TTTF, COTTAGE GATtDENEB. 
May 
Destroying Weeds (Y. R., Putney). —Y’ou will have no diffi¬ 
culty in destroying the weeds which spring up in your stable-yard 
between the large stones with which it is pitched; have them rooted 
out with a knife, and then sow the whole yard thickly with salt. 
Repeat this thick sowing whenever you see a weed reappearing. 
Broad Beans Tailing (Alpha ).—Your Mazagan beans failing in 
patches seems to us to be caused by the young plants on first coming 
forth meeting with something in the soil that destroyed them. The 
beans are sound and vegetated well, judging from the samples you 
have sent. You probably strewed the salt too thickly in the places 
wherp the failures have occurred. We do not, under any circum¬ 
stances, like strewing strong manures over the soil into which seed¬ 
lings must first push their way. 
Time for Ridging Cucumbers (A. B. C., Brecon ).—This is 
entirely dependent upon the season; when we say “ now is the time,” 
we mean that then, and at any time afterwards during early summer, 
cucumbers may be grown on ridges. If you want a rule for knowing 
when a cucumber seedling is fit for planting out, it is when it has two 
rough leaves, each two or three inches broad. 
Vinegar Plant (E. T. and J. N., Brixton ).—This plant is not 
known in the neighbourhood of London, but we are making inquiries 
in other quarters. 
Plants for Market Purposes (J. W. Burgess ).—We will get 
your inquiry answered privately. 
Cockle And Mussel Shells ( J. A'.).—These can be burnt into 
lime, the same as oyster shells, and would then make as good manure. 
Chou de Milan (D. A. I !.).—This is quite different from the 
Couve Tronehouda. 
Nemopiiila maculata (W. J .).—This is an annual. See its 
history at p. 40, vol. i. Portfolios for The Cottage Gardener 
are sold by Mr. Low, Fleet-street. We think that if you look into 
our pages to-day, and into previous numbers, you will find all the 
information you require about roses. 
Cyclamen (Frederick ).—The best soil for them is light garden- 
soil mixed with a little leaf-mould or rotten stable-manure. See p. 
91 of vol. i. for full directions as to their culture. To destroy ants in 
your wall, see p. 51 of present volume. 
Myrtle-leaved Orange (J. N. B ).—You say that this is only 
18 inches high though twenty years old, that it has never ripened 
any fruit, and that now the tips of the branches are dead. Your 
plant is the true myrtle-leaved orange, a variety of the common 
Seville orange, and called by botanists Citrus vulgaris myrtifolia. Of 
all plants they are the most tenacious of life : the ball of your plant 
is probably so close and hard as to exclude air and water. Pick off 
as much of the old soil now as you can ; trim any dead roots, and 
repot in pure loam, and one-third sand, and also one-third of the 
whole of very small charcoal, but not dusty ; the charcoal will keep 
the mass porous, and is a good correcter of sourness in the compost. 
Chicory (A Subscriber ).—The report we gave about this is cor¬ 
rectly printed. The profit is large, because the consumption is 
great, and the competition limited. 
Hyacinth Bulbs (ANewBeginner ).—Plant these from your water 
vases into a sheltered border without injuring their roots or leaves, 
and do not take them up for drying and storing until the leaves are 
dead. Next year, if planted in the border, they may bloom weakly ; 
but will bloom strongly the year following, if properly managed. 
Melon Soil (An Amateur, Eaton Socon ).—The best soil for 
melons is the top spit from a rich pasture, chopped fine, without any 
addition. If the pasture is not very fertile, mix thoroughly together 
eight parts of the soil, with one part of very decayed dung, with a 
little rubbly charcoal. 
Destroying Rats (Amicus). —Try the “ phosphorus pills ” pre¬ 
pared by Mr. Purser, Chemist, 40, New Bridge-street, Blackfriars. 
We cannot 6ay when Mr. Barnes will be ready with more information 
about charred ref use. 
Braganza Cabbage (Clericus R.). —We believe that this is the 
same as the Portugal cabbage or borecole noticed at page 104, vol. i. 
Our answers to correspondents are included in the index. If any are 
omitted it is the result of accident. 
Begonia Fuchsioides (C. R.). —You will have seen your first 
note answered at p. 62. It is quite unavoidable that a delay of some 
days must elapse before questions can be answered. 
Oleander (W. H. G .).—You observe that, at p. 287, vol. i., Mr. 
Beaton directs that “ one-half of the flowering branches must be cut 
down every year to the last joint from the old wood,” and that he, 
further on, adds—“ Such of the shoots as you intend to cut down 
ought to have the three points of the shoots round the flowers stopped 
as soon as they appear. This will throw the whole strength ot the 
branch into the flowers, and will cause the bottom eyes to push out 
three strong shoots, as soon as you cut down the branch after 
flowering.” You justly observe that these two passages are difficult 
to reconcile: and this is Mr. Beaton’s reply:—“We are glad that 
you have given us an opportunity to clear up the obscurely worded 
passage. It should run thus, ‘As the young shoots start off in 
threes round the flowers, and begin to lengthen long before the 
flowers expand, such of the shoots as you intend to cut down next 
spring ought to have the three points stopped, &c.’ Write the 
words in italics on the margin, and the passage is clear enough, as 
may be exemplified by your own oleander, now showing flower-buds 
in ‘ two tiers of shoots, one above the other.’ If you mean to keep 
this plant low and bushy, the shoots of the upper tier must be cut 
down next spring; therefore, it is only wasting the energy of the 
plant to allow them to make any young wood this season. If, on 
the other hand, you wish your plant to get taller, allow the top 
shoots to extend, and those of the low tier will be cut down next 
spring ; therefore, allow them to produce no young wood this season.” 
