May 25. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
Verbenas and oilier bedding-out plants. Again, now-a- 
days, our beds, or, at least, many of tliem, are filled with 
greenhouse plants, especially Scarlet Geraniums, which, 
no doubt, have partially banished such a common thing 
as the Stock. Yet, I think, this is not wise ; for a bed 
of good double Stocks is, when well grown, as beautiful 
and fragrant as any other flower; indeed, in the quality 
of perfume it far surpasses many of the inhabitants of 
the more modern flower-gardens. For such patrons of 
flowers as reside at home during the pleasant months of 
May and June, the biennial varieties blooming thus 
early must be highly acceptable; and I am certain gar¬ 
deners would do well to have a bed of each colour of 
these varieties to gratify their flower-loving employers, j 
I was much pleased with a few plants of the white 
Queen Stock that I saw a few days ago in the gardens 
at Wrest Park, belonging to the Earl de Grey, and so 
well managed by my esteemed friend, Mr. Snow. I 
made some jottings of the place which shall appear 
shortly. So well were the Stocks bloomed, that I made 
up my mind, there and then, to write a paper or two on 
l their culture, and, if possible, bring them out of the 
comparative oblivion they appear to have been con¬ 
signed to. The seedsmen on the Continent have paid 
great attention to these flowers, and that attention has 
been repaid by a great improvement in the form and 
colour of the flowers. The varieties in colour have been 
greatly increased, so much so, that we have annually 
sent over to us packets containing (in separate parcels) 
as many as from twenty to thirty shades of colour, cer¬ 
tainly more than enough to satisfy the most fastidious 
epicure in colours. Our English seed raisers would do 
well to imitate their example. 
Properties of a first-rate Stoclc. — 1 . The stem should 
be stout and elastic, so as to bear up the flowers above 
the foliage. 2. The bloom should be perfectly double, 
round in form, and thickly placed on the stem. Each 
petal should be smooth at the edges, and overlap its 
neighbour just enough to leave a portion visible. Each 
bloom should not be less than one-and-a-half inch in 
diameter. 3. The colour should be clear and bright; 
variegated flowers are objectionable, and would disqualify 
a stand at an exhibition. 
Propagation: By Seed. —Ten-week Stocks (so called, 
I suppose, because they flower about that time, after 
sowing in spring or summer) may be sown either in 
broad, shallow pans placed on a shelf in a warm green¬ 
house, or in rows on a gentle hotbed, placing labels to 
each variety. The soil for seedlings should be light and 
sandy. Press it firm and level previously to sowing the 
seed, giving a gentle watering, aud allowing the surface 
to become rather dry. Then sow the seed, and cover it 
with some finely-sifted light soil, a quarter-of-an-inch 
deep; water very gently again, and shade from the hot 
sun till the plants are of a size large enough to stand 
the full light, carefully supplying them with water as 
they require it. 
When the seedlings have attained four or five leaves 
to each it will be time to prepare a bed, or beds, where 
they are to flower. The situation should be open, yet 
sheltered from the heavy prevailing winds. The subsoil ' 
should be dry, and, if not so naturally, should be 
thoroughly drained. In low, damp situations, I have 
found it advisable to raise the bed six or eight inches 
above the general level, placing a layer of dry brick- 
rubbish a foot deep under the soil. The Stock loves a 
j calcareous soil, and, therefore, a slight admixture of old 
j lime-rubbish amongst the compost, where it is deficient 
j of thatringredient, will be desirable and useful. This 
compost should be formed of good sound loam, tlmee 
parts, well-decomposed hotbed dung, one part, and 
one part leaf-mould about half decayed. In this com¬ 
post, with the lime rubbish added, the stock will grow 
and flower well. If the beds are made up near the 
130 j 
time of planting-out, the soil should be left two or , 
three inches higher to allow for settling. Should rain 
fall any day near the time, take advantage of it to plant 
out the seedlings; but if dry weather continues, water the 
surface the evening before, and plant out the morning 
following, shading them during the day, for a few days, 
till the plants are fairly established. Allow six inches ' 
apart from plant to plant, and as some of them may 
he single, it will be advisable to pot a few off singly in 
three-incli pots, to fill up the places of these single ones 
as soon as the buds are discernable. The double ones 
may easily be distinguished as soon as that takes place. 
The double ones are short, round, aud thick ; whilst the 
single ones are long and thin, If carefully turned out 
of the pots, they will be quite as forward as those 
planted out of the seed-bed or pans. If the weather 
continues dry, soft water must be applied to the plants 
almost every morning until rain falls. After this, they 
will require no further care, excepting they grow so 
luxuriant as to need short sticks to prevent the winds 
twisting them about; I say short sticks, because the 
flower-stems do not need support, only the body of the 
plant should be kept still and quiet. The management in 
pots, and the culture of the biennial varieties, must be 
deferred to another opportunity. 
T. Appleby. 
(To be continued.) 
FllOPER APPLICATION OF WASTE 
MATERIALS. 
Although philosophers tell us “ that there is no 
waste,” but that all substances, after passing through 
the various states of solid, fluid, aud aeriform, return 
again after a lapse of time into their original position, 
to be again transformed as before,—yet, in tha humble 
sphere of practical duty to which many of us are called, 
it becomes expedient either to accelerate or retreat, as 
the case may be, this ever-moving change which nature 
is making; and, consequently, though the philosopher 
may, in accordance with the laws he lays down for him¬ 
self, discard the word “ waste ” from his vocabulary, 
there are still many minor purposes to which it has a 
significant meaning; and in horticultural affairs we 
recognize it in many instances with all its force; for we 
not unfrcquently see the misappropriation of many of 
the means at the disposal of the operator, but very many 
not used at all. This stato of things, doubtless, arises, 
in many instances, from the want of the means necessary 
to accomplish all the mind conceives; but this is not 
always the case; and as of late a laudable desire has 
been manifested to become acquainted with common 
things, a few words on what may appear the very com¬ 
monest of the common may not be altogether in vain. 
In all gardens, or in some obscure place outside of 
them, there is always “ a rubbish heap,” or place to which 
the refuse matters of a garden are carried, from time 
to time, as thoy are produced. This repository of what 
is deemed unfit for anywhere else, is, of course, not the 
fashionable quarter where company delight to linger; 
but it is not unlikely it may contain what they once 
admired, in the shape of some overgrown hard-wooded 
plant, well-trained tree, or other attractive object, but 
which, after performing the duty allotted to it, is cast 
away no one cares whither. Now, though it would be 
hard to persuade a skilful cultivator that a fine specimen 
Boronia which had graced his stage for many years, 
until no longer the stubby orderly plant it once was, and 
was cast away, would rise again from its ashes a better 
plant than before, this doctrine, though he would by no 
means entirely discredit it, yet he lias sufficient discern¬ 
ment to comprehend the immense time required to per¬ 
form this routine, and, consequently, he puts his wits to 
