170 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN'S COMPANION.— June 3, 1856. 
i 
that is wanted, and they do not need so much covering 
up in frosty weather; for out of about two thousand 
cuttings, which 1 put in last autumn this way, I do not 
believe more than live per cent failed to make good 
plants in April, and some of them had no other cover¬ 
ing at any time than an old light. The only regret 
was, that I put them in too thick. Some of them I 
thinned out early in March, planting them under 
glass in like manner; and some of those which re¬ 
mained where they stood the winter were so much 
grown by the first week in April, that l planted many 
of them out at once into the beds they are to occupy 
the summer, covering them up a few frosty nights with 
boughs, &c. 
Now, though [ am not certain but they would have 
been as large plants by the middle of June, had they re¬ 
mained under glass till the first of May especially as 
there were some useful showers then, still, 1 am certain 
they would not have been better; and if dry weather had 
set in during the early part of May, the planting of Cal¬ 
ceolarias would have been an unfortunate affair. As it is, 
they were establishing themselves by that lime, and 
ready to make a start. And as I am not acquainted 
with any plant which lifts with a ball of earth so well 
as the Calceolaria, 1 have no hesitation in recommending 
the amateur never to pot it when there is a chance to 
grow it without. I may add, that I did put in several 
large pans of cuttings the same time in autumn as I put 
in those out-doors, which were kept in a cold frame all 
the winter, and covered up from frost; these I had planted 
out at the same time as the others were thinned, but 
the best plants were those which stood the winter, and 
were thinned as above in March ; and I have no doubt 
but they will prove the best to the last,—having never 
been indulged with a pot, or anything likely to coddle 
them into a delicate condition. 
While on this subject, I may mention that one of the 
most useful plants for occupying the beds in winter, as 
well as flowering in the latter end of May, is Clieirantlius 
Marshallii, of which there are two varieties, one a deep 
orange, the other a clear primrose. These plants being 
of compact growth, very hardy, and blooming with a 
profusion of dense corymbs, present a more gay ap¬ 
pearance than anything I am acquainted with, Alyssum 
Saxatile excepted, which, however, is before them, and 
partly on the wane when they show themselves. I wish 
we had other coloured flowering plants equal to these 
two in beauty and general effect. And as something 
must be done to secure an early bloom in summer, these 
plants cannot be too strongly recommended for that 
purpose ; and by the time this paper reaches the reader 
there will be an abundance of cuttings of them ; which, 
by being put in some cold frame, or other place where 
they can have a little shade for the first week or two, 
strike root freely enough, and generally thrive well; the 
primrose-coloured Cheiranthus, especially, strikes very 
freely, and transplants with good balls at all times, 
while its densely-grown, dwarf, bushy habit, makes it 
look well even in mid-winter, when there is but little to 
look upon that is at all ornamental. The only drawback 
to this and other similar plants is, that by the time it 
has done flowering the season is so far advanced that 
other plants then put in cannot well overtake their neigh¬ 
bours ; presuming them to have been planted early in 
May ; but much may be done by forwarding the plants 
in other places. 
Supposing it were intended to have a bed of Agera- 
tum, Scarlet Geranium, or Heliotrope, where these 
Cheiranthuses have been flowering; well, then, where 
these latter are no longer ornamental, I would take 
them up, and remove part of the soil, replacing it 
by fresh, and the plants above ought to have been 
each, in separate small pots early in the season, and, 
when well established, i.e., when the pots are thoroughly 
filled with roots, turn them out into a bed in some re¬ 
served place, giving them plenty of leaf-mould to grow 
in ; and if this be done in the early part of May they 
will have formed abundance of small roots into this 
leafy soil, which will adhere to them when they are taken 
up to plant into their final resting-place; there is cer¬ 
tainly some labour in tins, and those who object to it 
may partially attain the same object by planting the 
Cheiranthus thin in the first instance, and at the proper 
time planting out the future plants amongst them. 
Verbenas will do this way, as they can be trained over 
the place occupied by the Cheiranthus when it is re¬ 
moved ; and they can be kept under it while in flower, 
but they must be liberally supplied with liquid-manure, 
if the season prove a dry one; otherwise, the ground, by 
having a double crop upon it, cannot be expected to 
mature the second one early. 
Much, however, may be done by arranging so as to 
have a robust-growing plant to follow this Cheiranthus, 
or other similar plant, which it would be prudent to 
plant. In that way, I sometimes plant Heliotrope, 
Gaillardia, Salvia, or some rank-growing Verbena, as 
I cannot dispense with this useful, early, summer flower, 
and have several beds of it, but I would not by any 
means advise Calceolaria to follow this enchanting plant, 
without some considerable addition of soil, or manure, 
which cannot always be had, and it is rarely Calceola 
lias become too strong by having a rich soil to grow in. 
So that when necessity compels the amateur to adopt the 
somewhat desultory process of planting one crop in the 
midst of the preceding one, let the second one be of that 
robust, coarse-growing character, which it is necessary 
to curb, and by so doing it i3 likely the result may be 
satisfactory. J. Robson, 
NOTES FROM PARIS. 
At the time 1 wrote the article which is published in your 
number for May 13th, what I stated respecting the weather 
here was quite correct; but a few days make a great change, 
and my remarks no longer hold good when sent to press. 
Now, you shall hear. 
Up to the very end of April, beginning from January, and 
continuing downwards, we had wonderfully fine weather, 
too tine, it must be allowed, for since the first of this month 
(May), I can only count one day which may be called 
tolerably warm. The first fortnight was marked by rain and 
cold winds. After an interval of twenty-four hours we 
have again torrents of rain. On the 18th and 19th the 
wind was excessive, and within the last two days we have 
had a great deal of rain, accompanied with thunder and 
lightning. The latest accounts, however, are not un¬ 
favourable as respects the crops, and after a perceptible 
rise since the month set in, in the price of grain, the last 
Marseilles report mentions a considerable fall. 
A recent trip of about twenty miles into the country has 
enabled me to compare my notes with a personal inspection. 
The result, and the conclusions, so far as they can be 
hazarded at present, are cheering and satisfactory. 
People have got over their fears for the Potato crops, and 
a great extent of ground has been planted this year. It is 
believed that fruit, especially Pears and Apples, will be more 
abundant than last summer. 
Already, foreed Cherries, Strawberries, and Grapes, are 
somewhat plentiful. In another week, if the weather im¬ 
proves, the out door crops of Strawberries will be nearly 
ready for market. Green Peas, on borders, are now in 
season. I am only speaking of the environs of Paris, but 
from the south we have frequent supplies of the earlier 
fruits, as well as vegetables, as those just named. They 
are, however, still high-priced, especially in the shops of 
thcfournisscurs and the leading restaurateurs. 
The advancement of agriculture is still one of the leading 
subjects of public discussion, and for at least another month 
the great gathering in and around the Palais de VI adust tie 
i will absorb all attention. The necessary preparations have 
I 
1 
