THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
June 
118 
summer : they all do. The scabiouses yon mention are only biennials, I 
and hardly that, and ought to be sown every spring. 
Crocuses and Snowdrops ( A Lover of Flowers). —These are | 
best left in the ground, and the anemones may or may not be so ■ 
treated, according to your fancy, as probably they are the common 
red sort; but tine fancy anemones must be taken up every year, when 
their leaves die down. These are not “ trifling subjects of inquiry;” 
there is nothing trifling about one’s flowers. We cannot give an 
opinion on the yellow standard rose without seeing a piece of it in i 
leaf. Difl'erent kinds require different treatment. 
Pceonies (Ibid) are propagated by dividing their roots in the 
autumn or spring. 
Double Stocks (Ibid) are difficult to strike from cuttings, but it 
is done occasionally, and you may try it. 
Stock Seeds (Ibid). —The annual sorts are best sown in the 
spring, but the biennial Brompton stocks, which you grow so beauti¬ 
fully in Suffolk, is not too late yet to be sown, but no time should 
now be lost. 
Scarlet Pelargoniums, Geraniums (Ibid), will not cross with 
the light window sorts. Watch what Mr. Beaton will say on that 
subject. You will see to-day how to know when the pollen is ripe. 
Jargonelle Pear (Brookland Gardens). —We fear that the 
Jargonelle pear has long shewn symptoms of what is termed “ wear¬ 
ing out.” This is much to be lamented, as w-e scarcely have an 
August pear fit to supply its place. What happens with you happens 
very frequently over the northern parts of the kingdom—“ the ends 
of the shoots die off.” Our plan has been to continue cutting out 
the decaying points, and to encourage the production of fresh shoots 
by slight top-dressings. The latter, if the tree be on a wall or fence, 
should be tied down; and on no account attempt to force the tree 
into a system of spur bearing. 
Espalier Training (H. S. R .).—The distances necessary for 
espaliers have been dealt wdth in recent Numbers of The Cottage 
Gardener. As a general rule we should advise from eight to ten 
inches ; much, however, depends on the size of the leaf of the fruit, 
of whatever kind. When a tree is well trained, the espalier lines 
should appear distinct, like drill lines in a field. We are not aware 
whether the internodc, or space between the branches, lengthens 
after becoming real wood: we dare say it does, but in so trifling a 
degree as not to be worth calculation. Apples on espaliers are 
usually finer fruit than on standards. Before planting your large 
piece of ground with apples, pray inform us what course of culture, 
if any, you intend to pursue between the rows—we can then advise 
you better. Give us, also, some idea of the prime object in view. 
The articles on training wall fruit will appear in due time, but in a 
progressive way. Note the No. for June 21st. We will soon devote 
a chapter to the subject of horizontal training as compared with the 
fan mode. 
Rhubarb (L. R. Lucas ).—Your rhubarb producing many small 
leaves, and quantities of flower stalks, though you manure it liberally, 
intimates that you cut too much from it; give half of your plantation 
a year’s total rest, manuring liberally, cutting down the flower stalks, 
and giving liquid manure in the summer. Rest the other half in tl>e 
same way the year following. Afterwards do not take so much from 
your plants yearly. 
Asparagus Beds (Ibid). —The time to make these is in early 
spring, so soon as you can get plants that have put forth their shoots 
about an inch long. 
Vine in a Pot (Ibid). —You may turn out this from the pot into 
the border in front of your greenhouse at once, the sooner the better, 
taking care not to disturb the roots. The Black Muscadine is a good 
grape for a greenhouse, but a Black Hamburgh is better. 
Gooseberry Aphis (Ibid). —It will not do the trees any harm to 
remove the points of the shoots affected with this pest; but the best 
treatment is to dip them into a bason containing Scotch snuff. The 
ivy we think would soon overwhelm the Virginian Creeper growing 
by its side, if not kept within bounds by pruning. 
Payne’s Bee-keeper’s Guide (———-—).—This little volume is 
published by Newby, 72, Mortimer Street, Cavendish Square, and 
not by Groombridge, as we thought. 
Potato Culture (J. H. Horsey ).—We shall be glad to have the 
results of your planting in every month, from September to March. 
Remember accuracy in experiments is their only source of value, 
therefore weigh your produces, do not merely measure or judge by 
the eye. 
Rhubarb (T. Morgan ).—The “Victoria” is the best for general 
purposes. Your “ Gigantic,” if a true specimen, is also a fine variety. 
In this case, if your soil is as good as your neighbour’s, and you 
manure liberally, you will soon equal his in size. The sand you en¬ 
close would do well we think for gardening purposes, there is scarcely 
any oxide of iron in it. 
Liquorice (Ibid) thrives best in a rich light soil, two or three 
feet deep, which should be trenched completely to the bottom before 
planting. When manure is added, it should be regularly mixed 
throughout the texture of the soil. The situation cannot be too open. 
It is propagated by cuttings of the side-roots, which spring from the 
crown of the plants, and run horizontally just beneath the surface, 
which may be planted in January, February, or early in March. Each 
set should be about two inches beneath the surface. The only cultiva¬ 
tion the plants require is to be frequently hoed, and in autumn the 
decayed stalks to be cut down, and the earth stirred between the rows. 
