Decembeii 20. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
25 L 
j what he said of plants suitable for such circumstances j but a list of good 
! plants will be made out ere long. 
Changing a Vine by Grafting, oe Inaeciiing (Ibid).— By this 
j you will secure the crop this year (on the old Vine, we presume), but you 
will not get such a young shoot as you would do by sacrificing the crop 
by cutting the Vine down. To save the crop, and yet change the sort, 
i put a graft on one of the lowest shoots or spurs directly, if you propose 
starting it in .lanuary; or obtain a shoot from such a spur, and inarch a 
! young vine upon it in May or April. In cither case, every other shoot 
and lateral on the Vine must be stopped after the bunch, except the 
grafted or inarched one. You cannot graft the Vine when the sap is 
rising. If you do not do it now, you must wait until the Vine is in 
full leaf. 
Bark Bed for Forcing Frame (G.).—You would have a difficulty 
in securing heat in cold weather, unless you could surround it by a 
I lining of hark, or fermenting matter, such as dung, &c.; but if you 
merely wanted a little heat it will do. It will be time enough to sow 
| Canna and Balsams in such a place in March, and they are not only 
j worth sowing but worth growing. 
Poultry Queries.— Mr. Tegetmeier begs to state that he cannot 
I answer any poultry queries that are sent to him by post unless the letters 
j contain a stamped envelope for the reply, when he will he most willing 
j to do so. All others will be noticed in the correspondent’s page of Tiie 
Cottage Gardener. Mr. Tegetmeier’s present address is Willesden, 
j near London. 
Cochin Pullet not Laying (R. P. M.).— In the case of the pullet 
described as unable to lay her first egg, nothing can be done beyond 
waiting with patience for the effects of the natural expulsive efforts. 
The query arrived too late for reply in our last number. 
Poultry Fountain ( — ).—We do not know of any Poultry Foun¬ 
tains so cheap as sevenpence each, like those at Bury, in Lancashire. If 
any such could be bought in London they would sell readily. 
Price of Shanghaes (Ibid).—We hope never to hear again of such j 
prices as forty and fifty pounds for one, but if you had seen at Birming- | 
ham how birds sold readily at from £'2 to £5 each, you would not have 
thought them decreasing in value. Good birds will always fetch a good | 
pi ice; bad and moderate birds are, as they should be, just worth as much 
as is their value for table. 
Pedestal (Lora). —Unless we saw where the fountain is placed, and 
all the accompaniments, we could not venture even to offer a suggestion. 
Removing Yew Trees (Croydon).— You may very safely move a 
Yew, the stem of which is six inches in diameter, if you attend to the 
precautions we have repeatedly published. 
Soft Eggs (Ibid).—We have often observed that these are usually 
the result of inflammation of some portion of the egg organs. Try a 
lower diet of boiled rice and mashed potatoes for a week or ten days. 
The excessive number of cocks, eight to thirteen pullets, should be 
entirely obviated ; three cocks would be quite enough. If they are all 
together it is very erroneous practice. 
Camellia Stocks (S. IV.).—We cannot give you the information as 
to price. Write to two or three of the chief London nurserymen. 
Poultry Prizes (J. !>.).—If you directed your poultry not to be 
put up to sale, the committee have no right to deduct, from the amount 
of your prizes, the charge arising from their own mistake. 
Sea-shore Seeds (B.).—They were broken into small pieces by the 
post-office punch. You will find the recipe for the sulphur, soft-soap, 
and clay mixture, to dress your Vines, in almost every one of our past 
volumes. Aspurayus plants, three years old, may be taken up very 
safely and replanted in the spring. 
Pyren/ean Maize.— R. IV. wishes to know where this can be 
I obtained. 
Zinc Labels (P .).—Scour the face with rough sandpaper, and you 
will find that the ink will then adhere. 
Manuring Roses (Ibid).— Put a mixture of your dungs, various, 
about six inches below the surface of the soil, over the roots, and in 
spring and summer give frequent waterings in a basin left in the soil. 
Answers to other queries next week. 
Names of Plants (A Subscriber ).—1. Asplenium Trichomanes, the 
Maiden-hair Fern. ‘2. Appears to be seedling plants of some kind of 
Aspidium. 3. Asplenium Ruta-Muraria, the Wall-rue Spleen-wort.— 
( A New Subscriber).—33. Euonymus F.urapceus, the common Spindle- 
tree or Prick-wood; and 32 is the white-fruited variety of the above, 
| which is called Euonymus Europceus, var. leurocarpus. 
| 
CALENDAR FOR JANUARY. 
ORCHID HOUSE. 
Aerides, Sacrolabiums , Vandas , and such-like Indian plants, give 
wut r to once during the month. Air.— In this first month of the year 
we frequently have severe frosty nights, and clear, bright, sunny 
days. The heat necessary to keep out the frost, and the bright sun, 
will raise the temperature of the house too high; to lower it to the 
right pitch air must bo given, and the apertures to give air ought 
to be so placed that the cold air does not rush in directly upon or 
through the plants. The best place for the openings is directly oppo¬ 
site the pipes; the air then becomes heated in a degree before it 
reaches the plants. Blocks: plants on these will require attention ; 
any that are loose should be refastened ; clease the leaves and pseudo¬ 
bulbs from green scurf and all kinds of insects. Cyrtopodiums, see 
to; if any fresh growth is observable, repot in a rich compost. Den- 
drobiums, remove into a cool house; such as show growth may be 
potted and kept moderately moist. Heat : keep both the houses to the 
lowest point of heat for the first half of the month ; as the days lengthen 
allow the heat to increase a few degrees. Insects, continue to destroy. 
