8?R 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
March 11. 
from pipings. The same reply applies to the common pink, clove, car¬ 
nation, and all others of the family. 
Climbers (/. L.). —Yes, the Coboea scandens will make a very good 
change in place of the canary creeper for the south side of your house. 
It is always best to make such changes with plants that we can turn out 
every year. Nothing is more tiresome, or shows less ingenuity, than to 
see the old arrangement over and over again. Sow the seeds of Coboea 
directly in a strong heat, two or three seeds in a sixty-pot, and never 
think of transplanting them; but keep two of the strongest plants in 
I each pot, and in three weeks after they are up, turn the ball entire into 
the next sized pots ; then they never get a check, and they flower much 
sooner. Young Cobceas being sure to run up with single stems, you 
must keep topping them, as you would kidney beans, until you have at 
least six or seven stems from near the ground; this also makes them 
flower sooner. But old plants of Coboea flower far better, and much 
sooner, than the best young ones, and they keep over the winter easier 
than a geranium. 
Chilled Eggs. —A trustworthy correspondent, W. P. L., says, “A 3 
an encouragement to amateur fowl breeders, allow me to mention a cir¬ 
cumstance which has occurred in my poultry yard within the last week. 
To my horror, a short time since, when I paid my matutinal visit, I 
found a sitting-hen off the eggs, and on another nest—the eggs quite 
cold, stone cold ! Still, as it wanted only three days of the allotted 
twenty-one, I placed her on again, ‘ hoping against hope.’ You can 
imagine my pleasure at finding, this morning, the whole brood of rare 
Cochins to have burst their bonds, and entered the first stage of vitality 
with unwonted vigour.” 
Bees. — R. A. says:—“ On the first of July, 1851, one of mv hives sent 
forth a prime swarm (consisting, as usual, of both drones and workers), 
which was hived in one of Taylor’s bar-hives. About three weeks after, 
the bees of this swarm beginning to cluster at the entrance, the slides 
were withdrawn ; but, as the bees refused to ascend into the upper box, 
they were again replaced on the first of August, under the impression 
that they had been withdrawn too soon. On the 2nd, however, a 
little after noon, upon going to look at the bees, I became convinced at 
once that a swarm had gone off; no clustering was observable as in the 
morning and on previous days, and, on looking through the windows, 
the hive appeared to be nearly depopulated. But what appeared to me 
to be the most singular was, that not a single drone was to be seen either 
inside or out of the hive, although they had been numerous before ; had 
they been massacred, as is usual about this period, I should no doubt 
have found some about the stand, or on the ground, but not one was 
visible. From all these circumstances, I came to the conclusion that a 
cast must have been thrown. Now, as I only possessed another stock 
(the parent one), situate some 100 yards off, and in which the drones 
were not numerous, and as no other bees were kept within a mile or two 
of me. I became apprehensive lest the impregnation of the young queen 
should be retarded, or, perhaps, not take place at all (at all events not 
that season). I regret to sav that I omitted to observe whether any 
young bees were hatched in due course (certainly no drones were), and, 
indeed, I thought no more about the matter until within three weeks 
ago, when I happened to be present when two drone nymphs were 
brought out of the hive, and again to-day (Feb. 22) when a small but 
perfect drone, still alive, was brought out; it was of rather a light 
colour, having apparently only just left its cell.” In all probability the 
decrease of numbers in your hive was caused by the expulsion of the 
drones, and not by a cast leaving the box so early as thirty days after 
they had been hived. The young bees (which upon close inspection will 
be found to be in some way imperfect) that are now brought out of the 
hive, is an indication of the stock being in a good state, and breeding 
going on. Naturalists are not agreed upon the other subjects on which 
you ask our opinion. 
Tiie Morel. — W. M. writes as follows. “A correspondent of yours 
says, Morels do not grow commonly in this country as far as my expe¬ 
rience goes. They grow in great abundance here (Necton, Norfolk). We 
have gathered a Morel here, recorded above eight ounces in weight. The 
growth was encouraged by whelming a flower-pot over it, the hole at 
bottom being filled up.” 
