53 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER, 
App.il 21. 
and from the readiness with which they settle on them when going to 
roost, and select them in preference either to strong branches with the 
bark on, or to flat shelves or boards, I am inclined to think they are 
inferior to none. One of your correspondents stated, a little while ago, 
that old hens would not lay in the winter. With this arrangement, and 
no particular care as to feeding, three pullets and three old hens (Cochins) 
gave me about 280 eggs during the monlhs of December and January, 
when I could buy none from the farmers around me. I should certainly 
advise any one building a shippen to make a place for hens under the 
same roof.—C. W.” 
Relinquishing Bedding Plants (An old Sub.).—We are very sorry 
to hear your tale, and no less so for not letting us know in time that we 
might advise you properly on your new plan, for at this late season to 
think of getting up lists and arranging herbaceous plants for doing credit 
to any one concerned is out of the question. If you were to plant all 
the best herbaceous plants to-morrow, nine-tenths o£ them would hardly 
recover the check of removal, dividing, carriage, and all that, before the 
August rains would ruin such of them as were then alive. We shall meet 
your case, however, before the next proper time of planting them. 
White Flowers (F. F.). —White Campanula Carpatica, White 
Senecio , White loy-leafed Geranium , and the White Variegated Alyssum, 
are the best of the whites to match Mont Blanc Verbena. 
Pruning old Fruit Trees and Azaleas (A. G.) —All Plum and 
Cherry trees that are old and getting much worn out should be pruned 
during the latter half of September ; the Golden Pippin the same ; indeed, 
all such, whether stone-fruit or otherwise, ought to be pruned towards 
the end of September, while the leaf is yet green “ To what extent ” 
should they be pruned, a conjurer could not tell till he saw them; but 
without conjuring, we would cut out a good deal of old wood from such 
trees. The pruning of Chinese, and all other Azaleas, should be done 
the moment they are out of blossom. It is now too late by far to plant 
rock-work, unless the plants are in pots, and if they are, those mentioned 
in our previous volumes are certainly the best; but in a large rock-work, 
all the Saxifrages, Sedums, Irises Veronicas , and any of the low border 
plants will do, almost most annuals ; and the best rock-plant we know is 
the Eschsclioltzia crocea. 
Flower Garden Plan (Anemone). — The Cottage Gardener is 
much obliged to you for your pretty plan, which will be engraved forth¬ 
with. For 10, Calceolaria amplexicaulis would be as good as any, and for 
14, there are several grey Verbenas, of which we prefer Duchess de 
Nemours. r llie rose-bed, we hope, is much higher in the centre, else the 
Duchess of Sutherland will overtop the Geant des Bataitlcs. Pray drop 
5, and plant it in 14 mixed, and repeat the colour of 10 in 5. 
Walking through a Nursery. — A Constant Reader says :—“In 
walking through a nursery garden last summer, I copied, at random, the 
names on the labels attached to some of the flowers in the borders out-of- 
doors which attracted my attention, intending to purchase a few some 
day for my flower-garden. I am ignorant of many of them as to their 
being perennials or annuals, and shall be very much obliged if you will 
enlighten me on this point, and also if any of them are delicate or diffi¬ 
cult of culture; they were all growing in the open borders when I saw 
them.”—We recommend this hint to all w r hom it may concern. We 
ourselves learned more names than we can call to mind “ walking through” 
nurseries and gardens. Rudbeckia purpurea and major are both hardy, 
tall growing plants that flower at the end of summer for a considerable 
time ; they are very easy to grow, and can be divided at the roots once in 
two or three years, about the beginning or early in April; they should 1 
not stand nearer the walk than four feet. (Enothera splendens is a , 
local name ; but, as you like it, have it by all means ; it will last a long 
time in flower, and is as easy to grow as a daisy, and almost as hardy, 
and very likely will seed with you. (Enothera rnacrocarpa is one of 
the very best bedding plants we have for those who can grow nothing 
but what is very hardy and easy to keep ; it trails on the ground, flowers 
all the summer, the flowers are as large as a white Lily, and as yellow 
as a Crocus. It will not seed, nor divide at the roots; indeed, after once 
planting, it wants no more for twenty or thirty years. The way to 
increase it is by cuttings of the young shoots in May, when they are 
four inches long. The best time to plant it is in May, and it will 
flower the same season all through. Chelone glabra is a pretty her¬ 
baceous plant, two to three feet high in good soil. Use it in all 
respects like the Rudbeckia. Lychnis dioica alba: we wonder that you 
would choose this weedy plant; only a white variety of the common Catch- 
fly or Cuckoo-flower in all our hedges by the road-side ; it grows as 
easily as anything. Burgeana is a very pretty flower, but that is only 
the second name the first is Lychnis. It is a ticklish plant to keep, and 
is best kept as a biennial, from cuttings in the spring or in August. 