Moisture : on sunny days sprinkle the walks, walls, and pipes, two or 
three times a day. Phais grandiflorus, now flowering, give plenty 
of water, and, if convenient, plunge the pots in a bed of heated leaves, 
or tanner’s bark. Potting, continue to perform upon all orchids 
beginning to grow. Soils, procure, such as fibrous peat and turfy 
loam ; lay them in a place to dry, to be ready for the general potting 
next month. Sobralias, place in a cool house ; heat 55° by day, and 
50° by night; cut down all the shoots that flowered the preceding summer 
to allow room for the young shoots : keep them quite dry while at rest, 
Staniiopeas in baskets, if growing, dip in tepid water. Syringe 
blocks, as directed last month. Water at the roots, apply carefully; 
do not wet the young shoots. T. Appleby. 
PLANT STOVE. 
See last month. Prepare a hotbed, e., to strike cuttings in. Climb¬ 
ers beginning to grow, tie in. Era nth emu ms, and other winter¬ 
flowering plants, give manure water to occasionally. Turn tan-beds , 
and renew the heat by adding fresh bark. Pot a second batch 
of Aehimenes , Gesneras , and Gloxinias, to succeed those done last 
month. Give moderate supplies of water till they begin to grow. The 
heat of this house must still be kept low, as too much excitement will, 
for want of light, cause the plants to grow weak, and the young leaves to 
come yellow. Seeds of stove plants sow, e., giving only one watering 
till they begin to appear. Hard-shelled seeds steep in water heated to 
180° or 200°; leave them till the water cools. Sponge all large leaves, 
to clear off dust and insects. Surface-stir the earth in pots, and 
clear off weeds and moss, and add a top-dressing of fresh compost. 
T. Appleby. 
FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
Air. Whenever the sun overcomes the frost draw off the lights, it 
will refresh the plants much ; if kept on the plants will begin to grow, 
and will be more liable to suffer from close covering during severe 
weather. In dull, humid, mild weather, give air at the back or sides by 
tilting up the lights. Anemones may yet be planted ; choose a dry day 
for the purpose; cover the tubers with a thin layer of white sand. 
Auriculas and Polyanthuses, dress off decayed leaves; search for 
slugs in the frames and under the pots. Carnations and Picotees, 
water when dry ; pick off decayed leaves. Any leaves not decayed, but 
showing spots on them, remove ; it is the plague of these plants. Chry¬ 
santhemums now partially at rest, water once; any advanced shoots 
cut off, and make cuttings of; those out-of-doors place a slight covering 
of tanner’s bark round, to protect them from frost. Cinerarias will 
now be showing flower; water when dry; pot seedlings; repot young, 
small plants, struck late, to encourage growth. Calceolaria seed¬ 
lings, pot off from pans ; repot young plants ; give plenty of air to ; smoke 
frequently, to destroy green fly; attend closely to watering, and avoid 1 
wetting the leaves ; pick off daily all decayed leaves, and clear the surface 
of the soil of moss. These are, as the term is, miffy plants, and soon 
lost, without great care through this month. As the frost in this month 
is often very severe, apply Coverings of sufficient thickness to keep it 
out; light, open material, such as fern or straw, with a single mat over 
it to prevent it blowing about, is better than a covering of three mats 
laid close upon each other. Dahlias, examine, and clear away all 
decayed tops or bulbs; any roots quite gone throw out at once. 
Fuchsias : as soon as shoots are made half-an-inch long, slip them off, 
and put them in sand under hand-glasses to strike; these early short 
cuttings, or slips, strike easily and quickly. Hollyhocks: should the 
weather be open, plant them out; if not already done, the sooner this is 
done the better chance there is to have a good bloom. Use hoops and mats 
over the Tulip and Hyacinth beds in severe frosty or heavy rainy 
weather. Lobelias (Tall), keep from severe frost, and moderately dry. 
Pansies in pots, look to, and water gently when dry ; search frequently 
for slugs; those in the open air, m mild weather close the earth (loosened 
by frost) to the plants ; if open weather, give a top-dressing of decayed 
leaves and a little soot. Pinks : after the frost is gone press the soil to 
with the hand firmly, or they will be thrown quite out of the ground. 
Ranunculuses maybe planted, weather permitting, the last week in 
the month (see former number of The Cottage Gardener as to the 
manner) ; water, give none in frosty weather, but as soon as a change 
takes place, apply it early in the morning of a fine day. Verbenas, 
give air to ; trim off decaying leaves and mould ; stop such as are 
growing and drawing up weak. T. Appleby. 
FLOWER-GARDEN. 
Annuals in borders, keep free from fallen leaves or other litter; and, 
if the weather is fine, sow a few more at the end of the month. Bulbs, 
see that mice or rats do not get to them: fresh soot keeps them off’ for 
awhile. Cuttings, of various hardy deciduous shrubs, climbing Roses, 
and the like, may yet be put in. Edgings, see that they are in good 
