THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
October 2. 
ings of his dying in India have proved groundless, as Dr. 
Wallich is living, and long may he continue to live, in 
England. 
“ Of the Superintendant of the Botanic Garden, Dr. Wal¬ 
lich, I cannot speak too highly : his scientific attainments 
need no testimony from me; they are demonstrated by his 
published works, and by fifty societies, which, unsolicited, 
have enrolled him among their associates. But I must not 
omit to mention the urbanity and liberality with which lie 
meets the wishes, not of his friends only, but of all who seek 
from him either the gratification of their curiosity, or an 
addition to their botanical stores. 
Dr. Wallich is by birth a Dane, and was a medical attache 
to Chandenagore, the chief Indian colony of his native 
country ; and it was to the estimable Dr. Carey that he was 
indebted for bringing his scientific merits under the notice 
of the government, and, subsequently, for his appointment 
to the honourable, lucrative, and delightful office he now 
holds. To this he is devotedly attached; and though of 
late warned that a residence of many years in a tropical 
climate renders a change to one more temperate desirable, 
yet 1 much fear he will linger on, till he becomes the tenant 
of that grave which he has already prepared in a favourite 
shaded spot among his botanical treasures. 
“ During the last two or three years, the doctor has suc¬ 
ceeded in acclimatising many plants, which must eventually 
become objects of commercial importance. Madder ( Calo- 
trnpis procera), Manctlia glabra, a substitute for ipecacuanha; 
Crinum Asiaticum toxicarium, a substitute for the squill; 
the gniacum, and quassia plants; Hemidesmus Indians, a 
substitute for sarsaparilla; fustick (Madura linctoria), 
Ceesnlpina coriaria , abounding in tannin ; and various other 
useful plants, arc of the class in question." 
B. J. 
THE FRUIT-GARDEN. 
Some letters lying by us at this moment, remind us 
that this is the period at which many persons desire to 
nmke new plantations of Strawberries and Raspberries; 
and as one signed B. B. would seem to embody the bulk 
of the enquiries necessary, let that be the text. B. B. 
asks—“When the beds should be made?”—“How they 
should be treated?”—“The kinds most useful in a 
family?” all of which we will endeavour to answer. 
Strawberries. —As to the time of making the beds, 
that is sometimes settled on principle, sometimes on 
expediency; the latter more generally the case. If the 
thing be judged on its own ground alone, there can be 
little doubt that as early as the runners can possibly be 
obtained, is the very best time. Indeed, we would never 
remove them at a mid-season ; either very early or very 
late is perhaps the best practice. When we say very 
early, it is meant that the very first runners the parent 
plants can be made to produce arc desirable; this will 
be generally about the second week of July, extra means 
having been taken to induce an early and strong brood, 
j And as to very late, about the second week in October 
may be taken; but the plants for this purpose may either 
be early obtained and strong runners, which have been 
planted in July in reserve beds, and now removed with 
nice balls of earth ; or runners obtained from the 
established plants forthwith: need we add that the 
former will carry a decent crop, and that the latter will 
not do so until the ensuing year. Those who intend to 
make early plantations on principle alone, and to do all 
that can be done to obtain a good crop of fine berries 
in the first season, must bo “up with the lark.” The 
plants from which the new plantation has to be made 
having been determined on, the cultivator should spread 
two or three inches thick of old vegetable soil or manure 
beneath them in the month of May, or before the 
runners come forth; and on this the runners will be 
produced unusually early and very strong. By this treat¬ 
ment, nice plants will bo obtained a month, or nearly so, 
before those left to chance. Those who are determined 
to use every means, may watch the development of the 
runners, and place a stand or a hooked peg on the bine, 
to make the young runners sit close to the ground. In 
addition, the extending runners may receive frequent 
sprinklings of water; and such means being taken, 
runners of a very superior character may bo generally 
obtained very early in July. If these can be planted 
out where they are to remain finally, so much the better; 
this is doing all that can be done; but if, through a 
severe limitation of ground, expedients must be had 
recourse to, why, as before observed, the next best plan 
is to plant the young runners out in reserve beds until 
October, or the following February. This course is 
resorted to in order to economise ground, and is the 
practice of hundreds, and the only objection is, that a 
very full crop cannot be expected ; nevertheless, wc have 
had very good crops by such means, especially of the 
Keen’s seedling, which possesses great aptitude for early 
bearing. Less nicety is necessary in preparing beds 
for the latter practice. Deep digging and much 
manuring is quite unnecessary — nay, prejudicial, in 
this case. Any bed or beds which have produced an 
early crop of any kind after a good manuring, arc at 
once eligible without digging; simply levelling them 
down. Thus, early lettuce ground woidd be very proper. 
If, however, beds have to be prepared for them, a little 
of very old and rotten manure forked in, only about 
three inches deep, and well blended with the soil, will 
be amply sufficient. The object is to make a strong 
and compact plant betimes, and as they cannot (in 
attempting to save room) bo planted at great distances, it 
is useless to encourage an overgrown plant. The 
runners by this latter practice may be planted at from 
six to eight inches square, and should be frequently 
watered during the earlier stage of their growth; as the 
earlier the plant becomes stout, the greater the produce 
will be. At this narrow distance, and on shallow dug, 
hut rather rich soil, their roots will become interwoven 
by the beginning of Sejitcmber, and a slight check to 
rapid growth ensues, highly favourable to the formation 
of a strong blossom. As before observed, these may be 
transferred to a permanent situation some time during 
October; but if high flavour in the berries is preferred to 
abundance of produce, we woidd advise—what wo have 
several times practised—that they be not removed until 
the beginning of the ensuing February. This procedure 
is based on the well-known fact, that the best flavoured 
strawberries are produced on plants with moderate 
foliage, certainly not on those most luxuriant; and this 
February-planting keeps the foliage less rampant—the 
fruit, however, may be slightly diminished in size. 
And now for the making new plantations in permanent 
situations early in July; the mode of coaxing early 
runners was before explained, and we may now talk of 
soils, and the mode of preparing them, situations, &c., &c. 
Soil. —A deep and mellow loam, about intermediate 
between what is termed still'soil and light, is, doubtless, 
best for the Strawberry; it maybe added, that where 
people do not take the pains of watering regularly, as 
the London market-gardeners do, it is better to lean to a 
soil of an adhesive character, rather than light soils, where 
a choice exists. As, however, such excellent soils are, 
perhaps, the exception rather than the rule, we may be 
allowed to suggest corrections for those of inferior 
staple. Loose sandy soils are very unfit, they are too 
capricious in regard of moisture ; and before the appli 
cation of manures is thought of, means must be taken 
to improve the staple. Under such circumstances, the 
cultivator should consider his locality, and ascertain 
what materials can be readily obtained, in order to 
economise the whole proceeding. Mail, clay, ditch or 
pond scourings, old peaty material, &c., are, any of them, 
or all combined, of much service in this case. Marls 
arc capital improvers of this kind of soil, but they 
