7(5 
THE COTTAGE GAIiDENER. 
Ootoukh .‘30. 
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up a very strong and rampant branch, crowned with a bunch j 
ot‘ fine tiowers. Now most books tell one to “ stop ” these j 
gourmands at six or seven inches ; but wliat is to be done 
witli the branch eventually; is it to be cut clean off? If so, 
where ? 
“ In cutting down an old Rose (budded) to the quick, 
where should it be done ? 
“ Do you recommend Roses on their own roots for the 
borders ? Does not budding them on the Dog Rose impart 
vigour to them ?— Rhodon.” 
[Although the strong shoots flower at last, they ought not, i 
on any account, to be allowed to do so, because, eventually, | 
they rob all the rest of the head, which must dwindle and j 
put the head out of shape and jiroportion ; they should be j 
stopped, as the books say, so as to get the sap, or strength, i 
equally distributed, and at the winter pruning the shoots j 
which come from tlie stepped pur/s are cut back according to 
their strength, like all other shoots iu the head, or bush. 
When strong shoots issue from the junction of the bud and 
stock in old Boses, it is a sign that the upper parts are worn 
out, and the plant is making an eflbrt to renew its youth. | 
In that case, it is a good way to get rid of the old head 
altogether, hot only ly degrees. When a healthy, young head 
is seen making these low, sti'ong shoots, stop the habit at 
once, by rubbing ofi' the robbers, as we call them. 
Old Roses “ cut down to the quick,” means, that all the 
side branches are to be cut to the strong stems, and the 
strong stems themselves are sometimes cut down to one-half 
or one-third their length. At the winter pruning is the 
time to cut to the quick, and that may be any time from 
November till JMarcli. Generally, weak Roses are pruned 
before Christmas, and very w'eak ones in October ; but for 
strong, healthy Roses, h’ebruary is as good a time as any for 
the winter pruning. 
"We prefer all bush Roses on their own roots, and all 
standards on the Dog Rose. All the free perpe.tuals will 
grow in less prepared soil than the Dog Rose, and in such 
poor soil as would starve the Dog Rose.] 
HOTBED FOR ROTTED PLANTS. 
“ I am preparing a little, fresh hotbed. Would it help 
those potted plants that I wish to pot now, such as Cupheas, 
Salvia patens and Grahamii, and Sultan Calceolaria, and the 
Fuchsias (if I repot them), to put them in a hotbed with 
hand-lights over them for a few days?—C. G. G.” 
[A slight hotbed, with a layer of very diy ashes over it 
and under the pots, i.s an excellent thing for all these potted 
plants, and not they only, but every j>lant when repotted, at 
any season, is lieneflted by a little extra warmth at the roots 
to stimulate them. 
Salvia Qruhamii is surely hardy enough to endure the 
climate of Tipperary.] 
FEEDING BEES WITH BARLEY-SUGAR, 
“ When you speak of feeding Bees with barley-sugar, are 
you to simmer the barley-sugar over the Are in the same j 
manner as recommended for the syrup ? And is it too late | 
now to feed the Bees ? Mine certainly weigh IR llis., inde- [ 
pendent of the weight of the hive and floorboard; but I j 
thought, perhaps, before the winter came on, I had better ! 
give them a little food, as I took away at least 12 His. of 1 
honey in glasses this season. My hive must be very full of bees, I 
as they did not swarm this year on account of my giving ' 
them increased room by putting on top-glasses.—A. M. P.” 
[Bees are fed with barley-sugar in sticks, as it comes from 
the hands of the confectioner. Place si.x or eight sticks on 
the top of the hive, and cover them with a ilower-pot pan, 
or something of the kind, that will be as nigh as possible 
air-tight. It is not too late to feed; but if A. M. P. can 
insure 18 lbs. of honey, feeding will be unnecessary till 
Mai'ch, when barley-sugar may be given as directed above.] 
SCARCITY OF GRAIN. 
