172 
December 1. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
Erica. 7. Use manure-water weak; wliat you mention, if at all fresh, 
or left long in the water, is five times too strong. 8. When to give air 
in winter .—Regulate that more by the outside than the inside tempera¬ 
ture. See article last week. 9 . “ At what degree should I light fires?” 
Alas ! there is no mathematical rule in these matters ; you must take 
sun, clouds, clear skv, the direction of the wind, the indications of a 
thermometer in the shade, all as guides if you wish to he saving. A 
house might be at 50° with sun-heat at three o’clock; but, in a keen 
northerly wind, if you did not light a fire until your house fell to 38° or 
35 , we have seen nights when John Frost would have stuck damp plants 
to the shelves before your furnace would have told. 
Various (I. I.E .). You will find in the present and last number 
much that will suit your case. Though not possessing the issue for the 
last twelve months, yet, by turning to the index of the volumes we 
presume you do possess, you will find information upon everything you 
want. W ith every desire to oblige, we think our readers should exhaust 
the stores at their command by consulting indexes for themselves, instead 
of asking us to do it for them. Much of your want of success, notwith¬ 
standing your zeal, is owing to your window having so little sunlight. 
Your dry cellar will enable you to save such things as Fuchsias and 
Scarlet Geraniums; but beware that in rotting vour vegetable refuse in 
your damp cellar you do not create a cholera nuisance. Do not let the 
sod in your Geranium and Fuchsia pots get quite dry. The best time for 
propagating all you mention would be April or May; but, with your 
means, it would be folly to trouble yourselt with Heath propagation. If 
you keep your Myrtle cuttings alive they will, perhaps, root in spring. The 
Oleander would have done better with you if you had inserted the cut¬ 
ting in a bottle of water and set it on vour chimney-piece. Your Rose 
will get more vigorous next spring. As touching it, and Azaleas and 
Camellias, see an article last week. You must keep the frost out of your j 
parlour. You have done quite right with your bulbs. Let them remain 
where they are covered up until the pots are crammed with roots. Bulbs, ‘ 
Fuchsias, Geraniums, and such hardy things, would suit your circum- 
stances best. 
White Game Fowi. (Q. Q. Q.).—ln colour only would the points of a 
good white Game fowl differ from what is required in the other varieties 
of that breed. the head of the cock should be thin and long; face 
bright red; beak strong and curved; eyes prominent; neck long and 
full; breast broad ; back short and flat between the shoulders ; body 
tapering towards the tail; wings inclined to expand and cover the thighs, 
which are short and muscular; shank of the leg powerful, and long in 
proportion to the thigh; legs well forward, with a clean flat foot,'and 
strong claws, the spur being low on the leg; feather close and hard; 
carriage erect and confident. The characteristics of the hen are those 
of the male bird, with the usual feminine reductions. Bantams arc in 
No. 5 of Tiie Poultry Book.-W. 
Guinea, Fowl (P. S. H .).—The points of the Guinea fowl were 
alluded to in a recent query. In proportion to the less frequent exhibi¬ 
tion of these birds than other fowls, the standard of excellence may not 
have been so positively determined on ; but uniformity of markings and 
colour generally, shortness on the legs, depth of body, and weight, are 
many points by which judges are guided.—W. 
How LATE CAN Evergreens be Planted (X X).—Every plant 
you mention lias been planted and transplanted by the hand which writes 
tins, over and over again, in every week in ihe year. In a very cold late ! 
spring, April is the worst time, and frosty weather, in December, the next 
worst time to transplant. When the autumn is cool and moist, from 
August to October is the best time to move all evergreens. That was the 
tune chosen by our great-grandfathers, and by their fathers before them, 
to transplant their evergreens, as we shall prove some of these days, 
from the log of a dealer of those times. In your case, if you get 
your trees and shrubs in by the end of February you are safe enough. 
A head gardener from Scotland is the most “ economical,” if his own 
head is put on the right way, otherwise he is what he is, and an English 
or Irish gardener is no more. We never interfere in this department, 
and we cannot say where is the best place to apply to. 
