I'U 
TIIK COTTAGE GAUDENRR. 
Dt’.CKIIHKR !). 
T. B.’s Mode op Propacvtinc and Preserving Verbenas 
This mode is at page 3/4 of our last volume. We cannot sav 
whether T. 13. possesses a mild climate or not. In any climate in this 
country his mode would answer well for propagating; and with care in 
protecting, especially with waterproofed material as overalls, we should 
see no great dirticulty. We are, however, no advocates for hand-lights 
for such purposes. You might liuve a glazed frame, and each light would 
cost you little more than a glazed hand-light, while there would be no 
comparison of the available surface-soil. In a frame or pit they would 
keep nicely under such treatment, and involve less labour than under 
hand-lights. See what Mr. Fish says to-day. 
Ai.lamanda in Pots (.4. Dartlnnnn). —You speak of having large 
old ])lants, and ask when to start them 7 As soon as you like. Cut back 
the long shoots of this year’s growth to from six to twelve inches of the 
previous year’s wood, allowing the leaves to remain on the wood left. 
After th.at, just see that the soil is not dry, as it is desirable to swell the 
buds left. An average temperature, from 55° to 6o° at night, will do. 
When the days lighten and lengthen, in February, or before, add 10° or 
15° to the temperature, and syringe the stems as well as water the roots. 
When the young shoots are several inches in length, give what shifting 
the plant requires, using rich rough loam and a little peat, and a pot not 
less than twelve inches in diameter, and a trellis at least threc-and-a- 
half feet in height by two-aud-a-half in diameter. When freely growing, 
give manure-water liberally. Success depends upon the vigour of the 
young shoots, and their being well exposed to light- Allaviandu nsrii- 
fotia may be grown in a pot as a shrub ; the others require a considerable 
amount of room, whether on a trellis or a rafter. 
Various. — Margaret, living in North Wales, kept 260 plants last 
winter in five windows, including Verbenas, Petunias, &c.; but has no 
greenhouse. 1. is rather a bad thing to keep; you did 
right not to pot it. You should not have given it a very rich compost at 
this season as a top-dressing. Prune away all the decaying and withered 
parts, and give uo more water than will just keep it from flagging ; and 
if you preserve life it will thank you for all the labour next summer. 
2. Lily-like plants. —We can hardly make out whether your plant is a 
Lily, a Calla, or an Arum ; but in its present symptoms you had batter 
let it die down, but not to be quite dry. Any darkish place free from 
frost will do. 3. Your Fern-lvoking plant keep rather dry for a few 
months, and then water it freely. It is hardly worth growing. 4. Miinosus 
that have lost their leaves.—Do not repot now; just keep them a little 
moist at the root, but they will want little water until the leaves break 
afresh in the spring. We fear they will be rather strong-growing for the 
window. Before they break they will not require much light. 5. Alstro- 
merins nearly dying down.—Give them no water. They may be kept 
anywhere, where shelter from frost and wet can be afforded them. If 
you intend to grow them in pots, fresh pdt before growth commences. 
6. Tropoeolum on a trellis.—Do not interfere with the tuber until the 
foliage has withered, nor for a short time afterwards. You may then , 
take it up, place the tubers in a small pot surrounded with earth, and give j 
no water; but when the young shoots begin to move, pot in a similar pot 
to that the plant is now growing in. Any place in the room will do now ; 
it must have all the light possible when growing. See another answer to 
a correspondent. 7- Cactuses. —Do not think of moving them to a dark 
place ; give them what light you can. Give no water unless they shrivel 
much, hut avoid the least frost. Your success is very creditable to you ; 
your mode of giving air in winter by the top of the window is admirable, 
and knowing such results lightens labours that otherwise would not be 
easily borne. 
Names of Pears (G.). —Passe Colmar. (W. B. N.). —So far as we 
can judge from the sketches sent, and taking it for granted that the fruit 1 
is at maturity now, we should say No. 1 is Passe Colmar, and No. 2 
I cither Calebasse, or Beurre Bose; but this, of course, is mere guess-work 
in absence of the fruit itself. 
Orchids (A. M. S.). —Such delicate flowers as you sent should always 
be put into a tin-box, and be packed amongst soft, damp moss; put 
between thick paper as yours were, they are sure to be crushed coming 
through the post-office. They were flattened, and the colour squeezed 
out completely. As far as we could judge, they are—No. 1. 'Aygupetalurn 
Mackayi. No. 2. Xygopetahnn crinitum. No. 3. Maxiltaria picta. 
