THE COTTAGE GARDENER, 
May 2.] 
bosa, and Amplexicaule; there are two good hinds of 
reddish yellow shrubby Calceolarias that would mix 
with Corymbosa and Viscosissima (say every fifth plant 
to be of these reddish brown ones), and I think they add 
to the richness of the bed without interfering with the 
colour of the mass—but that may be a matter of taste. 
The Kentish Hero will not come in, as a colour or as a 
shade; it is too brown, but it makes a splendid bed 
nevertheless. The Orange A frican Marigold makes a 
fine mass in a large garden, but is not suitable for small 
ones. The double clear Yellow French Marigold is very 
rich for a bed, and when kept over the winter from 
August struck cuttings, and planted in a soil not too 
rich, it has nothing of that coarseness about it which 
characterises seedlings. The same treatment as that 
given to verbenas will suit it during the winter, and it 
requires about the same attention as the American 
groundsel, for it is ticklish about damp. I believe I 
said that another gardener and I kept it in succession 
for eleven years by cuttings, and at first we had many 
mishaps with it, and always in the spring. The fact is, 
we used to begin it too eai'ly in the spring. The first of 
April is quite time enough to put it into heat to get a 
growth for cuttings, which strike like a weed. Gereopsis 
lanceolata divided in April like the little Campanulas, 
and once trained down to the ground in Jline, makes a 
fine mass for a large garden. The rest of the yellows 
will be noticed under “spring beds.” D. Beaton. 
GREENHOUSE AND WINDOW 
GARDENING. 
Balconies.—■-How pleasant the ideas which the very 
word awakens! We scarcely think of a balcony, but 
there appear before our mind’s eye fair and graceful 
forms, flitting among flowers, that are only less striking 
and lovely. If ever we can find an apology for a rational 
biped sublimating himself in the regions of cigardom, it 
is when, after the toils of the day, he whiffs the weed as 
he paces the balcony of bis suburban retreat, ever and 
anon emitting a cloud over the Green-fly from his own 
fumigating apparatus, or uttering an exclamation of 
pleased satisfaction as the companion of his joys waters 
and tends the flowers, attractive by their beauty, and 
delightful from their perfume. A balcony without 
flowers in summer seems ever to speak of miserly, 
contracted, shrivelled bachelorism, bearing no impress 
whatever of the presence of those gentle, but powerfully 
influential beings between whom and the flowers of 
vegetation there is an attraction more binding than any 
mesmeric action. No wonder though some should in¬ 
quire, “ What are the best flowers to buy to adorn 
balconies at this season of the year?” though the lo¬ 
cality of the inquirer, the present or future display of 
the flowers, and the object aimed at, as to the possession 
of floral beauty or floral variety, should have been added 
to this otherwise concise inquiry, to enable us to make 
an appropriate answer. When the inquiry was made 
in April, some nice evergreen plants, mingled with 
flowering-bulbs, Wall-flowers (singleand double), Hearts¬ 
ease, Hepaticas, Alyssums, evergreen Candy Tufts, 
Arabis, the Elowering Currant, Violets, &c., would be 
some of the most desirable for present display. But if 
a fine show of flowers during the remainder of the sum¬ 
mer is the object of the purchaser, then he could not do 
j better than obtain the necessary number of the common 
bedding-out plants as adverted to by our friend Mr. 
Beaton, such as Scarlet Geraniums, Fuchsias, Calceo¬ 
larias, Salvias, Ageratums, Helitropes, Anagallis, Migno¬ 
nette, Penstemons, Verbenas, Stocks, &c. 
For producing a splendid effect, more will depend 
upon the skill and attention of the cultivator than upon 
00 
the money spent in securing the plants. In a small 
balcony, “ the bump of order” may be as strikingly de¬ 
veloped as in a larger flower-garden ; the principles of 
adaptation and fitness strike the mind, even of a com¬ 
mon beholder, more forcibly than the mere assemblage 
of great masses. He may not be able to tell you how it 
is—but of the fact he is certain. I have seen an un¬ 
lettered labourer jump with something like ecstacy at a 
combination of colour, all existing in the compass of a 
few feet; almost choking himself for words to express 
his delight, and yet quite calmly surveying, what I then 
j thought a more perfect, because a somewhat more 
fashionable combination and contrast of colour. Men 
often acquire by something like intuition what they 
may lack the ability to demonstrate by reasoning. 
Harry More may never have thought there was any¬ 
thing wonderful in his treatment of the Scarlet Ge¬ 
ranium ; though when that treatment was unfolded in 
the words of a Beaton, the way was made clear for that 
splendid plant flourishing in many a window, and deck¬ 
ing many a humble balcony, where formerly it was a 
stranger. The ecstacy of the labourer taught me, that 
fine taste could be developed, and at once recognised, in 
the compass of a few feet as well, if not better, than in 
a few acres. Of course we are alluding merely to flower¬ 
ing-plants. Recognise and accept this idea, and there 
will be the cheerful working to make as much as possible 
of the little spot at home, instead of feeling a spice of 
envy because you cannot concentrate in that little spot 
the domains of a richer neighbour. 
There is every room for improvement. Balconies in 
general when filled with plants, are a higgledy-piggledy 
affair. There the plants are in red clay pots, or huge 
green boxes, and stuffed, if growing freely, as if the less 
air and light they had the better. If plants are at all 
flourishing, their leaves will be the most cheerful green. 
But it matters not, whether in town or country, and 
whatever the colour of the house—stone, or red brick— 
the balcony in the majority of cases must be green. 
Why the colour should be different from the mansion, 
it always surpassed my comprehension to determine; 
unless it was for the purpose of telling every passer-by 
that the balcony was a mere accidental after-thought 
affair. As to the huge boxes, lengthy if narrow, we 
should prefer them to be of a dull stone colour, rather 
than fashionable green—that is to say, if we must have 
such things at all. Our readers who would aspire to 
please themselves, and delight their friends, by an ex¬ 
hibition of superior taste, would discard the whole 
paraphernalia of red pots, red gawky-looking saucers, 
and the sort of go-between—the hog-and-chicken-feediug 
trough-like boxes. 
Bad as such contrivances are in a balcony, they be¬ 
come much worse when they are set upon the ground 
level, close to the walls of the mansion in the country. 
The gardeners, however, are much more to blame for 
this than amateurs. For years the string was harped 
upon, that a pitot to be healthy must be grown in a 
porous, soft red burnt pot. A short time ago, we directed 
attention to the fallacy of the idea as a general principle; 
and some years since we mentioned, that the common 
plants, such as those grown in balconies, would do well 
j enough even in iron, at least for one season, if drainage 
is properly attended to. For effect, therefore, a few 
I raised or ornamental boxes, or baskets, or vases, would 
I shame all such red pots or green boxes out of the field. 
Where there is the convenience, it is frequently desirable 
| to have the main plants for the centre of such vases 
grown in pots and plunged in the soil or moss, with 
j small plants to turn out around them. Where that does 
| not exist, means should bo taken to plant out those that 
j will blow during the season. The advantage of the 
first system is, that whenever a plant gets a little shabby 
1 you can change it for another coming to its best. When 
