November 24, THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 151 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Petunias (Moira)* —Your Petunias are all good, and you cannot do 
better than cultivate them in the way you propose. You may add, with 
advantage, the following:—Shrubland Rose, Beauty of Sudbury, Fairy 
Queen, Lady Cullum, Rosetta, and Virginium. You ask, how you 
should treat them through the winter ? Keep them gently growing, and 
nip off the top once a month, to keep them bushy. 
Concrete Walks (A Subscriber from the Beginning). —Mr. Appleby 
says his is a trade secret; but we have never found any difficulty in 
making them. The coal-tar sets quicker if boiled ; but used cold it will 
do. We use lime-rubbish sifted fine, mixed with pebbly gravel in equal 
proportions. We mix these with the coal tar until as thick as mortar— 
all the materials being very dry—and spread it about two inches thick. 
In a day or two we sprinkle some fine gravel over the surface, and then 
pass over it a very light roller, or beat it smooth. 
Weight of Goslings.— Mr. Trotter’s remarks on the weight of 
young Geese must have arisen from some misconception of our meaning 
in the passage he refers to. We should, perhaps, have expressed our¬ 
selves more clearly, had we said, “ of Geese as commonly seen ,” 
instead of “ common Geese ;”—since, when the selection of breeding- 
stock and their subsequent management have been duly attended to, 
weights, such as those referred to by that gentleman, are certainly attain¬ 
able in birds not of the Embden or Toulouse breeds. But that 11 lbs. 
is an average (“ store,” not “fatted ”) weight for the young Geese ordi¬ 
narily found, at Michaelmas, in English farm-yards is, we believe, a 
correct statement, and we are speaking solely of such a general average. 
Hence the inference, that the larger breeds deserve more notice than they 
have hitherto gained in the farmer’s estimation. 
Diseased leaves of Camellias, &c. (Annie). —We should think 
the leaves of the Camellias were either injured before they came out of 
the house in spring, from being burned by spots in the glass, or had a 
rusty drop on them. Even behind a north wall, as in your case, we have 
had similar appearances by a part of the plant standing above the wall, 
whilst the rest of it was shaded by it. If the plants are healthy, these 
will soon be replaced by other healthy leaves. The Daphne generally 
loses some of its lower leaves ; if all are affected, the plant is very likely 
over-watered, owing to bad drainage. The Euphorbium takes the withered 
appearance on its lower leaves whenever it is subjected to too much 
wet and a low temperature. It requires from 55° to 60° to open its 
flowers kindly ; it will then stand in from 5° to 10° lower. Sec an article 
to-day by Mr. Fish. 
Plants for back of Melon-house (T. S.).— If you told us more 
about the height, &c., of the back of your cucumber and melon house, 
we could advise better, and the time you intended to use the house for 
cucumbers. Nothing ornamental could flourish in summer owing to 
shade. If you wished it merely to be green , the Ficus stipulacea would 
soon cover it and look pretty. Your cucumbers, &c., should be fifteen 
or eighteen inches from the glass. You can have vapour beneath by 
pouring water so as to reach the heating medium there. Two or three 
lines with a pencil would have enabled us to see the matter more clearly. 
Profitable Poultry (A Young Yorkshireman). —If you wish to 
breed good chickens, and have a good supply of eggs, have a first-rate 
Dorking cock and five large Shanghae (Cochin-China) pullets. 
Caponizing (S. S.). —It is too cruel, too needless, and too objection¬ 
able a subject for us to discuss. 
Poultry mixing together (Ibid). —If you let different varieties 
communicate you will have cro9s-bred chickens, beyond all doubt. There 
is no mode of making them constant like Pigeons. 
Cricket Ground (H. II. 71/., Oxford). —The water at the end of the 
drain, we think, will not injure the turf. It will probably keep it a little 
more green in summer than in other parts. 
Gardeners* Calendar (Sarah Roope ).—There is a condensed one 
of the Kitchen Garden. 
Rustic Work (Constantia). —Mr. Howlett’s pamphlet may be had 
of Messrs. Jarrold and Sons, Booksellers, 47, St. Paul’s Churchyard. 
Home-made Wine. — R. H. I. has some which “ tastes of the Cask.” 
