THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
July 27. 
Antirrhinum 
Agrostemma 
Clarlda 
Convolvulus 
Centranthus 
Collinsia 
Campanula 
Cenia 
Annuals. 
Erysimum 
Eutoca 
Gelia 
Heliophila 
Iberis 
Kaulfussia 
Lupinus 
Leptosiplion 
Mignonette 
Nemophila 
Nolan a 
Platystemon 
Silene 
Teedia 
Zinnia 
A magnificent plant of Lilium giganteum, which has been 
planted in an open border of a greenhouse two years ; 
dowered early in July, at Lady Grey’s, Oak Cottage, Old 
Brompton, under the care of her gardener, Mr. Cornelius. 
It was seven feet six inches high, stem five inches diameter. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
*** We request that no one will write to the departmental writers of 
TnE Cottage Gardener. It giveB them unjustifiable trouble and 
expense. All communications should be addressed “ To the Editor of 
The Cottage Gardener, 2, Amen Corner, Paternoster Row, London .” 
Larcii Aphis (Sabrina ).— You shall know all about it next week. 
Hatching Apparatus (C. Minasi). — You must advertise it in our 
columns. 
Rats (A Subscriber). —There is no doubt that rats will eat the eggs of 
pigeons and of other domestic birds, and it is quite as certain that they 
will eat the young ones. 
Various (White Rose).—Heating a Forcing House by the aid of gas 
would be far too expensive. Roses should not be allowed to bloom the 
year they are planted. The blooms of Roses should be removed imme¬ 
diately the petals fade. It is very usual for Bees not to swarm ; leave 
them alone. 
FucnsiA virgata (G. J. Smith ).— Apply to any of the great London 
nurserymen. 
Cocoa-nut Fibre (Ibid). —This and any other vegetable refuse duly 
supplied with moisture will ferment and give out heat adapted for forcing 
purposes. Such fibre is very much of the nature of refuse tanner’s bark, 
which is one of the best of heating materials. The Gardeners' Almanack 
for 1854 contains a list of all the nurserymen in England alphabetically 
arranged. 
Holly Hedges (G, II .).—The most expeditious way of forming these 
is to move as many large bushes as are required at the end of August. 
If you determine to raise plants from seed, gather the berries that have 
remained on the bush through the winter. Gather them in March and 
sow them at once. Coal-ashes will not dissolve Bones as wood-ashes do. 
It is the potash in the latter which enables them to do so. 
Bideford Poultry Snow.— R. Bramwell, Esq., of Holsworthy, 
Devon, writes to us as follows :—“ From an error in punctuation in your 
report of the Bideford Poultry Show of yesterday’s date, it appears that 
instead of both 1st and 2nd prizes for Spanish, and 1st and 2nd for 
Dorkings being awarded to me, the 2nd prize in the former class was 
awarded to Mrs. Keats, Bideford, and the 2nd of the latter class was 
awarded to Mr. A. B. Wren, Bradworthy. The punctuation should 
have been as follows :—Spanish—1st prize, INI r. Bramwell, Holsworthy; 
2 nd, ditto; Mrs. Keats, Bideford, and Mr. W. W. Hewett, Abbotsham, 
near Bideford, commended, Dorking, coloured—1st prize, Mr. R. Bram¬ 
well, Holsworthy; 2nd, ditto; Mr. A. B. Wren, Bradworthy, and Mr. 
W. Turner, Grange, Bideford, commended. From this punctuation it 
will be seen that the 1st and 2nd prizes in each of these classes were 
awarded to me, and that the other birds were commended only ; viz., 
Mrs. Keats and Mr. Hewett in the Spanish class, and Messrs. Wren and 
Turner in the Dorking class. 
Name of Plant (.7. 71/.).—Your plant is the Valeriana officinalis , or 
Great Wild Valerian. This species produces the Valerian of the shops, 
and possesses strong antispasmodic virtues. Cats are delighted with the 
roots, and rats are said to be equally fond of them. A variety of this 
plant which is found in mountainous woods is most preferred for its 
medical properties. 
327 
Dying Frenchman.—D. is most gratefully thanked by us for his ten 
shillings contributed to the comfort of this object of charity. To be the 
means of conferring such benefits is most gratifying. 
Black Beetles (Nemo).— We have often been told that Cucumber 
parings will kill these vermin. Perhaps it would, if they were so un¬ 
wise as to eat them, but we have never known of their being guilty of 
the folly. 
CALENDAR FOR AUGUST. 
FLOWER-GARDEN. 
