THE COTTAGE GARDENED. 
137 
May 30.] 
piniperda), which has gnawed its way out through the bark 
at the joint below ; and thus weakening the branch in that 
part, has caused that the rough winds break off very nume¬ 
rous branches at that weakened part. No doubt squirrels 
will do mischief, but the most part of this is not their work. 
—'w. r. t. , . , • 
Writing Names on Pots. —I potted some hyacinths in 
October last, aud wrote the names under the rim of the pots 
in blue ink, and sank them in an open border; and find, on 
taking them up after a lapse of five months, and washing 
the pots prior to placing them in my window, that the names 
are as distinct as when first written.— George Hoiigeden, 
Tavistock. 
Boiling Jerusalem Artichokes. — They must b e first 
pealed, and thrown into cold water till you set, them on to 
boil. Let them boil till quite tender, put them in your dish, 
and pour melted butter over them. It is very simple, but if 
not put first into cold water they will look black. 
Boiling Water for Vai.lota Purpurea.—A s the benefit of 
watering the Vallota purpurea with boiling water, poured into 
the saucer , may not he generally known, I beg to mention it. 
I had it second-hand from a Scarborough cottager, who told 
the secret of its flowering so invariably well in that locality. 
The Calla Ethiopica I find also to delight in similar treat¬ 
ment.— 1trentinqby Cottage. 
Cochin-China Fowls.— Mr. J. Bailey, of Mount-street, 
has done good service to your readers in giving so minute 
and clear a description of the Cochin-China, in answer to 
the questions at page 301, of vol. 3, of The Cottage 
Gardener ; and being a respectable and intelligent dealer 
such communications have more especial value. I beg 
to give you the communication of another respectable and 
intelligent dealer on the same subject. “ I have had in the 
same clutch of Cochin-China, birds with a high seriated 
comb, and those with a small double comb ; the wattles laige ; 
legs not very long; the legs are frequently yellow. I have 
had the Cochin-China of various colours ; the majority dark 
brow'n in the hens, and dark red in the cocks; sometimes 
black breasted and red, like the game-cock. I should prefer a 
single colour in the plumage, but do not think it is always so. 
The tail feathers are frequently brown.” 
I cannot help recommending to poultry-keepers^ a work 
lately come out, entitled “ Domestic Fowl, by J. J. Nolan, of 
Dublin.” I do not know any work which gives such clear and 
accurate descriptions of all the various breeds ofpoultry,witli 
very good and accurate engravings of each. With such book 
no one could be at a loss to determine any breed, though 
they had not seen it before ; and it is by no means dear, being 
only 3s.—W. J. 
To Soften Hard Water. —When the hardness proceeds 
from the bicarbonate of lime (which is very frequently the 
principal, and always in great part, the cause), it may be 
softened by a cheaper ingredient than carbonate of am¬ 
monia, or soda. Add a little quicklime to the water. The 
lime decomposes the bicarbonate of lime which is dissolved 
in the water, taking from it one of its two equivalents of car¬ 
bonic acid, and leaving the residue of the substance in the 
state of proto-carbonate of lime, which state the fresh added 
lime and the equivalent of carbonic acid thus substracted 
from the bicarbonate also themselves acquire. This proto¬ 
carbonate of lime is a ponderous and insoluble salt, and sinks 
to the bottom of the fluid, leaving the superincumbent water 
pure and soft. To the inexperienced it appears an absurdity 
to propose, that water which is hard from being overloaded 
with lime should be rendered soft by adding more lime; but 
such is the case. Those of the poor who have no access to 
any but hard water for washing may much economize their 
soap by softening the water with lime before they wash.— 
Penny-wise. 
Pruning Dahlias. —Observing that Mr. Beaton has re¬ 
quested some suggestions on the subject of bedding plants, 
although it may appear presumptuous on my part to offer 
any suggestion that may be worthy of his adoption, never¬ 
theless, feeling myself to be indebted to his writings for 
much information, I therefore gladly take the occasion to 
testify at least my desire of complying with his wishes. With 
a view to obtain something like a uniform standard of height 
in the growth of Dahlias, my practice has been to bring for¬ 
ward somewhat earlier those plants that attain the greatest 
height, and then to cut out portions of their leaders (accord¬ 
ing to the vigorous habit of the plants) and to train the 
lower shoots upwards. To the plants of weaker habit, a 
little liquid manure is occasionally given in their earlier 
stages to promote their growth; and by these means, at the 
flowering season, a more uniform height in all the plants is 
obtained than by any other means that I could devise.— T.O. 
