August 1.] 
purple blossoms. Lisianthus Russrllianns. Echitcs atrapurpurca, with 
dark rich chocolate-coloured flowers. Erica Savitcana : E. tricolor: 
and Stephanotis floribunda, 
2nd Prize to Mr. Carson, gardener to .T. Farmer, Esq. 
We noted, as the best, 
Lemonia spectabile : 3 ft. by 2$ ft. Mschynanthus Lobhii, with its 
almost black calyxes and large scarlet blossom ; the plant was covered 
with bunches of bloom. Polygala oppositifolia : 3 ft. by 3 ft. Pimelea 
pubescens: 2 ft. by 2 ft. Stephanotis floribunda : and Dipladenia 
crassinoda. 
COI.I.ECTIONS OF TEN STOVE AND GREENHOUSE PLANTS. 
1st Prize to Mr. Croxford, gardener to H. Barnes, Esq. 
lie had in fair condition Sollya linearis and Clerodendrvm 
fallax. 
2nd Prize to Mr. Stanley, gardener to H. Bevens, Esq. 
Here was a good 
Clerodendrum Ktempherii, Euphorbia splendcns, Cyrtoceras rc- 
fle.rus, Phymatanthus tricolor, and Franciscea accuminatd. 
COLLECTIONS OP SIX STOVE AND GREENHOUSE PLANTS. 
1st Prize to Mr. Bruce, gardener to Boyd Millar, Esq., 
Collier’s Wood, Merton. Every plant was excellent; there 
were— 
As! elm a eximea, with nine heads of blonm. Aphcle.vis humilis: Imra 
eoccinea: Stephanotis: and Erica metal > flora. 
2nd Prize to Mr. Kinghorn, for 
Leschenaultiaarcuaia: L. farmosn: Aphclexis humilis : Trerrlandra. 
vrrticittata : and Erica metitlosfiora bicolor. 
(To be continued .) 
EXTRACTS EROM CORRESPONDENCE. 
Surface-stirring. —I observed some weeks ago an article 
in your useful journal on the benefit of hoeing and stirring 
the surface of the soil. I am sure such is of no trifling 
benefit, and I can state a fact which proves very clearly 
(wliat may be, perhaps, known by many, but, nevertheless, 
will be worth the trial of those for whom I trust your journal 
is principally written, namely, the cottager) the benefit of 
frequently stirring the surface soil of plants in pots. For 
three years I bad a small greenhouse which was not heated; 
in this house I kept through three winters, with hardly a 
single loss, geraniums, verbenas, heliotropes, fuchsias, cacti, 
mesembryanthemums, and other tender plants; my only 
plan being regularly twice a week, and sometimes oftener 
to stir the surface soil; this I did more during the 
frosty weather than otherwise, and I believe I could trace 
the ill effects of frost on plants that had been unattended in 
this way, whilst the pots near to them, that had been sur¬ 
face-stirred, seemed to have suffered no harm. I name this, 
because it is quite applicable to the cottage flower fancier, 
and I. believe he may keep many plants by this simple plan 
through a severe winter which otherwise he might have lost. 
—L. It. L. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
*t* We request that no one will write to the departmental writers of 
The Cottage Gardener. It gives them unjustifiable trouble and 
expense. All communications should be addressed “ To the Editor of 
The Cottage Gardener , 2, Amen Corner , Paternoster Row , London 
Wild Flowers (X. Y. Z.). —As you have not time (?) to study botany 
to enable you to ascertain the names of these, your only plan is to pur¬ 
chase a book containing drawings of them. The cheapest is Baxter's 
Flowering Plants of England. For the Ferns no book is so good and 
cheap as Moore’s Hand-Book of British Ferns ; you can carry it in your 
pocket, and it is only a few pence in price. It has a drawing of each species. 
Frogs and toads are beneficial in a garden. They feed on insects. 
Guinea Fowls (K. 0. T.).—These having frost-bitten feet which 
have since ulcerated, should have them washed, and be kept in a room 
with a stone or boarded floor, where no grit or dirt could penetrate the 
wound until healed. If the wounds arc inflamed, wash them with 
Goulard water; if fungus or proud flesh appears touch it with blue stone. 
Apply creosote ointment. 
Heating Small Greenhouse (IV. B. Glossop).— As this is only ten 
feet long and is to be heated from your kitchen boiler, you cannot do 
better than adopt the plan described at page 203 of our third volume. 
Bind-weed ( E . 0., Devon). —This,-otherwise called the wild Con¬ 
volvulus (C. arvensis) t like other deep-rooting perennial weeds can only 
be destroyed by pulling up the stems as fast as they appear among your 
flowers. The weeds will struggle on for a year or two, but will die 
finally of exhaustion. 
Most Profitable Pigeons (A Subscriber from the Commencement). 
—None surpass the common Blue Dove-house, and common large Mix¬ 
ture Pigeons. 
281 
American Blight (H. F. L.). —Your trees must be in a wretched 
plight indeed when “their top branches and even the young shoots are 
literally white, so that in many places the colour of the stem cannot he 
seen P* We can only recommend you in this case to head-back the 
branches of your trees, to burn what j'ou cut off, and, by the assiduous 
use of spirit of turpentine, to take care that the disease does not so get 
a-hcad again. Ceanothus azureus is an evergreen, and Ceanothus 
ccernlens is another name for the same plant. 
