Decembkr 30. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
2.J.3 
little doubt it is the original Louis Bonne of ‘‘ London and Wise’s Com¬ 
plete Gardener,” where, at page 59, you will find a long account of it. 
This work is dated 1710 . 
Roses {Ihid). —Will not Felicite perpetuelle do for your west wall ? If 
your Blairii, No. 2, is like ours was last and the previous year, it will 
throw out bunches in plenty from the axillary buds in May and June. 
We simply prune away the immature points of the gross shoots in March, 
removing totally much of the old spray. We think it the I)e8t plan with 
, the Himalayan Conifers to sow them immediately, in boxes containing a 
I free loam in a moist state, and then to cover the boxes tw'o inches deep 
with sphagnum, to supersede the necessity of watering if possible; for 
watering is apt to rot them in the act of germination. 
Periodical (S — ll."), —The work you name comes out monthly. 
Raubits (J. S. a.). —Our correspondent says he has been a rabbit 
fancier these thirty years, and that he bred the longest eared rabbit ever 
known. He has her, for it was a doe, preserved in a glass-case. Her 
ears, from tip to tip, measured twenty-two inches, and each ear in widtli 
was five inches and three-eighths. Her weight ISlbs. We quite agree 
with you that a series of papers on the breeding and rearing of rabliits 
would be very useful, and if you will write them, we will publish them in 
The Cottage Gardener. 
Vine Border (/. IF.). — If needed, a top dressing of guano, bone- 
. dust, rape-cake, and limy rubbish, w’ould make as good a compost as 
i could be devised. 
Green Mildew. — L. C. says his house faces the north, and is con¬ 
stantly covered with green mildew. He would be obliged by any one 
saying what is a known remedy. 
Goo.seberry and Currant Caterpillars.— //. ilL, Belfast, would 
like to hear if anyone has tried the applying of liquid manure to the 
roots of gooseberry and currant bushes, as a prevention to the ravages 
of the Caterpillar, and if so, with what success. 
Potatoes {An Old Subscriber). —The Ash-leaved Kidney is early, 
prolific, and keeps well. Your potatoes that were diseased being a late 
ripening variety, is enough to account for their being diseased, whilst 
the early ones escaped, although the ground for the latter was manured. 
At the same time, let us repeat, that general experience agrees that dung, 
or other stimulating manure, applied to the potato crop, increases the 
murrain upon it. An answer to your other query next week. 
Musk Ducks {C. B. C .).—We cannot say where these are to be 
purchased. But see Advertisement. 
Work on Poultry {H. H., Dublin). —The work mentioned at 
p. 150, will be a separate publication, with coloured plates. 
Male Blossoms of Cucumbers {CUmde Mebiotte). —In reply to 
your enquiry whether Mr. Rust is correct in his practice, stated at page 
187 , in taking off “ all male blossoms, as they are of no use, except when 
seed is required,” we will reprint the testimony we gathered together 
some years since. That impregnation is absolutely required, where seed 
is to be obtained, no one disputes. Mr. W. P. Ayres says, that so far as 
the production of fruit is concerned, impregnation is “ neither good nor 
harm,” and cites, in proof of this, a braee of fruit, which he cut on the 
8tli of February, I 81 O, each nineteen inches long, which had never been 
impregnated ; for, at the time the female flowers expanded, there was not 
a male blossom on the premises, and consequently no impregnation 
could take i)lace. Since that time he has cut hundreds of fruit, the 
flowers of which never expanded, and the same has been done by several 
of his acquaintances. In fact, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Spivey, Mr. Judd, and 
the Messrs. Ayres, will undertake to procure, at the May fete of the 
Horticultural Society, from ten to twenty brace of fruit, as good as can 
be obtained by impregnation, the flowers of which shall be removed from 
the fruit before there is any chance of their being impregnated. Where 
long fruit is desired, Mr. Ayres thinks impregnation po.sitively injurious, 
because, if seed is the result of impregnation, the energy of the plant 
will be expended in perfecting the seed, instead of in the production of 
fruit, as every practical man knows that the production of one seed from 
it will weaken the plant more than a dozen fruit fit for table. There are 
instances in nature of plants perfecting their fruit without impregnation, 
as in the different varieties of figs; and why not the cucumber do the 
same ? Another practical gardener, Mr. Kyle, says, some years ago, as 
he was pegging down some plants, he broke the flower off the fruit, at 
! least four or five days before it would have expanded. He left it, how- 
I ever, and, to his agreeable surprise, it swelled off as handsome a fruit as 
, any he had during that season. From that time he has never taken the 
i least trouble respecting impregnation, unless when wanting to save seed. 