[We shall be glad of your suggestions relative to grape 
vines.—E d. C. G.] 
Smoked Bricks—Painting Greenhouse Inside. —The 
only and the cheapest way to prevent stains arising from 
smoked bricks, is to give the parts affected a coat of oil paint, 
and when dry the whitewash may be applied without the 
least fear of a recurrence of the evils your correspondent 
complains of. My greenhouse (30 feet by 1(5 feet) I oil 
paint, and find it in eveiy respect preferable to whitewash. 1 
employ a workman, to whom I give 2s. (id. per day, and find 
my own materials; consequently, the first cost is very little 
more than whitewash; and when taking into account its 
durability, superior neatness, and cleanliness, and the 
greater light and heat imparted, it is positively cheaper. The 
flue, and the walls immediately in connection therewith, I 
whitewash, to avoid the smell that would otherwise arise 
when the house is under heat. Let any of your readers who 
have not hitherto adopted my plan try oil painting, and the 
whitewash brush will be for ever discarded. For the informa¬ 
tion of any who may be disposed to adopt my recommenda¬ 
tion, I would observe that I first prepare the walls with a 
coat of size and whitening, laying it on warm (this is equal 
to a coat of oil paint), after which I give two coats of oil 
pamt, and the work stands for years. As every crevice is 
stopped, no retreat is left for the spider and its numerous 
companions in mischief.—A Subscriber. 
Heracleum Giganteum. —Messrs. Hardy and Son, Mal- 
don, Essex, inform us that they have already leaves on 
some two-year-old plants five feet broad and five feet long. 
They say it is a most majestic plant, and that last year they 
grew it fourteen feet high. Mr. Moore, the Curator of the 
Chelsea Botanic Garden, states that it is appropriate to the 
bold openings of rude or wilderness scenery. It blooms in 
June or July, and its umbels of white flowers are a foot 
across. 
Bedding-out Plants. —Would not Campanula Lord make 
a good purple bed ? I saw a very pretty bed last year of the 
double white feverfew, which Mr. Beaton has not mentioned 
amongst his white bedders.—A Lover of Flowers from 
Childhood. 
Hair Falling. Off. —You give advice to some correspon¬ 
dent who complains of losing his hair. Allow me, from ex¬ 
perience iu my own and other cases, to recommend the use 
of the following receipt, and to add an earnest recommenda¬ 
tion on no account to be persuaded to have either the head 
shaved or the hair unusually cut close:—1 drachm of white 
wax, 1 ditto of spermacetti, 2 oz. oil of almonds, 2 drachms 
essence of cantharides; essential oil to scent at pleasure. 
The whole to be dissolved together in a gentle heat, and 
stirred and beaten till quite cold. —M. 
Macaw Laying Eggs. —Many useful hints have been 
given to increase this propensity. I have a large scarlet 
Macaw (I’sittacus Macao), which has laid during the last 
few months 20 eggs, and promises to continue her labours. 
Can any of your correspondents inform me how I can put a 
stop to this ? It weakens the bird, and makes her restless 
and irritable. All accounts which I have seen state that 
they breed but twice in the year, laying two eggs each time ; 
if so, we have a new ornithological fact. May not the cir¬ 
cumstance be attributable to disease ? — S. P., Rushmere. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
We request that no one will write to the departmental writers ot 
The Cottage Gardener. It gives them unjustifiable trouble and 
expense ; and we also request our coadjutors under no circumstances to 
reply to sucli private communications. 
Heating Small Pit. —In answer to C. W. Estcourt we are obliged 
by this reply from W. X. W.:—“The stove cylinder (page 56) holds 
about two bucketsful of charcoal. A few hours would be sufficient to 
warm the bed j but I have kept a constant fire in my stove, so that I 
might ensure a regular and constant heat. The amount of heat is eon- 
