April 28. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
61 
plants in pots. When yon have reason to believe that the 
lower or inner part of the ball of your plant is too dry, be 
satisfied with no waterings, but set pot and all in a pail of 
water until it is thoroughly soaked. The appearance of the 
plant—the sharp sound a pot will give, when struck with 
the knuckles when the inside is dry, and the dull sound it 
yields when wet enough;—the quickness with which a little 
water runs into the soil when wet, and the difficulty with 
which it gets in when dry—are all easy tests for discovering 
whether the plant wants water or not. When a little used 
to it, the lifting of the pot and ascertaining its weight, is 
also an effectual and easy mode of calculating the moisture 
it contains. In using manure- waterings, err on the side of 
weakness. A spadeful of soot, first beat up into a paste, 
and half the amount of quick-lime added, will be suffi¬ 
cient for a hogshead of water. For a similar quantity, 
from half-a-bushel to a bushel of deer, sheep, or cow 
droppings would suffice. If made stronger, dilute it as it is 
used. 
Sowing. —To avoid repetition, you will escape trouble and 
failure by attending to the following minutife. Fill the seed- 
pots half way up, at least, with drainage; then with soil, 
within half an-inch of the rim—the finest next the surface; 
press it down firmish, not too much; then thoroughly water 
them, or soak them by setting them in a tub of water. Let 
them drain thoroughly in an open place, until the surface 
begins to get a little dry; then press it level, gently, with 
the bottom of a flower-pot; or, better still, with a round 
piece of wood, say three to five inches in diameter, with a 
large nail or pin fixed to its centre to hold by. Spread the 
seeds evenly on this surface, and then cover with fine light 
sandy soil, no deeper than the thickness of the seed; so that 
for small dusty seed the slightest dusting of sand will be 
necessary, or nothing but another gentle pressing. The 
young plants will not want light until they are up ; and the 
moisture already in the soil will be sufficient to vegetate all 
quick-growing ones, if prevented evaporating. To effect this 
object, there is no better or simpler plan than covering the 
mouth of the pot with inverted saucers or flats of a similar or 
larger size. Enough of air will thus penetrate to ensure 
germination, but not enough to dry up the moisture. When, 
however, the soil does get too dry, it must be watered, or 
soaked again afresh; and, in delicate cases, it will be safest 
to set the pots in water, as high as within an inch of the 
seeds, and allow it to remain until all below is thoroughly 
soaked. In common cases, a sprinkling on the surface will 
be sufficient. Remove the saucer whenever the seeds ap¬ 
pear; but in small, delicate things, it will be. advisable to 
place a square of glass over the mouth of the pot, and 
then, by degrees, elevating the glass on one side, before 
exposing the tender things to the full draught of air in the 
greenhouse. Rest assured, that an ounce of attention to 
these trifles will be more satisfactory than some bushels 
of unavailing regrets. 
Cleanliness. —I am so glad this was your first step ; no 
satisfaction can be obtained without it. As well expect to 
be healthy with our skin unwashed. Flues, glass, wood¬ 
work, walls, should be thoroughly cleaned, at least, once 
a-year. If the walls are painted, soap-water and a flannel 
must suffice. If coloured, use with the lime or whiting a 
good portion of flowers of sulphur, which will both mellow 
the colour and help to keep insects at a distance. No yel¬ 
low leaves—no decayed flowers—no piles of dust—no array 
of utensils—no ranges of dirty pots, inside or outside the 
house—should ever be allowed to break in upon the general 
neatness. 
Insects. —These will probably trouble you, but the syringe, 
cleanliness, plenty of air and coolness in summer, and an 
average heat of 4o° in winter, will be your best antidote. 
Red spider will be deterred by the sulphur on your w r all; 
painting a hot flue, if the bulb of the thermometer being 
placed against it will not rise above 160°, will start him, 
and do no injury. Green fly will he destroyed by tobacco- 
smoke. Thrip is not so easily dislodged, and it may attack 
your Verbenas; but the smoke, and the laurel-water tea, 
mentioned in a late number, will start him, if anything will. 
