380 THE COTTAGE GAR DENE II AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN'S COMPANION.— August 26,1856. 
COLLEGIA SEMtATIFO'LTA. 
Tiie genus to which this species belongs 
ivas named by Gommerson to commemorate 
his brother botanist and friend, M. Collet. It 
is included in the N atural Order of Rhamnads, 
and in the Pentcindria Monogynia of Linnaeus. 
It was called Rhamnns Spartium by Dombeyer, 
and was received from Dr. Fischer, of St. 
Petershurgh, on the 27th of August, 1842, 
under the name of Discaria crenala. 
A Peruvian and Chilian shrub, branches 
bright green, like those of a Broom; leaves 
opposite, shifting, bright green, crenated, 
blunt, furnished at the base with a pair of 
erect brown stipules, which remain upon the 
stem after the leaves themselves have fallen. 
Flowers greenish-white, axillary, clustered, 
with their stalks not longer than those of the 
leaves, extremely fragrant. When the plant 
is old and stunted, its branches become spiny ; 
when vigorous, no spines are formed. 
In the garden it forms a moderate-sized de¬ 
ciduous shrub, and is nearly hardy, living well 
out-of-doors when trained against a south 
wall. It increases by seeds and cuttings, but 
unwillingly. The flowers appear in May and 
June, in great abundance, and being remark¬ 
ably sweet-scented, give the plant much value 
either for growing in pots, or for planting 
against a conservative wall .—(Horticultural 
Society's Journal.) 
ODDS AND ENDS. 
Cube foe the Thrips. —I have read of 
several, and have tried them, but not with 
good success, in getting rid of this pest, until 
acting upon a plan of my own. It was this : 
I boiled eight ounces of tobacco in three or 
four gallons of clear soot water, adding a little 
sofc soap and sulphur, mixed together pre¬ 
viously to putting it in the water; then, when 
about 70° or 80° of heat (in a convenient 
large pot or deep tub), I dip the plants in it, 
keeping hold of the pot with one hand, and 
taking hold of the stem of the plant with 
the other, and carefully moving it about so 
that all the foliage is well bathed. 1 did not 
syringe them afterwards. I believe it effectu¬ 
ally destroyed the Thrip in every stage and 
state, and I have never seen any appearance 
of it since, which is eighteen months ago, and 
my plants have been in perfect good health 
ever since. They are chiefly Azaleas. About 
two years ago I had the mildew in my Vines. 
I boiled a large pan of water, and poured it 
into a tub, or pail, upon a good handful of 
Alder leaves, so as to make a strong de¬ 
coction, and when cold I syringed the 
Vines with it for two or three days, and the mildew entirely 
disappeared. This was before the fruit was at all coloured 
for ripening. If the disease w r as to show itself again, I 
should apply the same remedy. I have read various 
nostrums for this, that, and the other, some good, but 
many utterly worthless, and worse than that. The two 
former ideas originated with myself, and I am perfectly 
satisfied with their efficacy. 
The taste of Turnips in Bittteb.— Saltpetre is often 
recommended and used. I believe there is nothing equal to 
using sour buttermilk. I have it from the best authority, 
from those who, in the winter season, give their cows 
Turnips; yet their butter is perfectly sweet, and I have told 
several of my friends of it: they have adopted the plan, and 
it has completely changed it to be what it ought to be. It 
is used thus:—Save a pint or a quart of buttermilk, from 
time to time, on churning days, and put the buttermilk in 
the cream-pot, and stir it well every time the cream is added, 
[Colletia serratifolia.] 
j and when churned the butter will have no taste of Turnips. 
If several cows are kept it will require more than the 
quantity stated. The good housewife will soon learn the 
lesson of regulating the quantity. I gave this to a friend 
and relative of mine (a farmer’s wife) about a year ago. It 
more than surpassed what she anticipated in improving 
her butter, and it struck her that buttermilk mig^it be 
( turned to still greater advantage. Having some butcher’s 
j meat that had become tainted, she first washed it in the 
buttermilk, afterwards let it steep in some fresh buttermilk 
j for about twenty minutes, and it was restored to perfect 
sweetness, whereas, before this process, it could not have 
been eaten. This may prove invaluable to farmers, or those 
who have buttermilk at their command.— Benin. Rayner. 
