110 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
November 7 . 
which you could cover with earth or sand, according to what 
was wanted;—this arrangement would answer better than a 
tank placed merely on the upper pipe, or with the upper 
pipe going through it. In such a place, you could strike 
most greenhouse plants easily, with the assistance of bell- 
glasses, or a hand-light, or both. 
4. To make sure, and in case you might wish to enlarge 
or give the place greater heat some day, we would advise a 
twelve or fourteen-incli boiler. There will be no objection 
at all to the flue from the boiler passing into another chim¬ 
ney, provided it is so managed that there is no hack draught; 
for if so, and no fire is used in the servants’ apartment, the 
room may bo filled with smoke ; but the bricklayer will know 
all about that. As the kitchen is so near, might it not be 
practicable to fit two pipes from the kitchen boiler ? We 
have had much pleasure in answering these queries, because 
everything is so explicit: while we still have to complain 
that, in some eases, we can hardly make out what our friends 
mean or wish,] 
WINTERING GERANIUMS.—DISTINGUISHING A 
GOOSE FROM A GANDER. 
“ I beg to say that practically I know nothing of Flori¬ 
culture. Till within twelve months I had a garden attached 
to my cottage for eight or nine years, and had about the 
same amount of time to work in it as most other working¬ 
men. Now, the ‘ force of circumstances ’ has placed me in a 
different position, I have undertaken the practical part of 
what I knew but very little of in theory only; but, thanks 
to the liberality of a few choice spirits who record their 
experience in The Cottage Gardener, I have so far given 
satisfaction ; but, as the poet Burns says, the 1 future only 
troubles me.’ But to the point,— 
“1. I have taken up my Geraniums-, the fancy ones, 
and small Tom Thumbs, I have potted, and put in the 
Cucumber frame, the others I have put in Valencia boxes 
with earth, as close as I can cram them together. Will that 
do for the winter; or how long ? 
“ 2. I have a good-sized place on the north side of a 
building. I have put old frames on about half of the roof, 
the other half pan-tiles not pointed; one open window in 
the east end, and two small lights on the north side, with 
a flue on the same side. Can I keep the Geraniums, Fuchsias, 
and what tender things I must take up for the winter ? I 
have no other place but a cold garret. 
“3. I have a few large Geraniums for vases, and a 
regiment of the ‘ Beaton Grenadiers ’ for standards, &e.; 
must I keep them growing, or let them rest for a few months ? 
“ 4. Will the above place do to forward a few annuals in, 
and keep Cacti ? Should the above not be intelligible, I shall 
bo glad to put it in any form you may wish.— Evergreen.” 
“ P.S.—For the sake of better order, I wish to remove a 
few roots of Sea-kale. Can I do it ? If so, what time?” 
“ Can you easily distinguish the sex of Geese ? ” 
[In answer to the first question of our “Evergreen" 
friend, we say that no fancy, or young Tom Thumb Gera¬ 
niums were ever better treated in October, after being re¬ 
potted from the borders,than those of “Evergreen.” They 
were potted and put into a Cucumber-frame ; and, no doubt 
they received a little additional heat until the new roots 
showed through the fresh ball of earth. These being small, 
young plants, our friend concluded that they could not stand 
drying for winter, and so he means to give them ordinary 
greenhouse treatment all along, until next April, when they 
will be fit to turn out under temporary shelter, to make more 
room for younger stock. The old Geraniums are closely 
packed into Valencia boxes, but any kind of box will do; the 
soil in the boxes he intends to keep just from getting dry, 
and no more. Although ho does not say so in direct terms, 
we happen to know every move in his whole process; he 
does not say that he cut down the old Geraniums, or that he 
stripped off every leaf from them, but having had an eye to 
that north house with the flue, we are sure he did not cut 
them low down; hut every leaf was cut off, no doubt, both 
to make more room for packing, and to save the half-dried 
stems from too much sucking, when so little “suction” was 
at the roots. It is astonishing how some people can hit off 
such things to a just balance. 
