January 39. THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 283 
the perfection of ugliness. The thief who stole the hen on the way has 
secured a prize. It is for yourself to judge whether the produce of this 
cock with Spanish or other hens will be sufficiently curious to try the 
experiment.—D. 
Poultry {Frank). —It is impossible to give advice on such scanty data. 
If by “ prolilic ” you mean productive of eggs, the Spanish fowl will suit 
you both as to number and size; if you mean productive of chickens, 
; they will not. Pure game fowls are not so much cultivated as they 
deserve by persons who keep poultry on a small scale.—D. 
Bees ( Ghyra ).—“ I have a hive whose board I wish to remove, and 
furnish with a clean one, but always, on gently lifting up the hive, the 
bees are active, and swarming on the hive-board itself. I have thought 
of wedging the hive up some cold night, and causing them to ascend, 
and then removing the board.”—Exchange the floor-boards in the middle 
of a fine day, and when the sun shines brightly upon your hive, place the 
floor-board, with the bees upon it, full in the sun, and they will imme¬ 
diately return to their hive. Wedging up the hive at this season would 
be rather a dangerous experiment. 
Oleander (.4 Subscriber). —The appearance of the leaves is owing 
to a strong sun shining on them when damp, and scarcely any moisture 
at the roots, or to a change from moisture and heat to dryness and 
cold. The appearance of the flower stems is generally the result of 
poverty and cold. Your greenhouse is too cold for its blossoms to unfold 
now. Give the plants a fair portion of water, and wait patiently four 
months more, and then, if the young shoots are at all healthy, you will 
not be disappointed in their blooming. Do not attempt to prune or stop 
until you see whether they flower or not. They should have had a sunny, 
airy place in the house last autumn ; in fact, would have been as well out 
of doors in August and September. The matter will probably be alluded 
to more in detail. 
Myrtle Leaves Dirty' (Ibid). —You must just sponge and wash 
again. Syringe freely. 
Geraniums (Ibid). —These require now a temperature not below 45°, 
nor above 55°. Keep the Hoya at the warmest part of your house. Give 
j neither that nor Crussula much water until the days lengthen an hour or 
i two, but if at all shrivelling in their foliage, syringe several times with- 
1 out much wetting the soil. 
Camellia Buds Dropping (W. G. S.). —This often takes place 
i when too many buds are left on—if you had been satisfied with the half 
of thirty you would probably have been more successful; also, from want 
! of water, stagnant water, sudden changes, and a close atmosphere—your 
room in this dull weather would be too close unless you give air. The 
1 buds would open in a temperature of from 40° to 50°, with 10° more for 
I sunshine. Examine the drainage; if right, use plenty of water, and as 
J warm as the temperature of the room. 
Sulphuring Pipes in a Greenhouse (S. R. Lucas ).—You may 
place it on eight feet from the boiler as you propose, and it will do no 
harm to your mixed collection of plants, unless you may have a few 
things making very young tender leaves, which might be removed. You 
would require, however, to choose a coldish day or night for the operation, 
or, if you made the pipes sufficiently hot to give olf strong fumes, the 
house might be made too hot for the plants ; but, after a time, a little 
air will do no harm, and give some of the fumed rascals a chance of 
emigrating. Leave the sulphur on the pipes; and then, until the most 
of it is volatilized, you will always obtain moderate fumes whenever the 
pipes are hot enough to give it off. We daub our pipes frequently during 
the season, and never have had reason to find fault with it, unless in 
cases previously specified. Though an enemy to the aphis, we have not 
found that sulphur is quite destructive to that gentleman; we would, 
therefore, recommend tobacco-smoke in addition. We have put on the 
sulphur with tobacco-water, but we found that mode quite as costly and 
dirty, and scarcely so sure as giving them a whiff of the weed. We 
sometimes could wish that the boy-men, we so often meet figuring it, 
were fixed in stocks in some insect-infested plant-houses, for then their 
habits might be turned to some good account. 
