July 7. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
257 
batches of roots, and the droppings are, of course, placed 
as far in length as needed. The roots are placed at 
once on the droppings, but we case over the droppings 
first with about three inches of half-rotten leaves. The 
crowns are placed as close as they can be packed; this 
requires a little handiwork, and then some finely-riddled 
old tan, or leaf soil, is strewn over the surface of the 
bed, not quite reaching the collar of the crowns. No¬ 
thing more is done for about three days, when the heat 
generally becomes a little too strong, and water is ap¬ 
plied until it is sufficiently reduced. This may seem 
a somewhat indefinite proceeding to those unacquainted 
with the practice, but we find no difficulty in accom¬ 
plishing our aims with facility by such ordinary means. 
In applying this water, we take care to secure a double 
purpose—not only to lower the heat to the desired point, 
but to cause the loose tan on the surface to subside into 
every crevice among the roots, and this is effected by 
using the spout instead of the rose of the watering-pot; 
the soil is, in fact, battered in, and the crowns are left 
protruding about three inches above the soil. The lid 
is now shut down and all is darkness. We thus pro¬ 
ceed successively through the winter, introducing about 
a dozen strong roots once in two or three weeks, and 
just pursuing a similar routine. 
In general, we have three sets of roots at work at a 
time; one set in full cut; a second just rising; and a 
third recently introduced. Some care is necessary in 
cutting the Kale for use, as the crowns being so close 
together, the sprouts arise in a somewhat mixed or 
confused state, and are apt to cross each other. We 
generally use a candle during the cutting, and it requires 
a careful hand to avoid false cuts. 
When the Kale is in full cut, or shortly after, much 
of what the market gardener would term “ sprue,” 
springs up around the crowns, and if not pulled away 
produces confusion. This should be destroyed betimes. 
The watering to reduce bottom-lieat may have to be 
repeated after the first cooling; this, however, is a mere 
matter of ordinary caution; and as to the character of 
the heat best adapted, 1 would say, any point from 00° to 
70° will force Sea-kale well, but by all means let a dead 
stand be made at 80°. I find it necessary to use a high 
stimulus, with regard to bottom-heat, to the Kale intro¬ 
duced in the end of October, and the crowns should be 
strong indeed, and those earliest ripened. It is difficult 
to rouse the slumbering vegetating power the moment 
the plant has assumed a rest condition; it is quite 
uphill work; nevertheless, it can be done, and done 
with success. But low temperature will not accomplish 
this when time is precious. 1 have found a temperature 
of nearly 80° of immense service to those crowns intro¬ 
duced in the end of October; as soon, however, as the 
buds have sprouted about a couple of inches, this high 
temperature must bo lowered, or the produce will be 
weakly. 
It is necessary here to observe on atmospheric tem¬ 
perature, as regards its relation to the bottom-heats ad¬ 
verted to. I have always found that an air - heat 
exceeding 0U° has a tendency to spoil the Kale, to 
render the shoots too attenuated, though, at the same 
j time, the bottom heat may range from 70° to 80°. As a 
i general maxim, it may be taken that the more moderate 
I the air-heat the better, so long as it is never lower than 
I 50°. Here, then, it will be seen how the old out door 
| blanching mode and this practice are at issue; by the 
old plan the air-heat exceeded the bottom-heat; by my 
practice it is exactly the reverse. 
But all is vain without high culture out-doors; strong, 
sound, and well-ripened crowns must be had, or the best 
forcing practices must fall through. R. Errington. 
NAMING NEW PLANTS, AND CROSSING 
OLD ONES. 
I ha's e had letters from two nrst-rate London nur¬ 
serymen this sveek—one from Mr. Henderson, of the 
sVellington Road Nursery, telling me that I mistook the 
name of his very beautiful cross-bred Geranium, Glau- 
curn grandiflorum, a seedling from the old white African 
grandiflorum by the pollen of Glaucum, another old one 
from Africa, according to the established rule of giving 
the parentage ot cross seedlings by compound words, as 
will be seen in answers “ To Correspondents.” The 
second letter was from Mr. Lowe, of the Clapton Nur¬ 
sery, relative to another most beautiful seedling—a 
scarlet Gloxinia, with the richest crimson throat that 
has yet appeared in this genus, and with a light inside 
dotted like the inside of a purple Foxglove. This new 
addition to our cross seedlings is to be called Charles 
Dickens, a popular and easily-remembered name, and it 
is lor that that I mention it in comparison to the un¬ 
meaning phrases which are now so commonly used in 
naming seedlings. 
It has been a common complaint for years, that nur¬ 
serymen and florists use the same terms in naming 
popular garden crosses that are in use among botanists 
lor wild or botanical plants. There is only one case in 
which such way of namiug is at all admissible, and the 
example has been set us by botanists themselves— 
| namely, when distinct varieties appear in a state of 
nature, or arise from an improved cultivation. The 
Campanula gives us as good and as old examples as 
any. A beautilul blue bell is found, and named; a 
white one comes next, and there is no difference in the 
two except colour, and that is not thought of sufficient 
importance to make two species—so the second is called 
glome rata alba, or persicifolia alba, as the case may be. 
Alter them come a double blue one, and a double white, 
still the doubleness is the only difference from the first 
one, and the first name is extended accordingly to 
double blue, or double white, so and so. This style of 
I naming really assists the memory, and makes no con- 
j fusion ; therefore, is not only admissible, but very 
desirable. I once named a beautiful seedling of my 
own on this plan— the bedding Geranium Diadematum 
, regum, one of our best bedders; but I was pulled by 
j the nose tor issuing a botanical term for this new form 
j of Diadematum, but precedents arc numerous, and I 
hold that such a term is far better than making a new 
name. Mr. Cole, a clever florist, now holding a nursery 
i °f bis own near Birmingham, named my Punch and 
Jiulg Scarlet Geraniums the same day, without my 
knowledge, when he lived with me at Sir W. Middle- 
ton s. It was on the occasion of giving cuttings to a 
family who were on a visit, and once the name went 
out of the garden I could not cancel it, the naming of 
plants being on the principle of first come first served, 
and the first name must take the lead, to keep down 
contusion. So I was in the dumps about Punch and 
Judy until the following season, when the Duke of 
Bedford was on a visit to Shrubland Park, and when 
the Dpcliess of Bedford admired those seedlings, I 
apologised for the names, but her grace declared they 
were the two best names she had heard for years, and 
the reason was that any lady could easily remember 
them, and, no doubt, that is the grand secret in naming 
seedlings. Every popular name given in this country 
ought to be easy enough for a school girl to pronounce 
it without being taught to do so, and then should be so 
short as to be easily remembered. Of what use is it that 
we who write for The Cottage Gardener have brought 
down our terms and language to simplicity itself, so 
that all may understand, if we are to be crossed, day by 
day, with the silliest and most stupid names that any 
body can pick up from the Erenclr or German, on the 
! 
