844 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
TO OUR READERS. 
We are very sorry, after the notice we have so publicly given, that any 
one should so little know what is correct conduct as to persist in writing 
to our coadjutors, Mr. Beaton and others. Mr. Beaton writes to us 
thus :—“ I am overwhelmed with applications from your readers for cut¬ 
tings and other things ; and one party notices and neglects your warning 
not to write to us privately by saying, ‘1 do not write to you as a writer 
of Tnn Cottage Gardener, but in your private capacity.’ An acute 
casuist this ! From this dot/ forth Donald Deaton will take no notice of 
private letters, even though they eontuin postage stamps.” Mr. Beaton 
is quite right; and we trust, after this notice, to hear no more of such 
conduct, which no plea can justify. 
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 Dow, London.” 
Sloping Banks (J. A. M.). —As you do not “ altogether understand Mr. 
Barnes’s account” of these most useful structures, we will give the follow¬ 
ing from The Gardener's Almanack of the present year. “ Supposing 
the banks to run east and west, the south side, especially as respects all 
low-growing things, such as French beans, potatoes, &c., will produce 
eight days earlier than when cultivated on the level, while the north side 
will retain lettuces, the., during summer, much longer fit for the table. 
The surface of the ground is also increased, notwithstanding learned 
assertions to the contrary. In making them at first in shallow soils, 
they should not be wider than six feet at the base j but as the soil becomes 
improved they may be from 10 to 12 feet in width. In deep soils, the 
banks may be formed by trenching in the usual manner, only throwing 
it into shape by a line and stakes. In thin soils, care should be taken to 
have plenty of room in the first opening to stir the subsoil, and then 
replace again the surface soil on the surface. The accompanying sketch 
will give some idea as to how they are formed, each ridge being 12 feet 
wide at the base, a b is the ground level, c the apex of the ridge, and 
d d paths between. Of course they could not be raised so high at first 
without impoverishing the other ground. If drained beneath the paths 
all the better—for in heavy land, without drainage and deep stirring, the 
moisture will be long retained. If at c there is a board fixed, or even a 
row of dwarf hardy peas, the south side will he rendered still warmer, and 
the north side more cool and late. Such banks, therefore, may not only 
be used for vegetables, but also for accelerating and retarding fruits, such 
as the strawberry. Owing to the depth of soil thus obtained, if the sur¬ 
face is kept stirred, you will never need much of the water-pot, even in 
the driest weather. The right hand or south side should be the longest, 
and, in a succession of ridges, the northernmost one should be the 
highest.” 
Linom Catharticum ( Rusticns) , — This weed, commonly known as 
Purging Flax or Mill Mountain, can only be eradicated by constantly 
cutting it dowm. Mowing off the tops, and sowing salt thickly over the 
place, if repeated two or three times, will usually eradicate it. The 
grass, also, will be destroyed at the time, but will eventually yield a 
greener and better herbage. The black-seeded melon from Malta, we 
have little doubt, is the common water melon; and, if so, worthless in 
our climate. 
Budding Roses (D. W . G). —July is the best month for budding 
those planted in November. 
Liquid-manure (Ibid). —Half a pound of oil of vitriol poured into 
your 40 gallons of pig-stye and water-closet drainage, will fix all the 
ammonia; and one gallon of the compound mixed with five gallons of 
water will be quite strong enough for your kitchen-garden crops. Weak 
liquid-manure is beneficial to cabbages, celery, &c.; but if strong, it kills 
or greatly injures them. 
Gooseberry-trees Neglected (Ibid). —Without seeing them, it is 
impossible to give a positive judgment whether it would be best to 
uproot them and plant young ones. We should recommend you to thin 
out the old branches, and reduce the young shoots on those left both in 
number and to half their length. From the cuttings of the young shoots 
(rather than suckers), after cutting out down into the very wood all buds 
to be planted beneath the soil, we should raise young trees to succeed 
the old ones ; for these will hear some fruit, hut your cuttings not for two 
or three years. 
Calystegia Pubescens (T. T. T.). —You cannot obtain seed either 
of this or of the Kerria japonica of the seedsmen. The latter may be 
readily grown from young cuttings. If by “ flies on geraniums” you 
mean the green fly or aphis, give them a good fumigating with tobacco- 
smoke, whilst each plant is covered over with a sheet propped up by a 
stake to keep it from breaking the plant. 
[August 29. 
Uniting Hives (W. O. W .).—You will see wliat Mr. Payne says to¬ 
day upon this subject. We are sorry that you should have postponed 
trying “ the Country Curate’s'* plan. 
Blue Glass foe Germinating Seeds (A Lover of Flowers). —It is 
quite true, as Mr. Hunt and others testify, that seeds germinate more ! 
rapidly under blue glass than under colourless glass; but we are quite 
sure that they do not germinate so strongly, and the moment the leaflets j 
appear it does positive harm. If you wish to try the experiment turn a I 
blue finger-glass over some of the seed. For striking cuttings such j 
coloured glass is useless; it has no influence over the production of roots. 
