310 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
February 12. 
seed-stem, but which we never could ascertain to bo of 
any use, being too small for kitchen people to “ bother 
with," and too ugly to make pickles. The potato onions, 
though more useful, are very uncertain, every third or 
fourth season proving unpropitious to them, so that 
they often decay wholesale. We have several times in 
the course of our life had a few given us, which, by 
careful management, we contrived to increase to a good 
quantity in two or three years, and then when we 
expected to reap the benefit of our endeavours, have 
been mortified to find them rot oil’ by degrees, so that 
we have ceased to look on them in any other light, than 
as a very uncertain crop. 
The Silver-skinned Onion being grown only for pickles, 
need not be sown before May, and then pretty thickly, 
on some pieco of poor, sandy ground. But the Blood- 
red, which is sometimes sown for particular purposes, 
ought to be put in with the general spring crop. It is 
only a bad cropper, and need not be sown extensively. 
We have not seen this variety in its true character for 
many years. 
Kitchen*garden Sundries. —Brussels Sprouts, Savoys, 
Curled and other Kale, as well as a sprinkling of Cab¬ 
bage and Cauliflower, may now be sown in beds on some 
snug border, which had been rendered fine by previous 
digging, and working-in. Dividing the ground into beds, 
so that the bed and alley occupy five feet, is the usual 
way, and labelling with a good large stick, so that it 
stands clear of the plants when fit to draw, is also re- 
commendable. If the soil is of a retentive character, 
then some finer and more open kind ought to be used 
at top. We like leaf-mould, were it not that its open 
nature presents too many retreats for slugs, so that a 
mixture of it with sharp sand is better than leaf-mould 
alone. A bed of Carrots might also be sown in such a 
place, but Lettuce ought to be sown immediately under 
the wall, being more delicate it is entitled to more indul¬ 
gence. If Broad Beans were not planted as recom¬ 
mended, before Christmas, under a hand-light, to plant 
out, let some now be sown in pots as recommended last 
week for peas, and planted out accordingly. The main 
crop of Jerusalem Artichokes may also be put in, if the 
ground be favourable for so doing, and fresh beds of 
Horse-radish made. If required, Sea-kale may also be 
j planted, while not a day must be lost in planting Garlic 
i and Shallots, if not done before. Attend carefully to 
| crops in process of forcing, and on wet days look over 
stores of Potatoes, Carrots, Beet, &c., and make labels 
and sticks ready to name crops when sown or planted. 
J. Robson. 
HARDY BORDER FLOWERS. 
Ranunculus aconitifolius, var. plenus. —This double- 
flowering variety is one of the prettiest of all our hardy 
border-flowers that is to be seen in the month of May or 
early in J une, which is its time of flowering. This plant is 
called the White Batchelor's Button by some, and by others 
the Fair Maid of France. Now the single flower of this 
species would be thought no more of than the common 
yellow buttercups, as the children call them, in our English 
meads, only if they were to see this species they would most 
likely call this the white buttercup. We know that this is 
a very extensive family, and belongs to the natural one of 
Crowfoots ; but though the family is so extensive, there are 
but very few species that are considered worth cultivating 
in our gardens as ornamental plants. It is true that in this 
family we have the species called Asiaticus, which yields us 
that endless race of varieties that are so much esteemed by 
all our famous florists, and which Mr. Appleby and Mr. Beaton 
so ably remind us of in due season. There are also double 
varieties of several of our English species, of which our 
indefatigable editor will, no doubt, make mention in their 
turn in his excellent papers on English plants, therefore 
I shall here confine myself to this double variety, as being 
one of the prettiest of plants. It is a native of the Alps of 
Europe, and, as Curtis says, in his “ Botanical Magazine,” 
vol. vi., plate 204, “ It, was generally cultivated in our 
gardens in the times of Gerard and Parkinson." He also 
says, “ It delights in moderately moist and rather shady 
situations.” This is true enough, and the richer the soil, 
the finer the specimen. It was introduced into this country 
in 1590, and no doubt it was as plentiful in gardens at one 
time as it is now rare to see it. It forms a large tuft of soft, 
white-stringy and small fibrous roots, and continues for 
years very compact in its crown—that is to say, it is not a 
straggling spreader, and, therefore, may remain in the same 
spot for many years undisturbed, allowing it to come in for 
a share of top-dressing at the time when the borders are 
dressed off; it rises from one-and-a-half to two feet high, 
forming a neat, branching,forked-stemmed plant, well clothed 
with deep green leaves, and a profusion of pretty white 
flowers. It is readily increased by root division, either in 
autumn, now, or early spring. 
