24 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
April 14. 
and parting-with-moisture medium. On a shelf very 
near the glass, under a flat roof, 1 improved, I think, 
even upon this, by stuffing between the 48-sized pots 
on the south side with moss. This minimised water¬ 
ings, as the pots were not unequally heated on one 
side by the sun’s rays, and the fruit hanging over 
this moss, and among the sprigs of grass that came 
from the turf, presented a rather pleasing union of the 
natural and artificial. I would advise new beginners 
to try this plan in preference to saucers. A sauccrful 
of water, in a dull day, has ruined many a promising 
Strawberry plant. After the flower-trusses show them¬ 
selves, I use manure-water rather liberally. To sum up, 
then, keep the plants rather dry until they show their 
flower-trusses; after that they must never suffer from 
dryness, but no water should stand about the roots ! 
until they are swelling freely; and if fine flavour is 
wanted, no water should ever stagnate about them. For 
securing all this, the turf is not more simple and eco¬ 
nomical than it is useful and effectual. 
Time of placing the Plants in the House .—I say 
nothing of early forcing. In a common cool green¬ 
house it would be little use housing the plants before 
the middle of March. In a warm greenhouse, or green¬ 
house vinery, they may be introduced by the beginning 
of March, or even in February. Many young gar¬ 
deners, professional and otherwise, err greatly in the 
matter of heat , especially that which is artificially sup- ] 
plied. After the short day is passed, and these minutiae 
are attended to, Strawberries will do well, where the 
average night temperature ranges from 45° to 52°, with 
from 5° to 10° rise at midday, even when dull, and 
from 10° to 20° rise in sunshine, with a safe portion of 
air. Those who even notv still contemplate introducing 
a few scores of plants, will find all the risks diminished, 
but even now all these minutiae are worth attention for 
present practice and future guidance. Intended chiefly 
for the use of those who in their one house wish to 
combine the useful with the beautiful—such as in a 
greenhouse vinery — thoso hints are confidently sub¬ 
mitted, as being tested by extended experience. 
STRAWBERRIES IN THE OrEN AIR. 
Many complaints reach us, chiefly as respects Queens. 
I can only sympathise. Though the plants here were 
partially protected with branches, I do not believe that 
one healthy plant has remained after the vicissitudes of 
the season; almost every one is quite dead. For flavour, 
beauty, and size, the Queen is still our favourite; but 
we fear its tenderness will militate against its out-door 
culture in many places, unless regular protection be 
given to it. 
1 may remark, that to obtain a fine crop of this kind 
in-doors, the beginning or middle of March will be time 
enough to house it; so that our greenhouse vinery 
friends may try it, as well as those with the greatest 
means. Mr. Judd, of Althorpo Gardens, who took the 
prize at Chiswick, last May, and previously at Nor¬ 
thampton, exhibited the best early basket 1 have yet 
seen. Some parts of his practice were glanced at some 
time ago, in a cursory manner; but a detail of the 
minutiae of his Queen forcing would be acceptable to 
many readers, as well as gratifying to an old fellow- 
member of the West London Gardeners’ Association for 
Mutual Improvement. It. Fish. 
PRESERVATIVE WALLS. 
{Continued from page 504.) 
LIST OF SUITABLE l’LANTS. 
Swainsonia galeoifolia and its variety, with white 
flowers. These are two slender-growing shrubs, with 
purple and white flowers, continuing a long time in 
flower. Both are well suited to plant against a wall, 
protected with glass. The foliage is elegant, and the 
flowers beautiful. 
Swainsonia Greyana (Captain Grey’s Swainsonia).— 
A distinct species, with clear pink flowers. 
Swainsonia lessertia’, folia (Lcssertia-leaved Swain 
sonia).—A beautiful species, with deep purple flowers, 
lately introduced by Messrs. Osborne, of Fulham. 
All the Swainsonias are from New Holland, and are 
suitable for the Preservatory. I have seen them made 
use of for bedding purposes with good effect. 
Tasmannia aromatica (The Sweet Tasmannia).—A 
beautiful evergreen shrub, with the stalk of the leaf of 
a beautiful purple. The flowers are white, and the 
fruit is used as a stimulating condiment in Australia. 
Planted against a sheltered wall, this shrub will be very 
ornamental, both for foliage, flowers, and fruit. It is i 
nearly hardy. 
Thea (The Tea Tree). — The Tea tree flowers in 
winter, and on that account should be planted against 
a glass-covered wall. Though the flowers are white, I 
and not so showy as the Camellia, yet they are very I 
pretty and valuable at that season of the year. A plant 
or two of each species, and their varieties, are desirable 
to plant against a wall, both for their fine foliage and 
pleasing flowers, as well as a matter of curiosity, to 
show to the visitors the plants from whence the leaves 
are taken to make that pleasant refreshing beverage 
emphatically called Tea. The species lately introduced, 
1 and named T. Assamenis (Assam) is a much more robust 
tree, with remarkable large fine foliage. I have seen 
several large plants of it, but I never saw a bloom. 
From the size of the leaves I should think the flowers 
will be large also. The common Tea tree lives in the 
south in the open air, sheltered with a mat only in 
severe weather. In Mr. Page’s nursery, at South¬ 
ampton, there was once a hedge of it which had never 
been protected. I saw the remains of it three years 
ago ; it is now, I believe, rooted up entirely. 
With this interesting tree I conclude my selected list 
of suitable plants for a Preservative Wall. The number 
of these plants may appear considerable, and, perhaps, 
the whole collection will never bo seen in one place; 
but it will be an easy matter to choose out of the whole 
a very select number for any situation. I think the 
intelligent reader will have perceived that I have dwelt 
upon more largely such as are the most suitable for 
such a purpose, and may make his selection accordingly. 
If the Preservatory is one of the highest order—that is, 
with the wall heated with hot-water, and covered with 
glass—the most of the flowering shrubs from New 
Holland would thrive and flower in it much finer than 
in pots. As Mr. Fish justly observes, the glass might 
project a sufficient distance from the wall to allow one 
or more rows of low-growing shrubs to be planted out 
in the border in front of the walk to be looked down 
upon; thus the spectator would have the wall, on the 
one hand, covered with fine evergreen flowering shrubs; 
and, on the other hand, would have a row of dwarf 
beautiful shrubs to look down upon. To effect this 
properly, the front row of shrubs should either be such 
as grow naturally dwarf, or should be heavily pruned to 
keep them so low as not to shade the shrubs against the 
wall. The soil for these low shrubs should be rather 
poor than otherwise, in order to keep under the growth. 
Keeping them in their pots would, in a great measure, 
effect this; and if there was a reserve garden they 
might be removed (if in pots) when out of bloom, and 
others that have to flower might be plunged in their 
place. This front border might also be made uso of to 
force earlier into bloom such plants as the Ghent 
Azaleas, Perpetual Poses, Andromedas, and a host of 
sucli-like plants. By such a judicious method the place 
might be kept gay with flowers throughout the whole of 
