390 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[March 20. 
who make it a point to get their young friends into situations, that it is | 
very difficult for one who has begun the business so late in life as you j 
have to get into a gentleman’s garden to learn the business of gardening. ! 
No trade requires so many years to pass through as journeyman as that i 
of a gardener. Many men that we know have first served an apprentice¬ 
ship of seven years in a gentleman’s garden, and after that two or three 
years as foreman, then two or three years in a nursery before they 
obtained a head gardener’s place. Yet they battled through these diffi¬ 
culties, and are now reaping their reward. Patience, perseverance, 
industry, good steady conduct, with a constant application of the mind 
to acquire knowledge, are indispensable qualifications to make a good, and, 
consequently, a successful gardener. From the sample of your hand¬ 
writing, we feel certain you have some of the right qualities, and advise 
you to persevere patiently. In the meantime, write to Mr. Appleby, of 
Pine-Apple-Place Nursery, Edgewarc-road, London. We know him to 
be always ready to help his younger brethren on, and he will, we are sure, 
do all he can to assist you; but we must say again do not despond, be 
patient and wait your time. You ask, what terms are usually entered 
into on obtaining a situation ? That question would open a wide field for 
discussion ; but it is no less a fact, whether right or not we will not say 
now, for young men to pay a premium on entering a garden for in¬ 
struction. 
Hollow-tree Root (C. A. 31.). —If you put good soil in the hollow 
of the old root, any plant or seed which would grow in the neighbouring 
soil will also grow there. The sweet-scented Clematis would be a good 
plant, and you might train it up or down. Jasminum nudiflorum , which 
fiowers all the winter, would be a good plant; the Solarium Jasminoides 
also. But the difficulty would be to find a plant that would not do that 
way. In very good soil all the climbers we have so often named will grow 
rapidly after the first season. 
Grafting Rhododendrons (T. Lindsay). —All the finer and scarce 
kinds of Rhodendron are often grafted and budded on other Rhoden- 
drons that are common and hardy. R. ponticum is a good stock. Young 
plants having the bark still soft are the best for grafting on ; but buds 
may be put on the young branches of any old plant, from June to Sep¬ 
tember, just like budding Roses. Grafts do best in the spring; and side 
grafting is the best mode. The w-ay to do it is to cut a slice two inches 
long, with a downward cut, then cut across the bottom of the slice, which 
will form a notch which should be one-eighth of an inch deep, then pre¬ 
pare the graft so as to fit the place of the slice exactly ; tie with a shred 
of bass-mat, and the work is done ; moss or clay to keep off the air must 
furnish the covering. They will not grow on Laurels. Gum cistus is 
best from seeds or layers in spring, and will grow well in any common 
dry soil; the roots of your plants were injured. We cannot make out 
your “ Tea plant.” 
Standard Roses {Jane). —The standard Roses you describe were not 
worth planting at all; it is only lost time to struggle with them ; but if 
you keep them, the only chance of succeeding is to “ absolutely prune 
them,” as you remark, and that to the last bud, and immediately. Mulch 
over the roots, and water them regularly in dry weather. 
Flower-garden {J. C. C.). —Mr. Beaton, to whom you wrote, con¬ 
trary to our rules, does not arrange fiower-gardens for “ remuneration.” 
Red-juiced Orange (/. D. Traumere). —This is only a variety of 
the common Orange {Citrus aurantium). It is not caused by being 
grafted upon a Pomegranate stock, for no stock alters the colour of the 
juices of the produce of the scion grafted upon it; nor does it arise from 
accidental fertilization of the Orange blossom. It is a permanent variety 
of the Orange, and may be propagated by grafts and buds. 
Haricot Beans (-).—These are not the Canterbury variety. The 
best for cooking, when ripe and dry, are the produce of Brewer's White 
(the Hagolet of the French), and the Deux de la touffe. The best plan is 
to sow in pots or boxes at the beginning of April, to be placed in a green¬ 
house, and the seedlings planted out late in May. 
Hot-water Apparatus {J. W. Gibbs). —We see no reason for your 
plan not answering; indeed, heating a tank for bottom-heat, and the 
air by means of pipes from the same boiler has been long since practised. 
You may have a slightly higher or lower bottom-heat at pleasure, by 
dividing the tank into three compartments, as you propose; but we see 
no advantage to be derived from it commensurate with the increased 
expense of the apparatus. Your flue up the centre of the tank will tend 
to keep up the bottom-heat in it uniformly throughout. 
Budding’s Mowing Machine {Evesham). —Our correspondent has 
a very extensive lawn, which required two men with the scythe to mow 
and sweep ; but with this machine a man and boy accomplish the same 
in two half days, as the machine does not act well until the grass has 
become dry. See what Mr. Beaton says to-day about mossy lawns. 
Pegging-down {J. B.). —We thought the directions for using the 
Snowberry twigs were plain enough ; split the twig into four, writhe each 
separately into the form of a broach or staple, and not together, as you 
suppose. It is quite impossible for us to be more particular than we are 
as to the colours of new plants. 
