THE COTTAGE GATtDENER. 
July 29. 
decided me to tlie contrary. First, the unwillingness to 
keep a correspondent waiting so long; and secondly, the 
conviction that half of our mishaps proceed from not 
attending to the precepts of that worthy lady, Mrs. 
Think-in-time; joined to the confidence that the ex¬ 
perience of our correspondent would not only operate as 
a safeguard against dangerous delays, but as an in¬ 
centive to imitation by all those similarly circumstanced. 
Means for effecting certain results must of course be 
obtained; but in our own practice, and the tantalising 
failures of young beginners, I have found that means 
generally were not so deficient as the want of the know¬ 
ledge, and, more frequently still, the perseverance to make 
the most of existing circumstances. That genius well 
knew what human resolution could accomplish who 
propounded the axiom, “ Where there’s a will there’s a 
way.” 
But I cannot do better than introduce the statement 
and queries of our correspondent, all the more pleasiug, 
and worthy of attention, as coming from our sister 
emerald isle. Amid the heat of party strifes, how cheer¬ 
ing to find everywhere in the love of flowers (those gems 
that ever testify to the boundless beneficence of our 
common Creator), a public platform, on which all ranks, 
classes, and creeds may meet, and find their hearts 
fusing in kindliness, forbearance, and humane aspira¬ 
tions for each other. Our correspondent states, “ as you 
once wished people who have no hothouses or green¬ 
houses, to say how they succeeded in preserving plants 
through the winter, I will just mention what I have 
done in a small way, and beg at the same time some 
advice for next winter. In a room without a fire, but 
over a kitchen, with windows facing the south, I have 
preserved, in a most flourishing condition, old plants, 
and young rooted cuttings of the following flowers; no 
cuttings, according to your direction, being taken after 
the 1st of August, very little water being given during 
the winter mouths, but in February more and oftener, 
to all except the scarlet geraniums, which I wished to 
keep back until planted out.” The plants were “ Gera¬ 
niums, fancy and scarlet; Verbenas; scarlet Salvias; 
Lobelia ramosa; Ecremocarpus scaber; Heliotropium; 
Fuchsias; Hydrangeas .” This is the statement, and in¬ 
structive it is, proving that those who followed directions 
given in this work on room and window gardening, were 
following no Jack-with-the-lanthorn. The questions 
that follow are, therefore, well worthy of attention. 
“ 1st. Was the treatment right ?” Ask a schoolboy, sur¬ 
feiting himself with plum-pudding, if he likes it? Suc¬ 
cess, in this case, is the best proof that your practice was 
right. There is one plant in which your success rather 
surprises me—the Lobelia ramosa. ft is a ticklish 
customer to keep over the winter in such circumstances; 
so much so, that it is generally raised from seed in 
spring. While it lasts, from the size and beauty of the 
flowers, it is the most beautiful of that section of 
Lobelias. If you have preserved ramosa, either from 
cuttings, or seed sown in autumn, your success, in either 
case, has been great. The chief elements of success 
with the plants mentioned, &c., are, taking cuttings 
early, and having them established before winter; 
watering carefully during winter, and appropriating a 
room for the reception of the plants. This latter 
arrangement is far preferable to keeping them in the 
window-sills of sitting-rooms, where they are drawn from 
want of air at one time, and dried up by parching air at 
another. The room being placed over a kitchen was 
also a great advantage, as the cold would never become 
so intense, and air could always be given to counteract 
the heat. One or two more points should be attended 
to by beginners. 1st. The aspect was the best for grow- 
ing plants, as more light and air could thus be given, 
and the more of each, the sturdier would the plants 
become. Many of them, such as scarlet Salvia (if 
fulgens), Ecremocarpus, Fuchsia, and Hydrangea, might 
be kept in a dormant state for months, even in a room 
with a north aspect; but when they commenced grow¬ 
ing any other aspect would be preferable. 2nd. In very 
severe weather in winter, when it is necessary to exclude 
frost, by shutters, curtains, &c., bo careful that the 
plants are kept cool and dry; no excitement to growth 
should ever be given, unless when there is light to con¬ 
solidate the growth formed. Sometime ago, I was 
asked to give a rough estimate of the value of pot plants 
as between an out-going and in coming tenant. I was 
amazed, not at the dozens, but hundreds of nice young 
plants in rooms, supported on tables, and every con¬ 
ceivable make-shift. In fact, the plants just looked too 
nice, from having too much juice about them. They 
were got up to please the eye of the buyer; but if the 
new owner had not been put on the right scent, as 
respects air and watering, not a tithe of them would 
have passed through the ordeal of the severe weather 
that followed; a dropsical, diseased, cold, bitter lot they 
would have been. 
“ 2ndly. I live in the north of Ireland, in a very wet 
county, do you think a pit constructed in the following 
manner would be a good one for preserving plants in ? 
A hollow nine-inch wall, bottom on a level with the 
ground, hardened, sprinkled with lime and rough char¬ 
coal (as we have no coal-ashes), covered with a frame 
and bass mats, and made under a beech hedge, if not 
hurtful, as I wish to keep more plants next winter.” 
This was referred to in page 234. In addition, I may 
remark, that a tar bottom will render it firm, and pre¬ 
vent the damp rising; but then the bottom must slope, 
or you must be excessively careful in watering in winter, 
as the moisture cannot get down, but must be dissipated 
by evaporation. 2. The rough charcoal will beat every¬ 
thing else for setting the plants on. 3. The bottom of 
the pit would, in such circumstances, be better if from 
six to twelve inches above the surrounding level. 4. The 
hollow walls will be of vast service for keeping the inte¬ 
rior of the pit dry and warm. 5. Causing the ground 
to slope all round from the walls of the pit, firming it, 
coating then with tar and gravel, will be another pre¬ 
servative against damp. 0. If the beech hedge is on 
the north or east side of your pit, and far enough from 
it for the roots never to interfere with the brick-work, it 
will be an advantage as shelter. 7. Tarpaulin, or even 
waterproofed strong calico, at 6d. per square yard, will 
answer better for covering than mats, and be much 
cheaper. A very small quantity of dry litter will keep 
out the hardest frost. Such covering will keep it dry, 
even when raining fast, and thus the great evil of damp¬ 
ing be avoided. If you are anxious for neatness and ulti¬ 
mate economy, provide yourself with wooden shutters. 
You will find them exceedingly useful for protecting 
your things before planting out, after thinning them in 
the pit. 8. Give abundance of air in fine weather; keep 
the plants stationary and cool when shut up; make it, 
i in fact, your object to keep, not to grow, during winter, 
and you will be quite as successful as you have been 
with your room in the house. 
“ 3rdly. Will you state whether the annexed plants, 
in such circumstances, had best be kept in the house or 
pit?” We have kept them all in both such places, but 
the following will be found, taken with the remarks that 
follow, a suitable arrangement:— In the room of the 
house: Fancy and large florists’ Geraniums, and young 
scarlet and variegated Geraniums for beds, different 
kinds of double Groundsel, Anagallis, Heliotrope, Cu- 
phea, Verbena, Petunia, Alonsoa, Lobelia, of the small 
blue kinds, if kept over, best varieties of Phlox Drum- 
mondii, Mesembryanthemum, and Cactus,—these two 
last cannot be too dry, if they do not shrivel much. In 
such a place, Azaleas and Camellias might also be ma¬ 
naged nicely, provided you coidd keep them close in 
