TITE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
March 10. 
72 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
*#* We request that no one will write to the departmental writers of 
Tiie Cottage Gardener. It gives them unjustifiable trouble and 
expense. All communications should be addressed “To the Editor of 
The Cottage Gardener, 2, Amen Corner , Paternoster Row, London .” 
ItooT-CRors on Heavy Soil (A Subscriber from the Beginning ),— 
Your strong land, if it has been fallowed, and submitted to the effect of 
frost ‘during the past winter, should not now be ploughed any more this 
season for root-crops, but worked with the scarifier as often as the weeds 
make their appearance ; by this culture you will retain the kind, mellow 
surface which the frost has given you. All the root-crops on this soil 
will do best drilled upon the flat, with artificial manures applied; and in 
case you have a quantity of charcoal saturated with liquid-manure, or 
night-soil and ashes, or soot, or, indeed, any of these useful fertilizers, 
let them be used with, and in addition to, the usual quantities or kinds 
of artificial manures now in use. Mangold Wurtzel of the Orange Globe 
variety is the best for your soil; and the manure to be applied by the 
drill should be two cwt. of superphosphate, with an admixture of a 
liberal quantity of any of the above-named fertilizers ; but before drilling 
these, harrow in and sow broadcast two or three cwt. of Peruvian guano 
per acre, according to the state and condition of the land; also, at any 
after-period, if the plants do not look prosperous, sow over them two 
cwt. of guano just before rain may be expected, using the hand or liorse- 
hoes to connect it with the soil. Upon your land sow Skirving’s Im¬ 
proved Swedes, drill upon the flat, and manure with two cwt. of super¬ 
phosphate, three cwt. of bone-dust per acre, and also a good allowance of 
the before-named fertilizers. Guano will not answer for this crop upon 
your soil, because the roots would be liable to decay in the winter 
months. If the Common Turnips required are for early feeding, you 
cannot do better than use the seed of the White or Red Tankard variety, 
to be manured and managed in the same manner as recommended for 
the Swedish Turnip. These remarks are made at the request of “ A Sub¬ 
scriber from the Beginning 5 ” but all these subjects will be found treated 
of in detailin different back numbers of The Cottage Gardener, at 
[their respective seasons or periods ; we must, therefore, for further and 
full information upon this subject, refer to the articles in question, which 
have appeared in due course of the year 1853.—J. B. 
RnoDODENDRON-BED (J . 0. W.). —A bed of them seven feet high, 
and five feet of that “ like walking-sticks/* may as well be left as it is 
till the top flowers ; at all events, the second week in May is about the 
best time to cut such Rhododendrons. Six weeks before that, or say by the 
first of April, all the smaller shoots, below five feet, ought to be cut to 
four, five, and six inches from the older stems. The buds on these short 
stumps will be getting so forward that they will start with buds on the 
stronger branches on equal terms. See this more explained to-day in 
another page. In May, cut the strong branches at different lengths, from 
five feet to eighteen inches. 
Budding Roses (Ibid). —All the Perpetuals ought to be budded in 
the last fortnight in June, in order to grow and make some progress 
before frost. All the summer Roses will do from the middle of July to 
the end of August. Hybrid Perpetuals should never be budded between 
the 10 th of July and the 20 th of August , but they are safe enough as 
soon before that and as late after that as buds can be had and the bark 
moves freely. The wild shoots should not be shortened at the time 
of budding, nor until September, and even then it depends on the sorts 
and the forwardness of the buds. Shoots budded in June should be 
stopped to half their length in about a month. 
Vines in a Greenhouse (Ibid). — As they have been so long 
under greenhouse treatment, you may begin to force them now by 
closing the house early in the afternoon, and as long as the glass keeps 
above 45°. You need not use fire-heat till the last day in March. 
