AtJGUBT 1.] 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
277 
best of stove creepers for the roof ot the house. We 
have marked with an asterisk such as will answer best 
for a rather small house; and for a very small one, such 
as wo may suppose some of our amateur friends may 
possess, or build, we recommend the Stephanatis, the 
Dipladenia, and Passiflora racemosa. 
Culture. —To grow these splendid plants to per¬ 
fection, so as to enable them to produce abundance of 
bloom, you must have a small pit eighteen inches or two 
feet square, or any other form of the same dimensions, 
but at least two feet deep. At the bottom place a layer 
of pieces of brick or stone, six inches thick, cover this 
with some pioces of turf with the grassy side downwards. 
The rubble is for drainage, and the turf to prevent the 
soil choking it up. The soil should bo composed of 
peat, loam, and rotten leaf mould, in equal parts, mixed 
with a sufficient quantity of sand to keep it open and to 
allow the water to pass through it freely. This com¬ 
post should not he sifted, but only large stones and the 
roots of perennial weeds picked out. The situation ol 
these small pits may be as near to the front wall as 
convenient, to allow the creeper to be trained up to the 
roof, and along the roof over the paths. A rod of iron, 
kept well painted, should be suspended from the raftors 
at a distance of about a foot, to allow room for the 
shoots, leaves, and flowers, at a favourable distance from 
the glass. To this rod the creepers must be kept neatly 
tied, but not too stiffly. The taste of the cultivator 
must suggest a free graceful mode of performing the 
operation. In the stove at Pine-apple Place we use 
small chains running lengthwise, just over the curb¬ 
stone of the pit. They are fastened up at intervals to 
the roof, and allowed to hang down slackly between 
each interval, so as to form, when covered with the 
creeper, graceful festoons of flowers. Managed in this 
way they are very ornamental. 
in summer when the creepers are growing freely, and, 
as we hope, flowering profusely, the days being long 
and the sun giving abundance of light, the creepers 
may be allowed to grow somewhat luxuriantly; but as 
soon as they have done blooming, the days shortening 
and the light less intense, they should then be pruned 
in freely, to allow the greatest quantity of light to reach 
the plants below- 
Water. —In the summer months, when the growth 
is luxuriant, the creepers will require an abundant 
supply of soft water at their roots. 'The syringe, too, 
must be used frequently and freely to cleanse the leaves 
from dust, and to prevent the increase of insects ; care 
being taken to injure the flower as little as possible. 
Should the mealy bug unfortunately find its way into 
the house it will soon infest the creepers, especially the 
Stephanotis, upon the flowers of which it loves to dwell. 
There is no way to destroy this pest effectually but by 
crushing it with a brush, made either of stiffish hair or 
bass matting; with this every cranny and joint must 
be diligently washed, and, if possible, not an insect left 
alive. It is not once or twice washing that will banish 
them when they have once got established ; the washing 
must be repeated till they are overcome. Other insects, 
such as the red spider and the thrip, must be waged war 
against continually, for if once allowed to get a-liead 
they are extremely hard to conquer or entirely clear 
away. 
We are just now reminded by a correspondent, that it 
is not in all cases convenient to have pits built for 
creepers; when that is the case they may be planted in 
long boxes arranged along the front, or in largo pots 
set in any convenient corner; but bo it remembered 
that they will neither grow nor flower so finely as by 
the former mode. 
Propagation. —All these plants may be increased by 
cuttings, placed in silver sand, under bell-glasses, in 
heat, excepting Ipomea Horsfallice and Combretum pur- 
pureum. These two must be increased by grafting 
upon the more freely striking species; Ipomea Hors- 
fallice grafts easily upon Ipomea insignis, and Combretum 
purpureum upon C. Pinceanum. 
FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
Tui.tp and Ranunculus Roots being now all taken 
up, it is often a matter of grave consideration what to 
do with the beds in which they have grown. They 
must either be planted with some autumn blooming 
flowers or be left empty till the planting season lor the 
bulbs comes round again. In such situations where the 
beds are in sight of the windows, or even frequently seen, 
beds with flowers that have been reared in pots for the 
or in high kept grounds, it may be desirable to fill these 
purpose ; in such a case it will be desirable, nay, neces¬ 
sary, to have in the compost-yard a large heap of good 
compost suitable for these bulbs, which, as soon as the 
frosts destroy the temporary occupants of the beds, 
should bo wheeled in after the old soil has been removed 
to some other part of the garden, where it will bo useful 
for other purposes. The new soil should be left now at 
least six inches above the level required when it is 
settled. When the beds are so situated that it is of no 
consequence leaving them empty till the planting season 
arrives again, the soil should be thrown out on each 
side of the beds, and laid up in ridges, taking up along 
with it the layer of dung recommended to be placed 
over the drainago. In this situation the soil should be 
frequently turned over, to expose every part of it to the 
sun and air, and, as there is nothing like system in 
doing any kind of work, or carrying on regularly any 
operation, we would advise a set time to be appointed 
for turning soils, and that time to be faithfully kept as 
much as the weather will allow. Once a month will be 
a proper time to turn over the soils of the tulip and 
ranunculus beds. T. Appleby. 
THE KITCHEN-GARDEN. 
Globe Artichokes. — The suckers of this season s 
planting should be well attended to by keeping the 
surface of the earth open; and a soaking of liquid- 
manure given occasionally will encourage the luxuriant 
growth necessary for the plentiful production ol heads 
of good quality. 
Jerusalem Artichokes merely require at this season 
for the earth’s surface to be kept open, and in a good 
state, by frequent stirrings. 
Cabbage for early spring crops should now bo sown 
in full crop; where a large quantity is required it is 
advisable to sow two or three successive times, at in¬ 
tervals of a few days. The Red Dutch should also be 
remembered if required for pickling, stewing, &c., as 
well as the Flat pole, or Drumhead, by those who require 
them for oattle. 
Routine Work. — Cauliflowers and coleworts should 
still be planted freely for autumn and winter purposes. 
American and Normandy cress should be sown. Herbs 
of all kinds should be gathered while in bloom. Cha¬ 
momile and marigold flowers should be collected two or 
three times a week. Make a sowing of cucumbers lin¬ 
early winter fruiting, and select and savo for seed the 
likeliest fruit of the best varieties ; collect all gherkins 
for pickling, and the handsome, long, green cucumbers 
for preserving. Endive should bo sown in full crop lor 
late planting, and the planting of the same should be 
weekly attended to for some time to come. Several 
sowings, also, of lettuce should bo made whore much is 
required throughout the winter and early spring; the 
best varieties for this purpose are the Old Egyptian, 