Kitchen-Garden Crops Withering (J. W., Leith). —You need j 
seek for no other reason for this failure beyond the fact you state, that you 1 
have only “ ten inches of light soil, with a sandy gravelly subsoil.” The j 
remedy you are adopting of trenching the subsoil two feet deep is the J 
best remedy you can adopt; and we should turn in with it abundance of , 
sea-weed, which you have at command. You will find mulch about your 
crops, with a little earth covered over it, the best mode of manuring your j 
crops; it would keep their roots moist. Your rhubarb will be benefited 
especially by this, and the frequent application of liquid manure. All j 
the Leaves whilst green should never be taken off rhubarb, for they have 
to prepare the sap and ripen the buds for next year’s growth ; when the 1 
leaves are dead they may be removed, because then their usefulness is . 
over. 
Hares and Wild Rabbits (J. M. U .).—These will not thrive if kept j 
in coops or hutches. Covvper the poet’s account of keeping tame hares 
is most interesting ; but they were allowed to frisk about inthe house and 1 
garden. Poultry may be kept in a shed enclosed with wire, and will 
thrive. It is impossible to say how ipuch water is sufficient for a straw¬ 
berry plant; it must depend so much upon the soil and temperature; 
twice the quantity you mention, given every night, on a light soil, and in 
dry weather would not be too much. 
Wall Trees (Ibid). —Plant three-year old well balanced trees of the 
following: Apricots — Shipley’s, Breda, Moorpark. Peaches — Acton 
Scott, Royal George, Bellegardc. Nectarines —Early Newington, Pit- 
m as ton Orange, Violette Hative, 
Verbenas (F. H .).—You are right, it is best to keep only a few good 
plants of the different verbenas and petunias over the winter, and to begin 
to work from them early in the spring. All ®f them should be topped 
till the new year, if they are growing freely. 
Aimer Vibert Rose (Ibid). —This will root from cuttings either in 
pots or in the open ground. Now is a good time ; but the cuttings may 
be made from March to October. It is the only rose we know which 
smells offensively, but being dwarf and a free bloomer it makes a good 
white bed or edging. 
Fortune’s Pit (Subscriber). —All the dimensions given of this pit 
may he so reduced as to fit your requirements ; but without knowing in 
what respects you fail to apply it, we cannot be of use to you. 
Vinery (Novice). —You will have length sufficient for two nice houses, 
each twenty-four feet long. You may thus make one the early house, 
and the other a late or winter one. I)o not make them an inch higher— 
back or front—than is really wanted for head room. In order to keep 
them low, there is no real necessity for a person to have height enough to 
stand upright at the front inside ; about a yard in depth may suffice at 
front, and about ten feet at back. The interior arrangement must vary 
according to the use you intend making of the interior area. Growing 
pines beneath the vines depends on whether you are determined to have 
some, and whether you will build a house or pit specially for them. 
Pines may be grown beneath vines, but it would be far better and more 
economical in the end to grow them in a separate place. For the early 
grapes, a provision must be made inside for their roots, and the front 
wall on arches, to let the roots go out as they like. In the late house, 
the roots may be entirely outside. The hot-water pipes must, of course, 
be placed inside the pits or houses. 
Carnation Cuttings (M. J .).—Unless your cuttings are very young 
we should have preferred cutting them across at the first or second joint, 
instead of the third. If slit up the centre for a short space, as recom¬ 
mended by Mr. Fish lately, they would root all the sooner if the wood 
was hard; if soft, it would not be needed ; and your cutting at the third 
joint will answer. Your inserting them in a hand-light will answer if you 
can continue the mild bottom heat you gave them. They will generally 
show a swelling of cellular matter at the base in from a fortnight to a 
month. If, after that, roots are not quickly formed, raise them care¬ 
fully, and without touching the bottom part place them round the sides 
of well drained pots, and plunge these in a mild bottom heat. From the 
first shade in bright sunshine and give air at night. Your shortening of 
the leaves was a matter of little consequence, provided you could keep j 
them from flagging; roots would sooner have been formed by the leaves 
being left entire. 
Lemon Plant (Novice). —Cuttings of the Aloysia citriodora strike 1 
most freely in spring in a little heat, such as a cucumber box ; ripened 
shoots strike freely in autumn in u warm shady place ; small half-ripened 
side shoots will strike freely now in sand, covered with a hand-light, or 
bell-glass, kept close during the day, with a little air at night, and with¬ 
out bottom heat. If you find they do not strike fast enough, place the 
pot in a little bottom heat in two or three weeks, but the plants will be 
more tender in consequence. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