Azaleas. — An Old Subscriber is annoyed by the leaves turning brown 
at the tips, and then dropping olf, leaving merely the buds. As they were 
“ potted in good soil, well-drained, and kept in a stove until the flower- 
buds were full, and then removed to the greenhouse,” we think it very 
likely that the plants were kept more than long enough in the stove, and 
that the change of temperature might have been too rapidly made, 
i When ours have been too much chilled by standing out-of-doors, we have 
i noticed the same thing. But do not discomfort yourself, for if nothing 
j worse is the matter, they will yet bloom well, and make plenty of leaves, 
j Besides, as previously remarked, many of the varieties are nearly de¬ 
ciduous, and especially if exposed to a low temperature after enjoying a 
high one. 
1 Climbing Roses (Rosa). —Your beautiful wire arches, 9 feet, high, 
! 5 feet span, and 2 feet (i inches wide, will only accommodate a couple of 
; climbers each—one on each side; but you may try four plants for the 
first few years ; Crimson Boursault, and Madame d’Arblay or Garland, 
1 opposite each other; then Myriaulhes same side as Boursault, and 
Felicite Perpetuelle opposite to it. The best twelve climbing Roses are 
Ruga, Thorsbeyuna or Rennet's Seedling, Rose Angle, Felicite Fer¬ 
petuelle, Princess Maria, Myrianthes, Garland or Madame d’Arblay, 
Crimson Boursault, Princess Louise, Donna Maria, Laure Davnust, 
and Jaune Desprez. The two last require a wall. From our description 
of these you will he able to select for the second arch, and have it your 
own way. )Kc would plant the circular beds with one kind of perpetual 
Rose in each— Duchess of Sutherland in one, Barron Prevost in another, 
and so on ; but we would on no account have you tied down to our view 
of the matter ; select from the descriptions lately given in our pages. 
Deodars (Y. Z.).—Unless they were planted out of pots without 
breaking the ball of earth about the roots, they ought to stand in very 
exposed situations, without supports after the first two or three years. 
We have seen them on high grounds in the north of Scotland, and doing 
very well. It. is impossible to say “ how many years they must be before 
.they thicken in the main stems,” 
Zauschneria (Ibid ).—It requires only to be cut down to the ground 
after the frost kills the stems, the roots will push strong enough the 
following season. 
Vinuas in Stove (Ibid ).—They require to be kept rather dry now, 
to be cut down like geraniums about the beginning of March. After 
that, part of the old soil to be shaken oil' and repotted, and have a mild, 
moist heat until they begin to flower, and then they would do in a good 
conservatory for a while. 
CALENDAR FOR FEBRUARY 
ORCHID HOUSE. 
The season has now come when the general potting of the orchids will 
he needful. Numbers will be growing, and then is the best time of all 
for potting. The materials must be provided in good time, in order to be 
in good condition. Fibrous turves of peat, the same of loam, sphagnum 
or white bog moss, charcoal, and broken potsherds, are the principal 
articles wanted. New or well-washed pots must also be provided. The 
turf should be brought under cover and placed where it will become 
partially dry. It might be laid upon the pipes or flues for that purpose. 
Aik, will during the month, be frequently necessary. To keep the house 
up to the mark of proper heat, good fires will be necessary, and if the 
sun should break forth, the thermometer will run up rapidly, and then air 
is necessary to reduce the heat. Blocks. The plants on these will re¬ 
quire the syringe to be used daily ; refresh such plants on them as need ! 
it, with new blocks, before the plants begin to push forth. Baskets, j 
renew when necessary. If the baskets are made of wire, give fresh 
sphagnum, and larger baskets, if needful. Dendrobes will begin to 
show buds of bloom, give water to and repot them as they need it. \ 
Heat ; the season of growth for most kinds of orchids being come, the j 
heat may be increased 10 ° by day, and 5° at night. Insects must be j 
diligently destroyed. Moisture in tiie Air, increase during the 
month. A dry atmosphere now the plants are growing will cause them 
to grow weak and spindly, especially Dendrobes; let the pipes, flues, 
walls, and floor be diligently wetted every day, especially in the morning. 
