December 20. 
TIIE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
251 
the one bird; the prices, too, at which the Poultry were 
“ entered ” by exhibitors, was, at this meeting, also, far more 
rational and moderate than in preceding years. In short, 
the numbers of pens sold this year exceeded those of last, 
though the sum total showed a deficiency. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
*** We request that no one will write to the departmental writers of 
The Cottage Gardener. It gives them unjustifiable trouble and 
expense. All communications should be addressed “ To the Editor of 
The Cottage Gardener, 2, Amen Corner, Paternoster How, London.” 
Elementary Books (An Inquirer). —Buy the Grammar and the 
Arithmetic in “ Chambers’s Educational Course.” Loudon’s Self Instruc¬ 
tion for Gardeners will supply you with information relative to Survey¬ 
ing, Geometry, Book-keeping, and Drawing plans. Parke’s Chemical 
Catechism and Henfrey’s Rudiments of Botany, will be good introduc¬ 
tions for those sciences. Buy also an English Dictionary, for you do 
not quite understand the meaning of words. Thus, you say, “ Respective 
Sir,” instead of “ Respected Sir,” Leave shorthand alone until you 
have mastered the sciences which are more essential for you. 
Flooe for Poultry House (W). —The best floor we know is made 
of chalk rammed hard, and covered an inch deep with fine loose gravel. 
This allows the dirt to be raked off frequently and easily. The fowls 
with feathered legs are not pure Dorkings. 
Catalogue of Plants (A. B. R.).— The best is Loudon’s Hortus 
Britannicus, with the last Supplement and Index, published in 1850. 
SiiRorsniRE Poultry Snow. (II. B. S.).—We received no report of it. 
Mignonette Seed (D. Wollaston).— The sample sent is good. We 
shall be obliged by any of our readers giving a statement how best to 
separate the seed from the seed-vessel and dress it. Amateurs need not 
be very particular about this. We sow the fragments of the seed-vessel 
and the seed unseparated. 
Preparing Skeletons of Birds, &c., (T. K. A.) — Any of our 
readers who will furnish us with a good mode of doing this will oblige 
us as well as our correspondent. 
Hen Egg-bound ( G. C., Chichester).—We cannot do better than 
quote the following from The Poultry Keeper’s Almanack, just pub¬ 
lished, and where you will find much relative to other common diseases 
of fowls:—“ Egg-bound.— This arises, in almost all instances, from 
excess of fatness in the hen, and consequent inflammation of the egg- 
passage. We think that a clyster of warm water would cause the egg 
to pass; but to prevent a recurrence of this dangerous difficulty, the 
bird must be put upon a low diet of boiled rice and mashed potatoes, 
with plenty of green food, and giving her daily, for a week, a pill, com¬ 
pounded of one grain of calomel and one-twelfth of a grain of tartar 
emetic.” 
Cutting-in a Grape Vine (Ibid.).— You had better prune it now. 
Names of Plants (Jane B.).—' The specimen sent, called a leaf, is the 
central part of a seed-pod or silicle, of a very showy plant, called Honesty, 
or Moon-wort; its Linneean name is Lunaria biennis. There are two 
species of this genus ; the other species is called L. redivica, a hardy 
perennial kind ; both species are natives of Germany, flowering early in 
May and June, and of both species the flowers are of a light purple 
colour, but the biennis has a white variety. Now this plant biennis, of 
which the specimen sent is a part, forms a most imposing plant in our 
flower-borders, as a purple flower, during the early months, when Cheir- 
anthus Marshallii and alpinus, Visicaria utriculuta, Allyssum saxatile, 
as yellow-flowering plants, and the perennial Candy-tufts, &c., as white 
flowers, are also ornamenting our borders. In such cases and places, 
this purple-flowering biennial is extremely useful to mix with them. A 
few seeds should be sown in some bye place in the kitchen-garden, or the 
like, to plant out the following spring in the flower-garden. 
CALENDAR FOR JANUARY. 
ORCHID HOUSE. 
Aerides, Saccolabiums, Vandas, and such-like Indian plants, give 
water to once during the month. Air. —In the first month of the 
year we frequently have severe frosty nights, and clear, bright, sunny 
days. The heat necessary to keep out the frost, and the bright sun, 
will raise the temperature of the house too high; to lower it to the 
right pitch air must be given, and the apertures to give air ought 
to be so placed that the cold air does not rush in directly upon or 
through the plants. The best place for the openings is directly oppo¬ 
site the pipes ; the air then becomes heated in a degree before it 
reaches the plants. Blocks: plants on these will require attention; 
any that are loose should be refastened ; cleanse the leaves and pseudo¬ 
bulbs from green scurf and all kinds of insects. Cyrtopodiums, see 
to ; if any fresh growth is observable, repot in a rich compost. Den- 
drobiums, remove into a cool house; such as show growth may be 
potted and kept moderately moist. Heat : keep both the houses to the 
lowest point of heat for the first half of the month ; as the days lengthen 
allow the heat to increase a few degrees. Insects, continue to destroy. 
