192 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
December 8. 
it at the beginning of April in heat, and out with it as soon as it is up ; 
lant it out on a rich piece of ground in May, and it will soon he in 
loom ; then select the best colour, and mark the plants. Keep them 
like so many Salvia patens. 
White Moss Rose {Ibid). —The white Moss Roses are quite as hardy 
as the red ones, but some of them are not so strong in constitution. 
Child’s Night Lights {Ibid). —One or two of them “ in a frame in 
saucers,” would, probably, keep out slight frosts; but we fear the gases 
they would emit would be injurious to the plants. 
Pleroma elegans (T. C. jun.'). — Pleroma elegans is a plant that 
requires, through winter, the warmest part of the greenhouse, and should 
have but little water through that season ; only just enough to prevent 
flagging. Then, in spring, give a good shift in a moderately rich com¬ 
post; grow it liberally; and about the 1st of July give it a check, by 
setting it out-of-doors for a short time in a sheltered spot; it will there 
set its blossoms, and should be brought into the greenhouse again to 
bloom. To make it bushy, it should, when growing, be frequently 
stopped. The plant you mention is Vriesia splendens. It is a plant 
rather new, and allied to Bilbergiu , from which genus it has been 
separated. You will find it a most beautiful plant when it flowers. 
Orchids {K. L., County, Dublin). —You have had the misfortune to 
lose the blooms of your Orchids, and ask the following questions :— 
1. When a plant shows flower, ought it to be left in the same house; 
that is, if it be in a hot, damp house, should it be removed to a cooler 
one? That depends upon the kind of Orchid. If it be from the East 
Indies, No! only remove it to the cooler end. If a Cattleya , or other 
genus, from America, Yes ! 2. Supposing the plant to be at rest in the 
cool house, and kept dry, should it show flower, what treatment 
should be adopted? If the roots are (as they should be) alive and 
growing, give a little water, and increase the heat five or ten degrees. 
3. Cattleya crispa , Oncidium luridum , and Epidendrum cochleatum , are 
in a moist house, day temperature 75°; they all are showing flower. 
What should be the treatment ? Give a drier temperature, and a few 
degrees less heat, or the flower-shoots will damp off. 4. Is the outward 
air at this season injurious to plants at rest? That depends upon the 
state of the external weather. Should a mild, sunny day occur, a little 
air may be given for an hour or two, about middav, but if frosty, or 
foggy, or wet, the outward air, if admitted, will do mischief. 
Diseased Siiangiiae Hen ( Argus).— The hen described as in moult, 
broody, very weak, with no appetite, and walking irregularly, frequently 
cioucliing down, is most probably suffering from a severe disease of some 
important internal organ. Cramming in disease can never be beneficial; 
when the digestive organs are able to act there is always an appetite ; 
when unable, cramming must increase the mischief. Imagine cramming 
a man in a fever, and think what would be his chances of recovery. It 
is difficult to prescribe for an obscure case, like the present, without seeing 
the bird ; but warm, dry housing, varied soft food, and a little chopped 
meat, seem very desirable.—W. B. Tegetmeier. 
Diseased Eggs {F. W. S.). —The eggs described as being of an 
offensive character, cannot, I should imagine, owe their peculiarity to 
the birds eating the fruits of the Portugal Laurel, but depend, probably, 
on some unwholesome article of animal food. I write, however, under 
correction, as I have never had any opportunity of examining such a 
case; and if “F. W. S.” could conveniently forward one or two of the 
eggs to town, I would gladly send for and examine them. The fruit of 
the Laurel contains a small portion of prussic acid, but this poison is a 
direct sedative, and unlikely to produce the effects described.—W. B. 
Tegetmeier, Tottenham , Middlesex. 
First-rate Jacobin and Bald Pigeons {H. IF.).—In the first 
place, Jacobins ought to be small birds; and the smaller they are the 
better. There was a time when they were considered smaller than the 
Tumbler. The feathers that form the hood, the closer the better, also 
closer to the head the better ; to have a very short beak, and a clean 
pearl eye, a clean white head, white flight, and tail. With regard to the 
Bald, all the properties in the Almond are to be found in the Baldhead, 
if good, except feather—viz., head, beak, eye, carriage, or shape, feather 
only different. They should have a clean white head, clean and clear 
white tail and flight. Almond Tumblers, and other Tumblers, differ in 
no other properties but feather.— John Matthews Eaton. 
Wall Trees ( Fructus , Saltwell). —We are at all times glad to afford 
any information. Since you decline some of the trees recommended 
before, you cannot do better than substitute—1 Beurre Diet, 1 Napoleon , 
1 Ne Plus Mcuris, and 1 Beurre de Ranee. If you have plenty of height 
of wall, have the trees grafted on the Pear stock; if not, those on Quince 
stocks will be better, provided the soil is not too light and dry. We are 
no advocate for the Quince as a stock, except for wet, cold, and heavy 
soils. The Newtown Pippin will not do; plant a Ribstone Pippin , Court 
of Wick, or Nonpareil. 
Fruit-trees (J.H., Surrey ).—If J. H. will communicate with Mr. 
Hogg, by addressing to him at 13, Gilston Road , Brompton ,* he will 
obtain full particulars as to his enquiry. 
