August 4. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
343 
j the statements were all true, the variety in question 
must be ready for use by the time (if not before) it was 
sown. 
As a counterpart to this, Florists have been equally 
: industrious in multiplying the numerous families they 
have, of late years, taken under their patronage, and, 
consequently, adapted to themselves the same spirit of 
rivalry in eulogising their respective favourites. To a 
certain extent, this is not only excusable, but highly 
laudable. The censorship lying with that all-powerful 
agent, “the British public;” but -John Bull* is not 
infallible any more than other mortals: and though his 
opinion in horticultural matters may often be dictated 
by judgment rather than by caprice, yet there are cases 
in which the latter prevails, as will be seen by the 
singular conclusions he now and then arrives at. 
Certain favourite plants of his, as well as certain 
schemes, seem to him to be indispensable to the woll- 
being of society, and he rarely abandons anything he 
takes in hand, be that the planting of a potato, or the 
discovery of a north-west passage. 
It would be unjust to horticulturists to say that their 
endeavours, the last few years, have not thrown any light 
on the sad disease which has been devastating the 
Potato, season after season, with some slightly varied 
results, the crops of our cottagers, as well as the more 
extensive growers who have embarked in the trade 
honest John Bull so much clings to. This tenacity has, 
of . course, led to many experiments in the way of 
remedying the evil, and many useful, and apparently 
practical, modes of treatment have been pointed out, as 
well by the experimentalist as by the theorist, but all of 
them have, in their turn, fallen into oblivion, or been 
found not to be effectual, save under the treatment of the 
originator; and many ludicrous notions regarding the 
cause, as well as the remedy, of this curious disease, have 
been before the world, and yet the disorder rages with 
all its violence, and, in all probability, will be worse 
this season than for many that are past. It becomes a 
matter of serious import whether the many ingenious 
contrivances to counteract it have not been misapplied; 
yet nothing is to be had without enquiry, and we do 
not find fault with John Bull’s tenacity to an old- 
established favourite, still less do wo attempt to suggest 
any better remedy than some of those already before the 
world. In fact, it would require a considerable amount 
of study to devise any scheme or idea that had not 
either been tided or presented to the world in some 
shape or other long ago. 
Leaving the Potato, which, I am sorry to say, threatens 
to become much diseased in the neighbourhood I write 
from, I will take a glance at one or two things which 
John Bull, in his capricious mood, has thought fit to 
neglect or abandon; and, taking advantage of his ver¬ 
satile character in the matter, will hazard the invasion 
of another one’s province. 
Whenever a new plant or flower is first “ sent out,” 
it is usually announced in terms such as makes every 
one fain to obtain possession of it, provided it emanates 
from reputable hands. Now, it not uufrequently hap¬ 
pens that the public, after having witnessed it once or 
twice, and seen it, perhaps, have a place on some 
winning stand, take a dislike to it, in consequence of 
its habit, or some other point, not confirming to the 
standard they had laid down as the one of excellence. 
Why they should be so difficult to please in some cases, 
and so easy in others, is not for me to define ; but it is 
a matter of notoriety, that many valuable and beautiful 
plants fall into neglect in consequence of the fashion¬ 
able world not caring for them, or giving an adverse 
opinion on them. 
It would be easy to mention several of this class; but, 
first of all, let me name the Willow-leaved Veronica, 
which, blooming in autumn in such profusion, assuredly 
deserves more attention than it receives, while, in point 
of habit and healthiness of foliage, there is little left 
to wish for; yet this pretty plant is seldom seen; and ! 
since the first year or two of its introduction, it has j 
fallen into such a state of neglect as makes it almost I 
unknown, except amongst the growers of old plants, 
which it certainly is not. As young plants are easily 
obtaiued by cutting, and as they stand the winter with 
but slight protection, and in many seasons require none 
at all, it becomes a matter of astonishment whether its 
neglect arises from mere caprice or ignorance of its 
merits. The latter, we hope, is the case with many who 
have not seen it in good condition in their flower- 1 
borders at a time when little but late Dahlias and Chry- 1 
santhemums presented anything of “ a show.” 
Though this Veronica is not an old plant with us, 
yet it has been established long enough to be known far 
and wide, and it is increased with so much ease as to 
be in every cottage garden in the kingdom, for seeds are 
produced in numbers scarcely excelled by auy plant 
whatever, and it strikes as freely from cuttings as a 
Willow, that there is no excuse for it not being in every 
collection, however meagre; and although hard winters 
will kill it, still it is only hard winters that so affect it, 
and it may be regarded as hardy as the Tea-rose, and 
similar things; being of itself a shrub, or tree, it is not 
right to compare it with anything but plants of a 
similar habit, and we have no doubt but the same 
amount of protection will preserve the Veronica that is 
wanted for the Tea-rose; and as our readers are aware 
this is only a sort of slight covering of fern, furze, or 
other evergreen boughs, the amount of protective matter 
will not bo much. When in a mixed flower-border, it is 
customary to leave the plants to their fate until the 
prospect of severe weather renders some covering neces¬ 
sary, in order to protect them against the evils of a frost 
so much sharper than they were accustomed to endure 
in their native place. 
Another neglected plant, though of much older in¬ 
troduction, in fact, so old and well known that it would 
be difficult to find any one who has not some knowledge 
of its existence, is the Hydrangea hortensis, or old 
variety. The more recent introduction, “ Japonica,” is 
far from being as pretty. 
This fine old plant is to be found in many positions ; 
at one time adorning the parterre of the nobleman; at 
others, growing in an old make-shift-of-a-ilower-pot in 
some humble cottager’s window ; while, at other times, 
it is seen growing in some shrubbery border, when 
respect for its appearance has led to its being allowed 
to ramble, not only over the small fry in front of it, but 
also to usurp a good part of the walk, or grass plot, by 
which such border is bounded. We do not, by any 
means, find fault with the license granted it; on the 
contrary, it richly deserves it; and we hope to see it 
more extensively grown in the latter way, for it is 
tolerably hardy, and not at all likely to give way to the 
frosts, or other inclemencies of any ordinary season, 
although we now and then have one like that of 1837-38, 
which makes this, as well as many other plants (including 
natives), suffer by its violence; however, in general, 
the Hydrangea will thrive, and produce abundance of 
flower-buds]in a fine season, and on a dry soil; which buds 
are also certain to produce blooms the ensuing season, 
unless in the mean time some unexpected severity has 
deprived the shoot of vitality. Moreover, the plant is 
also so accommodating as to root freely from ripened 
wood in spring, as well as from young shoots in summer, 
that it deserves our acknowledgments on that score; 
and as these ripened shoots strike root, and, where the 
embryo root had been formed, bloom likewise, it is from 
thence that we so often see such nice heads of bloom on 
plants in five or six-inch pots. Now, this is very easily j 
accomplished, by all having a good plant to cut from; I 
