Febhuaky 24. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
413 
Rose Pronings {Wareham). —The tops of all China, Bourbon, and 
Tea Roses will do for cuttings next March, when you prune them, as you 
i can give them a slight hotbed assistance. The very young wood of 
I Hybrid Perpetuals, Noisettes, and most of the climbing Roses, will also 
do for cuttings. 
I Size of Hyacinth Blooms (Iliid), —“How many tiers of pips 
I should a good Hyacinth have on an average? ” For exhibition purposes 
it should not have less than five tiers ; but some varieties cannot be 
I induced to produce so many. This variation in their power of producing 
' large spikes of flowers renders the task of judging of the skill of the 
i grower rather difficult. The judge should know the habit of each 
variety. Hoe our 79th number. 
Hydrangea (M., Fermanagh). —There is something wrong with the 
soii, else your plant ought to be in great beauty in the north of Ireland. 
Let a trench, a foot wide, he opened ali round it; and let the soil be 
worked from the roots into this trench, with a garden or dung-fork. 
Then fill up the trench with good fresh earth, or peat and loam, wilii a 
little rotten dung, pressing it well to the roots. This should be done 
about the end of March, and by the end of April cut down the plant 
quite to the surface of the ground. You will thus get rid of the hard, 
dry, hide-hound wood ; and next summer a fresh growth of luxuriant 
wood, aided by your new soil, will come up, and in due time flower with 
great brilliancy. Cuttings from the old tops would only perpetuate the 
botheration of past years. Stop till you get young healthy wood, and 
then make cuttings of it every spring. To enrer the high wall, first of 
all make one of the best borders in all Ireland, two feet deep, dry at 
bottom, and four feet wide at least, then plant Clematis mnntanu; 
I Roses—Feticite perpetuelle. Prineess Louise, and Mpriauthes. These 
will soon reach up to twenty feet; and to cover the lower parts, use more 
Dwarf Roses, or any other climbers from our former lists; aimost any 
thing will grow in such a border. Tropeeolum pentaphyllum would be 
' the admiration of that part of the country in such a border; and so would 
T. speciosum. Clematis ewrulea grundiflora, C. Sieliotdii, and Solanum 
jasminoides. 
Pure Breeding (O.).—As you have had three varieties running 
I together, you cannot with certainty have pure birds from any of them 
' until late in the season. If you separate them now, the eggs laid by 
them cannot be relied upon as true until after the lapse of twenty-three 
days, according to Capt. Hornby’s experience. Some persons consider 
the taint of an intermixture remains for life. 
Sulphur Fumes (d Country Curate fond of his Garden).—If these 
have been excessive, or if the heat in the forcing house was so high as to 
produce sulphurous acid, either the edges, or the whole surface of the 
leaves of your plants would become brown, just in proportion as the 
sulphurous acid was in less or more excess. 
Cineraria Seedling (J. R. Jessop).—Colour, a good purple lilac, 
with blue centre ; small, but petals imbricate weil, and are only slightly 
notched. It is a second-rate flower. We cannot name it. 
SIIANGIIAE Fowls (J. B. F.).—We are aware that many imported 
direct from Shanghae have no feathers on their legs ; and we know of no 
reason why a class should not be had for them at poultry sliows, except, 
perhaps, that it would give an opportunity for mongrels to be shown in it. 
.Shanghae Eggs (R. Their average weight is 2i ounces ; the 
colour varies, even in the purest bred birds, from nearly white to dark 
chocolate. For hatching they should not be more than a fortnight old; 
but how old they must be to become unhatchable has never been deter¬ 
mined. 
Oysters (G. Jones).— When they are on the ground they rest with 
the flat shell downwards. That they can turn themselves over is certain. 
Breeding in-and-in (G. B.).— To avoid this get someone to ex¬ 
change cockerels with you. 
Exemptions of Age (S/iero).—Sixty years entitle you to exemption 
from serving as a juror and as a petty constable, but we think from no 
other office. Such questions, however, are not within our province. 
