November 7. 
THE COTTAGE GARDEN EE. 
houses, but containing, at least two of them, firm, 
well-ripened, if not extra-luxuriant wood. The earliest 
was shut up, and was showing fruit. It had started of 
its own accord, with all the glass olf, and though every 
retarding means had been taken to prevent it. As in 
all such cases, the stems were rather weak, though, no 
no doubt, they would greatly increase in strength after¬ 
wards. Last season, Mr. Forbes, at Woburn, was rather 
put out at his Vines showing so early; hut he got some 
good fruit. Those who will have Grapes so very early 
that the last of the late crop just gives way to the early 
one, must not expect, continuously, such hoavy crops. 
The fact of these Vines coming thus early just shows 
how pliant plants may bccomo. After being gradually 
inured to the time for a series of years, it will just he 
as natural for these Vines to break in the end of Sep¬ 
tember and October, as it will ho for their brethren 
to do the same in March and April. To keep them 
late, they must he encouraged to grow longer, as it 
would hardly ho possible to rest them much in tho 
hottest months of our year. 
Air Pillars. —These houses have pits inside, telling of 
previous Fine-growing there; the borders rise in front 
close to the spout and the wall plate, no front air coidd he 
given, therefore, without lifting or shoving tho lower 
sash, and for this tho border must not only ho trampled 
upon, hut a considerable risk of breaking glass incurred; 
while the moving of these sashes would bring the cold 
air in direct contact with the stems of the Vines. To 
remedy this, a square opening was made in tho front 
wall, just above tho water-pipes, and about fifteen or 
eighteen inches below the surface of tho borders outside; 
from this opening a sloping drain is taken from about 
four feet from the front of tho house, and terminates 
there in brick pillars, two or three courses high abovo 
the level of the border. All the air-giving is thus 
easily managed from the insido of the house, by opening 
these small places iu front, less, or more, and sliding 
tho sashes at tho top. A little caro was necessary in 
guiding aside tho roots iu forming these air-shafts. One 
obvious reason for raising these air-shafts thus above 
the level of the border, is to secure the air-opening, 
when tho border is covered with litter in winter. A 
small wooden door or slide is used for shutting and 
opening inside. There can be no question that it is of 
importance to admit front air us near the lovel of the 
floor as convenient. 
Concreting the surface of binders. —This is a large 
subject. Mr. Judd found, that when he left the concrete 
on several years, tho Vines did remarkably well, deriving 
plenty of moisture from the neighbourhood by capillary 
attraction, while the roots of the Vines, by the means of 
heat, first of the covering, and then of tho sun, were 
brought close to the surface. I found tho same thing 
when I used a covering of tar. Mr. j udd ‘ generally 
puts the concrete in now yearly for his early houses, 
and this enables him to give the borders a rich surface¬ 
dressing during the summer. The concrete is easily 
taken off when an opening is commenced at one side, 
and a little left will be an advantage rather than 
otherwise. 1 saw the material used last year in the 
shape of a heap of sandy, gravelly, limy matter. A few 
bushels of fresh lime and water to make it a suitable 
consistence, will, i dare say, have ensured the applica¬ 
tion of a thin smoothed layer to the border before this 
time, which will throw off wet, and a covering will havo 
been applied to the early house, to keep the heat of the 
summer from passing from the earth by radiation. Here, 
I also observed a very simple, hut capital mode for 
knowing at uuy tiuio tho heat of the border,—a matter of 
great import in early forcing, namely, placing near its 
centre a row of small round drain tiles longitudinally, a 
few inches beneath the surface, and having a thermo¬ 
meter fastened to a long iron rod, by pulling out which 
1)9 
you could always know the heat of the border, and 
regulate the protecting medium accordingly. 
I shall notice hut a few things more. On the east- 
side of Mr. Judd’s house was a small greenhouse, con¬ 
taining some good Fuchsias, grown chiefly on the stem 
principle. At the side of door‘on tho west side were 
two nice rustic vases filled with flowers, which it might 
interest many readers to know how they were made. 
A concrete red paving file was takcu as tho base, on 
that was set upright a round draining tile, on the top of 
the draining tile was fixed a good sized flower-pot; these 
were fixed together with cement, with an opening or two 
left at bottom, for the escape of wator, tho whole was 
then covered thickly with cement, and, whilo wet, small 
pieces of flint and pebbles were inserted all over it, and 
the effect on the whole was very good. I began fancying 
how vases with a casing of shells, &c., so made, would 
look. I expect that this will give a hint worth imitating 
by many of our friends. 
Bedding Dahlias. —Dwarf ones of these will soon he 
prized. The Purple Zelinda is splendid as a mass, 
though the individual flower the llorist would at once 
reject. The Scarlet Zelinda grows too spiry, its flowers 
are too thin. On a border close to Mr. Judd’s house 
was a better reddish one, sent out by Mr. Gaines, called 
Prince Arthur ; the llowor is good, tho habit very dwarf 
and compact; a thorough acquisition. About the next 
best 1 have seen for a bed is the fancy buff and orange 
one, called Miss Weylaiul, which will make an excellent 
bed, the flower being better, and the plant dwarl'er, than 
Mrs. Labouchere, though that is also good. Several 
whites are out, and of these, one called the Queen of 
Whites I think is as good as any ; hut tho best dwarfish 
white bod 1 havo seen was the old Bragg's Antagonist, 
as layed down and managed by my neighbour, Mr. 
Fraser. This is a growing subject, from tho numbers 
of inquiries that reach mo; and tlioso who have good 
kinds, that will naturally not grow abovo fifteen inches 
high, will find there will he no want of a demand for 
them. 
Seedling Scarlet Geraniums. —Behind the principal 
range of houses in tiro kitchen-garden is a very pretty 
flower-garden, lor containing good plants, et ceteras, and 
to supply cut-flowers for nosegays, &e., and among these 
1 found some beds of a Scarlet Geranium, not yet com¬ 
mon, and which 1 thought had been lost, as it is nearly 
three years since 1 saw one, along with Mr. Glenny, in 
awarding it a prize as a desirable Scarlet at Northamp¬ 
ton, though then iu a small tiny pot The colour of the 
flower is a bright scarlet, with a white eye, about the 
size of Punch in truss and individual flower, and with 
the habit, as near as may be, of the Improved Frogmore, 
or, what some people call, tho Trcntluim Scarlet. 
Propagating Hoses. —There are also borders in 
which a great many standard ltoses aro grown; but 
what struck my attention was a long border, with 
hundreds, if not thousands of beautiful plants of the 
best l’erpetuals, &c., such as William Jesse, Mrs. Klliot, 
La Heine, Madame Laffay, Baronne Prcvost, Geant 
des Batailles, growing vigorously about a foot apart, 
and another section seemingly a year older ; and I saw 
iu a moment whence the huge oval in the pleasure- 
grounds was to be filled ; hut how these plants came 
there is what some thousand readers will want to 
know, and that I will tell just in a word or two, and 
then leave them to adopt Mr. Judd’s or Mr. Beaton’s j 
plan, just as the bent of their inclination, and the cir¬ 
cumstances and conveniences at their disposal will 
enable them to decide. Mr. Judd makes his cuttings i 
about tho middle and towards the end of October. He 
prefers tlioso lie can take off with a heel, that is the 
point whore tho young summer shoot joins the older 
wood ; but lie is not at all particular ; making cuttings 
of any part of the shoots, except the youngest and 