Gladiolus Gandavensis {Cato). —This should have been planted 
last month, but as the weather has been so dreadfully wet they may be 
planted now, or as soon as we have three consecutive fair days. Mr. 
Appleby is preparing lists of all the best florists’ flowers, and will give 
the Chrysanthemum very soon. For its culture see the back numbers of 
The Cottage Gardener, or The Cottage Gardeners* Dictionary. 
Zero. —We have written to the gardener, and as soon as we receive 
his answer you shall know. 
Layering Carnations (A Real Cottager). —You do not say whether 
you grow your Carnations in pots, or in the open border. We suppose the 
latter. You may thin out the shoots, if numerous, and peg the re¬ 
mainder down the same as if you had layered them, only do not cut otT 
the ends of the leaves. Lay a little good, rich earth over the bare 
shoots, and do not neglect to layer them next August, or they will most 
\ probably run their colours. It is a great pity you have not layered them, 
I for even with the above care you will find them much injured in respect 
1 to the properties they would have had had they been layered at the right 
I time. 
' Various (C. C.).—Combretum Rurpureum. Plant this as you propose 
1 doing in the back border near the furnace. Allamanda Schottii^ keeji 
I in a pot at the warmest end of the house ; but we give you little hope of 
doing good with either, if your house is merely kept from being lower 
! than 40° at night. Let it range from 50° to 55°, and you will find all 
will do well; but those heats would be too high for common greenhouse 
plants. The Ipomtva best next to Learii for a greenhouse, and not 
i liable to spider, w'e think, is Sellowii. It will contrast with Learii, being 
' a reddish-pink. But you must keep your eyes about you, as every 
Ipomcea is liable to spider if not duly watered and syringed. 
Jasmmum Sainbac. This you can only grow successfully in the tempe¬ 
rature recommended above for Allamanda, though 5° less would do if 
not of long continuance ; then give it a warm position. But if 40° to 45° 
j l)e your average range at night, I would advise you to substitute 
Jasminum gracile, or J. grandiftomyn, in its stead. The Gracile is a 
] very short thing, that will do well either in a pot or against a pillar. 
These two hints we would give you as a young beginner. 1st. Do not | 
make a bugbear of inser/.v. Every plant is subject to them if neglected, j 
Care and attention will always keep them at a distance. Wc have seen I 
people in a pretended agony about an insect-covered plant in a window ; ; 
and yet five minutes use of their own fingers, and a drench from the | 
rose of a water-pail, would not have left the vestige of a living tiling i 
upon leaves or stem. 2nd. Never go to the expense of getting large 
]dants ill pots like the Comhretum sent to you, until you liave jire- j 
viously ascertained if such a plant will suit your circumstances. As you j 
have got it, try it in the place indicated. Your warm ])osition and full ; 
exposure to sun may do much. ( 
Poland versus Hamkurghs or Dutch.— “ In The Cottage Gar- ' 
DENEK for November 18th, I observe a corresjiondent complains, that I 
have endeavoured to overset a uniformity of nomenclature respecting ' 
the Dutch Every-day-layers. I beg to state that such i.s not my desire; 
I only opjiose the application of the name of Hamburghs to them, as it 
is the only one by which the mongrel Poles are known ; whereas, the ; 
Dutch Kvery-day-layers have many, and ought to lie satisfied. A ‘ Fowl , 
Fancier,’ at page 134, of the same number, while speaking of the | 
Shanghaes, says:—‘It is a libel to call the gangling, half-Malay ' 
creatures, which are so common, by the aristocratic title of Shanghae.’ 
Now, this is exactly my opinion about calling the Hamburghs Poles. 
And, however unpleasant it may he to those keeping them to be told, 
that the least appeanance of comb shows impurity, it is nevertheless true, 
My wish is to have things called by their right names, and to save, if 
possible, the true Poles, ere they become extinct. It is no new scheme 
of mine ; for if your correspondent will refer to Mr. Trotter’s Prize Essay, 
as it stands in The Royal Agricultural Journal, he will find them 
noticed separately there, although he has altered it in the separate 
edition of the same. I\Ir. Dixon’s description of the Poland fowl I do 
not consider taken from good birds; but Mr. Richardson’s description of 
them is excellent; but in the later enlarged edition of his work, some 
friend has tried to make him fashionable too, by mixing together what 
he had separated. I have not read Mr. Bailey’s book, but will do to. It 
lias become too much the fashion to call all tufted fowls, Polands, and all 
five-clawed fowls Dorkings, which I consider greatly injures the purity of 
those varieties.”— B. P. Brent. 