He wishes to know if there is any mode of removing this objectionable 
flavour. 
Nankeen Bantams (Bootham). —The combs should be double. 
Combs of Wn i t e Dorkings (Moira). —In our opinion, the single 
comb is handsomest; but taste is arbitrary, and judges require that those 
exhibited shall have double combs. Captain Hornby sells his Shanghae 
eggs. His address is, “ Knovvsley Cottage, Prescot, Lancashire.” 
Commended Birds (F.). —The copy you ask for is sent. It is quite 
true, that commended birds at large shows arc probably equal to prize 
birds at small shows; and we, therefore, publish them. We cannot do 
so invariably because of the space they occupy. 
.Stove in Conservatory (71/. B .).'■—We cannot recommend any stove 
for it that has no flue. Can you not have a tank that can be filled with 
boiling water ? 
Pens for Poultry travelling (E. /.).—Stout, closely-wattled, 
wicker baskets are best—square, and with the entire lid to open. If you 
do not mind expense, Mr. Gray’s, as noticed and engraved in our columns, 
is very desirable. 
Names of Fruits (G. //.).—The round Apple is a Golden Reinelte, 
and the long one the Nelson Codlin. The Pear is Beurre de Ranze. 
Feeding Bees (C. II.). —None of your stocks will require feeding at 
present. Try them again about the end of January. 
Reigate Snow.—The Rev. .1. Boys, of Biddenden, took a first prize 
for Dorkings, and not a second , as stated. 
Names of Fruit (J. 71/.)—Pears. No. 1. Nelis d*Hirer. 3. 
Apparently a small Beurre I)iel. 4. Beurre d'Aremberg. (i. Napoleon. 
7. Cnlebassc Bose. 8. Easter Beurre. 9. Giant Morceau. 11. Seems 
a small Bishop's Thumb , but decayed. 12 . Swart's Egg. Apples. — 
No. 1. Ilormead Rearm a in. 2. Bedfordshire Foundling. 3. Nonesuch. 
4 . Hubbard's Peannain. 
CALENDAR FOR DECEMBER, 
ORCHID HOUSE. 
Aerides, Saccolabiums, and similar plants, keep moderately dry. 
Air: excepting on very fine, bright, sunny mornings, when the heat 
of the sun and the fire combined raise the temperature too high, no air 
will be required this month. Blocks, plants in, syringe when the sun 
is likely to shine. Baskets with plants in, that are growing, dip in 
tepid water two or three times; those not growing dip only once. 
Baskets (new), make to be ready when wanted. Cockroaches, 
search for diligently, and destroy; lay poison for them ; the best is 
candle ends crushed and mixed with arsenic—this is a sure destructive 
agent. Heat, moderate, to induce rest; day, with sun, 70°; without, 
65°; night, 55° to 60°. Insects, destroy diligently; one pair destroyed 
this month will prevent a numerous brood next year. Moisture in 
the Air, supply to plants growing. Pot growing plants: several 
will start this month; do this before new roots are formed. Peat, 
procure; choose the most fibrous ; the best is found in dry woods, where 
the Common Brake (Ptcris aquilina) abounds; the roots of this fern 
form the best fibrous peat. Stan hope as, in baskets, beginning to 
grow, put into fresh baskets with fresh peat; four inches deep is quite 
sufficient. Water at the roots, apply only to growing plants, and that 
round the edges of the pots. Young Shoots, look to, and keep the 
centre dry, or they will rot. T. Appleby. 
PLANT STOVE. 
Air, give on all favourable occasions. Achimenes, pot a batch to 
flower early. Amaryllis, pot a portion, and plunge in a moderate 
tan-pit to flower early. Begonias, to bloom early, repot. Clero- 
dendrums beginning to grow, repot towards the end of the month; 
place in heat, and water moderately. Erantiiemums, winter-llowcring, 
water freely, and occasionally with liquid-manure. Ferns, repot small 
plants ; reduce the water to old ones ; cut down decaying fronds. 
