203 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
January 0. 
all I advance on these hulbs, to see how far we can make 
The Cottage Gardener a standard authority for them; 
any facts, however trifling they may appear to others, 
will assist me materially. D. Beaton. 
I HARD-WOODED GREENHOUSE PLANTS. 
I Westringia Dampierii. —The chapter to-day will he 
j chiefly devoted to the inquiries of corres 2 )ondeuts. Both 
i the generic and specific name of the above plant are 
I commemorative. We are indebted to New Holland and 
i New South Wales for the group. The present species 
is a low evergreen shrub, producing small whitish Rose- 
niary-like flowers in autumn and the beginning of win¬ 
ter. It is easily j)>'opagated by short stubby cuttings, 
inserted in sand, under a bell-glass, in a shady frame in 
April, or even, in similar circumstances, under a hand- 
light in a shady border in June. Sandy libry loam, 
enriched with a little rotten leaf mould, or very decom¬ 
posed, dried cow-dung, will grow it admirably. It will 
want a good supply of water in summer, and, of course, 
less in winter. Little will be requisite, unless 
what is wanted to keep the plant in shape, and the re¬ 
quired size, and that had best be effected in spring. A 
suitable position for the plant would be an open place 
out-of-doors from the middle of May to the middle of 
October, and a cool place in a comfortable greenhouse 
in winter. 
Though, to meet inquiries, I have stated the above, I 
must add, that where either show or great interest are 
abjects, and the room not very great, I should never 
think of recommending the above to an amateur’s notice. 
There is nothing very striking in the whole genus, but 
the most so are those with bluish flowers, such nsRiihice- 
folia, triphylla, and the older rosmarinifolia. 
The last, and most of the rest, will stand a sharpish 
frost, if kept dry in winter at the base of, and trained 
against a wall. I had noticed this genus, and the allied 
one of Prostnnthera, as being well worthy of a trial 
against a conservative wall. I recollect, many years ago, 
seeing P. lasiantJios against the wall in Chiswick Gar¬ 
dens. From some hints, it would be seen, I intended 
saying mg sag on this interesting subject, but my friend, 
Mr. Appleby, has first got possession of the field, and it 
could not be in better hands. I think, however, to avoid 
confusion, and to prevent mistakes in these progressing 
days, a few new names and terms will have to be given 
and defined. A conservative wall, in its original mean¬ 
ing, was merely a common wall, furnished with a coping, 
capable of being widened in winter, so as to throw oti' 
wet, and prevent the radiation of heat; and against this 
plants were tried as to their comjiarative hardiness; or, 
it was ultimately covered with creepers, twiners, and 
such plants as would bear to be grown with one side, 
without impairing their beauty. The next idea was to 
have for such a wall a short sloping or hipped roof, with 
upright glass in front, enclosing a space of some six 
feet in width, so as to admit of a path inside; thus 
permitting of the enjoyment and the examination of 
the plants in all weathers. Now, though air could 
be admitted to such a wall at pleasure, and though 
keen frost would find its way easily through the 
glass in winter, if neither double glass nor other co¬ 
vering were resorted to, yet, as even then, from the 
closeness of the sashes, the atmosphere within would bo 
still, and consequently the stems of the plants would 
neither be so ruptured nor robbed of their juices as in 
a frosty wind, on a conservative wall, the same term 
should not be used, but a new one should be coined, 
such as “glass-cased nail.” Again, the term conservative 
is still more inappropriate when ajqJied to such narrow 
structures when heated. What is there to distinguish 
them but their narrowness, from any common conserva¬ 
tory ? What plant is there that will flourish in a 
greenhouse or conservatory, that will not also succeed 
in such a narrow house? The one at Chatsworth is 
a noble structure, and it will be still more grand when 
extended to the north, so as to join the mansion. But 
such a structure, when heated, would be more properly 
called a “ conservatory’ wall” instead of a conservative 
one. In fact, such a wall might be a plant-stove wall, 
or a peach-house wall, or a vinery wall, a ripening wall, 
or a forcing wall, according to the purpose for which it 
is employed. Mr. Fleming has put up great lengths of 
such structures at Trentbam, marked alike by simplicity, 
economy, and efficiency, for a destined object. He 
finds that he can have a trellis nearly half-way up the 
front without shading the back wall. In some of these 
structures he intends, by sun-heat alone, to accelerate 
and mature ; while in others, he intends to force and 
obtain sarly fruit. Now, these facts will show there is 
a necessity for a new class of terms. Besides, it is 
necessary to notice, that these heated “conservatory” 
walls will be very apt to lose in attractive power when 
their novelty is gone, just because, except in the case of 
twiners, creepers, and one-sided plants, there will be the 
want of the “ natural ” as respects other plants placed 
against it. A jrlaut that grows as a bush, or a low tree, 
may be cultivated against a wall, and look beautiful 
too; but then the looker-on can form no idea of its 
natural habit. Had I the chance of enclosing such a 
wall, I would prefer a width of ten or twelve feet to the 
half of that space ; and then, in addition to the clothing 
of the back wall, I could have nice bushy specimens in 
the border in front. “ Well, but that would just be a 
conservatory.” J ust so ; and a heated glass-enclosed 
conservative wall is nothing else. The wider house 
would merely requRe. more space, more glass for the 
roof, and more heating power, than the smaller one; the 
latter nearly, but not quite, in proportion to the greater 
surface of glass on the roof, as the greater body of 
enclosed air would prevent the place being so suddenly 
cooled. I have alluded to the matter in passing, and I 
think that some definite terms are not unworthy the 
consideration of Mi'. Appleby, and other coadjutors. 
Eutaxia jiyrtifolia.—T his beautiful New Holland 
shrub blooms in the autumn, winter, and spring months. 
Its small orange flowers are produced in great abun¬ 
dance along the young shoots. The following will be 
found a concise and yet full outline of the treatment it 
requires in pots. 
Propagation. —Choose short, stubby shoots, getting 
firm at their base, in April or May; cut clean across 
at a bud, and insert in silver sand, over an inch of 
sandy peat, the lower part of the pot being filled with 
drainage. When watered, place a bell-glass over them, 
and set them in a frame, or pit, where they can be kept 
close, but without ai'tificial heat. They will soon strike, 
and then should be potted off in sandy peat, and placed 
again in a similar place, preventing flagging by shading, 
and dustings from the syringe. When taken with the 
pots, stop the growth, by nipping off the points of the 
shoots, to make them bushy. 
Selecting Plants —Choose a low-growing bushy fellow, | 
although it should not be the fourth of the si'ze of a I 
leggy one. 
Soil. —For the first few shifts, when the ])lants are 
small,‘use chiefly sandy i)ent, and a little broken j)ots 
and rubbly charcoal. By the time you get them into 
four-inch pots use a little sweet fibry loam, and let the 
loam be in equal proportions to the peat when the plant 
will fill a six or eight-inch pot, using even then abun¬ 
dant clean drainage, and charcoal, broken pots, and 
silver sand, to keep the soil open, packing it firmly 
about the roots. 
Watering. —This will be required liberally in summer, 
less in autumn, and a fair ])ortion in winter, especially 
