70 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
April &8. 
when grown against a house; but if it is only for covering trees, common 
walls, and old ruins, it is better without any pruning at all. 
Rose Cuttings {Ibid). —You put them in last autumn, and now 
they are in leaf, and you will damage them severely if you touch them, 
that is, if you remove them before the middle of next October. 
Caterpillar {Wingham ).—The Caterpillar is that of one of the 
| moths belonging to the family Noetuidie, most probably the Pot-herb 
Moth, Maimestra oleraceu (See Tiie Cottage Gardener, vol. 5, p. 207 ). 
1 There are a good many species of these moths, with similar caterpillars, 
j and equally destructive to vegetables, of which they attack the roots, so 
: that I cannot be sure of the species without rearing the caterpillar. Of 
| course, they undergo the usual change to the chrysalis before becoming 
I perfect moths.— 1 . O. W. 
Grass under Cedars {31. S.). —When Ccdar-trces get old, with the 
boughs close to the ground, it is impossible to keep the grass under them 
in good order, and grass-seeds do no good. The only plan to keep such 
places green, is to lay strong turf once in two years, or every year, if it 
needs be, and it ought to be laid long before now. As, however, there 
is no tree more improved by top-dressing than the Cedar, you are in time 
yet; clear away as much of the loose, husky top as you can, and lay on 
three inches of good soil, and as they turf over this, let the soil be tho¬ 
roughly' and completely watered ; water the turf, also, for awhile, and all 
will be as green as the rest of the grass all the season. 
Many Questions (S. S.). —The leaf is from the Hose-scented Gera¬ 
nium, quite different from the breed of old Scarlet. Robinson's Defiance 
was recommended the other day for the Rose-leaf Geranium. The dif¬ 
ference of one section of Geranium and of many other kinds cannot be 
described so as to teach one to know them ; they must be learned from 
life. The Sultan Calceolaria is as dark as any eastern sultan ever was, 
inside or out. Rugosa, or integrifolia, and a dozen other yellow ones, 
are all suitable for you. No purple Verbena should ever be planted with 
Heliotrope. Duchess d' Aumaule and Ileloise are the very commonest 
Verbenas, and the best of their respective tints. We do not know any 
other two that would really answer for them ; if we did we would have 
said so, and glad of the opportunity. We cannot tell which will do 
better on your peculiar soil, Tom Thumb or Pentstemons ; how could 
we ? The Verbenas you propose to plant in the same bed with Dielytra 
spectabUis will kill the three plants if you will allow the plants to be 
run over by such strong growers. Pray, when you write next, come to 
the point at once. 
Cutting Grass between tiie Reds (C. 31.).— Where the scythe 
cannot get at the grass, the mowing machine is the only other way of 
cutting it, but it costs from six to eight pounds. The planting will be 
given yet in time, if it was promised, and comes within our range. 
Arbutus in a Belt (IT.).—Your objections to the Arbutus in a belt 
are quite valid, but unfortunately they also refer to all other evergreen 
shrubs that grow less strong than the I.aurcls. The Arbutus will grow 
stronger, and very much faster in a belt, w'here the soil has been well 
trenched, than on the grass, provided it is planted at the same time as 
the rest of the trees and shrubs in the belt, and provided, also, that no 
tree or shrub is allowed to injure it by overgrowth, shade, or drip. That 
it is seen to better advantage on the grass and over-head is true enough, 
so would every other shrub and tree. 
List of Goon Dahlias (W. S.). —You say you have had the misfor¬ 
tune to lose all your Dahlias, and request a list of thirty kinds of the best 
of any year (not 10 s 6 d ones). The following are such as would suit 
you— Admiral (Bragg), fine lilac, Is 6 d. Ambassador (Green), fine dark, 
2 s fid. Annie Salter (Salter), white, shaded with rose, 3s fid. Antagonist 
(Bragg), white, fine, Is. Cloth of Gold (Hooper), deep-yellow, 2 s fid. 
Dr. Frampton (Rawlings), white and purple, 2 s fid. Duke of Welling¬ 
ton (Drummond), orange, Is. Earl of Clarendon (Union), orange, 
Is fid. Erminina (Bragg), fine carmine, Is. 6 d. Essex Triumph (Turville), 
dark maroon, Is. Gem of the Grove (Soden), dark maroon, Is. Hon. 
Mrs. Ashley (Bragg), white, tipped with cherry, Is. Hon. Mr. Herbert 
(Keynes), buff, shaded with amber, 2s 6 d. John Edwards (Salter), 
scarlet, Is. Lizzie (Perry), white, tipped with purple, 2s 6 d. Louisa 
Glenny (Rawlings), fine deep yellow, 2 s 6 d. Model (Fellowes), brown, 
tipped with bronze, Is. Mr, Seldon (Turner), rosy purple, Is. Mr. 