Franciscka, pot a few, and place in heat, to flower early. Gardenias, 
pot a batch, wash every leaf, and place in dung heat, to start them to 
grow, and kill insects on them, especially the red spider, the great enemy 
of Gardenias. Gesneras showing signs of growth, shake out of old 
soil, and pot in fresh compost; give little water and moderate heat till 
next month. Gloxinias, treat a few similarly. Hoya Bella, a new 
and beautiful species, put in baskets, and train downwards. Ixoras, 
keep cool, and moderately dry, through the month. Luculia gra- 
tissima, in flower, remove into a greenhouse, to prolong the bloom. 
Lycopods, divide and repot. Passiflora, and other climbers, prune, 
and tie neatly in. Plants to Force, such as Azaleas , Persian Lilacs , 
Rhododendrons , Roses , &c., place in a forcing-house, to bring them 
on to flower early. Rogieras, a genus of winter-blooming plants, 
should be now showing flowers. Sericographis Giieisbregiitiana, 
another addition to our winter-flowerers, repot, and water freely after the 
blooms are visible. Tan-beds, renew, to keep up a good heat through 
the winter. In every department of the stove let cleanliness prevail; 
clear the surface of the pots of moss and lichen ; stir up the soil care¬ 
fully, without injuring the roots ; search diligently for insects; keep the 
walls and floors as dry and clean as possible ; remove decaying leaves as 
soon as they occur; wash pots with plants in that have become green ; 
and let neatness be the general order of the day throughout the month. 
T. Appleby. 
GREENHOUSE. 
Air, admit freely when the external temperature is above 35°, espe¬ 
cially among hard-wooded plants not desired to have early in bloom. 
Those growing freely, or in bloom, should have an average temperature 
at night of 45°. A warm greenhouse should be seldom lower. Azaleas 
for late blooming, keep cool; those swelling their buds not below 45°. 
Bulbs, well-rooted in pots, place in gentle heat for early blooming; put 
funnels of paper over the Hyacinths , to cause the stems of the early ones 
to rise freely; keep mice from the successions ; few things are better 
for this than eliopped furze. Calceolarias, Cinerarias, Camel¬ 
lias, &c., attend to with heat and moisture, according to the time you 
desire them to be in bloom; the two first will require frequent fumi¬ 
gating. Chrysanthemums, water freely with manure water. Climbers, 
prune generally, to give light to the plants beneath them. Passion¬ 
flowers may be pruned back to within a bud of the main shoots. Tecoma 
jasminoid.es will bloom best on longish, strongish shoots; the smaller, 
therefore, should be cut out; after the strength is thus moderated, by 
these flowering profusely, it may be spurred back, like Passion-flowers. 
Train and clean winter-flowering climbers, such as Kennedyu Maryatta 
and various Tropwolums, such as tuberosum and pentaphyllum; the 
latter, started in summer, will bloom all the winter, but the best for this 
purpose, in a warm greenhouse, is Lobbianum. Earth in pots and 
borders keep fresh by stirring. Geraniums, encourage the lorwardest, 
when early blooming is desirable, with plenty of air, and a medium tem¬ 
perature of 45°, giving them plenty of air, and tying them out. Scarlets , 
taken up from flower-beds, and kept in boxes and sheds, keep dry. 
Keep old Calceolarias , so raised, moister. Heaths, keep cool, and give 
abundance of air in mild, clear weather. Heat, by fires, apply when 
necessary ; use a little covering in severe weather in preference to making 
the fircs’strong. Ixias, Gladioli, and the hardier Lilies, pot and 
set in a cold pit, to be protected from frost. Insects, keep under, by 
fumigating and scrubbing. Leaves, dirty, wash; decayed, remove. 
Mignonette, take in a few pots now and then. Oxalis, give winter¬ 
blooming ones, such as lobata , plenty of light and water. Poinskttia 
imjlciierrima will make a warm greenhouse now gay for several weeks. 
Primula (Chinese), introduce; water with liquid-manure when it shows 
the flower-bud ; the double-white give a favourable and warm position ; 
as the flower stands well when cut it is valuable for nosegays. Roses, 
and other Shrubs, introduce for forcing; commence at first with a top 
temperature of from 45° to 50°; if the bottom-heat is from fi° to 10° 
higher, all the better. Salvia splendens, supply liberally with water, 
and give it a warm corner. Gesnera zebrina will still be a good accom¬ 
paniment where the average night temperature is 45°. Salvia gesnera - 