All through April keep the fire-heat from 50° to 60°. Next year you 
may begin forcing by the last week in February, and after that at the 
beginning of the new year. If you find the least difficulty in forcing the 
Grapes, the middle of January will be your best time to begin, and then 
not to use fire-heat above 50°, for the first six weeks, nor let the house 
cool below 45°, unless the weather is very cold indeed, when about 40°, 
early in the morning, before the leaves come, would not be too cold. 
There is always more danger from too much than too little heat in first 
forcing of Vines and all fruit-trees. 
Coating for Hot-water Tank (J. M .).—You have a hot-water 
wooden tank, and have used pitch and coal-ash to coat the inside, but 
find the hot-water melts it. You wish to know what material will cause 
the tank to be water tight. We know of none, excepting you try Roman 
cement, and if that does not answer, then coat it with zinc ; or, perhaps, 
it will be the cheapest and best to adopt the latter material at once. 
Golden-spangled Cock (A Subscriber). —Mr. Tegetmeier’s paper 
on the 2 nd of February does not at all refer to “ Hen-feathered Golden- 
spangled Cocks,” but to a well-known phenomenon of pullets of any 
breed that are barren assuming the gait, crow, &c., of the cock. 
Mimuluses and Petunias (Ibid ).—Your best Mimuluses are No. 1, 
5, 7 , and 9. You should procure Rubini , and Beauty of Scarbro ’. Your 
best Petunias are your No. 2 , 6 , 6 , 9, 12, 15, and 17. Beauty Supreme , 
is a light lilac; Beaute de Moulins, rose ; Incomparable , dark ; Prince 
Arthur , purple; Lady Cullum and Triumph , striped. The rest are un¬ 
known. The best Calceolarias to grow near London, are your No. 1, 3, 5, 
and 7 . Your Stuvantii we do not know. By Pelargoniums you mean, we 
suppose, the flowers known as Florists’ Geraniums. You wish to know 
the names of a dozen or more suitable for a new beginner, and you add, 
“ not too tender.” You are, indeed, a new beginner, or you would know 
that all Pelargoniums are tender, and that there is very little difference 
in their constitution. Procure the following, they will please you:— 
Optimum, Astrea, Lagonia Kulla, Conspicuum, Chieftain, Enchantress 
(Foster’s), Governor, Incomparable, Lord Mayor, Magnificent, Magnet, 
Mochanna, Purple Standard, Pearl, and Virgin Queen. If you do not 
mind expense, add Regalia and Virginia. 
Verbenas for cur Trusses (M. C., Dublin ).—The following Ver¬ 
benas truss well, and arc good for exhibition:— White , Smith’s Alba 
Magna; Blue , Caie’s Blue Bonnet; Crimson , Barker’s Conspicua; 1 
Pink, Turvell’s Ariel; Scarlet, Smith’s Monsieur Julicn; and Purple, 
Monsieur Paquin. 
Musk Ducks (J. D. K .).—You can obtain their eggs from any dealer, J 
or specimens of the birds themselves. Those entirely white are said to 1 
be the best. 
Cleaning Rose Leaves (An Enquirer). —Nothing more is required 
than tepid water and a sponge. It will remove all the soot and dust, j 
The oftenerit is applied the better the Roses will thrive. 
Direction (A. A.), —Mr. Turner is a very respectable man ; his direc- j 
tion is “ Parkwood Springs, Neepsend, Sheffield.” 
Vegetable Marrow (Adolphus Yates). —Sow the seed in small pots, 
and plunge in a gentle hotbed early in April, and turn out the plants 
into a warm, rich, sheltered border, giving at first a little shelter during 
May. They require no culture but to have the branches trained regu- | 
larly over the ground. 
Roup Advertisement (Vectis). —Not knowing anything about the 
advertiser we cannot give an opinion. 
White Mulberries (A Subscriber ).—Write to Mr. G. Balchin, ! 
Spring Place, Godaiming, Surrey. 
Error —p. 427, col. 2, line 40 from the bottom, For “ Pencilled Gama 
Fowl,” read “Tasselled Game Fowl.” 
