I 
118 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
May 15. 
cuisine never attained to—a power of knowing whether an 
egg or a potato is “ done,” by simply holding it for an 
instant in the closed hand. 
The roasted potato was a delicious morsel, but apt to 
produce heartburn, and therefore enjoyed only occasionally, 
and generally out of doors, when the potatoes were digging, 
or the turf cutting or saving; and then a “ caste ” was 
made after the following fashion:—A hole was scooped 
out of the side of a ditch, and a turf lire lighted therein. 
When the peat was nearly consumed, the coals were re¬ 
moved with a maiddie bristle, or wooden tongs, and the 
| potatoes, enveloped in a layer of moist clay, placed in the 
i hot earth and ashes, with the half burned turf over them. 
1 There they were carefully watched by one of the “pickers,” 
who called the labourers at the critical moment,and raked 
out the murphies, which were prepared for eating, not by- 
peeling in the ordinary manner, but by breaking the in¬ 
vestiture of pottery in which they were encased, with a 
twisting motion. Thus dressed, they were remarkably white, 
'• dry, and mealy. Children particularly liked them ; and we 
J remember a hedge-school pedagogue, after eulogising his 
| class upon their proficiency and good behaviour during their 
previous hours of study, conclude by desiring them “ to be 
good boys ; to take care of tlieir books; to come early next 
morning ; to bring a sod of turf under each oxter, and a 
pocketful of praties, that they might be reading and roasting 
all day .”—Dublin University Mayazine. 
OUT OF FASHION. 
j Out of fashion; These are, in the world’s estimation, 
words of awful import. Like the wand of an enchanter, 
! they can with one touch divest of all its excellency and 
, beauty, that upon which the eyes of thousands have been 
; fixed in admiration; transmuting it into something that is 
for the future to be avoided and despised; banishing it from 
the ethereal regions of taste into worse than Australian 
deserts, the antipodes of all that is elegant and pleasing. 
These seem strong expressions ; but the influence of this 
magical decree, extending to things which I had, in my 
ignorance, once supposed beyond its sphere, was on a late : 
occasion forcibly presented to my mind. 
I was walking with two ladies in a beautiful garden, where 
flowers of all lands and colours bloomed around, and every 
breath of air was “ redolent of sweets.” My companions 
were professed florists ; and, though not myself possessed of 
much knowledge on the subject, I listened with pleasure to 
tlieir dissertations on points connected with it, and examined 
the blossoms selected for observation. Here the fuschia 
hung her graceful bells, and beds were radiant with the gor¬ 
geous hues of blue, scarlet, and purple verbenas. But it 
would be in vain to enter on a description of that fair scene 
where 
“ The finished garden to the view 
Its vistas opened ; and its alleys green 
Snatched through the verdant maze the hurried eye, 
Distracted wandering.” 
When my fair associates grew tired of their floral 
examination, we turned from the gay parterre down a shady 
shrubbery walk. Here, in a*comparat.ively neglected border, 
J some magnificent hollyhocks reared their tall pyramidal 
I forms, thickly covered with blossoms, whose hues, for rich- 
I ness and variety, might rival any of the more delicate 
I flowers which we had been admiring. They attracted the 
attention of the ladies, who uttered in passing a note indica¬ 
tive of admiration : “ They are very fine.” To which the 
other, who was the owner of the garden, replied : “ But do 
| not you know that hollyhocks are entirely out. of fashion ?" 
“ So they are,” answered her friend, evidently somewhat 
ashamed of having been detected in admiring what was 
under the malediction of a tribunal from which there is no 
appeal, and moving quickly away from the object of taboo. 
I had now, for the first time, discovered that the influence 
of the despotic legislator, fashion, extended to the inanimate 
things of creation. I was already aware of its being exer- 
] cised over the fine arts, occasionally sentencing them to 
temporary banishment from society, and recalling them at 
] will. This lesson had been taught me some time before, by 
i hearing a young lady say, in reply to a remark about a 
1 newly published poem : “ I seldom look at poetry now—it is 
I out of fashion and by hearing another devoted subject to 
the same power exclaim, “ My sister has a fine taste for 
music, but never plays now—it is out of fashion.” 