Budded Hoses (M. C. E .).—A lady wishes to ask if other ladies, who 
have bunded Roses this season, found them slovv in moving, that is, do 
the buds generally remain dormant. Her own buds look fresh and 
healthy, but they did not start in*o growth ; she took off the tvings, and 
wishes to know if that is a safe way. In such a season as this,’it is most 
fortunate that the rose-buds did not start, as they, or the shoots from 
them, would be so green and soft that frost would be sure to hurt them. 
As to their taking harm as they are, that depends upon the sorts. A bud 
once taken j us t ; safe on the wilding as it w r ould be on its 
own mother branch, or very nearly so ; therefore, a very hard winter will 
never hurt dormant buds of hardy Roses, or of other hardy plants. 
Tree Pieonies (Ibid ).—Early in the spring is the best time to head 
down Iree I ceomes, and Apple Trees, and many other trees; and when 
that is done, we cannot expect flowers or fruit that same season. To he 
sure, a Tree Pceony might be cut back after flowering in May; but then, 
unless the season and the part of the country were verv favourable to 
ripen flower-buds before the end of the season, there would be no flowers 
next year, so that the question of cutting Tree Pceonies before or after 
flowering is as broad as it is long,” as country people say. 
Dielytra spectabilis {Ibid ),—The leaves and stems of this planl 
ought to be so ripe by the end of October that you might cut them ofl 
when you dressed the border ; the roots are quite hardy; but in case the 
winter turns out very hard, and your plant is very young, a little pro- 
tection will not hurt it, and may save it from bemg" hurt-place a pot 
Rose Poles (M. E. <?.).—Our correspondent wishes “to have < 
Larch poles, fifteen feet high, with Roses over them.” Some of t 
Roses he wishes “to be fragrant, and others fast growers,” therefore 
must have Noisette and Evergreen Climbers for “fast growers ” v( 
strong Hybrid Perpetuals for fragrance, and to keep a constant si 
cession of flowers, and, if possible, to form the body of the pillars so, 
years hence, lie must also have, for this style of pillar, two or ?h 
“ ” 8uret ° kee P the bottom full, and to flower down to t 
ground. AV hen one begins gardening late in life, or when one wishes 
anticipate the result of ten years in advance, this is a very good way of 
going to work. The question, therefore, may be considered as of uni¬ 
versal or public importance, and is answered accordingly. Seven kinds 
of strong summer climbers, and three kinds of Noisettes, will make one 
fast grower” for each pole. The best ten would make perpetuals, and 
we only recommend for bottom the Gloire de Rosumene and Geunt des 
Batailles ; the iormer must be on its own roots, or else it will do no 
good; the Geunt would also be better on its own roots ; but very low- 
worked plants will do. The Hybrid Perpetuals ought to be standards 
and dwarfs, say ten of the very tallest and strongest standards one can 
buy, and ten strong dwarf plants, on their own roots, or worked very 
low, ot the same kind as the standard, or any favourite kinds. For seven 
best summer Climbing Roses, take Felicite perpetueUe, Princess Maria, 
Myrianthes , Rampant , Ruga, and Laura Davoust. For three best 
pillar Roses, take the old La Marque and La Biche, two of the best 
pillar Noisettes, though old; and for the third, we would choose Jaune 
Desprez. If you want experiments, try Cloth of Gold , Solfaterre , and 
Fellenberg , or else Fortune's Yellow instead. For Standard perpetuals, 
^j e ^/ uc ^ ume Lajfay, Mrs. Elliot , William Jesse, Baron Prerost, Pius 
the Ninth, Standard of Morengo (plant this with Rampant ), Duchess of 
Sutherland, Countesse du Chutel, Piei're de St. Cyr, and Coupe d ’ Hebe. 
All these are among the very best Roses known, but there are many 
more just as good, so there is a great choice in all classes of Roses. 
| I t la l r J i No : 2 > Auguste Mie , the Malmaison, Bouquet de Flore . Compte 
Montelinet, Queen of Perpetuals, Queen Victoria, and scores, are 
fully as good as those we have named ; but we would always plant our 
onw ground with the very kinds we recommend. 
