THE COTTAGE GARDENEK. 
October 13. 
The same of the Deutzia , when done flowering, and a free growth made, 
it would require more air and sun-light than it would he prudent to give 
when the Vines were swelling and ripening their fruit. On the other 
hand, Camellias , Oranges , Azaleas , and things of that nature, would 
answer admirably. They would bloom in winter and spring, and the 
early months of summer. By allowing the Vine to start almost naturally, 
you would begin to keep the hojase closer and warmer, just when you 
wanted your plants also to mako^fresh growth. When that was getting 
on nicely, a withdrawing of wgter would cause them to set their buds; 
and as the Grapes reached maturity, the thinning away of laterals, the 
freer admission of air, would thus let in more light to consolidate the 
wood, and ripen the buds, and by the time the Vine-leaves were getting 
yellow, your Camellias would be coming into bloom, being followed by 
the Azaleas and Oranges, there being no danger of exciting the Vines, 
if the night temperature was seldom, by artificial means, above 45°. And, 
third. The mode of making the border, namely, building a four-inch wall 
in front two feet high, from which the border is to slope back to the 
north wall, is all well enough, provided the slope is upwards , and not 
downwards; the part at the back wall being six inches or so higher than 
the soil at the two-feet wall in lront. The earth platform would thus 
answer the purpose of the wooden stage. But in planting such a border, 
a good drain should have been previously secured beneath it. With this 
drainage secured, a kerb of six, nine, or twelve inches in height, would 
just answer as well as the two-feet wall, and would enable you to have 
larger plants in the bed without unduly shading the back wall. Fourth. 
“ The leaving a hollow formed by cement on the top of the four-inch 
wall, to receive mould for planting Lycopodiums” is a good idea for 
securing a beautiful, evergreen, topped kerb, but we rather fear the 
means used will be somewhat rickety, and be very apt to be cracked, and 
displaced in the process of watering, while the space secured must be 
very narrow indeed. We would prefer to have small, square, earthenware 
vessels, with the sides made thin, the width of the four-inch bricks, with 
holes pierced in them for drainage, on the border side, and failing that, 
we would dispense, even then, with the cement trough, and plant the 
Lycopodiums close to the wall, and they would soon cover, and hang 
down over its tops. But, fifthly. Before you prepared compost, and 
commenced planting-out, we would advise you to think over how very 
few plants of a largish size, which, after allowing two feet for the back 
wall, you could give room to in a space seventeen feet by four feet, and 
then enquire whether, for a twelvemonth, or even several years, you 
could be content to look upon the same plants in identically the same 
position, in bloom and out of bloom, without the power of easily moving 
or replacing them. And, now, lastly, allow us to say what we should be 
inclined to do, in such a case, where the natural ease and gracefulness of 
the conservatory planting-out mode was an indispensable. Against the 
back wall, and twenty inches from it, wc would build a four-inch brick 
wall so hieh as to be an inch or two below the soil of the border. We would 
then divide this little pit, twenty inches wide, into four or five divisions, 
by brick, on bed or on edge, to give a distinct, place to each plant against 
the back wall, so that a plant might be destroyed, and fresh soil given to 
another, without disturbing the roots of the rest. The bottom of each 
of these compartments would have access to the drain. These plants 
against the north wall would be all we would plant out. This would 
leave a border four feet in width. We would have a kerb in front for it, 
high or low, according to taste, not forgetting arrangements for the 
pretty Lycopods; but this border wc would fill with fine sandy soil* or 
rather rough sand, to the requisite depth, and in that, instead of planting- 
out, would plunge favourite plants, covering the pots; and then, by 
having it in our power to change them out and in at will, we could give 
an interest, a beauty, and variety, to a small house, which no planting- 
out, stereotype fashion, could ever yield ; while the plants themselves, 
w-hen in a peculiar condition, could receive the peculiar treatment they 
required ; and when such a thing as insects came, the cleansing remedies 
might be referred to without subjecting the clean and healthy inmates 
to sanitary quarantine. 