The Morel.— Another correspondent (J . K . T .), asks fora description 
of it, and we give the following from Withering. “ The Morel ( Phallus 
esculentus) has an agreeable smell. Stem hollow, naked, white, one to 
two inches high, half to one inch diameter. Pileus (cap) buffy or brown¬ 
ish, entirely united to the stem, from the size of a pigeon’s to that of a 
swan’s egg; cells very large, angular like a honey-comb. Found about 
May in woods and hedges, in loamy soil, not unfrequent.” 
Peat Earth. — An Amateur writes to us thus:—“There is nothing 
about which I have found it more difficult to obtain any real information 
than the nature of the soil in which American plants can be grown to 
flourish, where the true peat from Wimbledon or Bagshot cannot be 
obtained. Is there no process by which peat of an inferior description 
could be made suitable? There is peat in my immediate vicinity which 
is by no means adverse to all vegetation, for (though no heath grows on 
it) it is well covered with cotton grass, orchises, the grass of Parnassus, 
the polygala, centaury, and others. It appears, however, to be too damp, 
and to have too little sand, for American plants, as you will judge by the 
specimen sent. If, however, these are its only real defects, could they 
not be remedied? If the peat were ridged and well turned over for 
eighteen months, and mixed largely with sand and silver-sand, would it 
then be fit for use, or is there anything in the nature of the peat itself 
which is deleterious, and which no pains or admixture will overcome?” 
Yours is so common a case, that we have given it more than usual space 
and attention. The soil you sent is totally different from the peat soil of 
places abounding in heath [Erica), and approaches very closely to that 
bog earth so abounding in vegetable matter as to be consumable as fuel. 
Every ten parts of it, when quite dry, we find contain three parts of vege¬ 
table matter. This is not so much as is contained by the fuel-bog-soil, 
but still is a great excess. Besides, we fear that it contains too much 
oxide of iron. However, it abounds in fibry matter, and much siliceous 
sand, so that it justifies a trial, and if you mix it with sharp drift sand in 
the proportion of one barrow load of the bog-soil to one barrow load of 
sand, and have it turned over ten or twelve times for a year, it may answer. 
Cochin-China Fowls (J. Rogers).— Write to Mr. Punchard, Blunt’s 
Hall, Haverhill, Suffolk. 
Canker in the Apple (Longville). —This disease arises from such 
dissimilar causes, as old age, stagnant water in the soil, bruises, &c., 
that it is impossible to state a remedy. All that we said last week about 
canker in the pear (page 361), is applicable to the same disease in the 
apple. 
Dahlia Roots (W. (?.).—Keeping these in the shade for twenty days 
after taking them up was not sufficient to dry them; and then putting 
them into a loft, and never looking at themuntil the end of February, was 
about the most careless treatment you could adopt. They should be 
thoroughly dried before storing ; and the storing is best in a single layer 
covered with very dry sand, in a very dry, cool place, where you can fre¬ 
quently examine them, and remove any tubers which become mouldy 
or decayed. 
Botany (J. B. ill.).—Study Henfrey’s Outlines of Botany, and Smith’s 
Introduction to Botany. 
Poultry-yard ( Q—d ).—We should have the yard laid down partly 1 
with common grass seeds, appropriate to the soil, and partly with gravel. 
There ought to be a corner supplied with coal-ashes and limy rubbish, 
in which the fowls may bask, and from which they may obtain materials for 
their egg-shells. You are quite correct in sheltering your dwarf pear- 
trees. We should keep the shelter on by day, as well as by night, except 
in cold weather, for the purpose of retarding the blossom-buds bursting, j 
So soon as these burst you must uncover in the day-time, except in 
frosty or inclement weather. 
Old Fuchsias Breaking in the Dark, &c. (J. R .). —See Mr. ! 
Fish’s paper to-day. 
General Management of Cactus Tribe (Ibid ).—Grow and ripen 
shoots in summer; keep dry and at rest in winter; water in spring, when > 
showing, and when in bloom. See along article by Mr. Fish not long ago. 
