378 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
August 21. 
season. If your Strawberry plants are weak, do not remove 
the runners until after these have rooted.—E d. C. G.] 
FORCING MOSS ROSES. 
“ is there any means of causing Moss Roses to flower in 
winter? and if so, which variety will do so?— Sagittarius.” 
[The common Moss Rose was had in bloom on the first 
day of the year more than forty years ago. IVe have forced 
this Rose for some years so as to “ come in” before the end 
of January; but, to tell the truth, it is not worth forcing with 
our present knowledge. We want something more than our 
present knowledge to enable us to force Moss Roses worth 
looking at before the middle or very end of February ; and 
there is not one forcer of Roses in England, out of every ten 
or fifteen who make the attempt, who can show a Moss Rose 
plant fit for the drawing-room before the March wind raises 
the dust. Mr. Salisbury, as far back as 1828, or 1829, 
detailed the way for having Moss and Cabbage Roses every 
day in the winter. Fourteen years afterwards, Sir J. Paxton 
reproduced this article, and thought he made it as plain as 
budding. However, smaller men often made the attempt, 
but could never succeed to their own satisfaction. For our 
part, we only know that Moss Roses may be had in cut 
flowers by the middle of January, but we would not under¬ 
take to show plants so early as that. We shall be obliged 
by any practice-founded-information on this subject.] 
Lycaste Skinnerii blooms from Christmas to May, according 
to the treatment; but whether that is before or after mailing 
a new bulb, who can tell ? for the answer would tell both 
ways. This is just as if one asked if Christmas comes in 
before or after the new year. 
The leaf you sent was the fleshy, gouty leaf of Brassavola 
glaitca, from Mexico.] 
CAPITAL REQUIRED FOR FARMING.—WHAT 
SHALL I DO? 
“Supposing a man had a great wish to take a small farm, 
I will say 100 acres, or less; what capital ought he to have 
per acre to start with, and to have reasonable prospect of 
getting on, and himself to take a share of the labour? 
[£8 to £10 per acre.] 
“ The second question is, supposing a man, between 
thirty and forty years of age, had a £100, or .£150; but no 
particular knowledge of any business, or calling, neither 
had anything permanent to look forward to; what would 
you advise him to undertake to get a living? He is strong, 
healthy, and determined to get on in whatever he undertakes. 
I have great faith in your judgment, and should feel much 
obliged if you would give me your advice.—AY. W.” 
[Let him join some one who is honest, and has equal 
mental determination, and who is skilled in some trade, 
but needs a little capital.] 
SOWING PRIMULA SINENSIS AND ANNUALS.— 
TREATMENT OF DOUBLE DAISIES. 
Though in a humble station, I am a great lover of j 
flowers, and having no resources beyond my window, and a j 
border in not a very favourable aspect, I am, therefore, j 
compelled to exert all my managing powers to keep a j 
succession of flowering plants in my window during winter ; 
and early spring. Will you, therefore, kindly tell me j 
whether it is now too late to sow Primula sinensis, my seed ; 
having failed to grow? Secondly, what means can I adopt ! 
to keep some Double Daisies seedlings through the winter? j 
And, thirdly, how and when should I sow the Red and ( 
White Candy Tuft, so as to have it blooming in pots in the j 
spring ? Must I sow it in the open air and transplant, or 
sow it at once in pots ? Also, Collinsia bicolor to bloom in 
spring? If there should be any other sort of annual you 
can recommend for a similar purpose, you will greatly 
oblige by naming some.—A Cottager’s Wife.” 
[It is too late to sow Primula sinensis. All cottager’s wives 
ought to have sown it long ago. The safest way to keep seed 
lings of Double Daisies through the winter is not to treat them 
now like “ spoilt children.” Allow them to take care of them- | 
selves from this very day, and our word for it the frost will 
not hurt them. If you have them in pots, or pans, trans¬ 
plant the balls entire, and let them be a little higher than I 
the ground round them; water them if they are very dry | 
till the end of September; after that, never go near them 
till next March, for if you do, your motherly kindness will 
be suggesting some “ comforts ” for the “ poor things,” 
which will be seen to act the other way. 
This is a good time to sow Candy Tuft, Gilia tricolor, 
Collinsia bicolor, Blue and Spotted Nemophila, and twenty 
more kinds of annuals which make good pot-plants in the , 
spring. See what is said about them, to-day, in another 
column.] 
LYCASTE SKINNERII AND MAXILLARIA 
HARRISONI/E. 
“ When does the bloom appear on Lycaste Skinnerii and 
J,. Harrisonii; before or after the bulbs are grown ?—A 
Young Orchid Grower.” 
[We are not sure that we comprehend your meaning. 
Both of them flower before they make new bulbs, and after 
they have made them. Maxillaria Harrisoniat is probably 
what you call Lycaste, and it generally blooms towards the 
end of the autumn, after ceasing to grow for that season. 
EVERGREENS FOR A TRELLIS. 
“ I have a trellis by my back door six feet high and fifteen 
feet long, which I have put up in order to stop the current 
of wind from the east. What will do to cover it with ? 
They must be hardy creepers, for it is exposed to the east.— 
CliERICUS.” 
[For ourselves, we would plant half-a-dozen of common 
Laurels three feet behind the fancy trellis, and four Japan 
Honeysuckles on the side next the house and train them 
over this trellis. Your own plan of hiding the walk is very 
good.] 
COVERING A HOUSE WITH ROSES. 
“ I beg to solicit your attention to a system I am about 
to put into practice, viz., of filling a space of the front of a 
house with Roses. 
“ The height of the front perpendicular is twenty-four feet, 
there being two windows, one direct above another, along 
the whole length of the house, besides doorways. Now, 
between each two windows, is a space of this said wall about 
five feet wide, which wall is ornamentally plastered. I have 
caused two small rods of iron to be run up each space, from 
bottom to top, each rod about six inches from the edge of 
the windows; two plants of the same sort to each space, 
and each space of different sorts. Now, whether I could 
have some (upon their own roots) of the best sorts of 
Hybrid Perpetuals, or Bourbons, or Noisettes of vigorous 
habit to fill this wall in the course of three or four years; 
I would, of course, encourage them to the top as soon as 
possible, and then train horizontally between the rods, for 
which smaller wires would be provided when wanted; or 
whether you recommend less important climbers to be 
budded upon each season after growths being made? 
“ Provided I cannot find good plants upon their own 
roots, would budded ones be likely to continue healthy ? 
“The following are such as I consider most suitable in 
the classes to which they belong :— 
“ Blairii, General Jacqueminot, Barronne Hallez, Jules 
Mavyottin, Triomphe de Paris, Mrs. Elvers, Duchess of Su¬ 
therland, Souvenir de Leveson Gower ,— Jno. Stewart.” 
[Your plan is very good indeed; and if you make the 
border equally good, and give abundance of water to the 
roots in summer, you may soon have your house covered 
with Roses, but not with the kinds you mention as prin¬ 
cipals. Blairii is the only one in your list which will reach 
the top in ten years. Jules Margottin and General Jaccjue- 