1 Mr. W. Charlton gives similar testimony, for he says, some of the finest 
! fruit he ever grew never opened a blossom. In one instance, he broke 
I ofl' the unexpanded corolla, and the end of the fruit, notwithstanding 
’ which the fruit swelled, and was eaten at table {Card. Chron.). Such 
^ testimony as this is unimpeachable as far as it can possibly be carried ; 
which is no more than this, cucumbers unimpregnated have been known 
to attain a good size and perfection. But it by no means refutes the 
I opinion, that, to be most certain of a fruit not falling immaturely, one 
condition is that it should l*e impregnated. 
OuT-MAN(KuvERiNG THE Sparrows. — N, TF. M. says—“The follow¬ 
ing hint may be acceptable to some of your readers. I reside a short dis¬ 
tance out of Dublin, and am infested with an innumerable quantity of 
sparrows, who contend with my fowls for the food thrown to them. I feed 
my fowls principally on oats, one-fourth of which was, I conceive, daily 
consumed by the sparrows ; it was useless to think of driving them away, 
I only frightened my cocks and hens, who took greatly longer to return 
to tlie food than the said sparrows. Lately, I was obliged to get my oats 
bruised, as my horse, like myself, is getting old, and, to my joy, I find 
that I have completely nonplussed the sparrows, You are aware the 
sparrow always shells the oat; in its bruised state they find this impos¬ 
sible; and they now content themselves with the few oats that happen 
to have lost the shell; and since I commenced with the bruised oats, I 
i have not one sparrow for the dozens I had hitherto, while my fowls seem 
I equally well |)leased with the oats in the bruised state.” 
I Sale ok Cochins {Le Chant du Cochet). —We cannot publish what 
you ask ; the binls, though good, were not of autticient mark to claim the 
distinction. The catalogue gives you the pedigrees, and your stud book 
should be always in your pocket. 
Names of Plants {Novice). —Your Orchids are, No. 1, Sophronitis 
cernua', and, No, 2, Dendrobhim moniliforme. No. .“I, Lycopodium 
denticulatum. No. 4, SaUtreja montana, or Winter Savory. {B. B .)— 
Your white flower, we think, is Epacris hyarinthijiora ; and the leathery- 
leafed one Piper glahrmn. 
CALENDAR FOR JANUARY. 
ORCHID HOUSE. 
Aerides, Saccolabiums, Vaiidas, and such-like Indian plants, give ; 
water to once during the month. Air. In this first month of the year ! 
we frequently have severe frosty nights, and clear, bright, sunny 
days. The heat necessary to keep out the frost, and the bright sun, 
will raise the temperature of the house too high ; to lower it to the 
right pitch air must be given, and the apertures to give air ought 
to be so placed that the cold air does not rush in directly upon or 
through the plants. The best place for the openings is directly oppo¬ 
site the pipes ; the air then becomes heated in a degree before it 
reaches the plants. Blocks: plants on these will require attention; 
any that are loose should be refastened ; cleanse the leaves and pseudo¬ 
bulbs from green scurf and all kinds of in.sects. Cyrtopodiums, see 
to ; if any fresh growth is observable, repot in a rich compost. Den- 
duobiums, remove into a cool house; such as show growth may be 
potted and kept moderately moist. Heat ; keep both the houses to the 
lowest point of heat for the first half of the month ; as the days lengthen 
allow the heat to increase a few degrees. Insects, continue to destroy. 
