June 6.] 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
153 
them, stand up all round the column with their backs turned 
towards it; and, of course, then - faces are looking to difterent 
points of the compass. These five men are the stamens, 
whose height, together with the length of the column, difiei 
in different kinds of passion-flowers. In the Purple-fruited 
one, referred to by Mr. Errington, the height of the men 
exceeds that of the column by head and neck; and the apex 
or top of the column stands in a line with the top of their 
shoidder-blades. On this apex is placed the berry or seed 
vessel, in the shape of an egg, and on the top of which 
stand three nymphs—the pistils. When the flower opens 
upwards these ladies look up straight to the zenith; but 
when the flowers are pendulous, as is more generally the 
case, they look towards the earth. In either position the 
two parties stand head to toes, that is, the heads of the 
stamens reach to where the pistils are attached to the seed 
vessel, and by then - fixed position it is impossible for either 
to see each other. Now, “ if all were known,” it would very 
probably be found, that the old story about the Spanish 
monks having mistaken this arrangement for emblems of 
the crucifixion was only a mere moonshine ; and that the 
more probable reason the holy fathers had for naming this 
a passion-flower, seeing the attitudes of the parts represent¬ 
ing the sexes so very •unpassion-like, and on that account 
more in accordance with their own better sense in such 
matters. If that was really the case, and I see no reason to 
doubt it, the foolishness of worldly wisdom could hardy 
be better exemplified; for in the very next stage of the 
Passion-flower the tables are turned-—prudish coquetry gives 
way to a softer passion. The virgins bow themselves round 
in the direction of the sentinels, “to meet them half way," 
and the latter in them turn lean back their heads for the 
embrace. No wonder, therefore, that honest men like the 
Spanish monks, and our friend from Cheshire, should be 
deceived and puzzled by “such fancies.” However, we 
must give Mr. Errington credit for wishing to clear away all 
impediments to such mutual understanding—I). Beaton. 
Geraniums for Bouquets. — Graven lens is the original 
name for the true Ruse-scented geranium, which is best of 
all leaves with which to encircle a bouquet. The little 
Variegated oak leaf, as we call it, has sported from Gra- 
veolens. The leaves of Pelargonium radula are sticky, and 
look like small ferns mixed with the flowers in a bouquet. 
These are much sought after; also very small-leaved varie¬ 
ties of the Citron-scented geranium "with the Rasp-leaved or 
Skeleton-leaved, of which the scientific name is Bipinati- 
fidum —long enough at any rate. D. Beaton. 
Canaries. —It may not be generally known that the canary, 
so prized and petted within doors, is perfectly hard}, and 
will stand the rigour of our severest winters. About ten 
year's since I purchased in the spring nine young canaries, 
and placed them in a small summer-house, with a wire front, 
fitting up the interior with a few rustic conveniences for their 
accommodation.- In two seasons they increased to 40, when 
I reduced their numbers, and they have since flourished re¬ 
markably well. They cover the wires during rain and snow 
to obtain the benefit; are in full song ten months out ol the 
twelve; and an aviary thus formed, is an interesting, an 
ornamental addition to a flower-garden.—S. P., Rushmere. 
Gravel Walks. —Those who are about to form new gravel 
j walks, should be cautioned how they use the refuse lime from 
gas-works, as a substratum for the top layer to rest upon. 
A friend of mine adopted this plan to destroy the worms, and 
the result is, that all the stones on the surface are coated 
with various colours of green, blue, indigo, &c., so as entirely 
to destroy the freshness of the gravel ; even the minuter 
particles are impregnated with them ; the effect is curious, 
hut the walk, so far as appearance is concerned, is spoiled.— 
S. P., Rushmere. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
*** Wc 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 such private communications. 
Hakd Seeds not Vegetating (/!. IV.).— Old seeds of some Acacias 
and many other plants, will require to stand several minutes in boiling- 
water before they are sown, to accelerate vegetation. We had a quantity 
Martynia fragrant seeds of our own sowing, a line flowered half-hardy 
annual, since 1845, and tried “ all means” to get them up, with very partial 
success, till this spring, when we put them in a cistern which connects two 
sets of hot-water pipes, for five days. This cistern was not far from the boiler, 
and the water in it was nearly 200° on two nights, and all the time from 
120° to 180°. We then sowed twenty of them, and seventeen came up in 
about twelve days. Your Tacsonia seeds have no vitality in them, for if 
they had, and were ripened in this country they ought to he up in ten 
days. We have often met with full-grown seeds both of Tacsonia and 
Passion-flowo ■ from our own sowing, which wanted the life germ, and 
such instances are not at all rare. But we believe the seeds of none of 
the family will require, or endure, the hot water cure. 
