THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
October 18 . 
36 
them better out of pots. It is only the florists’ pelargoniums that 
are bedded in their pots, to curb their free habit of growth. Messrs. 
Fraser grow their plants generally better than others, and having 
them in pots they are more convenient for their orders. 
Manetti Rose (Oxoniensis). — Mr. Rivers, of the Sawbridgeworth 
Nursery, Herts, introduced the Manetti rose from Italy a few years 
since, and it has turned out as a stock all that was expected. Apply 
to him for the information you require. We will answer about your 
Tigridiapavonia next week. Your treatment is very judicious. 
Wintering Yellow Cistcses and Ciiina Roses {Flora ).— 
There are several yellow cistuses very beautiful plants; they often 
live out the winter in dry sheltered situations ; but we should be loath 
to trust any of them to the rigours of a hard winter unprotected. 
Some dry leaves, litter, or coal-ashes, spread round them to the depth 
of four inches, and a dry mat, or a bundle of dry fern or straw placed 
over them in hard frost, are far better than transplanting them into 
pots so late as this. Turn your “ monthly roses ” out of the pots into 
the bed, and if they are not quite young they will take no harm ; but, 
to be safe, place a few dry leaves round and amongst them, merely to 
break the force of cold frosty winds. 
Yan Thol Tulips, &c. {Consols). —Plant your Van Thol tulips 
two inches deep in the front row of your bed or border now ; place 
the yellow ones behind them, and nine inches from them, and the 
Tournesol in the middle. The Van Thol is red and white, the Yellow 
is just yellow, and the Tournesol red and orange. They will flower 
next April. Your “ leaky greenhouse ” is a bad place for soft-wooded 
plants, but you must try them in it. You can keep old petunias if 
they are now established in pots, not otherwise. The penstemons 
will live out of doors, unless your soil is very wet and the winter very 
hard. The Ageratum is a greenhouse, or frame, or half-hardy plant, 
but is very easy to move into pots at any time ; and if you take it up 
carefully, it will probably flower all the winter even in the leaky 
house. 
Mandevilla suaveolens (M. E. L.). —It is four feet high, has 
not flowered, and is in a border under a south wall, where it was 
planted in June, and you ask whether it should be allowed to remain ? 
It is more safe to take it up this season, being so young ; pot it, and 
let it lose its leaves by keeping it half dry in the greenhouse. Cut it 
down close early in March, and plant it out next May ; after that you 
may keep it out in winter, with a good dry covering in frosty weather. 
Bottom Heat by Hot Water Pipes (T. F.). —In the plan you 
refer to as described in our flrst. volume, the whole of the bottom of 
the pit must be covered. Perforated iron will do for the covering in¬ 
stead of slate, but w ill require more support, and will only last for a 
short time. Cucumbers can be grown well in such a structure. We 
cannot tell what sized pipe you will require for your pit, unless in¬ 
formed of the purposes for which you intend it. 
Begonia {Ibid). —The common old begonia is very easily grown, 
but yours, the leaves of u'hich are continually falling and the plant 
shrinking, must be one of the stove species, and unless we know 
which we cannot advise you safely. 
Karwigs in Greenhouse (IF. 1>. P.). —Place some dry hay in 
very small pots, and set them about on tlieir sides in secret corners ; 
the earwigs will enter them for the day, wdien you may destroy them. 
Pruning various Plants {Ibid). —Do not cut down your Jlflm- 
randya Barclayana, Lithospermum Hendersunii, and Cuban scan- 
dens, but prune their side branches only to two joints now, and re¬ 
duce the top or leading shoot a little. Passiflnra Herberti and incar- 
nata flower, on the current year’s growth, cut in their side shoots 
now to the last bud nearest the old wood. Clematis azurea grandi- 
flora cut down to a strong prominent bud next February. How low 
down depends on its age and size. Amaryllis longifolia and Lilium 
japonicum, which have not flowered, must both be allowed to get dry 
now ; then pot the Lilium, and the Amaryllis next May w'hen in full 
growth. 