Palmer (Turner), salmon, Is. Mrs. Seldon (Turner), yellow, Is. Negro 
(Fellowes), dark crimson, Is. A'epaulese Prince (Stein), crimson, shaded 
maroon, Is. Phantom (Noaltes), buff, 3s fid. Princess Radziville 
(Gaines), white and purple, Is. Queen of Whites (Drummond), fine 
white, 2 s fid. Richard Cobden (Stein), dark, Is. Robert Montgomery, 
dark puce, 2s 6 d. Rose of England (Rawlings), lilac-rose, 2 s. Summit 
of Perfection (Keynes), dark purple, Is. Sir F. Bathurst (Keynes), 
crimson, Is. Sir R. Whittingdon (Drummond), ruby-puce, 2s 6 d. Scarlet 
King (Green), fine scarlet, 2 s 6 d. SirC. Napier (Hale), fine dark scarlet, 
3s 6 d. Triumphant (Keynes), crimson, tipped with white, 2 s 6 d. Toison 
d'Orange (Calloix), shaded buff, 2 s fid. The following are a few Fancy 
Dahlias : — Cricket (Dodd), buff and white tipped, 2s. 6 d. Emperor de 
Maroc (Huidox), rich dark, Is. Gasparine, maroon, tipped with white, Is. 
General Cavaignac (Hunt), purple and white, Is. Kossuth (Drum¬ 
mond), red, tipped with white, 2 s. Laura Lavington (Keynes), fawn, 
tipped with white, 2 s. 6 d. Spectabilis (Salter), orange, striped with red, 
2 s. 6 d. Write to Mr. Appleby for further information. 
Carnations for Breeding {Carig Cathol). —You wish to know 
what Carnations are noted for seed bearing. There is no list published 
in this country that contains such information. The following are good 
breeders as well as good kinds. A list of the best Carnations will appear 
shortly from Mr. Appleby. Scarlet Bizarres— Rainbow, Hepworth’s 
Brilliant, Mandley’s Ringleader. Crimson Bizarres— Ely’s Lord 
Milton, Haines’ Black Diamond. Scarlet Flakes —Ely’s King of 
Scarlets, Mandley’s Robert Burns. Rose Flakes— Brook’s Flora's 
Garland, Ely’s Lady Gardener, Ely’s Lovely Ann. Purple Flakes— 
Holland’s Earl Wilton, Mandley’s Beauty of Woodhouse. 
CALENDAR FOR MAY. 
ORCHID HOUSE. 
Air: now that the days have lengthened, and the sun obtains much 
power, air must be given liberally. If the house is built, as we recom¬ 
mended, facing east and west, the sun will have great power early in the 
morning, and late in the afternoon, and, therefore, air must be given ac¬ 
cordingly. Baskets, examine weekly, and such as are dry give a good 
steeping in tepid water. Catasetums, Cyrtotodiums, and plants of 
similar habit, will now be growing freely, and should be as freely watered 
at the root, care being taken that no water lodges in the hollow of the 
young leaves. Dendrobiums, and any other plants in flower, should 
either be removed to a cooler house till the bloom is over, or be placed at 
the coolest end of the house, and more air given there; but they should 
be removed into their growing quarters till they have formed the new 
bulbs. New Plants, such as have just been received from abroad, 
should not have much water or great heat till fresh growths are com¬ 
menced. Heat: during this month the greater part of the plants will 
be making rapid grow th ; the heat must be kept up to the maximum. 
Moisture must also be plentifully bestowed upon the internal air ; wet 
the walks, walls, and pipes, two or three times a day, especially in the 
morning and afternoon. Insects, such as snails and slugs, will abound ; 
destroy them diligently. It is a good practice to look in upon them in 
the evening, with a lamp or a candle ; they may be probably found at 
their work of destruction. Potting, if not finished last month, should 
now' be completed. As soon as a flower is potted, secure each pseudo¬ 
bulb to a stick, the compost being so open they would fall over if not 
securely tied ; this gives an opportunity to arrange the shoots in a sym¬ 
metrical form. Lycopodiums grown in the Orchid House, divide, 
repot, and tie. Shading, apply daily when the sun shines. Syringe: 
this will be in constant requisition, especially for plants growing on blocks. 
Water, at the root, bestow liberally to all growing plants, but withhold 
it gradually as the bulbs arrive at maturity. Let the Weeds be all drawn 
up, for they will grow even in an Orchid House. T. Appleby. 
STOVE PLANTS. 