Scandix Bulbosum (M. Webb).— -What used to be called Scandix 
bulbosum, is now referred to Cheerophyllum, to which also the common 
chervil herb belongs; and your plant may he sown in the open border at 
once, and receive the treatment of the commonest border plant; but alter 
all it is a mere weed. 
Gardener’s Riddle {Annie). —The following is what you allude 
to:—Why is a gardener the most extraordinary man in the world? 
Because no man has more business upon earth, and always chooses good 
grounds for what he does; he commands his thyme, is master of the 
mint, and fingers penny-royal; he raises his celery every year, and it is a 
hard year indeed that does not produce a plum. He meets with more 
bows than a Minister of State, and makes more beds than the French 
King, and has in them more painted ladies, and more genuine roses and 
lilies, than are to be found at a country wake. He makes raking his 
business more than his diversion, hut, unlike other gentlemen, he makes 
it an advantage to his health and fortune. Distempers fatal to others 
never hurt him, for he thrives most in a consumption; and he can boast 
of more laurels, if possible, than the Duke of Wellington. 
Flower-garden (33).—Your plan of breaking up the grass next 
autumn to renew it, is excellent; and if you are fortunate enough to get 
seeds true to name, and free from weed seeds, early next spring will be 
time enough to sow them. To convert a portion of the ground into a 
kitchen-garden would he an easy matter, by running a trellis across from 
walk to walk, and by covering the trellis with evergreen climbing roses ; 
and the end next the road and farthest from your house would do well for 
a kitchen-garden, provided you would root up the “ laburnum, very 
tall poplar, horsechesnut, large japonica, and the two evergreens” of 
which you do not know the names. However, if the ground belonged to 
us we would rather supply you with vegetables from Covent Garden 
market than allow you to touch any of those trees and shrubs ; hut we 
would devote that end entirely to beautiful flowering shrubs, and leave 
the grass in it as it is, until you see the effects of your renovation in the 
flower-garden end. Dig up all the flower-beds along with the turf, they 
are positively ugly. Then, after levelling the ground, get some one on 
the spot to give you a plan for the new beds. No one at a distance can 
guide you safely, if lie has a conscience. 
Opening tiie Front Lights of a House all at once, and 
Cheaply (T. TV. L.).— You think Harwood’s plan too expensive. We 
are not sure if we know it, though many methods may be adopted, 
especially in a new house. We have seen the same principle as that 
which we believe may be seen at Dropmore in operation, with the best 
effect. A flat iron rod is fixed, but so as to move along easily on the front 
of the house inside the sill. Upon this is fixed, for every window to be 
opened outwards, pieces of iron still narrower and thinner. The straight 
end being fixed along the bar so far, and the segment of the circle end 
fixed to the window—as when the bar is moved along, the pressure will 
cause the window to open from a part of an inch to its full extent at 
pleasure. The end of the bar for the length of the window is locked and 
moved by a racket wheel. It is usual to have the front sash divided into 
two, and then one division opens to the east, and the other to the west, but 
for that purpose there must be two flat iron rods, and a racket wheel at 
the separate ends of the house. A more simple method still, is to have 
half the sashes in front fixtures, and the moveable ones to slide behind 
the fixed ones, instead of opening out with a similar bar and racket wheel; 
all you have to do is to join each moveable sash to the bar, by means of a 
stout iron pivot. Turning the wheel will set them alt in motion. 
Wardian-case (Legolium). —There can be no doubt but your War- 
dian-case made in the form you mention will answer for a time, 'lo 
suppose that ferns thrive and live longer in a Wardian-case than in a 
proper stove, is absurd. Ferns, like most other plants, love a free cir¬ 
culation of air, light, and moisture, freshly applied. The wires you 
intend to set up in the case will no doubt .be useful to hang something 
upon, but do not try orchids; they will disappoint you. Lycopodiums or 
Epiphyllums of a dwarf kind will answer better. Let your ferns in the 
same case have a little air sometimes. It is a great mistake to think they 
require no air in those cases. Therefore, dispense with the sand and 
water in the grooves. Let the inside be lined with zinc, it is better than 
lead. 
Taylor’s Hive (IF. T. L.).— Your second swarm, if hived into Taylor’s 
upper box and placed upon the stock-box having the first swarm in it, will 
not unite, but, in all probability, fight until one is destroyed, and con¬ 
sequently the other much weakened. Unite them as directed in page 104, 
volume ii. of The Cottage Gardener, and not a bee will be killed. 
The process is very simple, and may be done in a minute. 
Asparagus Shoots Cankered (A Subscriber) . The shoot you sent 
to us was cankered or ulcerated all round within the soil, and so deeply 
ulcerated as to destroy the sap vessels. Consequently the growth was 