Now that the price of W'heat is very high, and every pros¬ 
pect of its continuance, it behoves all to be sparing in the 
use of it. Amongst other essential points, three or four are 
especially necessary for sparing the precious grain, in order 
to alleviate the distress which is likely to accrue from defi¬ 
ciency, during the sad, conflicting year of IR-Oti; namely, “ The 
disuse (in an extravagant point of view, at least) of strong 
Drinks,” “The destruction of predatory Birds and Yermin,” 
“ The saving of Seed Corn, by planting no more than 
is necessary for obtaining the best of crops,” and, lastly, 
“ The growing as much Corn as possible.” And to effect the 
latter, and add to the comforts of the humbler classes, we 
would observe, that since the Potato crops are as yet very 
irrecarious, and still in great demand, we would recommend 
all Cottage Gardeners and Allottees to jdant about one-third 
of tbeir plots with IVheat, combined with early Potatoes, 
and lateral crops of Turnips, Cabbago-Avorts, Ac. By planting 
less than half their portions of ground AA'ith Corn, we vouch, 
and venture to assure them, that nearly, if not quite, or more, 
than the ordinary average crops of Corn now grown in 
the fields may be secured; together with a fair crop 
of early Potatoes, or Peas, or other late vegetables. Now 
that the season is advanced for sowing "Wheat, as most 
garden ground is in better cultivation than agricul¬ 
tural fields, no more than a mere top-dressing, and 
cleansing from Aveeds, is at present actually necessary for the 
reception of the seed ; and we Avould advise them to plant 
their Wheat in treble rows, tAvo feet apart, AA'ith single grains, 
as near as circumstances Avill admit, dibbled at four to six 
inches apart in the rows, with perfect grains, though they' 
haA'e to draw it over by hand, leaving twelve feet spaces 
betAveen the treble rows of Wheat, for about six roAvs of 
earliest dwarf Potatoes, or dwarf Peas, all to be forked 
between, both betAveen the roAvs of Corn, and also for the 
Potatoes, in dry Aveather before, or during the Avinter, or as 
soon as the Wheat appears aboA’e ground ; tlnrs but little 
expense Avill be incuri’ed, as two or three pints of seed Wheat 
Avill suffice for an acre. The Potatoes to come off in June 
or July ; giving the Corn sufficient air to ripen it effectually ; 
and then, without delay, the Potato ground to be sown Avith 
Turnips, or Wurtzel for pigs, or to be planted betAveen the rows 
of Potatoes Avith Savoys or Cabbages, previously raised and 
forwarded on reserve ground for this purpose. When the 
Wheat is cut and carted, all the land may be manured Avith 
horse-droppings provided for the purpose ; and afterwards 
the Potatoes forked up, and the Turnips or Cabbages, en¬ 
couraged in groAvth all under one operation, thus autumn 
fallowing Avhere the Wheat grew ; but we Avould recommend 
no manural process for the Wheat and I’otatoes on garden 
ground, lest they should groAv too luxuriant by it, and engender 
disease in both. By planting the earliest kinds of Potatoes, 
either before Avinter, or in Februaiy or March, no fears need 
be entertained of their partaking of the present epidemic. Of 
about 1,000 bushels of our oavu growth, in ten different 
car/y-selected vaiieties, Ave can boast of not haA’ing ten 
diseased bushels in ISb.-). By judicious management, their 
produce may be estimated at per rod, as follows, noAV that 
Wheat and Potatoes are dear.—Half-a-peck of Wheat, value 
Is. at least; one bushel of early Potatoes, 2s. Cd.; and after 
crops, Od. Total value, 3s. per rod; with straAV for their 
pigs, or for sale.— Hardy and Sox. 
The useeui, purposes to avhich Glass Structures 
3IAY BE APPLIED. —That fairy scene, the Crystal Palace 
of 18-51, so visibly enchanting while it contained the 
treasures of the world, has vanished like a dream. 
Nevertheless, it Avas a groat fact most suitable to the 
occasion and for the purposes to which it was applied. 
It required the genius of a Loudon to commemorate it in 
pictorial representations, and to extend the principle to 
a thousand purposes of recreation and utility. In an 
inclement season of Avinter and spring, when the human 
frame requires to be composed of more than flesh and 
blood to resist the various and sudden vicissitudes of 
climate, what promenade could be more easily provided, 
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