70 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
of tlieir propagation; but, since that time, a great 
misfortune has befallen tbe English amateur, arising 
out of the camellia trade, which, a sense of justice to 
a large class of amiable readers, will not allow me to 
pass in silence: 1 allude to the sales of continental 
camellias in London, not one out of a hundred of 
which would be cheap as a gift, and yet they seldom 
want health and an abundance of flower-buds, which 
expand freely on their first arrival ; but, on the con 
tinent, they invariably grow the camellia in a soapy 
kind of peat, which cannot be obtained in England. 
When the plants are not fresh potted annually, as 
those sent here for sale seldom are, this kind of peat 
gets so hard and close, and the roots are so cramped 
in it, that all the gardening in this country can sel¬ 
dom force the plants to root in our compost or sepa¬ 
rate them from the continental peat. The result is 
soon told. In a few years they dwindle to nothing ; 
and people take up the idea that camellias are diffi¬ 
cult to manage, and also that peat is essential for 
their proper cultivation; and all this prejudice, vex¬ 
ation, and trouble, arise from “ these cheap sales.” 
Cheap, indeed ! D. Beaton. 
THE KITCHEN-GARDEN. 
Angelica.— The crops of this vegetable which 
have been already sown should now be well thinned. 
As soon as the plants are found to have one leaf 
besides the seed leaves, they should be singled out to 
three or four inches apart. If any failures are ob¬ 
servable in any of the rows, lose no time in taking 
up such plants as can be spared from the thickest 
spots, and transplanting them to the vacant places. 
If large, crisp, clear stalks of this article for confec¬ 
tionary purposes are required, single out the plants at 
the last thinning from eighteen inches to two feet 
apart. To encourage a rapid growth at this season 
liberal soakings of liquid manure must be applied. 
Soot also, either mixed with water or applied with 
the liquid manure, is very serviceable to this crop. 
AiiTrcHOKES. —The stools should now be thinned 
of all weak or superfluous suckers; and where new 
plantations are required, they should be made by 
carefully taking some of the strongest suckers and 
planting them singly in rows, two feet apart, or in 
pairs, leaving three feet between each pair, and four 
feet apart from row to row; shading them at first 
with sea-kale pots, or with a few boughs, until they 
are safely rooted. 
Asparagus. —The season for cutting this vegetable 
has now commenced, and some care is required in 
this operation, lest, in thrusting down the knife, any 
of the buds just starting from the crowns should 
either be cut off underground, or be so much injured 
as to become useless; the knife should be carefully 
placed, and thrust down quite close to the shoot in¬ 
tended to be cut or broken oil’. Diluted liquid 
manure may now be applied at intervals, and a little 
salt added. To beds that may have been planted 
last season, and that are not intended to be cut from 
this year, liberal applications of liquid manure should 
be given; and if showery weather prevails, so much 
the better, as the liquid manure may then be applied 
stronger and with greater benefit. 
Routine Management. —Look well to the carrot, 
parsnip, onion, and other spring-sown seeds, as, owing 
to the last having been a bad seed year, and the last 
May 
month a most unfavourable one for the growth of all 
seedlings, many vacancies may occur in our beds 
that will render transplantation necessary; and this 
must be attended to with the greatest energy, or a 
falling off in the produce of the forthcoming autumn 
will most assuredly be the consequence. 
James Barnes. 
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION. 
MY FLOWERS. 
(No. 27.) 
What lovely, graceful blossoms now hang from 
the slight boughs of the ribes, or flowering currant and 
gooseberry! How rich, how delicate they are, and 
how refreshing is the scent of the red-flowered black 
currant! I wish these beautiful varieties were more 
general in our gardens, for they would add materially 
to their spring loveliness; and they are hardy enough 
to decorate the simplest garden, and would improve 
the cottage border without expense or trouble. They, 
too, are natives of California, where they grow wild 
among the woods, and flourish with the richest luxu¬ 
riance near rivers and streams. I sometimes see a 
little stream passing through the garden of cottages, 
or a wide brook forming its boundary; and the banks 
are in most cases neglected and wasted, growing 
nothing but rank grass, or weeds, or briers. Such 
banks are particularly favourable to strawberries, 
and they may be cultivated with profit; or, if orna¬ 
ment is preferred, let the beautiful ribes be planted 
there, and rejoice in its cool refreshing situation. It 
will spread and droop gracefully over the water, and 
give the little garden an air of liveliness and ele¬ 
gance that will contrast well with the deep green, 
serious-looking laurel, evergreen oak, or yew. The 
white-flowering grooseberry, with its pure wax-like 
bells, is a lovely variety, and should be grouped with 
the darker flowering plants. We might thus beau¬ 
tify many places that disfigure our gardens; for in 
country villages and lanes a horse-pond or wet ditch 
is frequently found close to the cottage hedge or 
pailings; and a very little time, and trouble might 
make the bank neat and convenient for the growth 
of flowers or fruit. There are several varieties of the 
ribes, and they may all be increased by cuttings. A 
common soil will be quite sufficient for them. Thus 
they are peculiarly adapted to the unlearned gar¬ 
dener, who, like myself, may know nothing of culture, 
nor be able to procure the composts necessary for more 
tender plants. There is, however, one plant so beau¬ 
tiful, that I must make interest for it, if possible, in 
a lady’s garden; I mean the magnolia. Against a 
sunny wall, or in a sheltered situation, it will do well, 
if protected during the winter; and it is really worth 
some little petting it a garden possesses a situation 
favourable for its growth. Magnolia plants may be 
transplanted now; they may also be layered either 
at this time or in the autumn; and they may be 
increased by cuttings, only this process will require 
a hotbed, which few of my peculiar readers will 
possess. When layers are made, the young pliant 
shoots seould be chosen, and a slight twist given, or 
a slit, in the part which will be covered with the soil. 
In a year, sometimes, the layers will be rooted, but 
in some cases this will not be effected till the second 
season, so that tins is rather a tedious way of obtain¬ 
ing plants. Procure them already rooted, if you can. 