Fruits for Exhibition (J. Hayward). — The best sorts of the 
following fruits, to grow as espaliers for exhibition, would be Apples for 
dessert:—Red and White Ingestree, Boston Russet, Cockle Pippin, 
Braddiclc’s Nonpariel, Court of Wick, and Sturmer Pippin ; for kitchen 
use, Alfriston, Reinette Blanche d’Espagne, Beautv of Kent, Waltham 
Abbey Seedling, Cellini, Striped Beefing, and Wormsley Pippin. Pears 
—Van Mons. Leon le Clerc, Eyewood, Beurre Diel, Forelle, Duchesse 
d’Angoulfime, Beurre de Ranee, and Easter Beurre. Plums— Rcine 
Claude Violette, Jefferson, Washington, Halings’s Superb, Pond’s Seedling, 
Nectarine, and Royal Hiltive. Cherries— Black Tartarian, Bigarreau 
Napoleon, Black Eagle, Elton, Reinc Hortcnse, and Early Purple 
Guigne. Fig— Brown Turkey. Peaches, Nectarines, and Apricots, will 
not do as espaliers, but all the others will do well in your garden. The 
best time for planting, if the situation is dry, will be in November; but 
if wet, in February or March. 
Gardenia Stanleyana (Querist), —If you had a late vinery, where 
Grapes are kept to the end of February, and where a dry heat of from 45° 
to 55° is kept up all through the winter, your plant of Gardenia Stan- 
ley ana might be kept there, and the flower-buds would not swell much 
more than they are at present. After that, with a dry sunny March, your 
plant would be in bloom through next April and May. An intermediate 
house, where Mexican Orchids stand at rest through the winter, is the 
next best place for it ; but in a regular moist stove the flower-buds will 
all drop before the end of January. What your plant really wants is to 
be closely pruned by the end of February, and to receive strong forcing 
for three months after, and if it shewed bloom-buds before the end of 
May, to be kept in heat till they began to open; if no flower-buds ap¬ 
peared before Midsummer, the plant should be checked by turning it 
into a cooler, drier, and more airy house, where it would begin to show 
signs of flower-buds late in August. From that time, to the turn of the 
new year, the plant ought to be considered at rest, so as to keep back the 
flowers till the spring. 
Concrete Walks (L.).—The communication you inquire about is in 
No. 239, p* 53. 
Dealers Prize at the Surrey Zoological Gardens.— We are 
informed by Mr. Charles Bainbridge, of Birmingham, that the Judges at 
the Poultry Show at the above-named Gardens, eventually gave him the 
Prize “ for the largest number of good specimens exhibited by any 
dealer.” 
Change of Poultry Stock (A Country Rector).—Get rid at once of 
your present birds and buy some Shanghae Pullets hatched in April, 
and put to them a Dorking Cock. They will lay all the winter. 
Heating a Greenhouse ( F. H. L .).—A Gas Stove will not answer 
your purpose. The most cheap, at first, will be the old furnace and flue; 
the most effectual, a boiler and iron pipes for hot-water. 
Kidney Beans (A Constant Reader),—'They are the largest we ever 
saw (some being ten inches in length). It comes nearest to the Sabre. 
If you will send us half-a-dozen ripe seeds we shall be able to be more 
certain. See what Mr. Errington says about Wall Trees. 
Queen-Bee Dead. — T. N. says,— “A few days ago (Sept. 10th), I 
observed an unusual commotion with one of my stocks of Bees ; and 
in going to ascertain the cause, I observed the Queen on the ground, in 
front of the hive, dead. Now will the Bees be able to provide another; and 
if so, will she be fertile ?” It is very doubtful if your Bees will be able 
to make another Queen at this advanced period of the season, and it is 
still more doubtful if she will be fertile; therefore, if the stock is one you 
wish to preserve, unite with it the Bees from any weak stock you may 
happen to have; those from a cast of the present year would be best, for 
you will then insure a young Queen. 