Trollius, or Globe-flower. —The next plants I shall notice 
here, as being very ornamental, and belonging to the same 
natural family of Crowfoots, are some of the species of 
Trollius, or Globe-flower; and here I think the one which 
stands in our own English flora, Trollius Europceus, is about 
the best of them. This, in the north, is often called Locfcer- 
Gowlans, or Gowlans Globeflower. It delights in a good 
rich loamy soil, in a rather shaded border, and specimens 
of several years standing flower very profusely as they do 
with us in May or June, rising from one to one-and-half 
feet high ; the flowers are large, of a pale yellow colour. 
Trollius Asiaticus is the next best, and puts up its flower- 
stems a little higher, flowering about the same time ; colour, 
a deep orange. It is a native of Siberia, introduced to this 
country, 1759. This species has two varieties, called inter¬ 
medins and hybridus; either of these two species, or their 
varieties, are well worthy of a place in every collection of 
hardy border plants. They are all readily increased by 
root division at any season, and the best time is early spring 
or autumn. 
Caltha palustris plenus. —This is called the Double 
Marsh Marigold. I mention this as it belongs to the same 
natural family, flowers about the same time, May and begin¬ 
ning of June, delights in a similar situation, and its flowers 
are so very showy, rising from nine inches to a foot in 
height; indeed, they are all enjoying themselves in the 
same border with us, where they are beautiful every season. 
This Marsh Marigold is a double variety of the very common 
plant in our watery meadows. Another common plant, 
which is seen by thousands in similar places accompanying 
it, is called Lady's Smock, or Cardamine pratensis ; this 
species gives a double variety, which is very beautiful, and 
makes a sweetly pretty border plant, indeed it is the prettiest 
species in the whole of this family, and particularly this 
double variety; it belongs to the natural family of Cross¬ 
worts ; its flowers are of light pink coloiu', in May, it delights 
in a rich cool border, and is readily increased by root 
division at any season of the year. Another species, called 
Cardamine trifolia, the curious trifoliate leaves of which 
being always green throughout the year, and its delicate 
white flowers make it a neat little rock or border plant. It 
is readily increased by root division at any season. 
Iberis Saxatilis and Sejipervirens. —These two ever¬ 
green Candy tufts are very desirable hardy border plants, 
-belonging to the natural family of Crossworts. They aro 
both very nearly allied to each other; both white-flowered, 
rising about six inches in height; both particularly suitable 
to the rockery, and flourish equally well in the open bor¬ 
ders, where they may remain for many years in the same 
spots undisturbed. Cuttings root readily inserted in a pot, 
and placed in the common hot-bed during the spring months, 
and when rooted, they may either be potted off singly into | 
small pots, or pricked out five or six inches apart every way, ; 
in a neat little nursery-bed, where they will make nice 
stocky plants for planting out in the open borders when 
required ; or they may be increased by taking off a slip with 
a bit of root to it; or, by taking up the whole plant and 
dividing it, planting again some of the best suitable pieces, 
so as to form a neat, compact bunch. Cuttings make the 
prettiest compact bunches, treated as above, to flower the 
following season. Any common garden soil suits them well. 
Saxatilis is a native of South Europe, and was introduced 
