COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION. 
September 11. 
427 
THE VALUE OF HOMELY CONTRIVANCES. 
Flower-gardening, at the present day, despite what is 
said to the contrary, cannot be effectually carried out 
without a considerable quantity of those tender or half- 
hardy plants which, in technical phrase, we denominate 
“ bedding plantsand as the propagation and winter¬ 
ing of these are important affairs, 1 here mention a few 
points which, in practice, I carry out, having as large a 
share of that work as most people ; and, consequently, 
am obliged to adopt all the shifts I can in the winter 
and early spring months. But T will first of all mention 
the uses to which an out-door bed is applied,—it is simply 
a long bed in the middle of the kitchen garden, not near 
any wall, and its homely make is in no respects any dis¬ 
advantage to it; in fact, it is a long bed on the surface 
of the ground, with a boarded back and front; the one a 
little more than a foot high, the other less,— the inclina¬ 
tion of the ground making up a few more inches of de¬ 
scent; the two ends are also boarded. 
This long bed is worked pretty hard; for in the au¬ 
tumn I sometimes put in Rose cuttings, and half-hardy 
or choice herbaceous plants, to stand the winter; and last 
autumn I put in a quantity of Calceolaria cuttings, 
which, but for the extraordinary severity of the weather, 
would have done well; as it was, about one-half or more 
withstood it, with only a double light over them, and a 
covering of snow part of the time. Those which did 
stand were the best plants I had in May ; but the great 
bulk of my Calceolarias were in large seed-pans, of 
twelve or thirteen inches diameter ; in these, from fifty to 
sixty plants were stowed until the. end of March; they 
were taken out and planted in rows, some three or four 
inches apart in this bed, which I forgot to say is about 
six feet wide; good, mellow soil, improved with leaf- 
mould, was given them, and by the middle of May 
they had formed nice bushy plants with good balls. 
Some other kinds of plants that had filled their pots 
wero also turned out here; but no plant does so well 
as Calceolarias, unless it has previously been in a 
pot, and its roots have got well matted to the ball. 
Geraniums, Verbenas, &c., shaken out from the cutting 
pots, grow away very well, but their long, straggling 
roots are sadly against their removing with anything 
like a ball; whereas, Calceolarias put forth a sort of 
a tuft of rootlets all of a length, and clasping amongst 
them sufficient earth to ensure their removal witli 
very little loss; but single plants of Verbena, or any¬ 
thing else that are rather pot-bound, do exceedingly 
well when turned out into such a bed, emitting a quan¬ 
tity of young roots, which take up well with the plant 
when the proper season arrives for its being planted in 
its final destination; however, I may add, that the 
bed was soon crammed full, and as the planting out 
of such things is rarely all performed at once, a few 
being always left over to make up deficiencies, &c., it 
was usually the beginning of June ere the bed could be 
cleared for the next crop, which has often been a nur¬ 
sery-bed for Celery plants, sometimes ridge, or rather 
frame Cucumbers, and sometimes summer cuttings of such 
things as Heartsease, Phloxes, Pentstemons, &c ; which¬ 
ever way it was, it was generally fully occupied ; the 
Celery and cuttings getting removed by the middle of 
August, when it was wanted again for the Scarlet and 
other Geraniums used in bedding out, of which several 
thousands were put in at various times up to the 10th 
of September. These remained until the first week in 
October, when they were taken up and planted thickly 
in large, wide-topped pans, and stood the winter in such 
houses as were at liberty to receive them. Geraniums 
requiring a much drier atmosphere to winter in than 
Calceolarias, the bed is then again at liberty to receive 
the Calceolarias, of which I purpose this autumn to put 
in a large quantity, as well as China and other Roses. The 
latter, however, ought to be in a little earlier, then the 
bed is at liberty to receive them, soi I have generally had 
them elsewhere. 
From the above, it will be seen that the bed is hard at 
work the whole year; of course, the soil is in a great 
measure changed with each crop; but this is easily 
effected in the kitchon-garden. Some old spare lights 
are also laid over it at times; and when shading is re¬ 
quired, the glass is coloured white with a bricklayer’s 
whitewash brush; but it is seldom all covered with 
glass, some other protection being thrown over the 
remainder. I may observe, that it would be much better 
were such a bed backed by a high wall, as I have ex¬ 
perienced much difference where similar plants were 
placed in such a position, but I could not have it so 
here; however, it answers tolerably well, and is hard- 
worked the whole year. 
Having described this useful bed, the contents of 
which assist so much in the general summer and 
autumn display of the flower-garden, I may add, that 
the plants I use for winter and early spring are neither 
numerous nor difficult to propagate. I think 1 had 
several hundred plants of Alyssum saxatile, and a 
yellow variety of Cheiranthus Marshallii, both especial 
favourites of mine, as looking well whether in flower or 
not. A yellow Heartsease I also plant extensively, as 
well as some other kinds, and the white flower, Arabis 
verna, comes in early; as does also the A. deltoida. 
Walljlowers of a good, single kind are also useful, as 
their appearance in winter is agreeable. Cineraria 
maritima is also useful, and several annuals, the best 
being Nemophila insignis and Virginian Stock for early 
flowering; but I have not been able to make much of 
Polyanthuses or Primroses, the soil not seeming to suit 
them; so that even seedlings planted out carefully in 
autumn, witli good balls, did not flower satisfactorily; 
still, at same time, I have no place in resorve suffi¬ 
ciently cool and damp for them in summer. Double 
Catchfiy are also planted, only they are much later; 
but their pretty appearance is such that I invariably 
plant some of them, and also the Double White and 
Purple Rocket. Stocks I have not been able to preserve 
against rabbits; but some other plants I have tried 
with more or less success; in fact, my guide being to 
have the earliest flowering ones that would move easily; 
but somehow, I have not been able to accomplish that 
with every one. The Winter Aconite and Hepatica 
do not do well with removal, and the various kinds of 
sweet-smelling Violets are not sufficiently gay to have 
a place here; but I have for many years had a bed or 
two of the common wild Primrose, which yields to none 
for beauty at the proper time. Bulbs, of course, are 
planted in more or less quantities, but they are not the 
most useful things, as the bed is naked for so long a 
period; whereas, Wallflowers , Catchjlys, and Cheiran- 
thuses look well the whole winter, and the appear 
auce a plant has when not in bloom is now beginning 
to attract that attention which it deserves; so that we 
may, perhaps, discover many useful and ornamental 
plants amongst the most common ones, if we only di¬ 
rect our attention that way. 
For instance, what foliage has a more striking effect 
than that of the common Globe Artichoke and Aspa¬ 
ragus? while, for winter plants, I have often wished the 
foliage of Red Beet would remain a little more fresh, as 
it certainly would be an acquisition ; but as every year 
adds a little that way, it is possible we may in time 
keep our flower-beds as attractive in early spring as in 
summer ; not that I ever expect to see the mass of bloom 
at that time as in September; still, the diversity of foliage 
and other features may have beauties to those who are 
not led away entirely by the gaudy display of colours 
without diversity. But I will, at a future time, make 
further remarks on this head; suffice it to say, that the 