Food for Bees ( Abeille ).—One pound of loaf sugar, one quarter pint 
of water, one quarter pound of honey; simmer all together for three 
minutes over a slow fire, or till the sugar is melted. 
A Cow milking herself (A Constant Subscriber).—When a cow 
sucks her own milk, the best plan is to get rid of her, except in case it is 
desirable to keep her tor fancy sake; then I should recommend a leather 
halter to be worn about the head, attached to which should be a thong, 
strap across the nose, with sharp pointed nails inserted, and projecting 
similar to calf-muzzles, which are used to prevent calves from sucking 
after being weaned.—J. J!. 6 
fcKKEis becoming Blind (J. J.). —It is quite impossible to state 
anything regarding the blindness of these birds, unless some details are 
given. Blindness may occur from several diseases, and it would be worse 
than useless to prescribe at hazard.—W. B. T. 
Spanish Cockerel with White Feathers (T. F.).— Little en¬ 
couragement can be held out that the white feathers on the breast of 
your Spanish Cockerel will disappear with his moult. The Spanish 
fowl, indeed, frequently undergoes extensive changes of colour during 
that process, but “white” is more generally the colour assumed, no*t 
that which is laid aside. Curvature of the spine may either have been 
produced by a blow, or be the result of hereditary deformity, that would 
not necessarily be developed at the earliest stages of growth or if 
developed, often unnoticed till the bird gains size.—\V. 
Beak of the Aylesbury Duck (ff. T. ff.).-The bill of the Ayles¬ 
bury Duck is frequently disfigured by dark spots ; usually, however the 
older birds are those most seriously affected. The dirt in the cow-house 
is not by any means likely to have caused the evil, and we regard it as 
hereditary, though there are certain conditions, such as access to peat or 
moss-water, under which we should first expect to see it. Some of the 
best birds in England have suffered from this cause, for which we fear 
no remedy will be found effectual. We should at once change our 
stock where birds were intended for exhibition. See the article “ Ducks” 
in the forthcoming number of the “ Poultry Book.” —W. 
Arrangement of Land (G. T.). —It is quite impossible to advise 
you generally. We shall willingly be consulted on ary specific point. 
Names of Plants (A Surrey Subscriber). —No. 1. The Grey Poplar 
Populus caneseens. No. 2. Turkey Oak, Quercus cerris. (it. J). j. 
Wigton). —1. Lotus corniculatus. 2. Hydrocotyle vulgaris. 3 . Tori 
mentillu reptans. 4. Potentilla anserinu. (E. A. Liverpool).— The 
white flower is Francoa rumosa, and the other Tropteolum penlaphyllum 
Your Crinurn will require water whilst growing. Pot your Passion 
Flower in the spring. It neednot be stopped now. (VF. S.).—' The form 
of your Dahlia is good, size small, and colour very common. The 
name of the flower with it is Asclepias curasavicus. (A Constant 
Reader, Llunrwst). — No. I. Shepherdia argentea. 2. Aristolochia 
magin vanegata. 3. Uncertain. 4. Escalonia rubra. 5. Atriplex 
halinus. ti. Staphylea pinnata. 7. Uncertain. 8. Celtis australis, o. 
Cercis canadensis. ( J.P. ).—Your evergreens are as follows:— 1 . Pinus 
mger. 2 . Cupressus thyoides. 3. Thuja occidentalis. 4 . T. orientalis 
5. Cupressus sempervirens var. horizontalis. 6. Pinus excelsa 7 
P. longifolia. 8. Juniperus Phoenicia. 9. J. Sabina. 10. J. Sabina nana! 
11. Cedrus Lebana. 12. Pinus insignis. 13. Juniperus tamariscifolia 
14. Pinus sp., uncertain. 15. Pinus sp., uncertain. 
London: Printed by Harry Wooldridge, Winchester High-street, 
in the Parish of Saint Mary Kalendar; and Published by William 
Somerville Orr, of Church Hill, Walthamstow, in the County of 
Essex, at the Office, No. 8 , Amen Corner, in the Parish of Christ 
Church, City of London.—October 13th, 1853 . 