These incidents really occurred, and have not been in¬ 
vented for the purpose of illustrating my subject, which I 
mention, as some may doubt that beings endued with reason 
could be guilty of the absurdity which they exemplify. 
These things, however apparently trifling, led my mind 
into a train of serious reflections on the probable con¬ 
sequences of this great subserviency to public opinion in 
trifling matters ; and its influence on the character, especially 
of the young, seems to me important enough to merit 
consideration. 
Now, while I should be far from deprecating every change 
because it was new, and while I would never judge the 
discoveries of modern days in the spirit of those who would 
rather be wrong with antiquity than right with innovation, I 
own that such instances as I have just recorded appear to 
me too characteristic of the present times, and indicative of 
a dangerous deficiency in the useful habit of exercising the 
right of private judgment in trifles, naturally leading to a 
dereliction of it in matters of importance. 
If freedom of thought be the sacred inalienable prerogative 
of human nature, bestowed upon us by our Creator, is it not 
evident that we must exercise it to become what we Avere 
originally intended for, and to fulfil our high destiny, not 
only as the children of time, but of eternity ? When Ave 
surrender our menial powers to be moulded by others, and 
tamely condescend to think by proxy even about trifles, Ave 
are training our minds for that kind of passive subjection 
which may lead us to embrace error in matters of vital 
importance. And here perhaps it may be Avell to observe, 
that in making these remarks I would by no means be 
understood to condemn teachableness of disposition, or 
candour in investigating the opinions of others—qualities 
perfectly consistent with independence of thought and judg¬ 
ment. I am ready to acknowledge that the influence of 
fashion in such matters as the preference of a fuchsia for a 
hollyhock is not in itself likely to affect the interests of 
society; but I Avould assert that the mental stagnation 
arising from the habitual surrender of our minds upon such 
trifling occasions, is of evil tendency, aud leads to our doing 
the same in things of importance. 
Cultivate, then, I say again to my readers, the habit of 
manly reflection and mental decision .—Leisure Hour, 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Binding (J. Denny). —You can obtain cloth boards at 2, Amen 
Corner, but the binding is not undertaken there. 
Covent Garden (T. C.).—Arrangements are making to have a report 
of the prices. 
No. 33 (A Subscriber, Guernsey). —Send your real name and address, 
and enclose the postage stamps. 
Genistas ( A Constant Subscriber). —Mr. Fish answered your query 
last week. 
Grafting Camellias (A Constant Deader).—See our last week’ 
number. 
Poultry House (A Subscriber). —Divide your lean-to house into two 
equal parts. If the window is in the middle, the partition may be 
opposite its centre, and then it will serve to light both parts of your 
house. Let the part which the fowls must enter when going into it be 
their roosting-place. If for Shanghaes no perches will be needed. A 
door must communicate to the inner division of the house, in which 
inner division have the nests on the floor along the two sides. If you 
require more minute particulars, either consult “The Poultry Book,” 
or write to us again, stating the special information you need. 
Grapes (Dan).— Neither the Mill Hill nor the Pope’s are better than 
the common Black Huniburgh. Nor do we think either of those two 
are better than the other. They are both good varieties. 
Poultry House (E. Janson). —It is useless to sow grass seeds in a 
small poultry-yard. The fowls eat down the grass seedlings, and by 
that means and by scratching soon destroy it. You may easily have a 
small pond made water-tight, either by puddling it with clay, or 
coating it with Portland cement. Ducklings are great eaters, and are 
totally unprofitable to those who have to buy all their food. Oats and 
barley mixed, and barleymeal and pollard, all in equal proportions, are 
the best provender for them. With the barleymeal and pollard, 
Potatoes boiled, and any kitchen refuse may be mixed. The same food, 
omitting the oats, will do for chicken six weeks old. Give both the 
ducklings and chicken all the green food you can obtain for them. 
Heating a Greenhouse. ( Y . X.). — For one so small, a furnace and 
common flue will be the most economical, and quite efficient. 
London : Printed by Hugh Barclay, Winchester High-street, in 
the Parish of Saint Mary Kalendar; and Published by William 
Somerville Oru, of Church Hill, Walthamstow, in the County of 
Essex, at the Office, No. 2, Amen Corner, in the Parish of Christ 
Church, City of London.—May 15, 1855. 
