330 THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION.— August 5,1856. 
sticky ; so that where a cool, shady corner cannot be ob- | 
tained for them, it would be prudent not to grow many 
of them in summer, but in spring and autumn they may 
be sown with every prospect of success. I might add, 
what I have on several occasions done, that a north 
border is, perhaps, the very best place for both Radishes 
and Lettuces in dry, hot seasons; and I need hardly 
add that the shade from a high wall or building is much 
better than from trees or hedges; the latter always rob¬ 
bing the ground of its most useful productive juices, 
independent of the injury it does by preventing rain, 
dews, &e., operating at once upon the vegetable; for 
though they might not happen to lack moisture, yet the 
rain which falls on a tree, and thence upon another object, 
is altered the second time, and divested of its most use- I 
ful properties. Hence the propriety of adopting a build¬ 
ing, or other object than a living tree, as a shade op¬ 
posed to the tierce glare of a summer’s sun. 
The same correspondent asks what he is to do with 
the ground vacated by Peas.? This, by all means, must 
not be idle, and the sooner he can get it dug the better, 
after the Peas are done with ; and if it be done by the 
beginning of August, then he may plant a good breadth 
of Winter Brocoli, of various kinds; and, by way of 
economy, be may even plant these before the Peas are 
off, taking care, in gathering the Peas, not to injure the 
Brocoli or other plants. The way I do is to sow the 
Peas in rows sis feet apart, which allows room for three 
rows of Brocoli between them ; and although the pro¬ 
gress of the Brocoli is slow until the Peas are cleared 
away, yet they make some advance and become estab¬ 
lished, ready to go ahead when the cumbersome Pea 
crop is removed, and often turn out very well. But 
should the Pea be very late, and perhaps be sown so 
close as to leave no chance for an undercrop to do any 
good, then the ground must be dug immediately they 
are cleared away, and Cabbages, Lettuces, Endive, or 
some other autumn-planted crop may take their place, the 
grand object being not to allow the ground to lie idle; and, 
at the same time, crop it so as to vary the productions 
each time as much as possible. The wants of the culti¬ 
vator will, in a general way, determine what these crops 
are to be; but by all means do not allow it to remain 
idle long, as there are many crops with which ground 
may almost at all times be planted, that to lose any part 
of the growing season is considered bad management; 
and as the growing season becomes shorter every day, 
the correspondent whom these lines are meant to assist 
must not delay getting his ground ready as soon as he 
can, if he expects a successful result, and to accomplish 
that, he must not hesitate to sacrifice the last few Peas 
on the crop; but of this he will be the best judge. 
I might here remark, that it is now full time to sow a 
large breadth of early Cabbage ; a batch of Lettuce and 
Endive may also be sown at the same time; but the 
main crop of Cabbages for spring use need not be sown 
before the 12th of August. Still a few may be sown a 
fortnight earlier ; and, although they cannot always be 
depended upon, yet, when they do succeed, they come in 
much earlier than the other crop; but as we will give 
more full directions on that head next week, the amateur 
may sow a few of some good early kind as soon as he 
can, shading the bed, if the weather be dry, as directed 
some time ago ; and if he have the misfortuno to see 
them all run to seed next March, the small quantity 
that it is advisable for him to plant of this first sowing 
will not materially affect him ; while, on the other hand, 
if they succeed, young Cabbages in April, instead of 
May, are of some consequence, when other garden-stuff 
is scarce; but more particulars next week. 
J. Robson. 
QUERIES AND ANSWERS. 
CARDENINC. 
LINUM GRANDIFLORUM. —SPORTED DUCHESS 
OF WELLINGTON GERANIUM. 
“ I did not find any difficulty in raising the Linmn. I 
had at least fifty up. After pricking about eighteen out, I 
left the remainder to take their chance. Yours are some of 
them ; the others have been in bloom in our conservatory 
about seven weeks, and are now fading. I am sorry I did 
not pay more attention to it at first. Until The Cottage 
Gardener opened my eyes, I thought no more of it than the 
Sckizaiilhus, and other annuals ; but I have no doubt I shall 
be able to accommodate the Experimental with a pinch of 
seed (not mixed with hot ’tins). 
“ I have a plant of Geranium, Duchess af Wellington, 
with transparent foliage and wood, similar to Cerise Unique. 
Is that anything worthy of the Experimental ? if it is, 1 
will send you a cutting for your own private use.—J. P." 
[A cutting from the sported Duchess will he acceptable 
to Mr. Beaton, and such cuttings from anywhere will also 
be useful to the end of August, when the Experimental 
Garden gate will be shut for the season.] 
CUTTINGS IN A COLD PIT. 
“ In the clever article on making cuttings in cold pits to 
stand through the winter, April 15, page 47, it is stated by 
Mr. Fish that these pits should have their ground line above 
the surface, in order to prevent damp. 
“I have a range of large Melon pits, sunk, of course, 
below the surface, and having a Hue along the front of burnt 
earthen pipes (glazed). 
“ I propose raising cuttings of Verbenas, Ac., in these 
pits, in August and September next. I intend to take off 
one foot or more of the earth after the Melons are cut; to 
put a thick layer of coal-ashes, and some earth upon that, 
for the cuttings, which I shall plant in pots. Is it your 
opinion that this surface, being greatly above the ground 
line, will be an effectual protection against damp through 
the winter?— Verax.” 
[We have no doubt that the plan you propose will answer 
well; but w'hy dig away a foot of earth, put in coal-ashes, 
and then fresh earth, and yet plant out in pots ? Would 
not moving away the surface earth, so as to get rid of all 
insects, and as much more as would permit a good depth of 
ashes above to place the pots in, answer equally well, if not 
better, as the ashes will be a better security against damp 
than earth, and more especially if they were rough ashes 
instead of fine and smooth ? There will be less danger from 
damp in your case, because you can use your flue. The pe¬ 
culiarity of what Mr. Fish stated consists chiefly in pricking 
the cuttings out on the bed at once, and having that bed 
elevated above the surrounding surfaces. In your case, 
with the flue, there will be no danger, if at all attended to; 
but those old hotbeds are just the worst places for damp 
imaginable, as the whole mass of dung below the earth will 
be giving out damp air all the winter. A raised bottom, 
through which the damp cannot well rise, we believe to be 
the best where fire-heat cannot be given.] 
NIGHT-SMELLING STOCK.—NIGHT-SMELLING 
FLOWERS. 
“ A Paris Subscriber will be much obliged by your giving 
him some information respecting the Night-smellin£ Stock, 
its culture, and proper name. Also, if there is not a small 
work published on the Night-smelling flowers and plants ? ” 
[We know of no work on Night-smelling flowers. We 
presume that by the term is meant flowers that smell only 
at night—of which there are several, which we -will try and 
recollect. There are plenty that smell quite as much in 
the dark as in the day, and especially in the evening, for 
some hours after sundown. The blooms of the double 
white Brugmansia the other night were exceedingly power¬ 
ful in the open air, and so was a bed of Heliotropes. The 