American Poultry Book (F . L.). — We cannot give any information 
about it. It is quite worthless. 
Advertisement (Harnett). —It would be 3s fid. 
Cochin Pullet (A Young Beginner), —Never mind the rattling in 
the throat, as the pullet is quite well. 
Sand for Cuttings (G. A. G.). —Silver sand is the best for striking 
cuttings. 
Dwarf Peas (T. Burgess ).—We know of no good Peas only one or 
two feet high. The shortest which we know that are really good are the 
Scimitar, Spanish Dwarf, Imperial Blue, and Dwarf Green Marrow. 
Influence of the Male Parent.— H. T., of Birmingham, asks— 
“ If I take away from my Cochin hens a cock that has been with them 
since Christmas last, and substitute another, how soon shall I get genuine 
eggs by the last cock ?” Another correspondent asks the same question 
as to Game Fowls. We can only reply, that as a hen of any breed will 
continue to lay fertile eggs for about three weeks after being entirely 
removed from a male bird, it cannot be safe to depend upon a fresh cross 
until after the lapse of that period. The subject, however, does not rest 
there, for there are evidences to show that characteristics of the first male i 
will appear in the progeny occasionally for the remainder of the female’s i 
life. It is a mysterious subject strongly illustrative of the text—“ These 
two shall become one flesh.” 
Black Malays (M. T. G .).—We do not know this variety, but will j 
give you a fuller answer next week. We should have thought them to j 
be “ Pheasanted Malays,” only you say they are “ perfectly black,” and 
have “yellow legs.” 
Knowledge v. Ignorance (S. Amey ).—We are obliged by your 
paper; but why combat a phantom ? Mr. Stansbury means as you do, 
“a little learning is a dangerous thing.” 
Aloe (A Constant Reader, Co. Dublin). —We presume you mean the 
Agave Americana; and if so, the late winter was not only cold enough 
to kill it, but has done so according to your description of its appearance. 
Value of Land in Australia (F.). —The following will give you 
an answer;— “Value of Landed Property in Brisbane. —An 
allotment containing 33$ perches, at the corner of Queen and George- 
streets, North Brisbane, has this week changed hands for ^620. The 
allotment has nothing on it but a fence; but it is an excellent situation, 
and has three frontages; 3 acres, 1 rood, and 21 perches at Kangaroo 
Point, the cost of which, when purchased some few years ago, was s£50, 
has recently been sold for sS400. A small brick cottage, and the allot¬ 
ment on part of which it stands, in Queen-street, was purchased less than 
six months ago for ^400, and has this week been sold again for ^1000. 
These sales have been effected by private contract.”— Moreton Bay Courier. 
“ Land Sale. —The most important sale of land ever held in Brisbane, j 
whether we consider the quantity of land offered for sale, or the high 
figure at which most of the allotments were purchased, took place at the 
Court House, on Wednesday and Thursday last. There was present the 
largest assemblage of bidders we ever witnessed, and the biddings were 
very spirited, parties appearing determined to secure their favourite al¬ 
lotments at any price. The most extravagant rate given was for allotment 
6 of section 28, purchased by Mr. Gibbon for ^210, being at the rate of 
^1000 per acre. The extraordinary high rates given for allotments at the 
intended village of Sandgate struck every one with astonishment, and led 
the more thinking portion of the community to believe that a mania had j 
seized the purchasers. However, the result of the sale, which realized ' 
^15,000, sufficiently evince the improved prospects of the town and dis- I 
trict, and the increasing demand for land. Only three country lots re¬ 
mained unsold at the close of the sale, and these were afterwards taken , 
at the upset price, whilst we have every reason to believe that very few of I 
the deposits will be forfeited.”— Moreton Bay Free Press. 
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 of 
Essex, at the Office, No. 2, Amen Corner, in the Parish of Christ 
Church, City of London.—March 16th, 1854. 
