]0 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[April 3. 
! 
Sepals and petals brown streaked with pale purple ; lip 
rich purple streaked with shades of pale yellow. A 
very pretty species. The flower stem rises and droops 
fi oi'ii near the top of the pseudo-bulbs. In large strong 
plants each spike produces frequently as many as from 
ten to twelve flowers. The colours will be much 
heightened if the plant is well exposed to the light. 
3Is. 6d. 
G. crist at a (Crested G.); Cayenne.—Sepals and petals 
white ; labellum, or lip, purple, and of a curious lozenge 
shape ; pretty but rare. 105s. 
G. Devonianum (Duke of Devonshire’s G.) ; Bio Negro. 
—Sepals and petals brownish orange; lip large and j 
showy, ground colour lilac shaded with white and yellow, 
with well defined dark purple stripes. When the plant 
is healthy and stroug the stems are large and round, 
producing long leaves, gracefully drooping from amongst 
which the flower stems rise, having on each several of 
their truly beautiful flowers. This is the handsomest 
species of this handsome genus, but is very rare. 210s. 
Culture. —Though this genus is a small one, the plants 
in it are worthy of every care. Being natives of the 
warmest parts of South America, they require, when 
growing, a high temperature : 75° to 85° by day, and 70° 
by night, with a moderate supply of water at the root. 
The usual compost of turfy peat and chopped sphagnum, 
in the proportion of two of the former and one of the 
latter, suits them well. Pot them high, that is, let each 1 
plant stand elevated about two inches above the level of 
the rim of the pot, the compost gradually sloping down 
rather within its edge; thus leaving each plant on a 
little hill in the centre. By this mode the water will 
never lodge about the base of the young shoots, but will 
run down to the edge of the pot, and sink down to the 
ample drainage, and escape without doing any injury to 
the young and tender shoots. G. Bauerii should, after 
the summer growth is perfected, be kept nearly dry; but 
the other two, being more succulent, require to be kept 
rather more moist, even through the season of rest. We 
have known several plants of the rare G. Devonianum 
that have perished through inattention to this point of 
culture. During the season of rest, which should be 
contrived to happen in our winter months, the tempera¬ 
ture should range from 00° to 05° by day, and 55° by 
night. T. Appleby. 
FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
Calceolarias. — These beautiful summer-flowering 
plants should now present a bold vigorous appearance, ! 
wirh broad dark green leaves. Water freely as the 1 
plants advance in growth ; but do not allow any flower- 
stems to remain at present. The green fly will now 
makes its appearance, and if not checked immediately 
will increase prodigiously, and soon cripple the leaves 
by sucking out the vegetable juices. Take them in time, 
and smoke with tobacco carefully and frequently, to 
destroy them whilst the numbers are small. Rot strong 
plants into their blooming-pots about this time, using a 
rich compost of strong loam, leaf-mould, and a small 
quantity of sand. Give plenty of drainage, and keep 
up a moist atmosphere on all favourable occasions by 
syringing the platforms on which they stand, and the 
pots themselves. 
Verbenas. —Those intended for early exhibitions 
should now be in a forward state. The blooms may 
now be allowed to. appear. Like the Calceolarias, the 
green fly will appear at this season, and must be dili¬ 
gently destroyed by smoking. Cuttings may yet be put 
in for bedding purposes in June. See last week’s num¬ 
ber for notices of other florists’ flowers. T. Appleby. 
THE KITCHEN-GARDEN. 
Though in some localities the weather may, for gene¬ 
ral cropping, have been favourable enough, and much 
may have been accomplished in the way of seed sowing, 
planting, and surface stirring, yet there may be other 
localities where very little could have been done on 
account of the unkind condition of the soil, in conse¬ 
quence of the late drenching rains and other causes. 
Badly drained, cold and heavy soils will be very difficult 
to crop in due season, though a great deal may at all 
times be done by a little forethought, and making pro¬ 
vision beforehand. In such a season as the present, 
drenching rains almost daily, the seed, of course, is 
much better out of the ground than if sown previously; 
and those who have sown early will meet, we fear, with 
a great portion of the seed bursting and rotting. The 
young plants, too, will be liable to become languid and 
weak, and not in a condition to resist the sudden changes 
and blighting winds which are always to be expected 
at the present time of the year, or the surface of the 
ground may have become so beaten down and caked 
over, that neither wind nor rain can act with sufficient 
power for the germination of the seed. These are 
all matters that require great attention and watch¬ 
ing at this season, so that remedies may be put 
into practice; such as sowing a little seed on slight 
heat, or in sheltered corners, for transplanting in due 
season, watching for a favourable day, and shallow break¬ 
ing the surface of the soil with a short-toothed rake, or 
with any other rake, so that its teeth are not allowed to 
penetrate too far at the first raking; such operation re¬ 
quires, of course, to be performed with some method; 
on the other hand, when kindly -weather prevails, a drill 
may be drawn between each previous drill, and again 
sown thinly, the object of a little seed and time not 
being of so much consequence as disappointment of 
crop. 
Routine of Work. — Angelica should be sown, and 
the growing crop be well supplied with good manure and 
water; if fine coloured, crisp and transparent stalks are 
required. Globe Artichokes, thin out to the desired 
distance, and make a new plantation. Sow full crops of 
Cauliflowers and Gape Brocolis, sow also Sweet Basil 
and Marjoram in full crop. Borecoles, Coleworts, and 
Brocolis, in variety, as well as Brussels Sprouts, Savoys, 
and other winter stuff. Celery should be sown in full 
crop, and slight hotbeds made for pricking early plants 
out. 
Plant asparagus as soon as the young plants have 
made shoots two or three inches in length; keep up a 
succession of salads—mustard and cress, radishes in 
variety, and sowings of lettuce. Dwarf Kidney beans 
may be sown for transplanting under hoops and mats, 
or other shelter; sow tall varieties of peas in succession, 
a few at a time. 
Make mushroom beds in cold and sheltered situations, 
applying a good portion of holding loam to the ferment¬ 
ing materials. Sow Ridge cucumbers, vegetable marrow, 
and New Zealand spinach. Apply good liquid manure 
to growing rhubarb ; make new beds of mint in variety, 
and tarragon as soon as tbe shoots are three or four 
inches in length; divide chives and encourage their 
growth ; this last is a beautiful herb for young turkeys, 
chickens, and ducks. Put in cuttings, and layer sage, 
Lemon thyme, rue, rosemary, hyssop, &c. Part roots of 
wormwood and pennyroyal. Look well to scarifying the 
potato ground when the weather is suitable, and choose 
a warm border for sowing a few early turnips. 
James Barnes. 
1 
I 
i 