Moisture : on sunny days sprinkle the walks, walls, and pipes, two or 
three times a day. Phaius grandiflorus, now flowering, give plenty 
of water, and, if convenient, plunge the pots in a bed of heated leaves, 
or tanner’s bark. Potting, continue to perform upon all orchids 
beginning to grow. Soils, procure, such as fibrous peat and turfy 
loam; lay them in a place to dry, to be ready for the general potting 
next month. Sobralias, place in a cool house; heat 55° by day, and 
50° by night; cut down all the shoots that flowered the preceding summer 
to allow room for the young shoots ; keep them quite dry while at rest. 
Stanhopeas in baskets, if growing, dip in tepid water. Syringe 
blocks, as directed la.st month. Water at the routs, apply carefully; 
do not wet the young shoots. T. Applebv, 
PLANT STOVE. 
See last month. Prepare a hotbed, e., to strike cuttings in. Climb¬ 
ers lieginning to grow, tie in. Krantiiemums, ami other winter¬ 
flowering plants, give manure water to occasionally. Turn fan-beds, 
and renew the heat by adding fresli bark. Pot a second batch 
of Achimenes, Gesnerns, and Glo.rinias, to succeed those done last 
month. Give moderate supplies of tvaier till they begin to grow. The 
heat of this house must still he kept low, as too much excitement will, 
for want of light, cause the plants to grow weak, and the young leaves to 
come yellow. Seeds of stove plants, sow, e., giving only one watering 
till they begin to appear. Hard-shelled seeds steep in water heated to 
180° or 200°; leave them till the water cools. Sponge all large leaves, 
to clear otf dust and insects. Surface-stir the earth in pots, and 
clear off weeds .and moss, and add a top-dressing of fresh compost. 
T. Appleby. 
FLORISTS’ FLOWKUS. 
Air. Whenever the sun overcomes the frost draw off the lights, it 
will refresh the plants much ; if kept on the plants will liegin to grow, 
and will be more liable to suffer from close covering tluring severe 
vveather. In dull, humid, mild weather, give air at the back or sides by 
tilting up the lights. Anemones may yet he planted; choose a dry day 
for the purpose ; cover the tubers with a thin layer of white sand. 
Auriculas and Polyanthuses, dress off decayed leaves; search for 
slugs in the frames and under the pots. Carnations and Picotees, 
water when dry ; pick oft* decayed leaves. Any leaves not decaying, but 
showing spots on them, remove ; it is the plague of these plants. Chry¬ 
santhemums now partially at rest, water once; any advanced shoots 
cut off, and make cuttings of; those out-of-doors place a slight covering 
of tanner’s bark round, to protect them from frost. Cinerarias will 
now be showing flower ; water when dry; pot seedlings; repot young, 
small plafits, struck late, to encourage growth. Calceolaria seed¬ 
lings, pot off from pans; repot young plants ;^give plenty of air to ; smoke 1 
frequently, to destroy green fly; attend closely to watering, and avoid • 
wetting the leaves ;*pick otf daily all decaying leaves, and clear.the surface 
of the soil of moss. These are, as the term is, miffy plants, and soon 
lost, without great care through this month. As the frost in this month ' 
is often very severe, apply Coverings of sullicient thickness to keep it 
out; light, open material, such as fern or straw, with a single mat over 
it to prevent it blowing about, is better than a covering of three mats 
laid close upon each other. Dahlias, examine, and clear away all 
decaying tops or bulbs ; any roots quite gone throw out at once. 
Fuchsias : as soon as shoots are made half-an-inch long, slip them off, 
and put them in sand under hand-glasses to strike ; these early short 
cuttings, or slips, strike easily and quickly. Hollyhocks; should the 
weatlier be open, plant them out; if not already done, the so >ner this is 
done the better chance there is to have a good bloom. Use hoops and mats 
over the Tulip and Hyacinth beds in severe frosty or heavy rainy 
weather. Lobelias (Tall), keep from severe frost, and moderatidy dry. 
Pansie.s in pots, look to, and water gently when dry ; search frequently 
for slugs ; those in the open air, in mild weather close the earth (loosened 
by frost) to the plants; if open weather, give a top-dressing of decayed 
leaves and a little soot. Pinks : after the frost is gone press the soil to 
with the hand firmly, or they will be thrown quite out of the ground. 
Ranunculuses may be planted, weather permitting, the last week in 