A Difficulty (Zealous Subscriber ).—It is perfectly impossible to be 
aware of what wouki suit you from the data given. *A magician could 
hardly tell “ the best hardy trees and shrubs to plant a spot,” and this 
j spot” is now planted witli Willows, with a ‘‘stream running through 
it, and there “was a pond there last autumn.” If the “spot” is 
swampy, Willows, Poplars, and Alders, are the best trees for it and 
Magnolias, of sorts, would he the best shrubs. But what kind of soil is 
it.? What 13 the intention of planting it ? Is it to hide out anything or 
with a view to profit, or what? Is it in the middle of a forest,’ or in the 
bottom ol a naked valley? or near a garden, or farm, or where ? What 
is the force of the “stream;” and how is it supplied, seeing the old 
pond is no more ? 
Insects (T. M. IT.).—The insects found in your vase, in which you 
fed some caterpillars with leaves and grass, arc the larvae of a fly 
(Ant ho my i a canicularis), very like the common house-fly. They are 1 
found in water and moist, places, and occasionally get into the human I 
stomach, where they cause diseas'e.—W, 
'W. Adams (C.).—Thankfully received. 
Feathers (S. YJ. It is vcrj r likely they are Grey Shanghaes, as you > 
say the parents came from China; hut it is as impossible to give a ; 
decided opinion from an inspection of a few feathers, as it would he to ' 
draw a lady’s portrait from a lock of her hair. Pear Trees grafted on 
Quince stocks usually will produce cracked fruit, or be otherwise de¬ 
fective on a dry soil. 
Rf.igate Poultry Snow.—We are informed that Mr. Bridges of 
Croydon’s Partridge Cochin China fowls took a first prize, and not a 
second, as stated. 
Pullets Eggs (T. P. M .).—Of valuable birds, we have had the very 
first eggs hatched and with good results, but usually we reject about the 
first half-dozen. The contents of the slop-pail require to be diluted very 
much before used as liquid-manure. It is only advantageous during the 
growing season. 
*?H, CKS EO.-Mr. Punchard’s direction is “Blunt’s 
Hall, Haverhill, Suffolk.” 
Gutta Percha Bee-hives (Honey Bee ),—It might he adopted as a 
cover to exclude wet, but would warp too much, we think, if employed 
in forming the hive itself. We know of no rock plants that are specially 
good bee-flowers. J j 
Is Glass Porous? (Municeps ).—All bodies are porous, therefore ' 
glass is so, but we do not know which kind of glass is most so. 
Chicory Seed (A Country Curate).—We cannot say where " the 1 
best” can he procured. We should apply to a wholesale agricultural 
seedsman. | 
Soap Boilers’ Waste (J. B. H .).—It has been used on heavy soils, I 
on peat moss, and on cold wet pastures. Twenty waggon loads per acre, 1 
have been used, with great advantage, on the last-named. 
Names of Plants (X H. L,). —1. Crvptomeria japnnica ; 2. Abies ' 
Douglasu ; 3 . Pinus insignis ; 4. Abies Smithiana, or Morinda ; 5. Abies I 
uncertain which; 6. Abies balsamia; /■ Juniperus prostrata • 8. Pinus 
excelsa ; 9. Juniperus ; species ? 10. Juniperus, sp. uncertain ; 11. Juni¬ 
perus suecica; 12. Abies, uncertain; 13 . Cupressus torulosa. Some of 
the hits were too small for us to he. certain as to the species. (F. M. E.). 
Specimen imperfect; probably Aspidium cristatum. (Rev. R. M E ) 
—The yellow flower, Colutea Pocockii (?) The other shrub, Levcesteria 
Formosa. 
Old Holly-tree (Clericus ).—Please to wait a short time, and we 
shall put you in the right way with this tree ; there is no hurry about it 
just now, and we are only waiting to procure dates about a case of the 1 
sort that has been cured, to our own knowledge, for we have seen the 
subject lately. 
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 ot 
Essex, at the Office, No. 2, Amen Corner, in the Parish of Christ 
Church, City of London,—December 1st, 1858. 