Anemones (common) sow. Annuals, stick ; water; clear from de¬ 
cayed leaves, &c. Auriculas, shift into fresh earth; water; seedlings 
prick out ; sow. Beds, in which bulbous flowers have grown, fill with 
annuals from pots, to flower through autumn. Biennial seedlings 
transplant. Bulbous rooted flower-seeds, as bulbous Iris , &c., to obtain 
varieties, sow. Bulbous roots remove or transplant; remove and plant 
offsets; plant. Carnation layers cut from old root and plant; water 
frequently; layering may still be done, b. ; card the flowers, and shade 
from sun, e. Dahlias, stake; thin the flowers. Daisies propagate. 
Put in Cuttings of all flower-garden Geraniums early. Double- 
blossomed perennials with fibrous roots, as fine double Larkspurs , &c., 
propagate by division, e. Dress borders as required. Edgings of box, 
&c., clip in wet weather. Evergreens may be moved, e. if wet wea¬ 
ther ; plant cuttings. Grass, mow and roil weekly. Grass Seeds 
may be sown, c. Gravel, weed and roll weekly. Hedges, clip in 
moist weather, except laurel and holly hedges. Heliotropes, put in 
cuttings under glass in a gentle heat, b. Mignonette sow in frame, b. 
Pelargoniums propagate by cuttings, b. Perennials, in pots and 
elsewhere, will require water almost daily ; cut down flower-stalks as they 
finish blooming ; seedlings transplant. Pipings of Pinks may be planted 
out. Polyanthuses, sow r . Ponds keep clear of green scum. Potted 
Annuals will require w'ater daily in dry v'eathcr. Ranunculuses, 
sow ; plant in pots to bloom in November. Roses, bud ; prune in strong 
straggling shoots; cuttings of China and Tea-scented varieties plant 
under hand-glasses. Roses may be budded to the end of September on 
the Manctti and some Bourbon stocks. September is the best time to 
bud, unless done at the end of May. Seeds, gather as they ripen. Even 
those of Heliotropes and Verbenas will frequently be found to be fertile. 
Shrubbery, cut off the bunches of seeds of Laburnums and Lilacs, &c., 
to strengthen in the bloom next year; also cut off the seeds of Rhododen¬ 
drons. Sowings, to obtain varieties, had better be done in boxes. Ten- 
week Stock, sow, b. Tulips, and other bulbous-rooted flower-seeds, 
sow f . Turf may be laid, e. Verbenas, put in cuttings of new kinds, e. 
Watering will be required generally in dry weather. Weeding, gene¬ 
rally attend to. Cuttings of Penstcmons, Snapdragons, double Lychnis, 
and other herbaceous plants, will yet succeed, if planted and shaded 
under hand-glasses. Of the China Asters, mark the finest, and save for 
seed. D. Beaton. 
FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
Auriculas and Polyanthuses, finish potting, b. Cinerarias, 
| take of slips, transplant seedlings, sow, b., for the last time this year. 
! Carnations and Picotees, finish layering, m.; seedlings transplant. 
Chrysanthemums, layer those planted out for (hat purpose , pot off 
cuttings ; give the last potting to all intended for blooming; water most 
abundantly, and syringe daily. Dahlias, stake, tie, mulch and water 
in dry weather; cuttings of new ones may yet be struck. Fuchsias 
done blooming place out-of-doors ; save seed. Hollyhocks, keep well 
tied to the stakes ; cuttings of, put in heat under a frame, shade from 
sun till rooted. Pansies, save seed of, put in cuttings, b., for the last, 
time this year; transplant seedlings. Pinks, cut down old flower- 
stems ; save seed of; transplant pipings already rooted, and also seed¬ 
lings. Palargoniums, cut down ; give no water till they break again ; 
put in cuttings ; transplant seedlings ; pot off cuttings already rooted. 
Petunias, save seed from; transplant seedlings of; put in cuttings. 
Ranunculuses, take up and store without fail, b., or they will 
begin to grow again. Roses bud b. ; put in cuttings of; save seed. 
Tulips, if not all taken up, should be at once. Verbenas, peg 
down ; water freely in dry weather; put in cuttings of good kinds only ; 
save seed. See that all plants in pots are duly supplied with water, and 
keep a constant look out for all kinds of vermin. T. Appleby. 
GREENHOUSE. 
Air, give plenty night and day, especially during the former. In very 
hot weather, it is often advisable to keep rather close with a moist atmos¬ 
phere during the day, even though the sashes should be entirely removed 
in the evening, to be replaced in the morning. This treatment will apply 
to Heaths, Azaleas, Camellias, &c., that are now r making their growth. 
Those which have set their buds may be removed to a sheltered place, 
and have no glass protection for a time. Budding, of all things, finish 
before the wood gets hard. It may yet be done with Oranges, Camellias, 
Sic. Cinerarias, propagate by rooted slips, and transfer the earliest 
to blooming pots. Pelargoniums: those done flowering cut down, 
and now pushing again may have the soil shaken from them, be placed 
in light soil, and in a close moist pit, to encourage free growth. Until 
that growth has taken place, however, give little water at the roots. In 