Carrot Maggot ( W. B - A - a). —Your crops would not have 
been saved by the omitted hoeing. We trench two spits deep, turning in 
dung with the bottom spit and watering that spit with the strongest 
ammoniacal liquor from the gas works. The Carrot Maggot never attacks 
our crops. You can have for a penny an index for each of the former 
volumes ; and uniform covers for each for a shilling. Tell your binder to 
omit the advertisement pages, and he will do so without any trouble. 
Names of Plants (F. H. S.). —Your plant is a very old and too 
much neglected hardy garden plant, the Strawberry Blitc ( Blitum 
virgatum. (Harriett.) Yours is Shrubby Rest-harrow (Ononis fruticosa). 
Chrysanthemum Slips (Harriett). —These which were taken oif and 
planted in a bed last May, can be potted in September. Your other 
question shall be answered next week. 
Roses Diseased (A. M .).—The cause of the stalks of your rose-buds 
decaying, just like shanking in grapes, is the want of root action. If 
the roots had been covered with mulch, probably, the decay would not 
have occurred, but we cannot prescribe without knowing the soil and 
situation where your roses grow. The leaves of your roses with little left 
upon them but the skin on one side and the nerves, have been eaten by 
the caterpillars of a small black Saw-fly (Tenthredo osthiops). If you had 
dusted the leaves with the fresh powder of white helebore as soon as 
brown spots appeared, you would have saved your leaves. See pages 169 , 
1/9, and 222 of vol. ii. 
Inflamed Rump-gland in Poultry (Kate). — Remove the 
feathers from around it; open the ulcer with a needle, press out the 
offensive matter, wash the place clean, and then bathe it with Goulard 
water. Give a tcaspoonful of castor oil if needed. Dirty water and de¬ 
ficiency of green food are thought to cause this disorder. 
White Forget-me-not. —We have just received the following from 
the party who so kindly offered to supply this—“ I will endeavour to send 
seed of the white ‘ Forget-me-not ’ to those who have already applied 
for it, but having few plants at this place, and not intending to be at 
Malvern for some time, 1 can send no more." 
Economizing (Verax). —We have forwarded your letter to the au¬ 
thoress of “ My Flowers.” The statements to which you refer are quite 
reconcilable. If you have to keep a man to cultivate your garden, then 
economy says, decidedly, give this up ; but if you can cultivate your garden 
during your own leisure hours, with only occasional aid, say a man’s 
labour once a week, then economy says, as decisively, keep on your pro¬ 
ductive kitchen-garden. In the latter case it will he remunerative ; but 
with a man kept for its cultivation you will lose at least thirty pounds a 
year by its retention. 
Light, Peaty Soil ( R 1850).—The best dressing for this will be 
chalk and clay to improve its staple ; and if put on six inches deep, and 
well incorporated, it will not be too much. We should put this on as the 
crops are cleared off, and ridge the ground to allow the frosts of winter to 
aid the mixing. The soot and salt may be put on in the spring just pre¬ 
vious to sowing and planting. Half a bushel of soot and 10 lbs. of salt to 
every one hundred square yards is a good proportion. To drive away 
grubs, &c., give the soil a good soaking with gas ammoniacal liquor, just 
before digging for any crop. 
Names of Motiis (R. L .).—The largest is the Buff-tip (Pygcera 
bucephala) ; the three smallest are the White Plume (Pterophorus pen- 
dactylus) ; the others were too much injured for us to discover their 
names, but, moreover, we cannot undertake to name entomological spe¬ 
cimens unless the insects are connected with injuries to plants. We think 
your brick furnace and earthenware flue sufficient for heating your 
greenhouse. 
Mildew on Nectarine-tree (T. L., Newton). — This arises from 
excessive stagnant moisture; your soil is badly drained, so that the wall 
is kept constantly damp, or there is a want of a free circulation of air. 
These circumstances are injurious to the health of the tree, and congenial 
to the growth of the minute fungi constituting the disease. These white 
parasitical fungi are Oidiam erysiphoides , Sporotrichum macrosphorum , 
Torula botryoides , and Erysiphe pannosa. We have little doubt that 
these fungi never attack plants that are in good health, for we entertain 
the opinion that it is only the sap of diseased plants—sap in a state of 
decomposition—that is suited to be the food of the fungi. Prevention, 
therefore, is preferable to curative applications; and we have no doubt 
that if the nectarine or peach tree is kept in due vigour by having the 
soil well drained, and prevented from excesses of either moisture or of 
dryness—and if its leaves are similarly protected from being exposed to 
sudden atmospheric changes—they will never be visited by mildew. We 
are justified in this conclusion, because with this disease our peach trees, 
in the whole course of our practice, have seldom or never been troubled. 
Mildew of all kinds generally proceeds from an impeded root action, and 
we have generally found that stagnation suddenly caused, whether by 
excessive heat or drought, is liable to produce it, more especially if 
succeeded by much solar light. We have little doubt that in such cases 
the elaboration (by overtaking or being in advance of the absorbing 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
