62 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
October 27. 
In severe weather, wo go round and stick a little hay 
or litter in any openings at back or front, between the 
cover and the glass. When very severe indeed, we 
throw a little litter all over them. 1 look upon these as 
far superior in usefulness and economy to mats. I do 
not consider them so good as wood, or felt, &c.; but 
when the whole material is lying, as it were, at your 
elbows, the expense is not much felt, especially when a 
good part of the expense is for labour when men could 
not work out-of-doors. R. Fish. 
THE ANEMONE. 
(Continued from page 45.) 
Taking up and Storing the Roots. —In wet summers 
it is difficult to get the plants sufficiently at rest to take 
up and store. The bulbs are very full of juices in such 
a season, and keep growing on. This, for the single, 
common varieties, is, perhaps, not of much consequence, 
especially if they are planted in patches in a mixed 
border; but the fine, double varieties should be taken 
up annually. To induce a perfect state of rest, the bed 
should be covered, as soon as the general bloom is over, 
with canvass or mats, to keep off the rains that may fall 
whilst the leaves are decaying. As the foliago decays 
the real roots will decay also, the bulbs will then 
gradually mature. When the leaves are quite shrivelled 
and yellow, take up the bulbs immediately, cut off the 
leaves close, and place the roots in a dry, shady, cool 
room, to dry gradually. Just before they are perfectly 
so, they should be looked over, and any soil, decayed 
stems, or leaves, removed. If this is delayed till they 
become hard and brittle, there will be great danger of 
breaking off some parts of the bulbs, which would be 
injurious to them, because the broken part would be 
in danger of being attacked with mildew. If the double 
varieties are named, they should be kept in separate 
drawers, or paper-bags, correctly named or numbered. 
The only care they then require is to keep them in a 
dry, cool room, till the planting season comes round 
again. It would, however, be desirable to examine them 
occasionally, to see if there is any appearance of decay 
or mildew on any of the roots. Should that be the 
case, all of the roots so diseased must immediately bo 
separated from the stock, cleaned, and fresh dried, and 
afterwards put into separate bags to prevent infection. 
Forcing.— The Anemone may be forced so as to 
have it in bloom in the first month of the year, but the 
roots are much weakened thereby, and will require a 
year’s growth in a nursery-bed to recover their strength. 
Choose for this purpose the largest tubers; place one in 
a five-inch pot early in October, potting them in a rich, 
sandy soil, covering them about one-inch-and-a-half 
deep; place them in a cold frame or pit for a month, 
then give a gentle watering, and bring them into a good 
greenhouse, placing them near the glass. There will be 
quite heat enough for them in this house to bloom well 
in January. They will not bear a warmer house. Too 
much heat would destroy the bloom. Give them due 
supplies of water; remember, they have not the deep, 
rich soil of the border to bring forth their blossoms, 
and, therefore, they require liberal waterings. As soon 
as the bloom is over reduce the water gradually, and 
finally lay the pots on one side, in a place where the 
early frosts will not reach them ; and when the foliage is 
quite decayed, take out the tubers, and dry and store 
them in the usual way. Plant them, at the usual time, 
in a prepared bed, in some retired part of the garden ; 
prevent them from blooming, should any appear, and 
the year following they will bo strong blooming bulbs 
again. Or if this should be thought too much trouble, 
throw them away as soon as the bloom is over, and 
purchase fresh roots for forcing. They are cheap enough. 
Propagation : By Seed. —Such cultivators as desire 
to raise improved double-flowers should be careful to 
save seed only from semi-doubic blooms, with well- 
formed flowers, and bright, distinct colours. As the 
seed ripens at different times, and is downy and very 
light, it is in danger of either falling to the ground, or 
being blown away with the wind ; therefore, it must be 
watched, and carefully gathered, daily, as soon as it is 
ripe; but as there may be some moisture on the downy 
parts, it is advisable to spread the seed on a sheet of 
paper, lay it in a window facing the morning sun for a 
few days until it is perfectly dry; then put in a bag, 
and keep it dry till the sowing season arrives. 
The common single Anemone seed may be sown, 
immediately it is ripe, in a prepared bed in the garden ; 
but seed saved carefully, as described above, is deserving 
of a little more trouble. Have a one or a two-light box, 
according to the quantity of seed saved; take out the 
soil, and prepare the bed exactly the same as I directed 
for the full-grown roots; make the surface very smooth. 
Let this be done about the middle of December. Place 
the lights on, giving air every fine day till the surface is 
moderately dry; then prepare the seed for sowing. The 
method to do this is to rub it with the hand for a con¬ 
siderable time amongst some dry soil. This should be 
done until the seeds are divested of their downy cover¬ 
ing, and separated from each, other. If this is not 
effectually done the seeds will adhere to each other, and 
the plants will come up in patches, and there will not 
be room for them to form bulbs. When the bed of 
earth is ready for the seed, and that is well rubbed, 
separated, and mixed with the earth it has been rubbed 
amongst, then choose some fine, mild day, about the 
middle or end of January, and sow the seeds evenly and 
carefully on the bed of earth in the frame; then have 
a fine sieve and some dryish light soil ready; sift a 
very thin covering evenly over the seeds, not above the 
thickness of a shilling, give a gentle watering with a 
very fine-rosed garden pot, shut up the frame, and let it 
be kept close, excepting during bright sunshine on mild 
days, when a little air may be given. The surface 
should never he allowed to become quite dry, but should 
be kept moderately moist. In hot sunshine, it will be 
advisable (in addition to the giving of air) to shade this 
seed bed with a mat until the plants have made two or 
three leaves. As the season advances, give more air 
and water, and afterwards expose them daily to the full 
light and sun; but as long as there is any danger of 
frost, shut them up at night. Keep them duly supplied 
with water until the leaves decay ; then sift two inches 
of the surface through a very fine sieve, and carefully 
pick out all the young small bulbs. Plant them early 
in September, in the open bed, and treat them after¬ 
wards exactly like the old bulbs, until they flower, which 
will generally happen the second or third year. 
By Dividing the Roots. —Anemones are easily in¬ 
creased by breaking off one, or more, of the little knobs 
of the full-grown tubers. These may be planted and 
managed exactly like the old-established roots, and will 
many of them flower the following season. 
T. Appleby. 
LIST OF STOVE FERNS. 
(Continued from page 4(3.) 
Asplenium elongatom (Lengthened).—A pinnated, 
beautiful, scarce Fern, from the Phillipine islands. 
The leaves are blunt, and rounded at the apex. The 
fronds grow about a foot-and-a-half long. Imported 
lately, by Messrs. Veitch and Son, from Java, and pre¬ 
sented by them to the Royal Gardens at Kew. 
A. falcatum (Sickle-leaved). — An East Indian, 
beautiful, evergreen Fern, with stout, leathery leaves, 