Budding Thorns {C. A .).—We happen to know the very Thorns 
you write about, and every Thorn of any note from Hereford to 
Gloucester, by your road, and back again through Ledbury. We also 
know some ladies, on both roads, who bud Roses, as you do, and for their 
sakes we are loth to lead you into a thorny path. Some people are so 
fond of trifling away their time, that they go on, from year to year, putting 
buds of new Thorns, here and there, on old heads, but they never come 
to much good. If you are really in earnest, “ behead ” the trees by all 
means, and just now is a good time, but give up the idea of working 
them yourself; to climb up a ladder and get your dress entangled in 
these Thorns, of an evening in June, would be an awful predicament, 
and no one would sympathise with you, where every third person is a 
grafter or budder, all over the parish. Rather ask a professional grafter 
to head down the trees as he would an old Apple-tree in the orchard ; ask 
him, again, to graft them like so many Apple-trees, and about three 
weeks earlier than he would the apple, and where the grafts do not take, 
let one of the Cherry budders from Ledbury bud them next June. There 
are plenty of people all round you, who seldom lose a graft or a bud out 
of five hundred. 
Address {II. II.). —H. Sturgeon, Esq., Manor House, Grays, Essex. 
White Scale {Je l y ignore). —Paint over the stem and branches of 
the Vine with a creamy mixture of i lb. of soft soap, 1 lb. of sulphur 
flowers, £ oz. of powdered black pepper, and 4 gallons of water, boiled 
together for twenty minutes. 
Damaged Wheat {Bridport).— The wheat damaged by salt water 
will not injure fowls. 
Vulture-iiocked (T. L. 0 .).—This means that the feathers project 
beyond the hock or knee of the bird, as they do in some of the Falcon 
and Vulture tribes. 
Poultry Fountains {Ibid). —These, made of good brown earthen¬ 
ware, may be had of all sizes. At Bury, in Lancashire, one holding five 
pints may be had for sevenpence. 
Bleeding in Vines {B. H.).— To stop this, char the surface of the 
wound with a red hot iron, and then rub in a paste made with a little 
Roman cement and water. The culture of Pines inpots has been treated 
of very fully in our back volumes. Tanner's bark may be used as a fer¬ 
menting material, with perfect success, in forcing Potatoes, or any other 
vegetable. The bark requires to be in some kind of pit. 
Comb of Spanish Cock {R. T.).—It ought to be upright, or erect, 
and without any excressence upon it. 
Pine culture {H. C.).— Hamilton’s little book is as good as any 
An advertisement may bring you the plants you need. We do not know 
of any. 
Chrysanthemums {E. de la T.). —You can have the book of Mr. G. 
Taylor, Park-street, Stoke Newington, Middlesex. 
Box Leaves {Rev. B. E.). —These are not admitted as having medical 
virtues by modern practitioners, but at one time they were much cele¬ 
brated as a medicine in colic, intermittent fevers, See. Oil distilled from 
the wood, is said, by Dr. Withering, to give great relief when applied 
locally in cases of hcemorroids; and that a powder of the leaves will 
destroy worms. 
Newton Abbot Poultry Show. —We are informed that no first 
, prize was given there for Golden-pencilled Hamburghs, but that Dr. 
i Rogers and Mr. W. Wivell Rowe had each a second prize. 
Winchester Poultry Show.—W hen we alluded to the dark beaks 
of the White Dorkings our observation was general. Mr. Antill’s were 
free from the blemish. 
Gas Stove for small Greenhouse {H. C., Liverpool). —If you 
refer to our Indexes, you will find full directions for using this. It 
answers very well, but requires a tube to convey all the smoke, See., out 
of the house. 
Query {Clericus).—“ A. the owner of a Buff Cockerel asks his friend 
B. to exchange with him for a Partridge-coloured bird of the same age for 
the season; B. consents; A. stipulating that each should retain their 
respective rights of ownership. Soon after this arrangement had been 
made, the Eastern Counties Exhibition was started, and one of the con¬ 
ditions of that Show is, that the birds exhibited shall be bona fide the 
property of the exhibitor. Now, both friends wish to exhibit the 
Partridge-coloured bird. Query—Who has the greatest right? The 
owner for the time being; or the breeder who has lent him to his friend 
for the season?” We think the breeder lias the right to exhibit the 
Partridge cockerel. He only parted with him for a specific purpose — 
breeding—and the ownership remains with him. 
Moulting {Wales. J. L. F.). —The only aids to moulting that we 
know, are generous feeding, and warmth. Give a little animal food. 
Index {An Old Subscriber). —You may obtain the Index of any volume 
of The Cottage Gardener from Messrs. W. S. Orr and Co. We 
purpose giving the Title-page and Preface in one number, and the Index 
in the next number, of our future volumes. 
Back Numbers {R. H.C.). —All, or any, of our back numbers can 
now be procured of Messrs. Orr. Dorkings are not such good layers as 
Shanghaes, but they are better for table use. No treatment will make 
old Dorkings lay in winter. To combine their good qualities, keep 
Shanghae hens and a Dorking cock. 
Birmingham Poultry Show.— The total entries of poultry to be 
shown this year in Bingley Hall are 2,2/6 pens; and we understand that 
applications for from three to four hundred certificates have been re¬ 
ceived by the Secretary since the last day on which these forms were 
issued—a number sufficient alone to make up an ordinary Poultry Show. 
There will be 280 pens of pigeons ; and this part of the Exhibition will, 
we believe, contain many very choice and valuable specimens, and form 
a most interesting and attractive feature in the collection.— Midland 
Counties Herald. 
Bigarreau Cherries {Practical). —We should fear your Bigarreaus 
are worn out. You can do nothing better than apply liquid-manure to 
the soil during the growing season. 
Names of Plants (Rev. R. M. E .).— Veronica Lindleyana. 
{E. R. S.). —Small blue flower, Polygala vulgaris; the yellowish-white, 
Linaria versicolor; the white Moss, Sphagnum palustre . 
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 8th, 1863. 