Potting, proceed with without delay ; if the young and tender roots 
push much before this is done, there is great danger of their being broken 
off. Watering at the root to plants growing, must be given freely. Let 
all the walls, stages, shelves, window-sills, and the glass, have a thorough 1 
cleaning, to sweeten the air ot the house. In potting, attend to the 
leaves and stems of the plants, sponge them well over in every part, 
nothing is so injurious to plants as having their breathing pores stopped 
with moss or dust. T. Appleby. 
PLANT STOVE. 
Air, give freely on all proper occasions, but shut up early in the after¬ 
noon. Cuttings of various plants desirable to increase, may be put in 
towards the end of the month. Divide Herbaceous Plants, such as 
Achimenes, Bilbergias, Lilian dsias, and Vrieziu, Hedychiums, repot and 
divide also, i xo a as (specimen plants), repot; prepare young plants of, 
to make specimens, by potting, tying-out, and giving more heat and 
moisture. Insects, diligently extirpate, by every means, such as 
cleaning the plants with a sponge, smoking with tobacco frequently, and 
washing the pipes with sulphur-water to destroy or keep down the red 
spider. Potting. This is the month to go through the whole of the 
stock and repot them; let batches of such things as Achimenes, Ges- 
neras, and Gloxinias, be potted from time to time. Water, give freely 
as the plants grow, and the days lengthen. Soils, prepare for use by 
placing them under cover to dry and warm. Syringe. Use this in¬ 
strument almost daily, to give moisture to the air, and refresh and 
cleanse the leaves of the plants, and to keep down the red spider. Let 
everything be kept clean and sweet, let no decaying leaves be seen, nor 
moss appear on the pots or walls. T. Appleby. 
FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
Auriculas and Polyanthuses, proceed without delay to top-dress 
with rich, light, well-sweetened compost. Water them two or three 
times during the month, giving it only in the morning; give plenty of 
air on every mild day, but shut up early, and cover up securely every 
night, for a sudden frost would cripple the blooms. Calceolarias, 
repot ; sow seed of, keep clear of insects, and give air daily, to prevent 
damping-off; Carnations and Picotkes, attend to with w'ater and 
plenty of air in mild weather. Cinerarias, smoke frequently to 
destroy green fly; repot, middle of the month; give free supplies of 
water to, and plenty of air. Chrysanthemums, put in cuttings of, 
latter end. Dahlias. Look over the roots, and remove all decayed 
bulbs. Bet some in a warm place to start grow th, and afford cuttings. 
Fuchsias, pot, latter end; put in cuttings of scarce sorts early, "to 
uflord good blooming plants in July. Hyacinths, protect from severe 
weather, with hoops and mats. Pinks, in fine weather stir up the sur¬ 
face of the soil; press any that the frost may have disturbed down into j 
the earth again. Ranunculuses, plant early in the month, choosing a 1 
dry day for that purpose. Tulips, shelter from frost and heavy storms 
of rain, snow, or hail. Verbenas, look to, trim off all mouldy leaves, 
give water to when needful, and plenty of air every day, not actually j 
trosty. Water, give to all florists’ flowers in pots. Should the green 
fly appear, promptly destroy it by tobacco smoke. Look after Slugs in 
the frames or pits, and destroy them. T. Appleby. i 
FORCING HOUSE, 
Air, admit on all occasions, if safe. Apricots : see Peach. Cucum- j 
hers, keep good linings to dung-beds ; sprinkle bed often; air frequently; 
bottom-beat 90° maximum. In bouses, train regularly, stop occasionally, \ 
and give liquid manure, with a moist air heat of 10° to 80°. Cherries 
as Peaches , only a lower maximum—say 70° sun heat. Capsicums and 
Chilies, sow, b, Figs as Peaches, only a higher minimum—say biff. : 
