360 
THE COTTAGE GARDENEK. 
Eebkuary 10. 
PiNus Persica (The Persian Pine).—So named by 
tlie Hoti. W. E. Strangways, but very little is known 
of it. It has proved to be quite hai'dy in Rritaiu. 
PiNUS I’iNASTEE (Tlie Cluster Pine).—This well-known 
Pine forms a handsome pyrimidal tree, with long leaves 
and fine cones, which are produced in clusters, and 
have given it its specific name. Like P. mitis, it grows 
rapidly on poor, loose, stony soils. The late Lord Cal- 
thorp planted it largely on some stony hills near Hart¬ 
ford Bridge, in Hampshire, and lived long enough to 
see those previously barren hills covered with this beau¬ 
tiful, dark, evergreen tree. It bears the strongest blasts 
without being uprooted, because the roots descend deep 
into and amongst the small stones in such situations, 
hence it is a proper tree to plant as shelter to the more 
spreading-rooted Coniferae. Having been introduced so 
long since as 1596, and producing its fine cones full of 
good seeds, it is now almost as cheap as the Scotch Eir, 
or, at least, very soon would bo if it were required, or if 
there was a call for it by planters. It grows to the 
height of fifty to sixty feet. The varieties of this 
beautiful species are somewhat numerous. They are— 
P. jiinaster Leinonianus (Sir C. Lemon’s) : this was 
raised in England ; P. innaster Hcmiltonianus, raised 
in Italy; P. pinaster Escavenus, from Italy, and 
P. pinaster maritimus, which, as its name imports, is a 
suitable species to plant on lands near the sea. 
PiNus lUNEA (The Stone Pine).—The botanists Bauhin, 
Brothers, named this P. sativa, because the nuts are 
safe aud good to eat. In Italy it is cultivated to orna¬ 
ment the villas to a great extent, as is also the variety 
named P. fragilis. Unlike the generality of the Pine 
tribe, this species is what is called a round-headed tree, 
growing to the height of sixty feet. In its young state, 
the foliage is of a beautiful milky-green hue; it is quite 
hardy. 
Pinos pumilio (The Dwarf or Mountain Pine).— 
Though named the dwarf, this species, in good soil, and 
rather crowded, will attain twenty feet in height. The 
leaves are short, and branches numerous. There is a 
fine specimen on the lawn in the Royal Gardens at Kew. 
PiNus PONGENs (’The Prickly-coned Pine).—Native of 
North Carolina, growing there from forty to fifty feet 
high. This is a remarkable tree, producing its cones 
in clusters round the stems of the branches. They are 
of a beautiful yellowish-brown, aud remain on the tree 
for several years. 
PiNus Pykenaica (The Pyrenean Pine).—Though a 
native of the Alps of Europe, this beautiful species was 
not introduced here till 18-34, by Captain Widdrington, 
who says of it that “ it is quite hardy, of quick growth, 
and, from its noble appearance, the beauty of its form, 
and the clear transparent colour of both the bark and 
the foliage, it is likely to be a vast acquisition to our 
park scenery. The timber is white and dry, being 
nearly without turpentine ; but the cones exude a most 
delicious balsamic odour, as do also the leaves.” In its 
native mountains it attains the height of seventy feet. 
T. Appleby. 
{To he continued.) 
HOTBEDS FOR E.4RLY VEGETABLES, AND 
ROUTINE OE THE SEASON. 
From the great demand there is for early vegetables, 
it is not to be wondered at that varieties have been mul¬ 
tiplied almost to infinity, and every means available 
devised to bring them into use at the earliest possible 
period. Now, many vegetables present a delicacy and 
ireshness in a young state which are in vain looked for 
in a more perfected one; consequently, it need not be 
slu-prising how much more popular the one is than the 
other. Potatoes are especial favourites when in a 
j'oung state; the first Peas of the season as so likwise: 
Turnips are scarcely less so; while Carrots, French 
Beans, and a host of other things, are alike desirable, if 
to be had some time before they are ])roduced abundantly 
in the ordinary way. Now, though most of these things 
may be grown with a fair share of success on some 
heated bed under glass, yet the scarcity of the latter 
commodity at this time renders it impossible to give 
each of them that advantage. It is, therefore, advisable 
to try some other mode, whereby an amount of artificial 
heat may be afibrded them without the glass protection, 
but some rough substitute adopted instead. Hot dung 
aud leaves, tempered into the condition of furnishing 
a steady, regular heat, may be made into a series of beds, 
and a few rough slabs, nailed together at the corners, 
may be placed thereon to keep on the soil aud the soil 
thrown on. 
Potatoes may be planted, or seeds sown, which may 
be protected by anything handy at the time. Mats, 
supported a few inches above the surface on some 
rough frame-work, or even laid on boughs or other 
rough contrivances, will do very well, only they must be 
taken off in the mornings when the plants make their 
appearance, in order that they may get the light so 
essential to their well-being. An oiled calico covering 
will be better, because it will admit a large amount of 
light through, and may be useful on cold or stormy 
days. Additional covering may be put on over this if 
necessary, and the whole may be made as snug as some 
ordinary frames on hotbeds. 
In this kind of forcing the growth of certain vege¬ 
tables, the accelerating power is at the root, the top 
derives but little assistance from the heat supplied, 
but this, though doubtless a loss to the plant, it is 
still an object to obtain it with the least possible 
expense, and consequently, these rough-made-up hot¬ 
beds, with their skeleton frame-work surrounding 
them to keep up the soil, are, nevertheless, extremely 
useful, from the little trouble they give, aud the sturdy 
growths of most things cultivated thereon. We there¬ 
fore advise our young friends, who have fermenting 
materials at hand, to select a suitable open, sunny place, 
aud there erect them. Slight beds of two-feet-and-a-half 
high will do; and we have often used very rough mate¬ 
rials in their formation. Soil of a suitable light and 
open texture may be thrown to the depth of about eight 
inches, aud the seed sown, taking care to select the best 
early variety of the kinds used. Wood's Enrlij-fiame 
Radish, Lee's Early Horn Carrot, Fulmer’s Early- 
forcing Kidney Bean, and the best and most prolific 
Early Potato known. 
Of Potatoes, generally, each district has its own pecu¬ 
liar favourite, and for forcing in this way we prefer a 
round one to the Ash-leaved kidney varieties, while the 
latter is preferable under glass, because the shortness of 
its top gives it a preference where the haulm is sure to 
get large enough. When, therefore, there is no parti¬ 
cular wish to have a kidney potato, the round ones will 
be found more prolific and useful for general purposes; 
but if a preference be given to the kidney from its 
superior eating qualities, it may then be planted some¬ 
what closer than the larger top round kinds. It is usual 
to plant them on these elevated beds in rows about 
fifteen inches apart, and sow an alternate row of some¬ 
thing coming into use shortly, as radishes, lettuce- 
plants to prick out, or any other small crop ; but, be it 
remembered, that if the potatoes flourish aud succeed, 
they will speedily grow aud overrun the frame or bed, 
and smother all extraneous crops. Much good must 
not, therefore, be expected from this mixture, aud 
it is better to have the seedlings by themselves, 
where they may be sown thicker than usual to 
allow of the casualties that are likely to attend a 
1 crop in which contending agents of heat and cold 
