4!U 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. September 20. 
to the absence or carelessuess of the manager, as the 
bottom of the pot, in the hottest days, will long be kept 
moist by capillary attraction drawing up the moisture 
from the bed of earth beneath. 
5. “ Allow that from the sinking of the house-floor 
foundations there would be no difficulty as to the earth 
required, still, from having these earth platforms, I lose 
all the available space 1 now have for storing many 
things beneath my flower platforms that remain in a 
comparatively dormant state during winter.” Very true; 
and it is right that all that should be thought about. 
| But, on the other hand, from the damp alone and 
unless great care is taken in watering, fear the unavoid¬ 
able drip that takes place. Plants will not long remain 
there in a healthy state; and in a majority of cases, the 
plants so kept could be as easily kept in a shed or hay¬ 
loft, from which frost could be excluded from them, and 
a little light admitted, especially when the weather 
! was fine. 
! 
C. “ Would not the same purpose be gained by a fixed 
roof-much in the way of the lean-to, with but half the 
number of rafters—having an opaque part at the apex, 
and a sort of lanthorn covering over it, and ventilators 
there, which would prevent wet entering?”—Yes, very 
well, where a rather close atmosphere was required ; but 
unless the ventilators were large, or there were openings 
near the top of the side walls, there would not be air 
enough for such half-hardy plants. 
7. “ The shelves are so narrow, that a pot of any size 
must partly rest on the brick edging, and so far the 
benefit of absorbing moisture will be at the least.” Very 
true; but you may have slips of wood for the sides of 
these shelves, though not lasting; or narrow slips from 
refuse slate, which will take up but little room. Again, 
you may make three shelves instead of six; and if you : 
incline to fair-sized plants, make a level platform at ! 
once, and it will look very neat, though you cannot hold i 
an equal quantity of small plants, and give them indivi¬ 
dually an equal amount of space and light. 
8. “ Neat, indeed! Surely we must be retrograding, 
if we set the bottoms of our pots among earth and 
worms.” Gently, there is uo occasion. You may, and j 
should have some porous substance, as clean cinder- 
ashes, small stones, &c., for a few inches on the surface, 
and over these you should throw a fair sprinkling of ! 
salt, and it will be long before worms will trouble you, ! 
and over this open matter have an inch or two of clean 
sand, or those pretty little shells that are now being j 
used for walks near London, and what could look 1 
neater? A brush will always clean it, and when it gets 
dull or earthy-looking, a slight sprinkle on the surface 
will make it sweet and fresh-looking as ever. I noticed 
that Mr. Fells had sawdust on his warm shelves 
between his bricks, on edge, but I would advise our 
amateurs to have nothing to do with it, for such a 
purpose, unless the most temporary make shift, and 
chiefly for two reasons. First. You aro almost sure to 
be presented with spawning hordes of funguses, as the 
sawdust decays a little. And, secondly, when plants ' 
are sot upon it, and great care is not taken, it will so ] 
work itself into the bottom hole of the pot, that drainage 1 
will be effected, much in the same way as if you had 
daubed up the hole with mortar. Sawdust is most 
useful when used as fuel, or charred for manuring 
purposes. R. Fish. 
EARLY-FLOWERING BORDER PLANTS. 
(Continued from page 478.) 
EPIMEDIUM—BARREN WORT. 
The Epimediums are all curious, pretty plants, 
flowering in April and May. The flowers always 
appeared to me to have a considerable resemblance to j 
those of that singular tribe of plants, the Orchids. 
They are but little known in cultivation, which is a 
matter ol regret, tor they are exceedingly interesting, 
and when once established are not easily lost. They 
require a sandy loam, with the exception of E. alpimhn, 
which should be planted in moist, peaty soil, at the foot 
of rock-work, or on an American border. 
E. alpinum (Mountain).— Found, but rarely, in 
England; has crimson flowers; growing nine inches 
high ; blooming in May. Increased by division. 
E. diphyllum (Two-leaved). — From Japan, with 
red flowers, growing nine inches high, and blooming 
in May. Increased by cuttings of the young shoots, in 
sand, under a bell-glass, in a gentle heat, and also by 
division. 
E. grandiflorum (Large- flowered).—From Japan; 
with white flowers ; a foot high ; appearing as early as 
April. Increased by division and by cuttings. A very 
handsome, striking species. 
. El. hexandrum (Six-stamened ).—The others have only 
four stamens. From North America; with lilac flowers ; 
growing nine inches high; blooming in May. Increased 
by division. 
E. macranthum (Broad-flowered).—An April flower¬ 
ing species, from Japan, growing a foot high, with violet 
and white flowers; a very handsome species. Increased 
by cuttings and division. 
E. Musschianum (Musseh’s).—From Japan. The 
earliest bloomer in the genus, the flowers appearing in 
March. They are pure white, growing six inches high. 
Increased by division. 
E. pinnatum elegans (Elegantly pinnate).—From 
North America. This species has yellow flowers; a 
peculiar colour in this tribe. It grows rather tall, often 
reaching two feet in height. The foliage is very 
handsome. Increased by division. 
E. vioiACEUM (Violet-coloured).—From Japan. The 
flowers have a violet-coloured ground tipped with white, 
appearing ns early as April, growing six inches high. 
Increased by division. This species is rather tender. 
It is advisable to keep a plant or two in a cold pit in 
order to be sure of keeping the species. It is, however, 
hardy enough to bear our ordinary winters, and, perhaps' 
might be always preserved by placing some dried fern 
above the roots, and placing a hand-light upon it. It is 
excessive wet in winter that destroys this and many 
other similar plants. 
EREMURUS. 
From eromos, solitary, and our a, a tail; the flower- 
spike is”single, and has the appearance of a monkey’s 
tail. A small genus of plants with yellow flowers. 
They require a dry, sandy loam, and will grow in any 
situation not under the drip of shrubs or trees. Rare 
in cultivation. 
E. Caucasious (Caucasian).—From the mountains of 
that country, growing afoot high, and flowering in May. 
Increased by division. 
E. spectabilis (Beautiful).—From the cold regions 
of Siberia, growing a foot-and-a-hall-high, and flowering 
in May. Increased by division. 
ERINUS. 
A well known genus of very early-flowering plants. 
At Lady Broughton's, Hoole House, near Chester, the 
E. alpinus scatters its seeds on the rockwork, and 
clothes it with its pretty blue flowers in March. This 
is the best way to propagate it. I have seen old garden 
walls, also, covered with this pretty alpine; but it will 
grow well in a dry border, in sandy loam. 
E. alpinus (Mountain).—From the Pyrenees, flower- ; 
ing in March, and growing only three inches high; 
with pale blue flowers. Increased by self-sown seed, ! 
and also by division, 
