May 4. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
85 
tones, or other slight protection, as a pot plant. Large and 
| strong plants of it may be grown to almost any size in 
pots, and its graceful habit, and its continuing so long in 
bloom after being grown, will be sufficient reason for keep¬ 
ing a few plants in pots to flower iu succession during the 
! early spring months of each successive year. 
It is readily increased by root-division, and the best time 
to do this is shortly after it is out of bloom. Then cut them 
down, and carefully divide their crowns, and either plant out 
each division in some cool border, or pot them, and stand 
, them in some cool situation. They soon become esta¬ 
blished, and bloom the following spring. 
The Dielytra formosa of our borders, grown in a pot by 
the side of the I). spcctabilis, would be a beautiful associate, 
if the same pains were taken with it to bring it up to the 
mark of perfection. This is an old species, and we can see 
itin our border commonly, but I think it is not one-twentieth 
part so common as it should be. The same charge of com¬ 
monness may be brought against the spcctabilis some day, 
but I do not know when. 
The D. formosa is an extremely beautiful plant, and it 
blooms for a great length of time, namely, from April to the 
end of July, Its beautiful racemes of flowers are produced 
upou longisli stalks, these, blossoms being of a sweet rosy- 
red colour. Its leaves are many times cut, and of a glau¬ 
cous green colour, as in all the rest of its beautiful family. 
This is readily increased by division of its fleshy roots and 
crowns at any season. It is a native of North America, 
and was introduced to this country in the year 1790. It 
flourishes in any good common garden soil, and forms a 
pretty front row plant in borders. 
Dielytra eximia is, I believe, a very rare plant to see, and 
is very nearly allied to the last-named. Indeed, one must 
know them well to distinguish them when apart. The leaves 
in this are a little more pointed; the raceme more loose 
than those of formosa, but the principal mark of distinction 
is the stigma, which is four-angled, while in the formosa it 
is only two-angled. This species was introduced in the year 
IH12. It is a pretty front-row plant in the borders, and, like 
all the others of its family, readily increased by root-division. 
Gorydalis tuberosa, or, as it is sometimes called, Fumaria 
earn, or the Hollow-rooted Fumewort, is a very pleasing, 
early-flowering plant; its time of blooming being from the 
end of February to the middle of April. Its flowers are of 
a reddish-purple and white-colour, forming a very pretty 
dwarf front-row plant in the border. It flourishes in any 
good garden soil, but delights in a rather shaded situation.. 
It was introduced into this country in 1590, and is a native of 
| Germany. 
I Coryilalis bulbosa , or, as it has been called, Fumaria 
j solida, the Solid-rooted, or bulbous-rooted, Fumewort. This 
: is another very strikingly beautiful and early blooming 
! plant, flowering from the middle'or end of February to the 
middle of April. It forms a neat, compact bunch, and is a 
profuse bloomer, but of short duration, but retains its ! 
I beauty much longer when planted, as it should be, rather j 
: in the shade. Its flowers are of a pinkish-purple and 
white, and not so large as those of the tuberosa, but a little | 
] earlier in flower. These plants are readily known from each 
I other by their colour and size of flower, or the cut of their 
' leaves and bracts. In bulbosa the leaves are much finer 
cut or divided, and the bracts hand-shaped, while the bracts 
in the tuberosa are egg-shaped and entire. 
The U. bulbosa is said, now-a-days, to be a native of Britain. 
It may be called, perhaps, a doubtful native, or an escape j 
I from old gardens; but whether so or not, it is still a very 
desirable front-border plant for a shady situation, and is 
! readily increased by division of its little bulbs after it is 
| gone out of bloom. The main point to mind is that the 
! bunches do not get disturbed during the months they are 
out of sight, as they die off so very early after flowering. 
Keeping such pretty little things as these in pots, and the 
pots plunged out of sight in the borders, is an excellent 
plan. Keeping such plants always labelled is also a means 
of protection. These little bulbous plants will flower for 
many years in the same undisturbed pots in this way. 