Moisture: on sunny days sprinkle the walks, walls, and pipes, two or 
three times a day. Phais grandiflorus, now flowering, give plenty 
of water, and, if convenient, plunge the pots in a bed of heated leaves, 
or tanner’s bark. Potting, continue to perform upon all orchids 
beginning to grow. Soils, procure, such as fibrous peat and turfy 
loam; lay them in a place to dry, to be ready for the general potting 
next month. Sobralias, place in a cool house; heat 55° by day, and 
50° by night; cut down all the shoots that flowered the preceding summer 
to allow room for the young shoots ; keep them quite dry while at rest. 
Stanhopeas in baskets, if growing, dip in tepid water. Syringe 
blocks, as directed last month. Water at the roots, apply carefully; 
do not wet the young shoots. T. Appleby. 
PLANT STOVE. 
See last month. Prepare a hotbed, e., to strike cuttings in. Climb¬ 
ers beginning to grow, tie in. Erantiiemums, and other winter, 
flowering plants, give manure water to occasionally. Turn tun-beds, 
and renew the heat by adding fresh bark. Pot a second batch of 
Achimencs, Gesneras, and Gloxinias, to succeed those done last month. 
Give moderate supplies of water till they begin to grow. The heat of 
this house must still be kept low, as too much excitement will, for 
want of light, cause the plants to grow weak, and the young leaves to 
come yellow. Seeus of stove plants sow, e., giving only one watering 
till they begin to appear. Hard-shelled seeds steep in water heated to 
180° or 200°; leave them till the water cools. Sponge all large leaves, 
to clear off dust and insects. Surface-stir the earth in pots, and 
clear off weeds and moss, and add a top-dressing and fresh compost. 
T. Appleby. 
FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
Air. —Whenever the sun overcomes the frost draw off the lights, it 
will refresh the plants much ; if kept on the plants will begin to grow, 
and will be more liable to suffer from close covering during severe 
weather. In dull, humid, mild weather, give air at the back or sides by 
tilting up the lights. Anemones may yet be planted; choose a dry day 
for the purpose; cover the tubers with a thin layer of white sand. 
Auriculas and Polyanthuses, dress off decayed leaves; search for 
slugs in the frames and under the pots. Carnations and Picotkes, 
water when dry ; pick off decayed leaves. Any leaves not decayed, but 
showing spots on them, remove ; it is the plague of these plants. Chry¬ 
santhemums now partially at rest, water once; any advanced shoots 
cut off, and make cuttings of; those out-of-doors place a slight covering 
of tanner’s bark round, to protect them from frost. Cinerarias will 
now be showing flower; water when dry ; pot seedlings ; repot young, 
small plants, struck late, to encourage growth. Calceolaria seed¬ 
lings, pot off from pans ; repot young plants ; give plenty of air to ; smoke 
frequently, to destroy green fly; attend closely to watering, and avoid 
wetting the leaves ; pick off daily all decayed leaves, and clear the surface 
of the soil of moss. These are, as the term is, miffy plants, and soon 
lost, without great care through this month. As the frost in this month 
is often very severe, apply Coverings of sufficient thickness to keep it 
out; light, open material, such as fern or straw, with a single mat over 
it to prevent it blowing about, is better than a covering of three mats 
laid close upon each other. Dahlias, examine, and clear away all 
decayed tops or bulbs ; any roots quite gone throw out at once. 
Fuchsias : as soon as shoots are made half-an-inch long, slip them off, 
and put them in sand under hand-glasses to strike; these early short 
cuttings, or slips, strike easily and quickly. Hollyhocks : should the 
weather be open, plant them out; if not already done, the sooner this is 
done the better chance there is to have good bloom. Use hoops and mats 
over the Tulip and Hyacinth beds in severe frosty or heavy rainy 
weather. Lobelias (Tall), keep from severe frost, and moderately dry. 
Pansies in pots, look to, and water-gently when dry; search frequently 
for slugs ; those in the open air, in mild weather close the earth (loosened 
by frost) to the plants ; if open weather, give a top-dressing of decayed 
leaves and a little soot. Pinks : after the frost is gone press the soil to 
with the hand firmly, or they will be thrown quite out of the ground. 
Ranunculuses may be planted, weather permitting, the last week in 
the month (see former number of The Cottage Gardener as to the 
manner) ; water, give none in frosty weather, but as soon as a change 
takes place, apply it early in the morning of a fine day. Verbenas, 
give air to; trim off decaying leaves and mould; stop such as are 
growing and drawing up weak. T. Appleby. 
FLOWER-GARDEN. 
Annuals in borders, keep free from fallen leaves or other litter ; and, 
if the weather is fine, sow a few more at the end of the month. Bulbs, 
see that mice or rats do not get to them: fresh soot keeps them off for 
awhile. Cuttings, of various hardy deciduous shrubs, climbing Roses, 
and the like, may yet be put in. Edgings, see that they are in good 
order; slate edgings are the best, then box: either may be laid this 
month. If the soil is dry at the end of the month, plant some Gladioli, 
such as Psittacinus, Gundavensis, and their varieties, and continue in 
monthly succession to the end of April. Forget not to procure such 
stakes, rods, pegs, and tallies, os may be wanted next summer, in time. 
Destroy rats., mice, and other creatures destructive to seeds and roots. 
