>51 
TIIK COTTAGE GAUDEEEIE 
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ERKUARY 1; 
llie air cannot get at it, to licop it slowly and regularly 
going on. J t too dry, or too open, too much air wilt entei', 
and thus, also, prevent the heat needed for decomposi¬ 
tion. 'J’his matter fully understood, amateurs, and the 
possessors of small places, are likely to do much more 
with hotbeds than the young gardeners in large places, 
where hot-water is used for almost every thing. When 
the glass is kept on, and tho moisture rising from the 
bed, and condensed against the glass, is clear as dew'- 
drops, almost any thing may he trusted inside. Before 
introducing plants, however, it would be advisable to 
place a layer of dry coal-ashes over the surface, w’hich 
keeps all clean and nice, and prevents excess of vapour 
and juoisture. 
^Ye shall suppose that this bed should be such as 
would suit hardy Ciicxiiihers. One of the first things to 
be sown, by those who admire them, are Cockscombs, as 
they require a high temperature when young, and to be 
reared early, when wanted in duly and August. Prick 
out the seedlings in a pan, an inch apart, as soon as 
they can be handled, and then pot singly in three or four- 
inch pots, and allow them to remain until tliO comb 
shows itself, and you can judge from its shape and colour 
what it will be; then keep repotting as often as necessary, 
and give bottom-heat xuitil tho combs are large sized. 
I'kiniJierffins require a strong heat to bring up the seed 
xvell. Balsams will be early enough in March and April, 
unless there is an opportunity for giving them i-oom as 
soon as potted off, and a lower temperature, 10°, at least, 
lower than Cockscombs after they are potted off. Many 
of the tender annuals to be grown in pots in summer 
and autumn may be sown about the middle of tho 
month ; also seeds of greenhouse-plants generally. 
Such a bed is just the place for grafting OameUias, 
Oranges, and many other things. For Camellias, the 
single red makes rather the best stock ; and if in small 
pots, and well established, and just beginning to grow, 
a piece of wood with a single bud of the desirable kind 
will be sufficient. One-year-old seedling Oranges are 
also easily managed. All that is wanted is merely to 
remove a small slip of w'ood and bark from the stock, 
and a similar piece from the scion, and bind them to¬ 
gether, so that the inner bark of both meet. The moist 
heat from the hotbed causes expansion in both, and the 
union is quickly effected. In sunny days they will 
require shading. 'J'he beautiful-scented Dajihnes may 
thus he grafted on the Spurge f.aurel and Daphne 
2Iezereum, but will not like ([uite so much heat as the 
Orange and Camellia. J have sown seeds of the Orange 
and Lemon in -January, and had plants strong enough 
for grai'ling in May; but I think one-year-old plants are 
best. It is easy to graft good-sized plarits all over in 
such a hotbed, merely by pruning in the old plant .and 
laying it down. 'This involves much less trouble than 
inarching. 'J’his month is quite early enough to begin 
propagating greenhouse plants; but Dahlias that are 
scarce. Verbenas, Geraniums, and all kinds of bedding- 
plants, may be safely proceeded with, and those that 
are scarce may have their tops frequently taken for cut¬ 
tings before bedding-out time. Before being moved out 
such plants must be gradually hardened off. Such a 
hotbed will also just be the place for starting Gloxinias, 
Acliimencs, and Gesnera Zebrinaio bloom early. Gloxi¬ 
nias may bo set in the old pots before they begin to show 
bloom, and then shaken out of the old soil and transposed 
to new in wcdl drained pots, tho soil having previously 
been heated and aired. A common, airy greenhouse 
does not, however, suit this plant well; and, therefore, if 
there is no other place for placing them when blooming, 
1 would advise growing but few of them. 
J he temperature of any greenhouse, from July to the 
end oi September, is high enough for them, but they 
cannot get there the close, moist atmosjihere they so 
greatly delight in, as well as shading from tho brightest 
sun. I have frequently had them in good order, in a 
greenhouse, at one end kept close and moist, the ])ots 
standing on damp moss, tho plants being hardened off 
by degrees, and brought from the hotbed or hothouse at 
the beginning of July. When grown in a hotbed, it is 
necessary to admit a little air, however small, constantly 
at the back, as tho least steam or condensed moisture is 
apt to injure the foliage of this and also tho Achimenes, 
and more particularly the Gesnera. 'These two latter, 
I would advise treating much the same. From plants 
that have been at rest two or three months, select good- 
sized, fresh tubers, and place them rather thickly in 
shallow pans filled with sandy leaf-mould and loam, with 
a little peat, just covering them over, and place them in 
the bed. In about a week, water, and when the young 
shoots are several inches in height proceed to ])lace 
them in their blooming-pots. By this means the masses 
in the pots may be made quite symmetrical, as the 
strongest plants may be selected for the centre, and no 
stopping will be required; which woxdd cause tho bloom 
to come much later, if not also weaker. One tuber of 
the G'cAVxara will make a fine plant in a six-inch pot; 
but for good masses, it is customary to place from five 
to seven tubers in a twelve or fifteen-inch pot. I con¬ 
sider the first starting, and then repotting, the best 
mode. 'To get these good at an early period it is essen¬ 
tial that the tubers be early ripened, and duly rested in 
a dry state. It is very common to see these things, 
when done flowering, left to shift for themselves any¬ 
where out-of-doors, in summer—not unlikely, some¬ 
where in the shade. 'The early ones should go under 
glass, be kept rather close, water be diminished by 
degrees, and as soon as the stems begin to wither the 
pots should be tilted up on one side, alike to prevent 
water reaching them, and to catch every sunbeam possi¬ 
ble. Where the Gesnera is only just out of bloom, or 
dying down, it will be time enough to start it in 
April or May. 'The first ripened of these tribes should, 
therefore, always ho marked ; for even than Achimenes, 
few things look bettor in -Inly, if the greenhouse is kept 
at all close and moist. 
Aly space is occupied with these random reminders, 
and r must only add a caution as to the Trop(eoli(m tri- 
colornm and others. 'Tubers which started early in 
autumn, and have been growing all the winter, will be 
])roceeding over their trellis, if that is at all thick 
no tying will be xiecessary ; but every day, almost, 
the jioints of the shoots must be laid to their proper 
place, and they will catch of themselves. As soon as 
the later tubers show their small strings of a shoot they 
should bo potted ; but if placed at once in their flowei’- 
ing-pot, water should be given so as to wet the soil only 
as far as tho roots extend. 'This plant hates every thing 
like forcing. J''rom 15° to 50° seems to be the tem- 
])erature in which it grows best, and, therefore, those 
that commence early make the best plants and flower 
best. Sometimes these roots will rest for a year or two, 
and then come strong of their own accord. 
Hoses may also now be introduced into the forcing pots, 
along with Lilacs; but, for a fine display in May, these 
should have been under glass in December, and little 
more heat given than necessary to keep out frost. 
'Those to bloom in -June, in pots, should bo introduced 
now, after being previously protected. In such a house, 
with a temperature seldom above a0", from fire heat, tho 
Boses will break strong if the roots are placed in a 
))lunging medium. Many, for this purpose, prefer from 
fifteen to eighteen inches of sawdust, rather new, which 
will yield, from time to time, a very gentle heat. 'This 
heating property, however, unfits saw-dust for jiacking 
roots that are to be kejit in a state of rest. I once 
knew carrots one mass of rotteness from heating; and 
another time, I heard of a valuable collection of Dahlras 
destroyed from being packed in it. B. Fish. 
