Mat 22.] 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
WEEKLY CALENDAR. 
ior 
M 
w 
MAY 22—28, 1851. 
Weather near London in 1850. 
Sun 
Sun 
Moon 
Moon’s 
Clock 
Day of 
D 
D 
Barometer. 
Thermo. Wind. 
Rain in In. 
Rises. 
Sets. 
R. & S. 
Age. 
bef. Sun. 
Year 
22 
Th 
Lily of Valley flowers. 
29.866—29.743 
66—45 
s.w. 
0.20 
1 a. 4 
52 a. 7 
1 
6 
21 
3 
40 
142 
23 
F 
Mountain Ash flowers. 
30.205 — 29.977 
69—39 
w. 
_ 
IV 
53 
1 
31 
c 
23 
3 
36 
143 
24 
s 
Queen Victoria born 1819. 
30.202 — 30.036 
76—50 
S. 
— 
59 a. 3 
64 
1 
53 
3 
31 
144 
25 
Sun 
Rog. Sun. Princess Helena b. 1846. 
29-971 —29.945 
72—50 
N.W. 
— 
58 
56 
2 
15 
24 
3 
25 
145 
26 
M 
iB. Argus Butterfly seen. 
30.013 — 30.003 
73—48 
S.W. 
— 
56 
5 7 
2 
33 
25 
3 
20 
146 
27 
Tu 
Ven. Bede. Mulberry Tree leaves. 
30.186—29.910 
77—50 
S.W. 
0.04 
55 
58 
2 
52 
26 
3 
13 
147 
28 
W 
Avens flowers. 
30.173-30.l6l 
58—50 
N.E. 
0.97 
54 
59 
3 
13 
27 
3 
6 
148 
In our last number we observed that Stephen Switzer, at the very com¬ 
mencement of the 18th century, was the first writer on gardening who 
published his own good practical knowledge for the benefit of the com¬ 
munity, and we contrasted his sound knowledge with the absurdities to 
be found in the writings of the l6th ; but we need not have passed back 
to such a distance from his own era, for such a contrast. As an instance, 
we have just taken from our book-shelf a little duodecimo volume dated 
1693, being the second edition, and bearing this prolix title “ The 
Florists’ Vade-mecum. Being a choice compendium of whatever worthy 
notice hath been extant for the propagating, raising, planting, encreasing, 
and preserving the rarest flowers and plants that our climate and skill (in 
raising, making, and meliorating apted soils to each species,) will per¬ 
suade to live with us. With several new experiments for raising new 
varieties, for their most advantageous management. In a more particular 
method than ever yet published. Together with directions what to do 
each month throughout the year, in both Orchard and Flower-garden. 
By Samuel Gilbert, Phileremus.” Now, Phileremus means a lover 
of solitude, but, like another poet, for he worshiped the Muses as well as 
Flora, we have a shrewd suspicion that 
He loved to have a friend in his retreat, 
To whom he might whisper—solitude is sweet. 
And we are not quite certain that he was not one 
Who likes the country, but in truth must own, 
Most likes it, when he studies it in town. 
Be this as it may, he was no hermit, for he had a wife, and rejoiced in 
writing verses to the titled ladies among his friends. 
Now this Florists’ Vade-mecum exhibits much of the good prac¬ 
tical knowledge of Switzer, but there is about it much of the super¬ 
stitious ignorance of Heresbach. It marks the transition period in the 
1 history of gardening—it savours both of the good time advancing, and of 
the dark time passing away. His chapter on Auriculas may be taken 
as an example of the good knowledge then diffusing, and the directions for 
their culture, and for raising seedlings, might be now followed without 
injury to the grower’s reputation. Auriculas were then in high esteem, 
and he enumerates some of the choicest varieties, such as “ The Fair 
Downam, raised by a divine of that name.” The Black Imperial, 
Btaxing Star, and “ to close with the best last, there are two rare striped 
Auriculas, their price bespeaks them, the one at four, the other nearer 
five pounds, and have been sold for twenty pounds, as I have been in¬ 
formed. They may be now cheaper, and are in the hands of my truly 
worthy friend, Peter Egerton, of Boughton, near Chester, Esq.” Friend 
Gilbert, was a great courtier, he continually eulogises this worthy friend, 
and his love of solitude had not won him from devotion to the ladies, for 
in some highly eulogistic verses to “ Mary Egerton, worthy consort to 
(the above said) truly honoured Peter Egerton,” he says: — 
My heart, as flowers, their topsails lower to you, 
Commandress over both ; I therefore sue, 
Before 1 close to fix your name, of power 
To raise the heads and beauty of each flower. 
We would next give some examples of his absurdities, but they may be 
reserved for extraction when noticing another of his gardening pub¬ 
lications,—the first English Gardener’s Almanack which issued from the 
press. This he published in 1683, being then resident at Kinlet, near 
Bewdley, in Worcestershire. It is appended to the second edition of 
his “ Florist’s Vade Mecum,” and its contents are thus enumerated in 
the title page:—“The Gardener’s Almanack for five years, 1683-1687. 
Showing the day of the month and week ; the sun and moon’s place 
each day in the signe ; break of day ; sun-rise and set; length of day and 
night ; eclipses of the luminaries every year; the moon’s quarters, her 
change and full ; with monthly directions what ought to be done in 
either kitchen or flower-garden for ever ; &c. By Samuel Gilbert, Phi¬ 
leremus, 1682.” 
