ 
phosphate of lime to the acre: roll it, and then drain your meadow, if 
the gravelly subsoil is a clayey gravel. 
Soils {A. B.). —Both where thoroughly mixed together; the mixture 
looked like sandy peat. In this state it would do for Camellias. 
Nutt’s Celery Seed {Enouch). —You had better write to Mr. Nutt, 
whose direction you will see in our last number. We dare say he would 
sell you a shilling’s worth. In budding and grafting, the rind or bark 
of the scion must come in contact, edge to edge, with that of the stock, 
and not lap over. We usually nail in the young shoots of Peaches and 
Nectarines their full length, having stopped them in the autumn pre¬ 
viously by pinching their ends. The wood should be taken out of the 
bud in budding, but so as not to make a hole in its centre. 
Errors. —In our list of fruits at page 318, read Beurre Langelier, 
and Uvedale's St. Germain. 
Ginschen Root {R. G.). —This is the Ginseng of the Chinese, about 
whose medicinal qualities many books have been written in China. It 
has long been, and still is, a matter of uncertainty with botanists, as to 
the plant, whose roots have attained to such celebrity. Panax quinque- 
folia, was believed for a time, to be the true source of the Ginseng, but 
that seems to have been a mistake, for that plant is found in North 
America, where no such virtues are ascribed to it; but the Americans 
are said to sell their roots to the Chinese, to adulterate the true Ginseng, 
which they say is a native of some inaccessible regions of Chinese Tartary. 
Meyer calls it Panax Ginseng, and says it has a sharp aromatic peculiar 
taste. In the Medical Gazette, for 1843, page 238, it is stated that the 
Chinese prescribe it for all diseases arising from the weakness of the body ; 
but the Chinese, themselves, assert positively, that it is a universal 
remedy for all maladies; and they even go to the fabulous, and affirm 
that its application, if perseveringly persisted in, will renew their age, 
and turn old men to the vigour of youth. Such extraordinary faith in the 
virtues of a plant could not obtain belief, even with such people as the 
Chinese, if it were inert. 
Name of Plant {JaneB.). —The flower was so shrivelled that we 
cannot be certain of the name of your plant, but we think it is Bignonia 
Australis. Its yellow unhealthy leaves, and buds dropping, intimate 
that the action of the roots is all wrong. They are either kept too cold, 
or too dry, probably, but unless we know your treatment of it, we cannot 
suggest a remedy. 
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.—March 6th, 1851 . 
2RJt>cvttecm«it3. 
George Neighbour &, Son 
Respectfully announce that they have prepared 
for this season an extensive supply of their 
various IMPROVED BEE HIVES, which are 
offered to all who are desirous of cultivating 
that pleasing and profitable branch of rural 
economy—the Honey Bee. 
The collection consists of “ Nutt’s Collateral 
Hives,” “ The Single Box Hive,” “The Ama¬ 
teur Bar Hive,” “The Improved Cottage Hive,” 
See., from either of which the honey may be 
taken at any time without injury to the Bees, 
and may be worked with safety, humanity, and 
profit, by the most timid and unaccustomed to 
Bee manipulation. 
A descriptive paper, with drawings and prices, 
will be forwarded on the receipt of two postage 
tamps. 
Agents: Liverpool — Wm. Dury, Castle- 
street. Manchester—Hall and Wilson, 50, King- 
street, Glasgow—Austin & M‘Aslin, 168, Tron- 
gate. 127, High Holborn, London. 
Lilium Lancifolium, Ranunculuses, Anemones, Auriculas, and Pelargoniums. 
Henry Groom, 
Clapliam Rise, near London, by Appoitment Florist to Her Majesty the Queen, and to 
His Majesty the King of Saxony, begs to recommend to the attention of the Nobility, 
Gentry, and Amateurs, his extensive assortment of the above FLOWERS. He begs to say that 
this is a good season of the year to make a selection of the various kinds. Ranunculuses and 
Anemones should be planted immediately. 
LILIUM LANCIFOLIUM album, from Is to 
2s 6d each. 
Ditto ditto punctatum, from 3s to 10s 6d each. 
Ditto ditto roseum, from 3s 6d to 10s 6d each. 
Ditto ditto rubrum, or speciosum, from 3s 6d 
to £\ Is. 
Ditto ditto cruentum, from 5s to 10s 6d each. 
LILIUM JAPONICUM, from 5s to 7s 6d each. 
A New Collection of HYBRID SEEDLING 
LILIES, 6 sorts, named, for 15s. 
100 RANUNCULUSES, in 100 superfine sorts, 
named, £2 10s. 
Superfine mixtures, from 5 to 21s per 100. 
100 ANEMONES, in 50 superfine sorts, named, 
£2 2s. 
Superfine mixtures (double), from 6s to 
10s 6d per 100. 
12 AURICULAS, in 12 superfine sorts, named, 
£1 5s. 
25 PELARGONIUMS, in 25 superfine sorts, 
named, £3 3s. 
Fine named varieties, from 12 to 18s per 
dozen. 
AMARYLLIS from RIO JANEIRO, without 
name, fine large bulbs, £2 2s per dozen. 
LILIUM LANCIFOLIUM album, excellent 
for planting in shrubberies, being perfectly 
hardy, £3 15s per 100. 
A fine collection of named GLADIOLUS. 
A Catalogue will be forwarded on application. 