Our readers, therefore, are requested to insert the words “ next 
spring,” after the word “ down,” in the second line from the bottom 
of the 1st col. of p. 287, vol. i. 
Cactus (.4 Working Man). —Your cactus you say is covered with 
dust, and “ the soil as dry as dust.” You may easily clean it with a 
sponge and water. "You must water it regularly till next September, 
and then let it be dry through the winter till March. The right way to 
water sucli dried plants, at first, is by placing the pot in a saucer of 
water till the surface soil looks damp; and to repeat this once or 
twice a week afterwards as they appear dry. 
Prickly Pear (Ibid). —The plant, “with four large leaves grow¬ 
ing one out of the other, flat, and similar in appearance to a cucum¬ 
ber,” is a kind of prickly pear or opuntia. It requires the same ma¬ 
nagement as the cactus. It is no beauty, only a curiosity; your 
green-edged auriculas are capital: we like that sort best. 
Azalea Indica (Ibid). —When your white azalea indica has done 
flowering, pot it afresh in peat, and give it a liberal supply of water. 
It is a very good plant, well calculated for a window. For further 
directions look over the first volume. Hot-beds are “ lugged” in to 
suit others, and you shall have one some of these days; the sooner the 
better. 
Heating Air ok Pit (Infelix Tyro). —Y’ou obtain a sufficient 
bottom heat by means of pipes passing from your boiler under the 
soil resting on slates, but you cannot sufficiently raise the temperature 
of the air of the pit. The remedy is very simple. Have another flow 
and return pipe (two-inch pipe will do) fixed to your boiler; but the 
pipe running round the upper part of your pit within the air to be 
warmed. This pipe will not at all interfere with the operation of the 
pipe which gives your bottom heat. 
Name of Insect (W. S., Dalston ).—The “worms” you enclose 
are wireworms, being the larvae of a small beetle known to entomo¬ 
logists as Elater lineatus and E. segetis. We condole with you on 
their “ abounding in your garden,” and on their “ destroying nearly 
all your cloves and pieotees,” by eating away their roots. We can 
tell you of no other remedies than those mentioned at p. 62 of our 
last number. Y’our other questions shall be answered in our next. 
Climbers for S. YVall (A. B., Somerset). —We think that 
against your sheltered south wall, if the roots and stems are well 
protected in winter, that the Habrothamnus fasciculatus, Solatium 
jasminoides, and Clianthus puniceus, might be safely cultivated. 
Pansies and Fuchsias (Alumnus). —They can all be had of the 
party you name. 
A Flower-lover from Childhood is thanked for her excellent 
communication. Some of her queries will be found answered in 
numbers since she wrote. We will insert her letter in our double 
number. 
Finociiio (.4 Subscriber). —Y'ou will not succeed, we fear, in cul¬ 
tivating this, which you call “ Florence Fennel.” Sow in drills two 
feet apart, to remain where sown, Scatter the seed two inches apart, 
and half an inch deep. Sow in a slight hotbed, and under a frame. 
The seedlings must be small-lioed to kill the weeds, from which they 
should be kept completely clear throughout their growth ; but at first 
only thin to three or four inches asunder, as it cannot thus early be 
determined which will be the most vigorous plants. After the lapse 
of another month, they may be finally thinned to seven or eight inches 
distance from each other. Moderate waterings are required through¬ 
out their growth during dry weather; and in the meridian of hot days 
the beds are advantageously shaded, until after the plants are well up. 
When of advanced growth, about ten weeks after coming up, the 
stems must be earthed up to the height of five or six inches, to blanch 
for use, which will be effected in ten or fourteen days. In the whole, 
about twelve or fourteen weeks elapse between the time of sowing 
and their being fit for use. In autumn, if frosty mornings occur, 
they should have the protection of some litter, or other light covering. 
The Common Stock (W. F .).—You say your stocks die in the 
spring of the year and never come into fine flower. You grow them 
too strong ; or, in other words, your soil is too rich for them. Again, 
you sow too early and transplant too late. The stock is a native of 
the south of France, on dry gravelly hill sides. This ought to be 
imitated as much as possible. Sow your seed very thinly on a gravelly 
or rather poor loam, about the end of May ; let them remain in that 
place to flower ; or, what is more sure, place some in pots and pro¬ 
tect them from the heavy rains of winter in a cold frame. The stock 
has a wiry root which will suffer from a wet soil in cold rainy weather. 
They die off suddenly from being overgorged with moisture. Y’ou 
will find the roots that are deep in the soil quite fresh and lively, and 
the top of the plant also alive and green; but the part between the 
light and darkness will be quite decayed, and the bark will rub off 
with a touch of the finger. To prevent this, grow your plants rather 
weak during the summer and winter, and apply a little liquid ma¬ 
nure in the spring to bring fine flowers to perfection. 
London : Printed by Harry Wooldridge, 147, Strand, in the 
Parish of Saint Mary-le-Strand; and Winchester High-street, in 
the Parish of St. Mary Kalendar; and Published by William 
Somerville Orr, at the Office, 147, Strand, in the Parish of 
Saint Mary-le-Strand, London.—May 10th, 1849; 