The monthly directions are correct for the most part, but that the 
author did not rise superior to the astrological prejudices of his time, 
may be believed after reading the following extract:—“ 1. If you prune 
your vines, the moon in full and posited in Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, or 
Sagittary, neither worms nor birds will infest your grapes. 2 . Trees are | 
not to be grafted, the moon waning, or not to be seen. 3. Cut trees 
you would have quickly grow again, when the moon is above the earth in ' 
the first quarter, and if it may be, joined to Jupiter or Venus. 4. Sow 
or plant when the moon is in Taurus, Virgo, or Scorpio, and in good 
aspect of Saturn. 5. Set or sow all kind of pulse, the moon in Cancer, i 
6 . Dress your gardens and trim your shrubs when the moon is in Libra 
or Capricorn. 7- Set or cut any shrub or tree you would retard in the < 
decrease of the moon in Cancer. 8 . Set or cut, or sow what you would \ 
have speedily shoot or grow, in the increase of the moon. 9- For double 
flowers, sow and transplant in the full of the moon. 10. Neither graft, 
set, sow, nor plant during an eclipse, or when the moon is afflicted by j 
Saturn or Mars. 11 . Gather fruit, the moon decreasing (October).” 
Lastly comes the question—Who was the author of these duodecimos ? 
and we wish that we could give more information than is comprised in 
the scraps gathered from his dedications, and other portions of his works. 
From these we learn that he was the Rev. Sanmel Gilbert, at one time 
rector of Quatt-Malvern, and chaplain to Lady Jane, widow' of Charles 
Gerard, Baron Bromley, during which time he published, in 1676 , a little 
volume, entitled Fons Sanitatis, being in praise of a mineral spring at 
Willow'bridge, in Staffordshire. The time of Mr. Gilbert’s death is un¬ 
known to us, and we only know further respecting him, that he married 
a daughter of another delighter in gardening, John Rea, also a proteg^ 
of the Gerarde family. Mr. Rea also resided at Kinlet, and was author 
of a floricultural folio, published in 1665, entitled “ Flora, Ceres, and 
Pomona.” 
Mr. Gilbert, with as much truth as prejudice, says :—“ The skill and 
collection of Mr. John Rea, my father-in-law', were alike famous.” That 
collection was especially rich in Tulips. “ He had,” says Mr. Gilbert, 
“ the largest collection of any man in England, some of which I lost by 
being beyond sea at his death.” As we shall not have occasion to men¬ 
tion Mr. Rea again, we will conclude with an extract from his work, 
especially as it will offer a suggestion to a correspondent ( Fanny F.), 
who, in common with all rose-fanciers, finds it “ difficult to obtain 
perfect blooms” from her double yellow rose. Mr. Rea says:—“This 
is the most unapt of all others to bear kindly and fair flowers, unless it 
be ordered and looked unto in an especial manner. It is best inoculated 
upon another stock ; others thrive and bear best in the sun, this in the 
shade; therefore, the best way that I know to cause this rose to bring t 
forth fair and kindly flowers, is performed after this manner : First, in j 
the stock of a Franckfort rose, near the ground, put in a bud of the 
single yellow rose, which will quickly shoot to a good length, then half a 
yard higher than the place w'here the same was budded, put into it a bud 
of the double yellow rose, which growing, the suckers must be kept from 
the root, and all the buds rubbed off except those of the kind desired, , 
W'hich being grown big enough to bear (which will be in two years), it 
must in winter be pruned very near, cutting off all the small shoots, and 
only leaving the biggest, cutting off the tops of them also as far as they 
are small; then in the spring, when the buds for leaves come forth, rub 
off the smallest of them, leaving only some few of the biggest, which, by 
reason of the strength of the stock affording more nourishment than any 
other, and the agreeable nature of the single yellow rose from whence it 
is immediately nourished, the shoots will be strong and able to bear out 
the flowers, if they be not too many, which may be prevented by nipping 
off the smallest buds for flowers, leaving only such a number of the 
fairest as the tree may be able to bring to perfection, which tree would 
stand something shadowed, and not too much in the heat of the sun, 
and in a standard by itself rather than under a wall. These rules being 
observed, we may expect to enjoy the full delight of these beautiful roses, 
as I myself have often done by my own practice in divers trees so handled, 
which have yearly born store of fair flowers, when those that were 
natural, notwithstanding all the helps I could use, have not brought 
forth one that was kindly, but all of them either broken, or, as it were, 
blasted.” 
Meteorology of the Week.-— At Chiswick from observations 
during the last twenty-four years, the average highest and lowest tem¬ 
perature of these days are 67 . 4 °, and 44.6°, respectively. The greatest 
heat, 91°, occurred on the 28th, in 1847, and the lowest cold, 29 0 , on the 
25th, in 1839. During the time 105 days were fine, and on 63 rain fell. 
There are now several Societies established for the 
purpose of deciding upon the merits of new Florists’ 
Flowers, and we believe that all those Societies are 
actuated by an honourable and praiseworthy desire to 
encourage floriculture, and to point out, by their judg¬ 
ments and prizes, which are the flowers most deserving 
of public patronage. To a certain extent they effect 
their purpose—and the public may feel assured, that a 
flower rewarded by any one of those Societies has some 
prominent merits. But this is not all that the public 
requires, nor is it all the public is entitled to have 
from those who profess, and, we believe, intend to watch 
over its interests. A flower to be entitled to receive 
the highest reward any one of those Societies can bestow, 
should be pre-eminent in all good characteristics ; and 
the Societies in giving their award should minutely par¬ 
ticularize the merits. Now, they do not do so ; nor are 
they, in general, sufficiently stringent in withholding re- 
No. CXXXVIII., Vol. VI. 