Potatoes in an Orchard {Rev.M. W.). —As it entirely depends upon 
the distance your trees are apart whether you can grow potatoes success¬ 
fully, we cannot say whether you will probably have a crop. If the potatoes 
are much overshadowed, certainly not. Never grow a late potato any¬ 
where. Many of the early ripenning varieties keep quite as w'ell as the 
later ripenning, are quite as prolific, are sooner off the ground, and much 
less liable to disease. Give no manure; the soil of a freshly broken 
up orchard cannot require it. We always plant with a dibble as fast as 
a space large enough for a row has been dug, so that the dug ground is 
not at all trampled upon. You must expect a very small return in a 
heavy soil, if even slightly shaded. Miss Martineau’s letter on Cow- 
keeping is in our 100th number (a double one). 
Flowers in a Bed-room (T. P. L.). —All perfumes in a sleeping- 
room we consider unhealthy. Turner's Budding-knife , we believe, is 
eighteenpence, sent free by post. Our monthly parts are 13d. when a 
double number is one of the five they contain. Coloured plates would 
increase the price far too much. 
Diseased Grapes {Putria.). —The bunches not yet in blossom were 
quite ulcerated and decayed, evidently showing that the air of the house 
was kept too hot and too moist in proportion to the temperature to 
which the roots are exposed; the latter are unable to supply the sap 
required for the rapid growth. Keep the house cooler and drier, and 
the roots warmer. 
Laburnum Decaving {W. E. W .).—It is useless to graft a tree that 
requires its decaying branches to be continually removed. Examine the 
roots; if they are not extensively decayed also, dig down so as to be able 
to cut away the deeply-striking roots, and point in some rich soil on the 
surface to increase the upper development of roots. 
Poland Fowls {Incubator). —You ask a question about the White 
Top-knots of this breed which we cannot understand; please to write the 
word more clearly. A short advertisement is five shillings. 
Honey-candying {W. A. E .).—You will find a full answer at page 170 
of the present volume. 
Raisin Wine {Ibid). —Our correspondent will be obliged by a good 
recipe for making this wine. 
Advertisements for a Gardener’s Place {A Lover of Flowers). — 
To promote the interests of gardeners, and of others who want their ser¬ 
vices, we insert these advertisements for half-a-crown each. 
Economical Fuel. —In reply to the query by “ a Berkshire corres¬ 
pondent,” at page 326, Taffy replies, “ Any description of clay will answer 
the purpose, provided it is sufficiently tenacious to hold the small coals 
well together. The sort of clay he mentions is commonly used near the 
sea-coast, but inland they use the stiffest clay they can get; in this case, 
I observe, that they often put a little slacked lime in the mixture. It is 
by no means necessary that it should be made up into balls as he des¬ 
cribes ; it is useless trouble, except for fires where appearance is an 
object. It is better after it has been made up for some time ; and if it 
becomes too dry, it must be moistened again with water; but do not put 
it on the fire too wet. Bank your fires close down with the mixture, and 
then make a hole in the top for a draft. It will keep in by this means 
for twenty-four hours.” 
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 20th, 18M. 
nENUINE HORTICULTURAL 
U and Agricultural Seeds. JAMES CHAR¬ 
TRES, Seedsman, &c., King William-street, 
City, London, begs most respectfully to call the 
attention of purchasers to his establishment, 
where will be found an extensive stock of Kit¬ 
chen-Garden, Agricultural, and Flower Seeds, 
selected with the greatest care, and grown 
chiefly under his own inspection. 
J. C. takes this opportunity to return his best 
thanks to all who have favoured him with their 
commands during the past season ; and it is 
with much pleasure he can state that numerous 
ladies and gentlemen who have visited his 
establishment, as a proof of their satisfaction, 
have recommended their friends. 
A Descriptive Catalogue can be had on appli¬ 
cation. Jan. 2, 1851. 
flflbrtttsSrmcntS. 
]\TEW and CHOICE FLOWER SEEDS, GERMAN STOCKS, GERMAN 
1' ASTERS, &c.—We have selected, out of a large collection of Flower Seeds, twenty of the 
most beautiful and showy varieties, each sort distinct in colour, and calculated to produce a fine 
effect when planted out in beds or groups in the flower border. We have had each variety dis¬ 
tinctly marked with its Botanical and English name—height—time of flowering—colour of the 
flower—manner of growing—whether erect or trailing, &c., &c.—the time it should be sown, and 
other valuable hints as to its cultivation. In selecting these twenty varieties we have been careful 
to exclude all which are shy-bloomers, or have an insignificant appearance ; so that the collection 
will comprise only those which are really showy and handsome, and which we believe would prove 
to the entire satisfaction of any lady or gentleman who might be disposed to order them. The 
German Stocks and Asters, especially, are most superb. 
The Twenty Packets are neatly packed up in one paper, and will be sent free by post, to any 
part of the kingdom, for Five Shillings. 
J. C. WHEELER AND SON , 
Nurserymen and Seedsmen , by Official Appointment, to the Gloucestershire Agricultural Association. 
Kingsiiolm Nursery, and 99, Nortiigate Street, Gloucester. 
