THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
April 15. 
THE CULTURE OF THE PETUNIA FOR 
EXHIBITION. 
In February, or as early in the spring months as possible’ 
take off cuttings of the best approved sorts and those 
colours that will make the best contrast. Plant them in the 
usual way, and plunge them in bottom heat, and keep them 
close for a short time. They will rapidly emit roots, and 
be ready for potting off. 
When potted, place them again in a little heat for a few 
days, till they have made fresh roots, and have started into 
growth. Take off their tops to induce them to throw out 
side-shoots, which should be stopped when they have made 
three joints. 
Give them another shift as soon as required, using the 
following composts, which I have found to suit them to my 
entire satisfaction. Loam of an open texture, well decom¬ 
posed cow-dung, and a little leaf-mould and silver sand, 
, just enough of the latter to keep the compost open and 
porous. To a barrowful of loam add half-a barrow of cow- 
t dung, leaf-mould, and sand, well mix together. 
If the plants are in three-inch pots give them a shift 
• into small forty-eights. After repotting be careful, in water¬ 
ing, not to give more than will keep the roots in a moist 
state, for if the plants are over-watered at this season of 
their growth they seldom get over it to do much good. Be 
in the error of keeping them too dry rather than too wet for 
a time, till they get properly established. 
Give them a situation where they will have plenty of 
light and air, with a little heat to keep them growing on 
steadily. Water them occasionally with weak liquid-manure, 
to induce them to grow vigorously. 
As they advance ill making nice bushy plants, peg them 
out regularly over the surface of the pots, to admit light 
and air to the middle of the plants. Continue to stop 
) them at every third joint, and give them another shift, as 
soon as the roots have reached through to the side of the 
pots, and before the roots become matted together, into 
thirty-two sized pots. Keep them close for a few days after 
potting, till they have made fresh roots. 
As the plants progress give them unremitting attention, 
and let them not suffer from the want of tying out and 
stopping, for on this principally rests success. Let the shoots 
not grow into confusion, before you think about training 
them out, for this is a ruinous system of growing plants. I 
know it is often done, and what is the consequence? Long 
j joints, thinness of foliage, and oftentimes a deficiency of 
i bloom, and disappointment in the end. 
As the plants fill the pots with roots give them a shift 
| into eight-inch pots. This will be the last shift, and be 
, sufficient to grow plants, with proper management, as well 
1 as any one could wish. At the end of May, or the beginning 
j of June, if you have a spare pit, or frame, give them a place 
j in it as near the glass as convenient. On fine mornings 
j and evenings, a light sprinkling over the foliage with clean 
i rain water will be beneficial to them. Give abundance of 
j air, by raising the lights at the back, but at all times avoid 
I a draught; open exposure is preferable. Water three times 
a week with liquid manure. 
If you wish to exhibit the Petunias at the latter end of 
August, continue stopping them up to within a month of 
the time. After stopping the last time, keep them close for 
a few days, till they have fairly broken, then expose them 
to the full rays of the sun for a week, after which place them 
in the greenhouse, give them plenty of room, so that a free 
i circulation of air may pass between the plants. Stand the 
; pots in largo saucers, and keep them constantly full of 
| liquid-manure. Pinch out the blossom-buds up to within 
ten days of the exhibition. Shade them from the burning 
sun. Those who will attend to the rules here laid down, 
with unremitting attention will have plants three feet in 
diameter, and about a foot-and-a-half high, with healthy 
foliage down to the pot, and with such a mass and profusion 
of bloom as will astonish and please all who see them.— 
J. M., Bowood Park. 
CHILDREN’S GARDENS. 
NO. II. 
Situation may appear to be a point of little consequence 
to those who suppose that any out-of-the-way corner will 
suffice for the purpose; but as such is far from my own 
opinion, I shall make a few remarks on this not unimpor¬ 
tant particular, conceiving that, though the circumstances 
on which choice depends differ greatly, a few hints as to 
what to avoid may yet be useful to persons who have not 
directed their attention to the subject. 
First, then, the children’s garden ought not to be in a 
bleak situation, for the cultivator would be certain to take 
cold by standing about while heated. Neither should it be 
too exposed to the noon-day heat, or head-aches will be a 
frequent result. Nor, lastly, should it be in so prominent a 
position as to render the experiments and failures of its 
occupier an eyesore to yourself. An ingenious boy is likely 
to try his hand at structural embellishments, so that you 
may find rockeries and rustic ornaments erected in total 
disregard of their effect from any point of view beyond the 
domain of their designer. It is as well, therefore, to prevent 
the chance of having to forbid attempts in themselves laud¬ 
able. I have found a western aspect free from the first two 
objections; escape from the last one is obviously dependent 
on the general plan of the grounds. If the border is wide, it 
will be a good plan, for the sake of the gravel-walk, to re¬ 
commend some simple mode of laying it out so as to avoid 
the necessity of treading on the fresh earth. The limits of 
each child’s plot should be clearly defined. 
Whatever may be asserted in favour of communism, any 
person who studies the feelings of childhood will soon dis¬ 
cover that a desire for individual, exclusive possession, ex¬ 
hibits itself at so early an age as to afford strong evidence 
for supposing that it is a principle of human nature. If 
this truism be tested by my subject, it will be found to hold 
good; for the first interest a child feels in his garden arises 
from the thought, “This is my own, to do as 1 like with!” 
Inquiry into many cases has convinced me that a forgetful¬ 
ness of this youthful feeling, or an infringement upon this 
liberty of action, is the main source of indifference and 
neglect. 
Let me cite a few instances. “ I don’t care for my gar¬ 
den," said a little girl, “because if I don’t plnut the flowers 
where Pa likes, he looks cross.” “ I don’t see any fun in 
i having a garden when one can’t do as one likes,” said a 
schoolboy, whose father expected his advice to be asked and 
acted upon on every occasion. “ I liavn't planted any thing 
this year,” said another, “ because Mamma talks of making 
a shrubbery here soon, and it’s no use planting things to be 
dug up.” It requires no learned pundit to draw the in¬ 
ferences from these examples, so let us proceed. Whatever 
plant is once bestowed should never be taken from the 
recipient without his full, free consent. The father of a 
school-fellow was a Polyanthus-fancier. Among some seed¬ 
lings he gave to his son, it happened that one turned out 
first-rate, and, without reflection, the father unceremoniously 
removed it, and by its help obtained a prize. Was he really 
a gainer? 1 think not. Had he said to his boy, “Shall 1 
put your plant in my stand?” the lad would have gladly 
consented, and felt himself to be a participator in the 
triumph; but as it was, he neglected his garden from that 
day, justifying himself to his companions with—“ It's no 
use my gardening, for if I grow any thing good my father 
will take it.” While the parent sorrowfully remarked to his 
visitors, “ I can’t think why it is, but George, who used to 
love his flowers, now cares nothing about them." 
I will only observe, further, that the golden rule I find to 
answer perfectly is, “ As much advice and assistance as you 
can afford, and as few 7 orders or restrictions as possible.”—E. 
(To be continued.) 
PRACTICE IN RUSTIC WORK. 
The mere form of rustic stands admits of but little variety. 
There are so many squares, so many circles, or so many 
ovals, and then the same thing must be repeated again and 
again; but when we come to ornament, we can relieve the 
I monotony in a hundred ways or more. Putting a few sticks 