Linaria Dalmutica, a nice rock plant, but it will do in a border, and is 
hardy, and easy to keep after it is cnee established. Veronica umethystina : 
another rock or border plant, as hardy as a Dock, and as gay as a maid of 
honour, with its light blue flowers, while they last ; it will divide early 
in April for increase. Hemerocallis lancifolium is very likely the tawny 
flowered species, and ought to be called fulva ; it looks like a strong Lilv, 
with flowers between yellow and foxy colour. It is a very good herba- 
ceous plant, as hardy as an oak ; it will grow anywhere, but best of 
all four leet from a walk. Dianthus Altrinsonii we know not by that 
name, but we know very well what is meant for all that. It is a very 
nice plant, with flowers something like an Indian Pink, and it requires 
exactly the same kind of soil, and cultivation, and propagation, as a very 
good border Pink would. J 
Fancy Geraniums (Ibid). —You cannot possibly get twelve “ vei 
nice varieties of these without a good pull at the money bag ; we hard 
ever know the price at which such things can be had ; and very likely, 
we gave you a list, they would ask you from ten to forty shillings f 
eacn of them. The greatest battle we have to fight is to keep our friem 
from burning their fingers with lists—lists, lists, everybody wants a lis 
but who can give the prices. Three half-guineas is a poor price for a ni 
plant in a list. 
Weight of Bantams (A. S. B.).— A Gold-laced Sebright Banta 
cock should not exceed 16 , or at the most, 17 ozs. ; while the hen shou 
lie limited to 14 ozs. T he Silver-laced birds are usually somewhat large 
and difficulty is found in keeping them within this standard, which, ho\ 
ever should not, in our opinion, be exceeded.—W. 
Nankin Bantams (P. R.). —The Nankin Bantams are rarely seen 
Poultry Exhibitions, having of late years been superseded by the gold- 1 
laced variety ; consequently their proper markings and form have not j 
been so carefully determined. The cocks vary in colour, many of them 
resembling a miniature Game-fowl; the hens are yellow, of greater or less f 
brilliancy, irregularly spangled. The combs of both sexes are usually I 
double, but small, and of a dull hue ; feet and legs slate colour. These 
birds, however, have been so carelessly managed in most instances, that 
every possible diversity of colour and form may be noticed ; but the I 
lighter the body colour, and the more regular and distinct the markings, 
the higher should the bird possessing these points be estimated. Wc 
would fix the same limits to their weight as with the Laced Bantams, 
namely 16 ozs. for the cock, and 14 ozs. for the hen. The double comb 
we should always require.— W. 
Neglected Greenhouse (Amicus florium ). —See the observations 
commenced to-day by Mr. Fish. 
Pelargoniums (G. F, Lee).—We cannot recommend dealers. 
Our Ninth Volume (St. Anne’s Lodge). —It is completed, and the 
Index, Title-page, and Preface, were given with our two last numbers. 
Destroying Slugs (New Subscriber). —Your garden being “over¬ 
run” with these marauders, you will find it no easy task to subdue them. 
Sprinkling lime over the surface very late during mild, moist evenings; 
putting heaps of fresh brewer’s grains, and powdering lime on the slugs 
you find there early next morning; and having a few ducks to forage over 
your borders, are the best checks. 
Heating Boiler ey Gas-lights (Grey Friars).—' The boiler is 
placed in a recess of the brickwork of the greenhouse, with an iron door 1 
in front of it and of the circle of gas jets. The pipes from and to the ! 
boiler may be built into the wall, so that the fumes given off by the j 
burning gas cannot enter the house, but pass off into the open air through 
a pipe communicating with it. Another small opening beneath the iron 
door will be sufficient to admit air to support combustion in the flames. 
The bottom of the boiler is flat, and the jets of burning gas play against 
it. Any tinman could make it. 