Rabbit-fencing (G. T. S.).—You will be quite safe with galvanized 
iron-net-work, two-and-a-half feet high. See Mr. Fox’s advertisement. 
Vine-Shoots Drooping (G. Smith). —The case is clear enough. All 
your vines now forcing are doing well except one, and that one is the 
only one which has its roots outside the house. The cause of its leaves 
flagging, we think, is that the roots do not keep up a sufficient supply 
of sap, and the only remedy is to cover them with fermenting dung. The 
activity in the roots must always keep pace with that of the liranches. 
Protecting Material (A Constant Beader),—There is nothing 
better at present in the market, whether for shade or shelter, than 
canvass or coarse calico. 
Fancy Rabbits (J. T. M.). — We must not recommend dealers: and 
those who have any to sell may do themselves and us justice by 
advertizing. 
Pyramidal Pears (.Imfcux).—Unless you require them to be dwarfs, 
you must not have them grafted on Quince stocks. Our experience sus¬ 
tains the opinion that those grafted on the Quince stocks bloom earlier 
than those on the Pear stocks, and tiierefore suffer more from the spring 
frosts. 
Heating Greenhouse by Gas (A B. If'eiier ).—You may exclude 
frost by having a gas-stove in your greenhouse ; but the fumes arising 
from it must be carried cut-of-doors by means of the stove’s chimney. 
Bramah Pootea 'Fowls {Several Correspondents). —Incur opinion 
they are only a cross, and a had cross too, between the Shanghae and the 
Malay. The specimens we have seen are coarse and leggy. There has 
been no time yet to test our opinion, but we shall be surprised if the 
produce of a White Shanghae hen and a Malay cock are not Bramah 
Pootra chickens. 
CALENDAR FOR MARCH. 
FLOWER-GARDEN. 
Annuals (Tender), sucli as the Portulaccas, I\Iesembryanthemums, 
liobelias, &c., sow, b.; (Hardy), sow on dry borders, b. and e.; finish 
transplanting atitumn-sown annuals. Biennials, sow, e. Climbers, 
half-hardy, as Waurandya, Lophospermum, &c., pot and train, b., to 
have strong for next May planting. Cuttings, push on the propagation 
of cuttings, and transplant them as fast as they root. Cuttings from 
prunings, plant in the shade. Dahlias, sow, and force old roots 
for stock, b. Dress every part within the boundary as early as you can. ' 
Edgings of all sorts finish off as early as possible. All Evergreens 
transplanted since last August may have liquid-manure this month, and i 
throughout the season after this mild winter. Flowers, pick off from | 
plants you want cuttings from, b. Finish all the Planting ami Spring 
Pruning of trees and shrubs, and all necessary alterations, as soon as ' 
the weather will permit. Grass, and white arid small yellow Clover I 
Seed, sow with a liberal hand over patchy grass ; keep the grass in 
clean, trim order, and roll it three times this month, and oftener if you \ 
can. Gravel, clean, roll, and relay. Hand-glasses are tlie best of all 
aids to rear half-hardy, and such other annuals as come up weakly at 
first, place them on a warm sheltered aspect. Hoeing: never hoe a 
border in March, for fear of killing something which you cannot see. ' 
Hotbeds are only good helps to those who can well manage them for 
the flower-garden; keep them up to 70°, and steady. Hyacinths, and 
other Bulbs, as soon as they appear, stir the beds, and lighten the soil 
round the plants ; and plant spring Gladioli at once. Perennials, 
with the exception of long fleshy-rooted ones, ought to be removed— 
divided, if necessary—and receive some fresh soil, or be planted in new 
situations, at least every third season ; sec to this rule, and treat one- 
third of each family, every February and Marcli, according to it. Pro¬ 
tection is necessary for almost all young things of a tender nature tliis 
month. Rakes, lock them up, b.; if your man cannot dress a border 
without a rake, tell him he must learn. Hoses, finish pruning, b., except, 
perhaps, a few strong ones may be left unpruned till , April, to bloom 
later; but this plan is radically bad, and not necessary now with our 
perpetuals. Seeds, do not sow a packet of rare seeds in one pot only, 
sow in two or three pots, to provide against accident to one. Seedlings 
in heat, transplant as soon as you can handle them. Stakes : see if 
you have a stock on hand for your Dahlias, Hollyhocks, and all other 
plants requiring them next summer, and see that all the old ties and 
rotten stakes are out of the rosary. Sweet Briar, sown in a single 
row, will grow and make a hedge in such poor soil as would kill other 
roses. Turf, lay. D. Beaton. 
