THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
November 15. 
88 
better, lasting longer, and are not so injurious to the 
plants. The only objection we know of is the ex¬ 
pense. Where that is no consideration, we should 
have no great objection to their adoption. Baskets 
have also been made of earthenware; but, if there 
was no other objection, tlieir great weight would be 
sufficient to set them aside as bad. We have tried 
all these, and have come to the conclusion that 
baskets made of wooden rods are the best lor this 
purpose. We mentioned before that the most orna¬ 
mental are made of the corrugated or rough-barked 
maple rods; but, as these are not always to be met 
with, hazel rods may be used, and make excellent 
baskets. The way we make them is simple enough. 
First the rods are procured, and sawn into proper 
lengths. The smallest we use are about tire thick¬ 
ness of a man’s middle finger. With this size, the 
smallest baskets are made. These are seven inches 
wide, and three rods deep. In this size, small Stan- 
liopeas, and small plants of Aericles, Saccolabiums, 
Vandas, Gongoras, &c. are grown. For larger plants, 
larger baskets are made, and thicker rods used. The 
largest we ever had occasion to make was for a fine 
plant of Aerides odorata. This plant is four feet 
high, and two and a-half feet through. The rods 
used for it are nearly as thick as a moderate-sized 
man’s wrist. The basket is two feet square, which is 
the shape we prefer, as being the most simple and 
easiest made. When the rods are sawn into lengths, 
the ends are pared smooth with a knife ; then small 
holes are bored through each, one at each end, as 
near it as possible without splitting. The instru¬ 
ment used to bore the holes with is a very small 
steel rod, about six inches long, with a wooden 
handle ; it is filed to a point at the end intended to 
bore the hole with. We find it convenient to have 
two or three, for a reason we shall state presently. 
After a certain number of rods are cut and smooth- 
ened, they are taken to a place where there is a 
small, clear, red fire; the sharp end of one of the 
borers is put into it about one inch. As soon as 
that is red hot, the other is put in, the heated one 
drawn and thrust into the rod very near the end, 
and held there as long as it continues to burn its 
way without much pressure. If too much force is 
used, the wood will be apt to split. As soon, there¬ 
fore, as the instrument ceases to burn its way 
through, it is replaced in the fire. The other by 
this time will be red hot also; this is then taken out 
of the fire, and applied to the hole. This operation 
is thus performed with each bore alternately till the 
hole is made through the rod. The description of 
this operation takes up considerably more time than 
the operation itself. It is quickly and easily done, as 
any of our readers may prove on trial. After as 
many rods are bored as may be wanted at one time, 
the next thing is to put them together. The articles 
necessary for this are some copper wire and a few 
flat-headed copper nails. Each basket will require 
four lengths of wire, the length of each to be in pro¬ 
portion to the size of the basket they are intended 
for. They should be long enough to meet at least 
eight inches above the top of the smaller-sized 
baskets, and from a foot to eighteen inches above 
the larger ones. At the end of each piece of wire 
make a loop so large that it will not draw through 
the holes; then lay the first two rods, and upon 
them, for the smallest basket, lay three others; nail 
these three to the two outside rods, thus forming a 
sort of raft, to use a nautical term for want of a 
better; turn this over, and underneath it put two 
other rods, to form the other two sides of the basket; 
then draw the four pieces of wire through the holes 
at each corner, the looped end being underneath. 
Continue to lay a pair of rods alternately, drawing 
the wire through each till the basketj is of the re¬ 
quired depth. The smallest size, three rods deep ; 
the two next, four deep, and so on. When that is 
done, make four small pointed pegs, and drive them 
into each hole at the four corners. This will fasten 
the rods in their places, and prevent them from ever 
starting upwards; then draw the wires together at 
the top, twisting each pair over each other, and 
fasten them with a piece of fine wire. Your basket 
is now complete, and ready for use. The making of 
these will be a pleasant occupation to the amateur, 
and may be done at any time, to be ready whenever 
he may procure the plants, or those already in his 
possession may require new ones. Some may object 
to these baskets, because, being made of hazel rods, 
they may soon decay. To this we reply, that we 
have had experience that they will last long enough; 
for,’by the time they are completely rotten, the plants 
will, if properly managed and well grown, be large 
enough to require new ones, and the old ones being 
so rotten, they can be the more easily broken up 
without injuring the plants, as they certainly would 
if the baskets were made of more imperishable ma¬ 
terials. While we are upon this subject we will 
mention that we have seen some very neat baskets 
made of the bamboo canes; and when they can be 
procured cheap enough, we certainly do recommend 
our readers to make their baskets of this light, ele¬ 
gant material. We have also seen baskets made of 
crooked pieces of small, peeled branches of oak. 
These, when neatly made, on account of their rustic 
appearance, are very suitable for the purpose. We 
have particularised these various materials because, 
in various parts of the country, some one or other 
may bo more easily procured at a cheaper rate than 
the next. To the enthusiastic admirer of these 
plants, every little circumstance that bears upon his 
favourite pursuit will be interesting, and, we have 
no doubt, useful, though our directions may appear 
to such of our readers as take no interest in orchid 
culture somewhat tedious, and too minute. 
FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
The Pansy. —Perhaps there is no florist flower 
that pleases the uninitiated so much as this flower. 
It is a great favourite with us, and we are always 
glad to see it, whether grown in a first-rate style, or 
simply planted out in the cottager’s flower border, 
and left to bloom as it pleases. In every way it is 
pleasing, flowering from April to October, if judi¬ 
ciously managed. Of no other florist flower can we 
say the same, if we except the rose, and this excep¬ 
tion must be considerably qualified, as the same 
kind of rose does not bloom all the season. The cul¬ 
ture of the pansy in this month is to place all the 
very choice scarce kinds under shelter. The best 
way to do this is to put the plants into pots 4^ inches 
diameter, and place them in a cold frame, brick pit, 
or even turf pit. In any of these shelters they will 
do well. Give them a very moderate supply of 
water, pick off every day all decaying leaves, and 
keep a keen look out for snails and slugs, For more 
plentiful or more common kinds, the proper culture 
is to plant them out in beds of light rich earth, in 
an open part of the garden. The pansy will not 
thrive well in the shade. That is a point that every 
practical florist, we are quite sure, will agree to. 
This operation of planting may be done now, but 
