398 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
August 3. 
Ahjssum (Madwort); a privative lyssa, canine mad¬ 
ness. Ancient doctors said this plant would cure that 
fearful disease. 
This is a largo genus of early (lowering plants with 
yellow (lowers. The best are:— 
A. ccrtlfolium (Onion-leaved); a very pretty, low 
plant, suitable for rock-work, or for the front of the 
border ; a native of the Alps. 
A. MarchaUianum (Marschall’s); from Caucausus, 
growing only four inches high; a little gem, but very 
rare; increased by cuttings under a glass in sand. 
A. montanum (Mountain) ; a native of Germany. A 
very neat, pretty plant, growing only three inches high; ! 
increased by division ; ilowers in June. 
A. Olympioum (Mount Olympus); another small; 
gem of a plant; very little known, but well worthy of 
cultivation, though strictly a spring flower. 
A. saxatile ( Rock); this plant, though a native of 
Candia, is well-known to English gardens, and is 
generally known as the Yellow Alyssum. There is a 
variety with variegated leaves, which adds to its beauty ; 
propagated by cuttings under a bell-glass in a shady 
border; will grow in any soil. 
Androsace. White and pink are the prevailing 
colours in this genus; the plants are rather difficult to 
keep, but a few should always he grown in pots, and 
kept in a cold frame through winter. 
A. Clumajasnia (Bastard Jasmine); an Austrian 
plant of considerable beauty; height three inches;; 
colour clear pink; a very pretty plant; increased by 
division. 
A.lactifiora (Milk-flowered); from the cold regions of 
Siberia, but is little more than a biennial; it should be 
increased by cuttings every other year, or it will soon bo 
lost; height six inches; colour pure white. 
A. lactea (Milk-white); from Austria, and is more 
perennial than the preceding; height three inches; in¬ 
creased by division. 
A. villosa (Shaggy); the prettiest of all small Alpine 
plants; and is pretty hardy. I have seen tufts of it four 
inches across. Everybody that bus this plant values 
it highly; colour pink, with a spot of white on each 
tiny petal; height four inches; increased by division; 
requires pure heath-mould. 
Anemone, from Anemos the wind, loves exposure to 
wind ; hence, one species is called “ The wind-flower.” 
A. acutipetala (Acutc-petaled) ; a plant found in the | 
Swiss mountains, growing six inches high; with blue 
flowers blooming in May; are increased by division. 
A. Appenni.na (Appcnine) ; this pretty blue flower is 
found but rarely in Britain; on the European Alps it is 
plentiful; producing its flowers early in May, and grow¬ 
ing six inches high ; increased easily by division. 
A. HaUeri (Haller’s); a native of Switzerland, grow¬ 
ing six inches high; and flowers in April; colour rich 
purple; a very pretty species; increased by division. 
A. nemorosa Jlorepleno (our common wood Auemone); 
with double flowers; very handsome. 
A.palmata (Palmatcd); a plant from that little-known 
country, in regard to its Flora, Portugal, with yellow 
flowers, appearing in May, and growing six inches 
high ; increased by division. 
A.pratensis (Meadow); a native of Gennauy, with 
dark purple flowers, growing six inches high in May. 
This is very showy; increased by division. 
A.pulsililla (The Wind-flower); a native of England, 
but only in chalky pastures; it will, however, grow in 
any light garden soil; growing a foot high, with various 
coloured flowers in April; increases readily by division 
and seed. 
A. quinquifolia (Five - leaved); a North American 
species, with white flowers; grows six inches high; 
produced in April and May. 
A trifolia (Three-leaved); this is found wild in France; 
has white flowers, glowing nine inches high ; increased 
by division. 
A. vernalis (Spring); from the Swiss mountains, pro¬ 
ducing white ilowers, six inches high. It is a fine 
species, and increases readily, both by seed and division. 
There is a yellow flowering variety. T. Ai-i-ledy. 
(2'o be continued.) 
THE SEASON. 
Notwithstanding'^ utmost care of the cultivator, 
be his calling that of a farmer or gardener, it will be 
admitted by all, that “the season” exercises a more 
powerful influence on the crops than any management 
of his, unless in those cases where the crop in question 
is the produce of some structure covered in with glass, 
or in some way or other subjected to artificial treatment 
of a kind which renders atmospheric influence a less 
important agent than when the crop is entirely out-of- 
doors. However, as the bulk of the produce which ! 
forms, not only the most necessary portion of our ' 
wants, but also many which contribute to our gratifica¬ 
tion, are grown out-of-doors, the vicissitudes of the j 
season tell on such productions much more than the I 
management of the cultivator. A farmer may plough, 1 
manure, and sow his fields; but an ungenial season 
denies him much of the reward due to his industry; 
while, on the contrary, a fruitful season enhances the 
crop that received but little assistance from the hands 
of the cultivator; so that, however much we may pride 
ourselves as being the managers of a “good article,” 
we can claim but little credit as being the “ author” of 
it, for the causes above operate more than we cau do in 
the matter, except, us has been said, in those cases 
where artificial shelter, heat, or treatment, renders 
them moro under our immediate controul. 
Fortunate is it for us, in a national point of view, 
that Providence has enabled plants to accommodate 
themselves, in a great measure, to things much altered 
from those of usual occurrence. For instance, though 
corn undoubtedly ripens best in bright, sunny weather, 
yet it will do so under circumstances the reverse to 
that. A cold, wet summer, which certainly delays that 
important course of things, does not prevent it entirely; 
while a hot, dry summer, which diminishes the amount 
of grass and other herbage, gives increased nutriment 
to what really does exist. So much so, and so well is it 
appreciated by flockmasters in dry, hilly countries, that 
they, on the whole, prefer a dry season to a damp one 
for the wellbeing of their sheep; while corn is often of 
better quality, and not always deficient in quantity, 
when the straw is not over abundant. 
In gardening, however, vegetables, and such crops, on 
dry, parched upland, suffer from the continuance of 
drought, but fruit-trees (if established) rarely do; while 
flowering plants are more than ever profuse of their 
glories when assisted by unclouded sunshine. True, in i 
the latter case, they may not remain so long in bloom, I 
but the greater abundance with which blooming buds ! 
are furnished and brought out recompenses for it. 
Adverse seasons also exercise man’s ingenuity, and now 
I will relate how this, and the season now passing, have 
affected the condition and prospects of the various crops 
which form the staple productions of the district around 
Staplehurst, with such remarks as may be interesting to 
those living in districts of a different character. 
1 believe 1 am speaking within bounds when I say, 
that quite one-tenth of the whole superficial area of the 
district around here, for some miles, is under spade culti¬ 
vation, and, in some parishes, I know it is as much as 
one-fourth. It is needless to say that a great amount 
of labour is incurred in the tilling of the soil alon'e, but j 
the crops, too, are of a kind which require labour of 