The great thing is never to wait whenever the first insect is 
detected : get him done for at once, by some means. I have 
seen a person mourning over an insect-covered plant, at his 
wits ends what to do, when such a simple thing as the use 
of his fingers, and a drench from the syringe, or water-pot 
rose, would have set them all adrift. 
I must postpone the treatment of the plants you possess, 
sowing seeds, and propagating from cuttings, until next 
week. R. Fish. 
{To be continued.) 
THE TOLYANTHUS. 
The Auricula has been written on lately, and a corres 
pondent suggests that its fellow flower, the Polyanthus, 
ought to have my next attention, and as in duty bound, w r e 
are always pleased to meet the wishes of the readers of The 
Cottage Gardener, by adopting their suggestions. 
The Polyanthus is, round London, a comparatively neglected 
flower; but in the West Riding of Yorkshire and in Lan¬ 
cashire it is cultivated successfully to a great extent. For 
myself, I can say, I like this flower quite as much as the 
Auricula; and as I have now as fine loam as any in England, 
I shall devote some attention to its culture, and hope to 
bring it more into notice in the south. 
Propagation: by Seed. —This should be saved only from 
flowers of good form and clear bright colours. The plant, 
too, should have some attention paid to it in selecting such 
to save seed from. The old Tantarara has bold, broad, dark 
green foliage, as well as other good properties, and is still 
one of the best breeders ; but there is a new variety lately 
raised in Yorkshire, named Prince Arthur , that is the best 
breeder I know. Seed, however, may be saved from any 
really good flower. As soon as the seed is ripe, gather it 
before the pods burst. The seed is generally ripe w'hen the 
pods turn brown ; cleanse this carefully-preserved seed, and 
keep it dry till March. Then sow it in the soil hereafter 
described, and place it in a gentle heated frame, or pit, close 
to the glass. As soon as the seedlings are large enough to 
take hold of, transplant them, six inches apart, into a prepared 
border, ratlier shaded from the midday sun. Keep them 
watered in dry weather, and let them remain there through 
the winter. If they have thriven as they should do, they 
will all flower the following season. All the care they 
require is to keep them clear from weeds and slugs. Any that 
possess good properties should be named and carefully 
marked, and as soon as they have done flowering should be 
taken up with a trowel and potted, and afterwards treated 
as the already proved and established varieties. 
By Division. —The Polyanthus generally sends out plenty 
of offsets. When these have made roots of their own, they 
may be taken off the parent plant, potted, and treated the 
same as the seedlings, only they should be taken up out of 
the border early in August, potted, and placed amongst the 
old plants. Care must be taken in dividing them that the 
stem or root-stock oft' the old plant is not injured, as that 
would cause it to decay. 
Soil .— The Polyanthus requires a stronger compost than 
the Auricula; and in order to have it so, let more loam be 
added to the other materials. I have found them to do 
well in the following loam, formed of the top spit of an old 
pasture kept in the compost-yard for twelve months, two- 
years-old cow dung, and one-year-old decayed leaves, to be 
mixed in the proportion of two parts loam, half-a-part cow- 
dung, and half-a-part leaf mould, with less sand than that 
recommended lately for Auriculas. The Polyanthus has 
stronger roots, requiring stronger earth, or, more properly 
speaking, more loam than its neighbour the Auricula. 
Spring Treatment. — This consists in top-dressing the 
plants, and keeping them well supplied with water. A 
gentle syringing over the leaves will be found beneficial; 
let it be done early in the mornings of fine spring days, 
and withheld when the weather is dull, cold, and gloomy. 
As it is in this season when the blooms appear, they should 
be slightly shaded from bright sunshine ; but they will bear 
more sun than Auriculas, especially the dark-ground va¬ 
rieties. The shades should be put on about ten, and I 
removed by three o’clock; in almost all cases, plenty of 
light greatly brightens the colours, so that no more shade 
should be used than is absolutely necessary. When the 
blooms are fully expanded, they will last much longer in 
perfection if the plants lire placed under hand-lights where 
the sun cannot reach them during the middle of the day. 
