159 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION.— May 27, 1850. 
of powder, in making up a hotbed from dung, and lie is 
thus able to get to work immediately the bed is put to- 
i gether, without either turning over the dung, or waiting till 
I it sweetens. Of course, the lime takes away the sulphu¬ 
retted hydrogen, and any excessive quantity of carbonic 
acid gas. I think it a valuable practical improvement.— 
W. S. 
CHEAP VARNISH FOR WOOD AND IRON¬ 
WORK. 
I send you a good receipt for a very useful black varnish 
for wood and iron-work, and which needs no boiling and 
risk of burning. It is—one gallon of coal tar, half-a pint 
of spirits of turpentine, two ounces of oil of vitriol, stirred 
and laid on like paint.—C. G. G. 
QUERIES AND ANSWERS. 
GARDENING. 
CLIMBERS FOR THE EAST FRONT OF A HOUSE. 
“ Could you kindly inform me which are the best creepers 
for the old Rectory House here (near Taunton) ? I am 
situated on the top of a very high, bleak hill, with no shelter 
whatever, and the aspect of the house is due cast. This 
aspect had evidently been chosen by the former owner for 
the sake of a most magnificent view, which is certainly 
very enjoyable. At the same time, I should much like to 
find some flowering creepers which would be likely to 
flourish under the disadvantageous circumstances I have 
named.—R. E. M.” 
[We would, first of all, have a deep, rich border. We 
would plant Cotoneastvr microphylla on each side of the 
door, and several feet from it. Seven or eight years’ old 
plants, and all the small wood cut out, would be best. 
Chimonanthus fragrans, and C. grandijlorus, will do on any 
aspect, except due north, and ought to be against all houses 
that are so covered. Clematis montana no cold will impair, 
and is now a “ sheet ” of white blossoms, wherever it is 
established. It would cover a whole house faster than the 
Virginian Creeper, which is not a “ flowering creeper ” so 
called? To the above add Ayrshire Boses.] 
DISEASED GERANIUMS. 
“ I have had the Geranium of which I enclose two leaves 
and flower several years. It was given me under the name 
of the Bishop of Exeter, but as I have never seen that 
name in any florists’ list, or otherwise, I suppose it is a 
wrong one. Can it be Bishopstowe Scarlet ? In the parent 
plant, and in the great number we have raised from it, 
they are all disfigured, as in those leaves I send you. No 
insect can be the cause, for we never find one; and though 
some plants are kept in frames, some in the vinery, and 
others in the conservatory, all equally suffer. It cannot be, 
I think, from the glass.—W. C.” 
[The flowers of the Scarlet Geranium fall to pieces, in¬ 
variably, as soon as a box or letter is opened in which they 
have been inclosed, if only for a few hours. There are, at 
least, 100 kinds of plants of this breed, which are not to be 
found in trade lists. We could supply forty such kinds at 
this moment. We do not happen to know either of the 
kinds you mention, and no one can tell the name of a 
Scarlet Geranium, from leaves and fallen flowers, unless 
it is a very marked kind indeed, such as Baron Huyel, Mrs. 
Rickets, and Sir Colin Campbell, one of the newest and very 
best. The disease in the leaves is as common as the breed 
itself. We have plenty of it just now, the worse luck; it is 
I analogous to the “blister” on the Peach leaves. We 
ascribe it entirely to one cause—the plants had too much 
| frost some time since the last season’s growth. The frost 
affects the parts immediately below the bark first, and in 
frost-bitten Geraniums, a black ring there, when you cut 
J a shoot across, reveals the fact, although you might not 
j have seen it even in the leaves, and the only injury which a 
slight touch of the frost causes, are blistered leaves, as 
soon as next season’s growth has advanced a little; but the 
look is all the harm, in most cases, for the plauts will soon 
“ grow out of it,” particularly if they are planted out.] 
PROPAGATION OF PHAL.ENOPSIS GRANDIFLORA. 
“ I have a Phalcenopsis grandiflora about flowering, and 
am told it can be propagated from its flower-stem, which is 
now about twelve inches long. Can you inform me of the 
manner of so doing, and how I am to proceed ? It is a fine, 
healthy plant, on a block, and I am desirous of having a 
second of it. —Orchid, Dublin." 
[You have been rightly informed, that the Phaltenopsis 
may be increased by its stem, for the fact is well known, 
that the large plant at the Chiswick Gardens did send forth 
two or three young plants on its flower-stems, but we have 
uever heard that any other cultivator has been so fortunate, 
neither did any imported plants ever arrive in this country 
with young plants on their flower-stems. Still, what ODe 
man has done, another may do, therefore, there is no 
reason why you may not succeed also. The way Mr. Gordon 
accomplished this point, was, by first allowing the stems to 
bloom, and then nipping off the end of the stem. The 
young plants then appeared about two-thirds down the 
stems, one only on each. Try that on your plant, and let us 
know the result. 
The plant at Chiswick was the strongest one that ever 
was imported, and it might be that strength enabled it to 
form young plants soon after its arrival. We believe it has 
never done so since. Yet, as there evidently are buds or 
germs of plants on the flower-stems, it only requires care 
and close attention to induce them to come forth, providing 
circumstances are favourable.] 
DIVIDING DIELYTRA SPECTABILIS. 
“My gardener says that a plant of Dielytra, at present in 
a large pot, ought to be divided, to strengthen the bloom. 
Is he right ? or will not repotting it into a larger pot, un¬ 
divided, be more likely to make a largo and strong specimen ? 
—W. X. TV." 
[It is decidedly wrong to recommend dividing a plant of 
Dielytra, at this season, or at any season it may be in growth, 
with the view of strengthening the plant. You may divide 
it for the purpose of increasing the number of plants. 
The way to manage them for large specimens, is to put 
them into their Jlowering-pols as soon as it is safe to turn 
them out after flowering. To plunge the pot one inch over 
the rim, in a warm, sheltered place, where the wind is not 
likely to affect the shoots. To see that the plants do not 
want for water, or have too much of it. To cut them down 
any time after the 20th of September. To take up the 
pots and turn them on their sides in a dry shed or outhouse 
early in November. When we transplant the roots from 
the open ground the flowers are not so fine.] 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Bull-iieads (R . B. T.). —We do not know what these are. 
Lawn injured by Grubs (IF. C., Brighton). —They are the larva of 
the May Buk or Cockchaffer ( Melolontha vulgaris). Destroying the 
parents whenever seen is the best preventive. It is said that watering 
the turf with weak ainmoniacal liquor from the gas-works will destroy 
the grubs. 
Conservatory Fountain (A. C.). —We advise you to write to the 
Parisian manufacturer, whose direction is given at page 113 of our last 
volume, and inquire what he will deliver one for in London. 
Pears from Cuttings (Suburban). —Wait until the summer is over 
before you come to a conclusion. 
Fuchsia not sent (L. R. Lucas). —The parties you name are one 
and the same. The less you have to do with them the better. 
Plants round Hustic Summer-house (G. S.). —Confine the roots 
of the white Ivy-leaf Geraniums, if in pots, and use old plants in the 
open ground, and no kind flowers more freely. Your own plan of ter¬ 
racing the bank and facing the bank with rough larch is the best that 
one could think of. The most appropriate fence is “ diamond paling,” 
and rough larch poles, sawed through the middle, is the best wood. 
These “ uprights ” stand at 45° angle to the rails, leaving a “ diamond ” 
opening at each crossing. 