Planting {Gian Mor). —Have this all performed before Christ¬ 
mas. We cannot recommend any work upon forest planting ; they 
are all at variance, and most of them fallacious guides. We cannot 
advise you as to the trees to plant, unless we knew whether your object 
is beauty or profit. 
Datura {Ibid). —You ask for information relative to this plant. 
The datura is a strong soft-wooded greenhouse plant, which flowers 
annually in the autumn on the young wood made the same season ; 
therefore it should be close pruned any time in winter or spring. It 
is a thirsty plant while growing, but if an old plant, may be kept 
quite dry while at rest, or during winter. We believe Mr. Beaton 
will treat of it as a flower-garden plant. It is always best to water at 
the top of the pot; one requires good experience to trust to water¬ 
ing by “feeders.” 
Soil for Bulbs (Mrs. Vibgyor).— k query respecting “ all kinds 
of bulbs” is a wide question, but of course you mean all kinds of 
common hardy spring-flowering bulbs. Nine-tenths of these will do 
well in the soil we recommended for hyacinths. Double unemones of 
sorts would prefer a stronger soil, however. We shall always be glad 
to hear from you and assist you after the frank avowal of your address : 
we like frank people above all others. 
Troheomjm Azureum (E. B . S.). — We believe this may be 
treated after the way Mr. Beaton recommended for T. tricolorum, but 
we were so disappointed with the plant on its first appearance that 
we resolved never to grow it, and we have not seen a good specimen 
of it at any of the London exhibitions. You need not hesitate to 
treat all the bulbous Tropoeolums in that way. 
Growing Bulbs in Moss ( C. J., Peckbam). —The double Roman 
narcissus can be so grown. Hyacinths ought to be just covered with 
moss, and no more; you may even leave the very tops a little bare. 
I’eople say ours are “nestled” when they see them. Let the super¬ 
fluous water escape from hyacinths, and all other plants in pots, by 
all means. 
Fig-tree Border (J. H. IF.).—You do not like this looking “so 
bare,” but you must bid farewell to figs if you plant evergreens in 
the border over the roots of your fig-tree. We would rather turf the 
border, or keep it covered in summer with some weak-growing an¬ 
nuals, such as the Nemophyllas, Virginian Stock, Venus’ Looking- 
glass, &e.; but if you must plant evergreens, use the very strongest, 
in order to destroy the fig at once—laurels, hollies, or laurustinus, 
will do that. If you prefer a slower process, plant some evergreen 
Berberis over it; they are very handsome, and you can keep them 
low by cutting down the centre shoots in May after they are done 
flowering. 
Manure (A. T. B.). —Spent tanner’s bark mixed with rotten dung 
is an excellent compost for some plants, and would kill others. You 
must ask this question again in a definite shape, and name the plants 
to which you intend to apply it. You only said “to any plants.” 
Soil for Bulbs (Ibid). —The scilla and the hyacinth will do 
equally well in the same soil, but ixias do better in peat earth. The 
different cuttings you name will do equally well under the same 
treatment, but you must not let them get quite dry. Mr. Beaton 
has said that all half-hardy plants may be saved in the ground over 
the winter, treated as he recommends, if they are worth so much 
trouble. Low plants at the bottom of a pit, four or five feet from 
the glass, will not live to see May-day. Place a stage of some sort 
in it, to bring them near the glass. Two thicknesses of matting will 
not keep out frost from a pit, but a foot of dry straw over one mat 
will, if the sides are equally safe. Auriculas, carnations, and Indian 
pinks, are better under glass, certainly, than covered up in the open 
border. 
Fibres of Peat (Ibid). —This does equally well, if not better, for 
potting purposes if you pack it close down upon the drainage. 
