274 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[July 31. 
Beaton, says they may be struck easily and certainly by 
sticking them in behind a north-wall, under hand-lights, 
or even without (we quote from memory); but as they 
are managed successfully enough at Pineapple Place in 
quite a different manner, without at all disputing our 
good friend’s success, we shall advise our readers to follow 
our plan, or, if they choose to try Mr. B.’s method, do 
so by all means, but do not depend entirely upon it. 
Our method is to place the cuttings in shallow pans, one- 
and-a-half inch only deep, with a hole in the centre, in 
the usual loam and sand, placing them on a shelf in the 
propagating house, or in the frame, close to the glass, 
upon topsy-turned pots. The cuttings are made very 
short, with a portion of the old wood at the bottom of 
each. Very little water is given till the callosities are 
formed, when it is given more freely, and then roots 
soon make their appearance, when they are immediately 
potted off, and the usual treatment followed. There are 
two other methods of propagation, by buds and by cut¬ 
tings of the roots, which we must defer giving till next 
week. T. Appleby. 
THE KITCHEN-GARDEN. 
Routine Work. — Asparagus. — Continue moderate 
and frequent applications of salt during showery and 
gloomy weather, also, if it can be afforded, good soak- 
ings of liquid manure. Where Borage is in considerable 
demand, cut for drying whilst in bloom, and make 
another sowing. Observe, in favourable weather, that 
the recently-planted Borecoles, Kales, Savoys, Brocolies, 
Brussels Sprouts, and that all kinds of winter stuff and 
Coleivorts have their vacancies filled up, the yellow leaves 
picked off, and a loose surface maintained about them. 
Continue to plant out Gape Brocoli, Caulifloicers, and 
Orange's White Brocoli. Encourage the growth of Celery 
by surface stirring, and the application of abundance of 
water, liquid manure, &c. 
Cucumbers continue to stop; peg out the newly-made 
shoots, and keep them tolerably thin; secure good 
straight green fruit for preserving, and have the glier- 1 
kins collected while they maintain a good colour, and 
previous to their running any risk of becoming spotted 
by the influence of too much wet, &c. Continue to 
make plantings of Coleivorts, Endive, and Lettuce, and ! 
make another sowing of each. Keep all the spurious 
and small shoots cleared away from the Horseradish, 
and apply a good soaking of liquid manure. Plant out 
full crops of Leeks, and sow Onions and Horn Carrots 
for autumn use. Sow the principal crops of Cabbage. 
Sow Cucumbers for autumn culture. Keep the vine of 
Melons thin, and uniformly pegged or laid out; care 
should he taken, more particularly as the season ad¬ 
vances, to keep all the fruit intended to swell off, placed 
on glass, slates, or tiles, and the blossom end of the fruit 
placed to the north. Particular care should be taken to 
select seed from the handsomest shaped fruit of the best 
varieties. 
Mushroom Beds should be made in succession from 
good materials selected from the stable-dung, half-dried 
cow-dung, and good holding loam incorporated, and well 
rammed together. James Barnes. 
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION. 
ALLOTMENT FARMING— August. 
The principal policy during this month, is to get every 
vacant spot, and, also, intervening spare portions, tilled with 
materials for the coming winter, or the ensuing spring. It 
is in vain to think of producing anything profitable, as to 
bulk, after this month, indeed, we had almost said after the 
middle of it. Let therefore, every sinew he strained to 
carry out such tilings; and let the eye carefully scan every 
nook and corner, as well as the standing crops, and by a 
keen anticipation, fancy what the position of the existing 
crop will be in a month’s time ; also, whether anything can 
be introduced amongst it without material injury to the 
produce. Of course, where peas, beans, lettuces, spinach, 
or any such ephemeral or summer crops are removed, the 
ground should he immediately manured, well dug, and 
planted; waiting a few days if any prospect of rain appear. 
We would not, however, in regard to rain, he cajoled out of 
more than one week, hut call out the waterpot. 
"Where it so happens that the allotment man has both 
open ground of this character, and intervening portions 
between the crops to fill, we advise the use of Swede turnips 
for the open space, and any of the winter greens for asso¬ 
ciative crops. The manuring for the Swedes should be 
pretty liberal, and not dug in very deep, however meritorious 
deep digging may he in general, for these turnips have a 
short existence to run, and must he in quick action. Above 
all, a small sprinkling of guano, if a good article, would he 
of immense service. 
The Swede is so very useful, either as pig food, or for the 
cow, that it assuredly ought to hold the first rank as an 
allotment crop, where the possessor has a pig or a cow. It 
is even very sweet and nutritious for the cottager’s family; 
yet we are sorry to find a prejudice exists in the minds of 
many as to its use, merely because it is used as cattle food. 
We, however, seldom pass a week through the winter, with¬ 
out boiled Swedes one day, at least, and find that combined 
with carrots, a few peas, a lump of fat bacon, and a few 
potatoes, it forms an excellent repast. Besides this, what 
more handy for transplanting purposes, or for filling up 
gaps amongst other root-crops. All these things combined 
place the Swede first on the list. And here we may advert 
to the Green Kale, and the Brussels Sprouts. It is not 
unusual to see these things stand in the seed-bed until 
they become long in the leg, and gawky things they look. 
Now, although we are prepared to admit, that as a general 
maxim, short, firm, and stocky plants are best with most 
things, yet cases frequently occur in which such long-legged 
plants become exceedingly useful, more so, indeed, than 
better plants. In forming a portion of mixed cropping, it 
is sometimes necessary to select a crop, which, when planted, 
shall be free from coming in contact with the existing crop, 
i Here our long-legged kale is just at home. Of similar 
! character are the Brussels sprouts, and, although not so 
profitable as the Green kale, yet they are of much service, 
i as they begin producing their side sprouts much earlier 
than the kale, and continue furnishing them in a regular 
progression from November until nearly May-day. They 
are, moreover, the hardiest greens in the kingdom; no 
amount of cold appears to have the least influence over 
them. In casting our eyes over allotment plots in general, 
and the cottage-garden, we shall find Peas removed, or in 
progress; the Broad beans on the eve of departure; the 
Onions almost ready for bending down in order to insure an 
early, and, by consequence, a safe harvest, together with 
keeping properties; and after these, such little summer 
things, decaying or decayed, as spinach, lettuce, cauliflowers, 
&c. Ac. Some of these plots will already have been provided 
with a part crop, some wholly occupied. Let, then, every 
inch be carefully examined, for every inch ought to contribute 
its quota to the rental. The old Scotch wives have this 
saying, “ mony a little maks a mickle,” which means, in 
plain English, that a many little things, each a mere trifle 
in itself, put together, make a thing of importance. Solomon, 
also, says “He that despiseth little things, shall fall by little 
and little.” So now our cottage and allotment friends may 
take a hint from these sayings, which are by no means 
shorn of their fleece, although passing so many times 
through the clipper’s hands. 
Cultural Aefairs. —It may now fairly be supposed that 
