28 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
October 10. 
taking them up in the autumn and placing them carefully, 
with uninjured roots (if possible), in pans; as I found, 
during the whole of last winter, that their vegetative powers 
were awake, and the leaves and roots remained plump and 
fresh, although their extension was not great. I will do 
this more from caution than necessity, as I am inclined to 
think they would prove hardy also. I find Mr. Beaton’s 
suggestion, “ that very many of these bulbous-rooted plants 
require to be kept in a state of growth during the winter 
months,” to be not only scientific, hut very easily and 
advantageously carried out without any 'great amount of 
care. The cultivation of bulbs is much neglected on 
account of people’s impatience; they want something that 
will be in bloom “ to-morrow,” to serve some particular 
purpose, and to last in bloom until they are tired of looking 
at it. It is, certainly, the work of time to grow some of the 
species to a good size, and bloom them to perfection, when 
you know how to do it; but then, you are amply repaid for 
your trouble when the event arrives ; and, as patience is a 
cure for so many evils, I cannot help advocating the practice 
of it, recommending it by experience. 
If I knew where to obtain some of the other varieties of 
this genus, I should like to get them, as I fancy the whole 
of them are worthy of cultivation; at least, I am led to 
suppose so by the evidence produced by the two varieties 
above-mentioned.—C. B. S., Jersey. 
WASP’S NESTS 
Mine being a fruit county is the land of wasps; their 
nests, as recently asserted by several members of the Mi¬ 
croscopical Societies, are not, I think, universally formed of 
fungoid matter; and I can confirm Mr. Walkey’s and Mr. W. 
F. Smith’s opinion, that such nests are formed from the 
gnawings, by the wasps, of dried nettle stalks and of 
wooden boxes, and the like: for I have for many years ob¬ 
served wasps industriously gnawing off the old and decayed J 
paint from window-shutters, and doors, and old posts, and 
I think many persons, as well as myself, must have seen 
them at similar work, and it is fair to presume that the manu¬ 
facture of nests was their only object, as it is not to be 
supposed that such material could form suitable food.—A 
Worcestershire Man. 
SOIL FOR COMMON FERNS— 
TRANSPLANTING HONESTY. 
Six or seven years ago, I sowed a quantity of this in abed 
in my kitchen-garden, and had it transplanted into a bare 
quick hedge bank, in which there was little or no sand, being 
a stiff loam. The plants were from a foot to fifteen inches 
high -when they were moved, being rather drawn, and a few 
failed from drought, in other respects they did well. 
The above may be useful to your correspondent “ H. LT 
While I am on the subject of transplanting, allow me to 
correct another mistake which I met with some time since, 
either in The Cottage Gardener, or The Cottage Gardener’s 
Dictionary. It was there stated that Honesty, (Lunaria Bien¬ 
nis), would not transplant. Now, although I knew this was 
■wrong, yet I determined to make assurance doubly sure, and 
transplanted some of last year’s seedlings indifferently, one, 
two, and three times without occasioning any failure. — 
A. Copland, Chelmsford. 
REMONSTRANCE FROM THE MALVERN 
BRAHMA POOTllAS. 
Mr. Cottage Gardener.— Sir,—Myself, and my brothers 
and sisters, indeed, all my relations, are very much offended 
with you, for slighting us as you have done. In your report 
of the Malvern meeting you do not even name us ; you 
certainly place No. 333 as having taken a prize, but who, 
amongst our numerous friends and admirers (and who arc 
also admirers of yourself, Mr. Editor), had they not had a 
catalogue, would know that number represented our family; 
and when no less than fourteen of my brothers and cousins 
took the trouble to take each of them two sisters with them, 
for the approbation of the Malvernites, and other visitors, 
I think it hard to be thus neglected, particularly when I, 
myself, heard more than one, who struck me as having a 
knowing face, pronounce us the most striking of the different 
groups. I have been often amused by reading opinions 
that we were not a pure race. Now, Mr. Editor, there, no 
doubt, are exceptions. As to our own immediate family, I 
can only say we are Very particular, and can trace our 
pedigree for some generations, and I can assure you, that 
none of us have contracted marriages, either with the 
families of the Malays or Dorkings, as some parties who 
wish to have everything according to their “ hobbie,” have 
tried to make out. Hoping, Mr. Editor, you will say a good 
word for me and my relatives, who are thus maligned, I am, 
your well-wisher.— Dolly Brahma Pootra. 
[The Editor of The Cottage Gardener assures “ Dolly 
Brahma l’ootra,” that the omission was totally unintentional, 
and he begs that this assurance may be conveyed to every 
biped, feathered or unfeathered, who has been chagrined by 
the seeming slight. At the same time, he cannot but feel 
that no really respectable cock or hen would assume an 
oriental title to which their fowlliood has no pretentions; 
and he cannot refrain from saying, the whole family would 
take quite as good a position in poultry society, if they were 
announced as “ Mr. and Mrs. Grey Sliaughae, and the 
Masters and Misses Grey Shanghae.” The Editor is very 
glad to hear that his correspondent has the pure blood of 
the Greys in her veins, but he advises her, to avoid disputes 
hereafter, to procure a certificate from Rouge Chanticleer, 
the Poultry Herald, that there is no bar-sinister to be 
added to her shield.] 
ROSE CULTURE. 
Mr. Fish, in his remarks on the Northampton Horticul¬ 
tural Show, in July last, which appeared in your Journal, 
mentioned in highly flattering terms some Roses which I 
exhibited there, and concluded by expressing a wish that I 
would make known my system of cultivating them. I fear 
that I have nothing new to communicate to your readers on 
the subject. My Roses are chiefly “ Standards,” worked on 
the “Dog Rose stock.” In planting them, I always take 
care that there is sufficient drainage under each Rose, which 
1 may easily be effected by placing broken bricks or stones at 
the bottom over the hole before planting the Rose. Mine 
are planted in loamy soil. No flower is more grateful for a 
liberal supply of manure, which may be applied in a liquid 
state, or as a top-dressing, and forked into the soil. I have 
used liquid-manure unsparingly this season, and have be¬ 
stowed constant attention upon the plants, which, in my 
j opinion, is the most important part in their culture. I, also, 
I have them well mulched all through the winter. 
The Perpetuals, Teas, and Bourbons, are now covered with 
! blooms, some of them as fine as those in July r . Viscomtesse 
! des Cases has blossomed three times this year, I need 
hardly add, that Roses should never be planted in close 
situations, such as surrounded by shrubs; they should be 
exposed to a free current of air. A due regard to this, with 
plenty of manure, and constant attention, are the means 
which I have employed in their cultivation. 
May I be allowed to say one word respecting the manner 
in which they are shown at Northampton ? 
According to the rules, they are to be exhibited in bunches 
of three flowers of each variety. The beauty of the Rose 
cannot be appreciated when three flowers are huddled to¬ 
gether, as at Northampton. Why not show them in single 
blooms, as at Chiswick, and at the Regent’s Park ? The 
real beauty of the flower can then be seen, and its merits 
decided on.—T. B. Maunsell, Thorpe Malsor, Northampton¬ 
shire. 
INFLUENCE OF PARENTS ON THE 
CHICKENS. 
In the course of some experiments on cross-breeding 
fowls, a Cuckoo Dorking hen was this year set on her own 