Gardener’s Apprenticeship ( Carolus , Stratford). —You offer 
to give .^10 or for a three years’ apprenticeship to any gentle¬ 
man’s gardener who would be willing to allow you 8s a week. You 
had better apply to some head gardener. We know that some of the 
best nurserymen refuse to be bound to any one for three years, and 
consider a young man wastes his time to come into a nursery until 
he has served under a gentleman’s gardener. 
Shelter for Geranium Cuttings (A.L.). —Your glazed struc¬ 
ture will do for this purpose, but it must be well protected with 
straw, &c, to keep out frost. We have said all that it is possible to 
say upon this subject to various correspondents, and in our weekly 
essays. We wish our readers would refer to our indexes. Your use 
of sheets of gutta percha for sheltering flowers is good. You will 
see a form very like yours at p. 220 of our last volume. 
Mummy Wheat (E. G. H. Kinsoll ).—Our correspondent wishes to 
know where he can obtain a few grains of this wheat, depicted in 
“ The Illustrated London News” of last September 22nd. 
Improving Sandy Soil ( Cogitatus). —You cannot do better than 
put on the whole of your clayey compost at once. Do not mix your 
cow-dung with it now, but keep this until cropping time in the 
spring. We should put on the compost, trench the ground, and 
ridge it up for the winter’s frosts to crumble down the clay, and help 
to mix it thoroughly. You can remove your four-year-old asparagus 
plants about April, injuring the roots as little as possible. All that 
you need do in making the bed to receive them is to trench it two 
feet deep, and mix with the soil throughout as much of the richest 
manure that you can procure. 
Rough Glass (G. H. K.).— This, in the roof of your greenhouse 
or hothouse, will not impede the ripening of the grapes. If it is 
one-tenth of an inch thick it will defy hailstones, and answer your 
purpose in other respects. 
Guernsey Lily (G. G .).—Any very light soil will do for this, but 
see what we say at p. 12. Your bees were not stupified; saltpetre 
does not act upon bees as does 'tobacco or fungus when burnt. This 
was the only cause of your bees fighting after being united. 
Planting Potatoes (IF. E. H .).—We cannot be more explicit 
than we have been. Plant in November in a soil that has been 
manured for the previous crop, and do not add mauure either at the 
time of planting the potatoes or at any time afterwards. Plant early 
ripening kinds only. 
Names of Apples (M. R.). —We do not know the Beausberry 
Pippin. The Bayfordbnry Pippin is the same as the Golden Pippin, 
which we all know is a yellow, roundish, small fruit. Heywood’s 
Pippin is unknown to us bv this name. 
Moving Privet (A. S. IF.).—Your privet hedge, though six feet 
high, maybe moved with a good chance of success if done in Novem¬ 
ber ; great care being taken to injure the roots but little, and if, by 
stakes and rails pressing the plants on each side, they are kept from 
wind-waving until well rooted next year. 
List of Fairs (R. F. IF.).—You will find a very full one in the 
Farmers’ Almanack. 
Names of Plants (M. S.).— No. 1. Tecoma capensis. 2. Coro- 
nilla glauca. 3. Some kind of Stapelia. 4. Crassula, but what 
variety cannot say, nor could any one from such miserable specimens. 
5. Ixora alba. (Crucifera).— Yours is Knight’s Improved Wrinkled 
pea. We will keep your other wishes in mind. (J. J.) —We cannot 
make out from the twigs enclosed the name of your shrub or tree. It 
seems to be of the lime tribe. Does it grow in a pot or border ? 
What kind of blossom does it bear? What is its native country ? 
Merely sending leaves is usually like asking one to tell the name’of 
a ship’s captain from seeing a chip of its mast. 
London : Printed by Harry Wooldridge, 147, Strand, in the 
Parish of Saint Mary-le-Strand; and Winchester High-street, in 
the Parish of St. Mary Kalendar; and Published by William 
Somerville Orr, at the Office, 147, Strand, in the Parish of 
Saint Mary-le-Strand, London.—October 18th, 1849. 