Achimenf.s, attend, with support for the weak-growing; give freely 
plenty of water to those advanced in growth ; pot the last batch this 
month. A. picta is a fine species to bloom in winter. Air, give liberally 
to keep down at maximum point the internal atmosphere. Amaryllis 
coming into bloom; water freely ; those going out of flower place in a 
close pit, and allow the heat of the sun to fully play upon them, to ripen 
the ljulbs. Baskets, if any are used for drooping plants, should be 
taken down frequently, and dipped in tepid water Climbers, attend 
to, tie on, keep within bounds, and syringe freely to keep down the 
red spider. Cuttings of stove plants: the plants will now be making 
young growths, and these make the best cuttings; take them off, and 
pot them in sand in heat. Gardenias, remove out of hotbeds into 
the greenhouse to prolong the flowering; give less water; such as 
have done blooming place in a cold pit. Gloxinias and Gesneras, 
repot, and syringe every day. Ixoras, specimens, tie out; young 
plants, place in dung-heat, to encourage rapid growth. Heat, keep 
up to the maximum, 70° by day, 6ft° by night. Moisture to the 
air, supply liberally, by flooding the walks twice a-day. Oleanders, 
place in pans of water, to cause the blooms to open freely, and en¬ 
courage growth. Syringe: use this instrument freely every fine day, 
avoiding such plants as may be in flow'er. Potting: continue to 
repot young stove plants, to bring them on in growth. Weeds : let 
none appear beyond the seed; keep everything tidy, and neat, and sweet, 
in order to render the stove attractive and agreeable. Winter-bloom¬ 
ing Plants, such as Justicias, Eranthemums, Sec., cut down, repot, 
and place in heat, to start them into growth. T. Appleby. 
FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
Auriculas and Polyanthuses, shade, and keep well supplied with 
water; pot seedlings, and sow, if not done last month. Carnations 
and Picotees, finish potting without fail; plant out seedlings to bloom ; 
sow seed. Chrysanthemums, rooted cuttings, pot off; old plants, 
divide and repot, use rich compost. Cinerarias, shade; pot off seed¬ 
lings as they grow; it is not too late fo sow seed yet. Dahlias, harden 
off, and plant out towards the end of the month ; cuttings of rare kinds 
may yet be put in. Fuchsias, young plants repot twice during the 
month ; old plants, stop shoots, and repot for the last time ; seedlings, 
transplant, water with liquid-manure as soon as the foliage is abundant. 
Hollyhocks, stake, and w’ater with liquid-manure. Pansies, in 
bloom, shade from sun ; water and stir the soil about them; keep them 
clear of weeds. Pelargoniums, such as show flower repot; tie out 
specimens; give plenty of air to, and water occasionally with liquid- 
manure ; put in cuttings; sow seed. Pinks, stir the soil between the 
rows, and apply a mulching of short dung. Ranunculuses, water 
freely in dry weather. Tall Lobelias, plant out where they are to 
bloom. Tulips, protect from frosty nights and heavy rains ; retard the 
bloom, if too early, by shading during hot sun. Verbenas, stop 
cuttings, by nipping off the tops, to make them bushy ; sow seed; plant 
out in large pots for specimens; water freely and shade. Look out for 
weeds, slugs, and various insects, and destroy them constantly and 
diligently. - T. Appleby. 
FLOWER GARDEN. 
Anemones, water well between the rows. Annuals (tender), remove 
into another hotbed ; pot, if not done in April; water gently, and give 
air as much as possible ; prick out April-Sown. Antirrhinums, plant 
and sow for late autumn bloom. Auriculas done blooming, remove 
to N.E. aspect, where they will not have the sunshine after nine ; offsets 
with roots detach, and plant three in a pot; seedlings keep in the shade; 
water moderately in dry weather; Auriculas to seed should be kept from 
wet. Awnings, or other shelter, continue over beds of tulips, e., now in 
bloom. Bedding-plants, be not in too great hurry to plant out; the 
middle of the month is time to begin any of the half-hardy plants. 
Biennials, sow, b., in rows, thinly. Bulbous Roots, generally, 
directly leaves decay, take up and store; seedlings shade through mid¬ 
day ; plant again after separating offsets, or else store until the end of 
July. Sow China Asters to succeed early, or supersede late annuals. 
Carnations ; remove side-buds from flower-stems ; shade from meridian 
sun ; water in dry weather; put sticks to, and tie stalks ; sow. Dahlias, 
old, part and plant, b.; young, plant out, e. Dress the borders, &c., 
frequently. Flowering Plants require staking, &c. Fuchsias may 
be planted. Grass, mow and roll weekly. Gravel, roll weekly. 
Hyacinths, take up and store as leaves decay. Mignonette, sow for 
succession, b. Mixed Borders, go over twice this month, and mark 