On first receiving any little choice bulbous or tuberous 
rooted plants, whether bought or begged, we always pot 
them, and plunge them in the border, and label them too. 
Of course, in after-years, as the plant flourishes onward and 
is grown into plenty, we may then divide it, and plant it out of 
a pot. Notwithstanding, we have many pots of bulbs that 
have stood the test of many a year, and still flower well. 
V. lulea, the yellow-flowered Fumitory. This is another 
so-called native of Britain, and which is often seen growing 
out from the crevices of our old garden-walls, where it ripens 
its seeds and freely scatters them about on other parts of 
the wall, and borders too, so as to become rather a weedy 
plant; but when kept within bounds, in moderate sized 
bunches, it is then a pretty ornamental plant for the dry, 
open borders, or the rockery in particular, forming pretty 
glaucous green bunches, and flowering, more or less, from 
April to October. It is a neat front-row plant in the borders. 
Like the others, it is a hardy perennial plant. 
O. ylwuca (the Glaucous Fumitory). This is sometimes 
called U. spervirens, though not appropriately, for it is an 
annual plant. It is not very often to be seen in our gardens, 
though it is such a beautiful plant, and might be as common 
as candytuft. It seeds freely, and sows itself about wliere- 
ever a plant of it might have ripened its seed, and stands 
the winter as well as any plant from seeds autumn-sown. 
We seldom save the seeds of it, and yet we never seem to 
be without it. We have beautiful single plants of it in 
bloom at this time (April 18th). Its beautiful blossoms are 
of a deep crimson and orange colour; and the leaves and 
stems of beautiful glaucous green. I bis plant is a native 
of North America; and was introduced to this country in 
1084. It rises from twelve to fifteen inches in height, and 
looks extremely pretty upon a rockery. T. W. 
QUERIES AND ANSWERS. 
GARDENING. 
HI FOR HEATHS. 
“ I wish to build a pit for the sole purpose of growing 
Ericas to the best advantage, and shall feel obliged if you 
will kindly give me your opinion on the enclosed plan. Will 
it be requisite to have artificial heat for winter?—S. C. G.” 
[It will be quite requisite to har e artificial heat for win¬ 
ter ; not so much on account of the cold as because our 
sumffiers and autumns will not sufficiently consolidate the 
wood, and because without it, even though coverings were 
used, it would hardly be safe to give as much air as would 
keep mildew at a distance. The fitness of the span-roofed 
pit, seven feet wide in the clear, five feet high to the ridge, 
side walls two feet six inches, eighteen inches of that to be 
sliding-sashes, will depend greatly on the management. In 
moving the top lights upwards or downwards, or even tilting 
them, we should dread an attraction between these side 
sashes and the knees and legs of the workmen. With a 
somewhat similar arrangement at the sides, the pit made 
two or three feet wider, the ridge-board elevated a couple 
or three feet more, and a pathway down the centre, you 
would have first-rate conveniences, not only for growing, but 
admiring and attending to your plants in all weathers. If 
even your roof-sashes have been ordered or made, you 
might have an opaque-roof over the pathway, and there, too, 
if you felt disposed, you might have ventilators, which 
would save so much moving of the top-sashes.] 
WATERING THE LEAVES OF CAMELLIAS, &c. 
“ Should greenhouse plants, such as Camellias, Fuschias, 
Azaleas, and Pelargoniums be frequently or at alt, watered 
over the leaves! Or, is the foliage of any of the above 
sorts spoiled by water thus administered ? Should spring- 
water with a tinge of iron be applied?—A. G.” 
[All these plants are better to be frequently syringed 
when growing; in fact, will relish it at an}’ time, except when 
iu bloom, or when the temperature is so low as to give them 
a state of rest. It is of importance, however, that the water 
be clear, without sediment. Spring-water, with a slight tinge j 
of iron, will not hurt them,provided it is aired in a tub or tank I 
in the sun for several days previously. Rain-water, without j 
the iron, or pure river-water, would answer better. The chief 
point in keeping plants healthy in rooms is to keep the 
leaves well-washed and clean.] 