Peach or Apricot on Back Wall of Conservatory (Ibid ).— I 
“ Where there is a walk all round, border two feet wide, length ten feet, | 
depth two feet.” In this circumstance you will succeed better with a 
peach than with an apricot; but a Bellegarde peach, or a Moorpark 
apricot, could only do well by your keeping the house low in temperature 
in winter, seldom raising it above 40° by fire-heat. If you ranged from 45° 
1 to 50°, you would expand the blossoms prematurely, and then in spring 
you would require a higher temperature than would suit the generality 
of greenhouse plants. By keeping a cool temperature in winter, your 
trees would open their blossoms about a fortnight, or more, earlier than 
in the open air; and, provided your greenhouse plants did not shade the 
tree in summer, we believe you would succeed well, provided the bottom 
of your border was open, or well drained. Still, we would say yes to 
your enquiry, likewise, as to planting such a wall with ornamental plants, 
as your house would maintain more of a unity of expression ; and for 
choice, we would direct you to what was said last season about oranges 
for such a place, and to what was said last week about camellias, and, if 
these did not suit you, then there is the Acacia armata, beautiful with its 
green foliage at all times, and its golden yellow in winter and spring; 
and then there are many creepers, such as the passifloras; and last, not 
least, you might render the back of your wall quite unique by covering 
it with the stronger-growing cactus, such as speciosissimus; while in 
front of them, in the border, you might plant the smaller sorts. How 
nice such a wall would look covered with speciosissimus, and every 
here and there a bunch grafted in of the truncatum, Russellianum, &c. 
May Camellias be Cut-in freely (T. S. Stock). —Yes. See what 
was said last week. They will stand it freely, if you can give them a 
close, moist atmosphere, and a higher temperature afterwards. The 
easiest mode of propagating Camellias, is by grafting on nice young 
stocks in spring and autumn, and placing them in a nice, sweet hotbed. 
Cuttings are easiest struck now before growth has commenced, or early in 
autumn, after growth is consolidated; each bud, by splitting the wood up 
the middle, will make a cutting, but it must have time. Liquid-manure 
to Camellias in flower, must be given more sparingly now than when 
the plants are commencing growth, as if too powerful, the buds will be 
thrown off, or the blooms will be blotched. Err on the safe side at all 
times. If you had mentioned your manure medium, we could have ad¬ 
vised you better. One ounce of guano, and two ounces of super-phosphate 
of lime, would do for a four-gallon pail. A shovelful of soot would do 
for a thirty-six gallon barrel. We use it stronger at other times. Two 
or three spadesful of horse or cow-dung would do for a similar barrel, 
after the rankness was gone. It is the most economical mode to make 
up a barrel rather strong and dilute it as used—but err on the safe side. 
Wall-Trees Dying (A Young Gardener ).—Pray do not blame your 
wall, neither the aspect. If your trees do not thrive, be assured neither 
of the former are to blame. The whole is self-evident; what you term 
“ soil” is not befitting the trees, perhaps naturally infertile, or of wrong 
texture, or deficient in organic matter. In all these cases, it is best to 
obtain professional advice from those of long standing in their profession. 
Tulip Bed (The Wife of a Clergyman).—The tulips will flower a 
month earlier than you expect, and if you sow the Nemophilas now over 
the tulips they will just succeed the tulips, and no more, but if you can 
collect seedlings of them about the garden from self-sown, or otherwise, 
last autumn, and plant them thickly among the tulips, they will be in 
bloom by the end of April, and ready to come off along with the tulips, 
or sooner, to make room for the summer crop. Clarkias will not do over 
any of the spring bulbs ; they grow “ too high and branchy,” as you say. 
Roses Again (J. P. P. H.).— Make a selection from our lists of Ayr¬ 
shire and evergreen climbing roses, adding The Garland, alias Madame 
d’Arbley, and the Crimson Boursault, and we could do no more for you. 
Hybridizing (One who knows you ).—If you really do know us, you 
must know, also, that we do not willingly put our spoon into another 
man’s pot. If you had read attentively one-half of what we wrote, you 
would have known that Dr. Herbert had given four cases which proved 
the direct contrary. We all of us know so very little of these things, 
that it is foolish to deduce guiding rules yet, certainly not from anything 
we know of about the cactus family. There is not a man on earth who 
can make out a species from a variety in any of the sections, that is all. 
London: Printed by Harry Wooldridge, Winchester High-street, 
in the Parish of Saint Mary Kalendar; and Published by William 
Somerville Orr, at the Office, No. 2, Amen Corner, in the Parish of 
Christ Church, City of London.—March 11th, 1862. 
