May 1. 
COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION. 
The setting in of dry weather, at this season, renders it 
still more advisable to hasten the planting of such things as 
have been unavoidably delayed, as well as the sowing of 
such seeds as are always wanted in late spring; for instance, 
Rampion, Beet , Salsafy, Pick liny Onions , Cape Broeoli , and 
many other things may be done now which it was noi 
necessary to sow early, but which it would be imprudent to 
keep later. If the weather threatens to become very dry, 
seeds do not vegetate well, and at the present time (April 
14th 1 there is a probability of its becoming so; neither 
does watering have the same effect that moist weather has, 
for though, with care in shading, and other good manage¬ 
ment, seeds may be made to vegetate pretty well in dry 
weather, yet this cannot well be accomplished on a large 
scale. However, as it is important to have everything 
at its proper time, it is not bad practice to sow a little 
earlier when dry weather is likely to follow, and though 
none of us can with certainty foresee what may be the 
description of the weather for the time to come, yet those who 
have been in the habit of closely observing it for years past 
can give a tolerably shrewd guess what it may likely be, and 
I have heard more than one prophesy a dry spring. It, 
therefore, behoves us to be up and doing 
In settled dry weather, with a n. e. wind, the use of the 
watering-pot is in many instances deemed indispensable, yet 
it is not really so necessary as many imagine; while in many 
cases it does great harm. The most important thing is to 
retain what moisture there is in the ground, rather than 
to restore it by pouring deluges of cold, hard well-water 
upon it to be blistered in the sun; when, therefore, it 
becomes necessary to water, shade as well, and usually one 
good soaking will suffice. Many simple expedients may be 
adopted to break the direct rays of the sun acting on the 
plants, the most common, in country places, being to stick 
houghs over the ground, but netting doubled a few times, 
old calico, or any contrivance that may be at hand, will have 
the same effect, the purpose being to check the direct rays 
of the sun, and arrest undue evaporation. These objects 
being effected, the use of the watering-pot maybe dispensed 
with in a great measure. J. Robson. 
77 
from Hie two classes which bound them on both sides— 
annuals and perennials. Wallflowers, Stocks, Canterbury 
Bells, the pyramidal Campanula, and others, as well as 
some Silenes, and some plants in the Sweet William way; 
these are all well worth growing; the best dark, violet, and 
pure yellow Wallflowers being very useful, and every one 
admires Brompton Stocks. 
Biennials need not be sown before May, except Wall¬ 
flowers, which, if wanted large, might be sown before. 
They like a dry, stony situation, and I think I have seen 
them flourishing some eighty or one hundred feet high, 
upon a church steeple, along with Snapdragon, and some 
other plants, all self-sown, and clinging tenaciously to the 
crumbling stones. The single is much sweeter than the 
double, and flowers more freely. The pure yellow of both 
is the best, in my opinion; but the amateur fond of variety 
will, perhaps, cling to the extreme darks; but he will see 
them fade into a dingy brown after being out a few bright, 
hot, sunny days. Wallflowers make excellent rock plants, 
for their appearance is good in winter, except when, like the 
last, it has been unusually severe. 
Having mentioned the bedding-plants as suitable for 
planting in mixed beds in a former article, I need not 
repeat it here ; but may say, that the ordinary Geraniums do 
not do well after flowering in-doors; for having partly 
exhausted themselves that way, they generally take to 
growing, and furnish twigs for bouquets ; but for that purpose 
they are inferior to some of the sweet-scented kinds, and 
not being suitable in foliage, the latter had better be planted 
in preference. Such kinds as Rollison’s Unique , Moore’s 
Victory , Shrubland Pet, and Fair Plelen, might be planted 
with perfect propriety anywhere, as well as the dwarf 
Scarlet and variegated kinds. But I am digressing; neverthe¬ 
less, I will return to this subject another time, as I intend 
planting Geraniums rather extensively the present season; 
but the amateur of small means had better only plant the 
cream of the lot, or rather those suiting his case; and I may 
add, that there are few Calceolarias but will do so. 
J. Robson. 
GARDENING FOR THE MANY. 
Our worthy correspondent, “ Quis,” having put us in mind 
that the list of flowering-plants we recommend as suitable 
to a small garden is deficient in annuals and biennials, 
we append a few of each ; at the same time let it be fully 
understood that, as a class, the bulk of annual flowers are 
hardly suitable for the limited space of our worthy 
enquirer, although it cannot be denied that few or no 
descriptions of plants present so much bloom as they do 
when in their prime. But let us fancy such a plant as an 
Esclischoltzia Californica planted amongst humble-growing 
plants in a bed perhaps six feet in width. Now, this plant 
would usurp quite one-half of that, and though in sunshine 
they present a dazzling appearance, it shuts up early in the 
evening, and then has but a very shabby appearance. The 
same may be said of the Convolvulus; in fact, they collapse 
much sooner than the last-named. On the other hand, 
some are so short-lived that I should not like to recommend 
their being extensively planted; but at the same time some 
are very showy, and presenting good habits can be kept 
within proper bounds. 
The following list of Annuals, though meagre, and, 
probably, not agreeing with everyones notion of such things 
is, nevertheless, likely to give satisfaction as far as it goes. 
I have selected them more for their utility than for their 
blaze of floral display, although they are not deficient in 
that either. I only mention twelve, which is as many as I 
grow myself, or nearly so. 
Saponaria Calabrica 
Mignonette 
German Aster 
Larkspur, of sorts 
Nemophila iusignis 
Collinsia bicolor 
Coreopsis tinctoria 
Scbizanthus pinnatus 
Lobelia ramosa 
African Marigold 
French Marigold 
German Stocks 
Biennials are far from a numerous clsss; at least, they 
are not so distinctly defined as to be always separated 
THE EARLY REMOVAL OF BAD EGGS FROM 
A SITTING HEN. 
Removing the barren eggs from a sitting hen is practiced 
by some poultry breeders, with the idea of giving more room 
and greater warmth to those that remain. 
When I set eggs from my own fowls, I seldom have re¬ 
course to the proceeding, but often find it advantageous with 
eggs that have travelled. Again, during cold weather, when 
broody hens are scarce, and chicken desirable, it will often 
be found advantageous to set two hens on the same day, and 
if on examining the eggs on the eighth or ninth day (at 
which time there is no risk of any mistake,) many eggs are 
found barren, the good ones can be all given to one hen, 
and a fresh batch placed under the other. 
The mode of examination which I think most desirable, 
is to take a lighted candle into the hen house after dark, 
and to hold up each egg in succession between the eye and 
the light, about tw'o inches from the latter, -when the eggs 
with chicken will be found perfectly opaque and dark; whereas 
those that are barren permit the light to pass through, and 
have much the appearance of being filled with melted wax. 
I think the night by far the best time for this operation ; 
the distinction is much better seen then than during the day 
time, and the broody liens are much quieter, and more 
easily managed. 
The unfertile eggs thus removed will be found, if broken, 
quite free from any offensive odour; the white, however, is 
more liquid than usual. One very successful and well-known 
exhibitor, whose confined run renders animal food artificially 
supplied needful for his chicken, regularly examines his 
eggs in this manner, and boils those removed for the young 
broods. My own more extensive runs, and the liberal 
supply of small worms from the garden, render such a plan 
unnecessary in my own case. 
I write this notice, not remembering to have seen any 
account of the operation in The Cottage Gardener. Let 
me, however, caution my readers against putting too many 
