318 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
Comparettia coccinea (Scarlet C.) : Brazil.— Sepals 
and petals of a brilliant scarlet; lip of the same colour, 
with a tinge of white at the base. The leaves are of a 
bright green on the upper surface, but of a beautiful 
purple underneath. A very elegant and beautiful spe¬ 
cies ; very rare. 105s. 
G. falcata (Sickle-shaped C.) ; Brazil.—Sepals and 
petals of a rich rosy purple; lip the same colour, ex¬ 
cepting it is thickly veined with a deeper shade. Also 
very rare and beautiful. 105s. 
C. rosea (Rose-coloured C.); Spanish Main.—This is 
a very small plant, but on account of its beautiful 
gracefully-pendant blossoms it is well worthy of cultiva¬ 
tion. It is very like C. falcata, but distinct both in 
colour and the flowers being produced more densely on 
the flower-stem. 105s. 
This small genus is unfortunately very rare; and is, 
as we have been informed, rare also in its native habitat. 
Their beauty is great, and of a delicately pleasing cha¬ 
racter ; and they last a long time in bloom. 
Culture. —Their roots are long and weak, conse¬ 
quently they require fastening to the block with small 
wire. A little moss thinly placed on the log with them 
will assist their growth greatly. They are rather im¬ 
patient of moisture even at the season of growth, but 
still more so when at rest. The warmest part or nooks 
of the Mexican house will suit them best. 
(To be continued.) 
FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
At this season of the year there are but few manual 
operations to perform amongst these favourites. The 
Auriculas and Polyanthuses should all be finished pot¬ 
ting without delay, and placed in such a position as to 
be easily protected from heavy autumnal rains. Their 
seedlings should also be pricked out into shallow boxes 
or pans, and the earliest raised potted into small pots. 
Some of the strongest may iiower next spring. 
Dahlias. —These will now be in great beauty, but 
will require every encouragement to keep them so. In 
dry weather water freely, and occasionally with liquid- 
manure. As autumn winds may now be expected they 
must be kept well tied, and the best blooms protected 
from wind, rain, and sun. Young plants lately struck 
may be potted into five-inch pots, to make bulbs for next 
year. In those pots they survive the damps of winter 
better than in any other way. Seedlings will now be 
showing blooms; all such as are single, or come with 
pointed petals, or witli forms otherwise faulty, should be 
pulled up and discarded at once; whilst such as have 
well-formed petals and are nearly double may be pre¬ 
served for further trial; marking them legibly, and 
describing their several properties, so as to be a guide 
for judging them the following season. Such seedlings 
as are really superior to the older varieties should be 
preserved with the greatest care, and even cuttings 
put in of them immediately, which will increase the 
chances of keeping the variety alive for the next 
year. 
Tulips and Ranunculuses. —Look to the roots occa¬ 
sionally and remove all such as may be decaying or 
have any mould upon them. We have known many a 
fine root lost for want of a little attention just after they 
[August 22. 
have been put away for the winter. Attend to our re¬ 
marks upon the preparation of the beds, lately given, 
and put them in due order, if not yet done. 
T. Appleby. 
THE KITCHEN-GARDEN. 
Celery.— To obtain this vegetable large and of good 
quality throughout the winter, it must be well attended 
to for the next two months. In the first place, the 
operation of applying the earth for blanching should be 
performed in a very systematic and careful manner, and 
not at too early a stage of its growth. Let a healthy 
luxuriance be first encouraged by frequent surface-stir¬ 
rings and applications of good liquid-manure, keeping 
the plants entirely free from spurious suckers: and 
when earthiug-up is first commenced, care should be 
taken to have all the outside leaves gathered together, 
and held erect by one hand, whilst the other is placing 
and pressing the earth round it to keep it in that posi¬ 
tion, and thus prevent the earth and rain from descend¬ 
ing into the heart. These simplo matters, if not well 
attended to, prove sometimes very destructive, by pro¬ 
ducing disease and decay. Dry weather, and when the 
celery is dry, too, should always be chosen for applying 
the earth. 
Celery should, also, still be planted, and a few of the 
best plants of the several kinds, and of the most es¬ 
teemed varieties, should be selected and planted where 
they are to stand for seed. 
Routine Work. —Plant out endive and lettuces in suc¬ 
cession, and make another sowing. The present is a 
good seasou for sowing the American cress and the 
Black Spanish radish for winter sallads; the early short- 
topped scarlet and turnip radishes may also still be sown 
on warm borders. Another sowing of parsley, too, 
should be made, which will be likely to come into 
growth in the spring, instead of starting to seed; thus 
keeping up the supply of this useful herb at a very 
needful season. Leeks may still be planted, and onions 
sown to stand the winter; the quick coming-in kinds of 
turnips may also still be sown; and every spare piece of 
ground should at once be cropped with vegetables of 
some kind. If any Savoy plants are left in the seed-bed, 
the present is still a good season for putting them out 
thickly for spring; Green coleworts, also, should be 
liberally planted; young cabbage plants should be pricked 
out in succession; and those already pricked out should 
be surface-stirred in due time. 
Garcloons should be finally thinned, if not already 
done, and their growth well encouraged by surface- 
stirring and applications of liquid-manure. Spinach 
sown the middle of July will now require its final thin¬ 
ning, as well as its due allowance of surface-stirring. 
The main winter crop of spinach and lettuce should be 
carefully attended to whilst making its appearance 
above ground, so as to prevont the ravages of slugs and I 
birds; a slight dredging or two of chimney-soot and 
lime mixed together is an excellent preventive, as 
well as a stimulant for assisting the growth of the 
plants. Encourage, also, all kinds of cabbage-worts, 
planted as winter and spring crops, by frequent surface- 
stirrings. 
Mushroom-beds. —Spawn and case such as are in con¬ 
dition for so doing; make another bed as previously 
directed, and continue to collect materials and store for 
small beds in succession. James Barnes. 