Rooks (A Constant Reader). —We have replied, on more than one 
occasion, that no mode is known of enticing these birds to build in any 
desired tree. 
Looking through a Hedge (Poor Man's Well-wisher). —The best 
well-wisher for the poor that ever lived could not go the length of asking 
every one who built a house in sight of a public road or path to give 
away to poor men half of the land between the house and the road, on the 
sole condition of looking at them through the hedge. There would 
always be ten to one on the outside; and then ten to one that some one 
would just look at the looker-on. Try again, and suppose a house on 
one side of the road 150 feet above it, and a house on the opposite side 
considerably below it. 
India-Rubber Plant (A Subscriber from the Commencement ).— 
This requires very little water from October to April, and less the colder 
it is kept; but if the plant is young, and there is not much store of its 
own milky juice, too much dryness at the roots would cause the young 
top to turn black; too much water at the roots, in a low temperature, 
would have exactly the same effect. No cold above absolute frost will 
kill this plant. Cut one joint below the black part, and look for the cause 
at the roots, and your plant will soon be all right again. Its beau¬ 
tiful shining leaves ought to be well washed, on both sides, with a sponge 
and soft warm water; and so ought every leaf of every India-rubber 
plant in this country that was subject to dust all this long dreary winter. 
Concrete Walks (J. R. C.). —In our next number we shall enter 
fully on this subject. You may cover your new Asparagus-beds all over 
with salt, so thick as to colour the ground; a much thicker coat of salt 
would hardly hurt this plant. 
Hybrid Fowl. — J. H. N. says:—“ ‘Scrutator’ is in error when he 
says that the bird exhibited at the Metropolitan Show was a hybrid 
between the pheasant and fowl. That bird w’as between the Golden and 
Common Pheasant, partaking entirely of the pheasant character, with 
the voice of the Golden Pheasant, whereas the hybrids between the 
pheasant and fowl partake of the character of both, and are far from 
handsome. As ‘ Upwards and Onwards,’ at page 470, still seems to 
doubt the actual existence of the hybrid between the pheasant and fowl, 
if he will forward me his address through the Editor, I will inform him 
where he may see some, and believe, if he does not object to a two hour’s 
trip from London, by rail, and by extending his journey another hour, he 
may see the hybrid Pheasant exhibited at the Metropolitan Show.” 
Triciiomanes speciosa Culture. — Fernetum obliges us as follows: 
“The Triciiomanes speciosa I grow in a small case by itself; the ends, 
sides, and bottom all zinc ; only the top, which is this shape /V, of glass, 
stationary at one side, and the other divided into two panes, both of 
which move horizontally in a groove, which keep it tight, and less liable 
to damage if wanted to remain open occasionally. The plant is laid on 
some good peat, about one-and-a-half-incli deep, under which some moss 
is laid to prevent the stuff passing through the holes in the bottom, and to 
serve as drainage._ The case is twenty-four inches by fourteen, and four¬ 
teen inches high in the centre, and is placed in a shaded part of the 
greenhouse, as light is injurious to it and the Ilymenophyllum. I have 
watered it but once since it was placed in the case last July, and now it is 
throwing up new fronds, of a fine delicate green, quite transparent, The 
difficulty in growing it arises from its being covered too deep, and, as it 
is of slow growth, it should not be disturbed. I have seen plants that are 
potted for more than twelve months, and only now seem to be growing. 
Its natural position is a shallow, rich, peaty soil, under shade. The 
Hymenophyllum Wilsonii I grow best in a large pot ( 10 -inch), with good 
drainage of potsherds half-way up, and about two inches of broken 
pieces of charcoal, and on the top sandy peat, on which are placed 
the delicate racemes, pegged down—covered close with a hand-glass, 
and kept moist, in the shade. I understand, if it be placed on 
coarse sandstone, with a litle soil on it, and covered with a cap glass, it 
will succeed well. I cannot vouch for this, not having seen it tried. I 
fear it would not do well in my large case, as it is too much lighted.” 
London: Printed by Harry Wooldridge, Winchester High-street, 
in the Parish of Saint Mary Kalendar; and Published by William 
Somerville Orr, at the Office, No. 2, Amen Corner; in the Parish of 
Christ Church, City of London.—April 21st, 1853. 