FRUIT-FORCING. 
Air, increase as forcing proceeds. Aphides, destroy. Cucumbersi 
in forcing-house, apply liquid-manure, train and stop when long enough; 
in frames, turn and remove linings weekly, stop frequently; temp, 
to 75°. Cherries, use moderation; keep a humid air; temp., 50° to 
fiO°, artificial heat; ventilate freely. Figs, much as Peaches; keep the root 
moist; bottom warmth benefits them. Liquid Manure, apply to 
active growths where strength is requireil. Leaves of all fruits keep 
clean. Moisture (Air), supply liberally; root moisture regularly, but 
according to need. Mildew, beware of; Sulphur. Peaches and 
Nectarines, keep a free atmosphere; disbud and train; temp., .55° 
night, 65° to 70*^ day. Pines, liberal heat and moisture to rising or 
swelling fruit; successions, rearrange and increase temperature. Red 
Spider, see Sulphur. Stawberries, introduce successions, water 
liberally, keep near the air and light. Melons, bottom-heat 7.5° to 80°, 
air-heat 70° to 80°; thin the Vine well. Sulphur, apply at least 
monthly in all structures. Temperature, allow 8° or 10° advance in 
heat during sunshine. Vermin, entrap. Vines, early-train, stop, thin 
lierries, tie shoulders; do not forget the sulphur. Watering, attend 
to daily. R. Krrington. 
FRUIT GARDEN. 
Apricots, protect; search for the eggs of the Red-bar Moth, like 
parsnip seeds, and dotted. Apples, cleanse, brine and soft soap, 
succeeded by spirits of turpentine in the retreats of the American blight. 
Blossoms, retard and protect. Bosh Fruit, still plant or top-dress. 
Figs, uncover, prune at end. Grafting, proceed with. Hoeing, 
practice on foul borders. Nuts, hang male catkins among the female 
blossoms. Planting of all kinds instantly bring to a close. Peaches 
and Nectarines, finish training, retard and protect; dress the walls 
with sulphur paint. Uapberries, still plant, prune, stake, and top- 
dress. Root-pruning may still be done. Suckers, destroy. Straw¬ 
berries, spring-dress; transplant. Standards, stake. Stocks, 
plant or sow seeds. Trellisses, dress and protect. Vines, plant at 
end. Walnuts may be planted still. In graftmg, proceed according 
to the degree of development of the bud, taking each kind tlie moment 
the buds actually begin to expand. H. Errington. 
GREENHOUSE. 
Air, admit in fine weather, when the outside temperature is above 35°; 
a shut house is better than cold currents and night fires; in foggy 
weather, however, light a fire, to clear and dry the atmosphere. Bulbs 
and Tuberous roots, introduce, and water more freely; start the various 
kinds of Achimenes, Gesnera, and Gloxinia, in hotbed; seeds of the 
latter, sown now, will give nice little flowering plants for the autumn and 
winter, if you can give them heat. Calceolarias and Cinerarias, 
water more freely; give manure water to those fiow-eriiig and showing 
their flower-stalks; shade in sunny weather; shift for succession 
Camellias and Azaleas, water more plentifully when in bloom ; keep 
those intended for late blooming as cool and shaded as possible, so that 
frost does not injure them. Diosma, Epacris, Heaths, give abun- 
bance of air when growing and flowering; Prune freely when done 
flowering, and keep close until they begin to grow, when the roots had 
better be examined. Now and afterwards, for a couple of months, will 
be a good time for inserting cuttings, Habrotiiamnus blbgans is 