Sutton in Surrey (IK. E. J.). —The soil of which you require in¬ 
formation in Surrey, is a fair, thin, sandy-loam, resting on the chalk 
formation. It is well adapted to the cultivation of common fruits, vege¬ 
tables, and flowers. In that county, not very far from the place you 
name, there are large fields devoted to the cultivation of Lavender, 
Peppermint, Chamomille, and other flowering plants—we allude to the 
adjoining parishes of Mitcham, Carshalton, 8:c. W.ater is there obtain¬ 
able from either wells, springs, or rain. Let ‘‘ W. E. J.” remember 
that it is found that sufficient rainfalls on every house in England to 
supply its inmates with water. As to the rest, consult any Croydon 
land-agent or auctioneer, such as Blake, or Fuller, or Stedall. 
Errata. —At page 143, for Azalea read Araliai at page 143, for Tllsoe 
read Silsoe. 
BIr. Sturgeon’s Sale {A Fancier of Cochins). —Lot lOl, the cockerel 
by .Terry for which .£’’12 10s. were given, was bought by IMr. Hodgkinson, 
of Birmingham. 
Working Gardeners’ Society {A few Working Garde 7 iers).~'Let 
us know what funds you have or can command. 
Books (/-/or^e^7n7/-iY«me).— Buy Loudon’s Self Instructor for Young 
Gardeners. You do not want any instructions for preserv'ing botanical 
specimens. Put each between several sheets of blotting-paper, and press 
it moderately till dry. 
Damp (1001).— ” Steam ” is not generated in a cold pit, the damp I 
condensed on its glass arises from the exterior cold causing the air within 
to deposit its moisture. You understand our directions quite correctly 
as to the application of the peat, &c. 
Removing Vine Bark (R. S. i?.).—What savs “ F. ?” “Nature 
never gave Vines bark that should be taken off by the hand of man ; it 
was given them for a wise purpose, and, therefore, should not be 
removed again,” Now this is neither so philosophical, nor even so 
reverential, as appears at first blush. Suppose we can admit, with “ F.” 
that it ^yas given for a wise purpose, and removed for one equally wise— 
where is ‘‘ F.’s” philosophy ? It so happens, that our gracious 
Creator has not tied our hands in the use of material things very tight, 
or we had not been permitted even to prune away branches 1 But “ F.” 
should distinguish between a live bark and a dead bark. In our plan 
vve take no living organs from the tree : only one crime we commit— 
we take away a very good non-conductor of heat, one which even 
in its decay doubtless subserves a very useful end. A tree with 1 
coarse dead bark on will neither become so rapidly heateil 
nor cooled as a bare and polished one. So far so good. But 
we “give a sprat to catch a herring.” We can, in-doors, manage all 
about these conducting powers easier than we can manage mealy bugs, ; 
the concealed spores of destructive fungi, &c. And this, as wc conceive, | 
is a justification of the practice, which, however, is establisheil beyond all l 
cavil, by the best gardeners in the kingdom. Prune yoxxr peach-trees any | 
time from now to the end of January ; get them nailed also, providing j 
you can hang canvass or boughs over them directly. Like the bees, they 
do not require to be awakened in mid-winter. 
Pruning Peaches and Apricots {H. M. S.). —Prune your Peaches, 
but rather leave your Apricots till the first week of February. You 
cannot well distinguish the blossom-eyes on the young wood, or even 
the spurs. Look at an answer to “ R. S. E.” 
Vine Borders (A Country Gentleman). —If your Vines have been un¬ 
luckily concreted on the surface of the border—a notion unworthy of tlie 
age—we say, pull it all off, and apply a compost, in a slight fermenting 
state, composed thus—fibrous, free loam, one-part; lime-rubbish, one- 
part, leaf-soil, one-part; and manure one-part; well-blended. If you 
are “well-drained below,” and your texture of soil right, prav do not 
take them up. 
London.' Printed by Harry Wooldridge, Winchester High-street, 
in the Parish of Saint Mary Kalendar; and Published by William 
Somerville Ore, at the Office, No. 2, Amen Corner, in the Parish cf 
Christ Church, City of London.—December 9th, 1852. 