Secondly, that north side building—if it was long enough, 
and high in proportion,—would hold alive, during the longest 
winter, all the Myrtles, Oranges, Fuchsias, Scarlet. Geraniums 
—dry and half dry—with all other half-hardy plants that 
are in use among us for the flower-garden and dressed 
grounds ; the worst of it is, that not having had the point¬ 
ing done under the tiles before the autumn, larger fires 
will bo needed in the flue when the frost comes—a self- 
ventilating roof being never a safe one in hard times, like 
these. “ The Beaton, or Boatman Grenadiers” will stand at 
ease in this, their proper quarters, in the north ; and from 
their cosy, new uniform and constrained habit, they will not 
press hard on the commissariat this winter, but tlioy must 
have a little, and that regularly. These veterans dislike 
confinement, and require abundance of fresh air in dull 
times. This will be the best test of their capacity for 
feeding ;—as long as they do not shrink from the fresh air, 
it is a good sign they do not want more water at the roots. 
The north house will be a good place to keep back plants 
from flowering too soon, but not a safe place to get up 
annuals after they have sprouted into leaf. 
As to the Sea-kale roots, about the end of February is the 
best time to divide them, keeping a good healthy crown to 
each piece ; this, however, is not the best way for a new 
plantation of Sea-kale ; the best is from seeds sown about 
the end of March in a single row, and the seedling plants 
to be transplanted when they are about a year old; but 
“ Evergreen ” knows all that, only it escaped his memory to 
save and sow seeds of Sea-kale at the proper time, and 
the sets must do for this once. 
About the Geese, —there is no surer way of knowing a goose 
from a gander, than to watch which lays the eggs, and 
which hisses after little boys and girls when the goose is 
hatching; but perhaps some of our correspondents know of 
an earlier way of distinguishing the sexes of Geese, and 
will be good enough to communicate the same. We do not 
oxpect much from schoolmasters, who call a dull boy “ a 
goose ;" when it must be evident they mean “ a turkey ” all 
the time. There is nothing at all dull or stupid about a real 
gooso; just the reverse.] 
MANAGEMENT OF AMARYLLIS VITTATA, HIP- 
PEASTRUM ACCRAMANII—SAND FOR PLUNG¬ 
ING.—GLOXINIA CUTTINGS. 
“ Will you kindly answer the following queries in The 
Cottage Gardener:— 
“ How to manage Amaryllis viltata now? My bulbs have 
died down, but the pots were full of fresh roots, and I have 
repotted them. Havel done right ? They did not flower 
last summer. 
“ Do you know any Lily called Accramanii ? How ought 
they to be managed now ? The leaves are still fresh, and 
they seem still growing. 
“What is best to put on a hot-water tank for plunging 1 
stuff—sand or sawdust ? I have been using sawdust, but it 
is such dirty stuff. If sand, what depth ought to be put on? i 
Ought small plants, just struck of Gloxinias, to be kept in 
heat and growing all the winter ? 
“ I am afraid so many questions may be intruding on your 
kindness, but I know you are always willing to afford j 
information. I have learnt more from The Cottage 1 
Gardener than from all all other gardening works put 
together.—A. B.” 
[How odd that you should have overlooked the treatment 
of the. Amaryllis viltata in a recent volume, or have not 
looked in the Index for it. In potting these bulbs when 
they were at rest, or “ died down,” you have done exactly 
the very opposite of right. These bulbs, and all other bulbs 
which retain their roots after the leaves die down, should 
not be potted during their rest time, but when they are in 
full growth. You had better keep your viltata dry till you 
see the young leaves pushing up naturally, that is, without 
forcing, about the end of January, or later. 
The Lily-like plant called Accramanii is a very beautiful 
bulb indeed,—a far-fetched cross-bull) from the nephew of 
your viltata ; and if you get both to flower next April they 
will cross together, and the breed will come near that of 
Johnsoni, that is, white stripes and eyes, and may be white 
blotches on a dark red or crimson ground; the two require 
exactly the same treatment; the very strongest loam, small 
upright pots, according to the size of the bulbs, and not to 
be repotted oftenor than once in six or seven years, unless 