The roots are not fit for use until of three or four years’ growth. The 
season for taking them up is December, January, or February. A 
trench must be dug regularly along! each row, quite down to the ex¬ 
tremity of the principal roots, which descend two feet and more. 
Hard Water (W. H. G .).—If compelled to use this for watering 
plants we should make it tepid, and add an ounce of sulphate of am¬ 
monia to every 30 or 60 gallons of the water, in proportion to its 
degree of hardness. Hardness, of course, is the common expression 
for describing the state of-water-with much of calcareous salts in it. 
Chrysanthemum Training (Ibid). — When the shoots have 
reached the rim of the pot, Mr. Weaver coils them round and round 
again close to the rim ; sticks being placed within it to tic them to. 
White Pinks (A Constant Subscriber). —The gentleman who 
told you that “ where white pinks are allowed to grow no others will 
last, but that they will all speedily turn white,” either totally misin¬ 
formed you, or you must have misunderstood him. Pinks of all 
colours grow side by side in collections, and whites among them, 
without injury. 
Underground Onions (I. 1). S.). —These which have run up to 
seed, and have not multiplied by ofi’sets, cannot have been under¬ 
ground onions. 
Mildew on Apple Trees (Clericus). —We never before saw the 
young shoots of these trees so miserably mildewed. Asyonsay tlietrees 
are “small and manageable,” try what washing them in a weak solu¬ 
tion of salt, and then in clear water, will do. Follow strictly the 
mode we recommended for the vine; only, instead of syringing, you 
might dip the ends of the shoots into the salt and water and wash 
them there thoroughly. 
Brocoli (Ibid). —To grow this particularly fine only requires the 
bed to be richly manured, and dug two spades deep, keeping the 
manure, however, near the surface. Fill the dibble holes with clear 
water before inserting the plant, and when well-established give 
them liquid manure occasionally. 
Village Horticultural Society (Ibid). —This may be esta¬ 
blished at any time; but the shows must take place at such times as 
the produce of the kitchen and fruit gardens are in perfection. Ask 
the Rev. Abner Brown, Pytchley, Northamptonshire, for any relative 
information. We know that he will delight in replying. 
Mildew on Peaches (F. B. B.). —Some oniy of your peaeh 
trees have their young shoots and fruit affected, by this now prevalent 
form of vegetable disease ; and the soil is well-drained. The subsoil 
red-marl. The fruit affected like that you sent us with great patches 
of mildew cannot recover, and we should advise it to be all picked 
off. Treat the shoots as we have recommended “ Clericus” to serve 
his mildewed apple trees. Dig down, also, so that you can get un¬ 
derneath the roots without disturbing those near the surface. If any 
have struck down into what you call “ red marl,” cut cleanly through 
them. You say that some of your trees were infested in a similar 
way last year ; are the same trees only infested this year ? 
Horizontal Training (A. A., Clericus). —Nectarines will not 
succeed with this mode any better than peaches. 
Soot as a Liquid Manure (Ibid). —To get soot thoroughly 
mixed with water, put it into a tub, then a false bottom pierced with 
holes over the soot, and, upon this false bottom, pour the water. It 
will gradually soak the soot, and may then be mixed. 
Bulbous and Tuberous Roots (S. Gateshead). —Such flowers 
as the crocus, snowdrop, and common anemones, need not be taken 
out of the ground for winter storing; but the more valuable kinds 
are found to be thus best preserved from loss, and to bloom better 
and truer, in general, than those left in the ground. 
Pigeons (II.). —These lay when one year old. 
Pelargonium Petals Falling (Legeolium). —The dropping of 
the pelargonium petals is a common complaint this season, and is 
owing to the state of the w'eatherlast May, when we had a succession 
of dull, warm days, and then a bright, hot, sunny day. Slight sha¬ 
ding is the best remedy in such cases. If the pistil and stamens are 
cut out as soon as the flowers open, it will prolong their existence. 
Working Plans (J. Ball).— Pray let us have an article from you, 
or from one of your neighbours, on heating greenhouses, &c., and 
the draught, &c., of their furnaces. No one will be more pleased with 
the subject than Mr. Beaton, who will respond to your request some 
of these days, but we fear he cannot give working plans. These 
things do not come within any department of The Cottage Gar¬ 
dener, but we shall think it over in our minds, and, depend on it, 
any thing that we can do well shall not be lost sight of. 
Name of Insect (Tyro). —It is the Podurafuliginosa, and pro¬ 
bably comes from your cucumber bed, being found wherever decayed 
vegetable matter abounds; but this insect is not known to be injurious 
to plants. 
Clay on Grafts ( Eastoniensis ).—You need not be in a great 
hurry about your clay ; many never touch it the whole season. It is, 
however, beneficial to rub it off, after a rainy period, about midsum¬ 
mer, to remove the original bandage, and to Lind another round; the 
latter not tight, by any means, but rather close. Take care to rub 
away superfluous shoots from the stock near the grafts, or they will 
rob them. 
Strawberries not Bearing (Ibid). —We would advise you not 
to propagate from these, but from good bearing plants. 
Currant Shoots (Ibid). —Shorten about one-third of all this 
year’s fast growing shoots about the middle of June, whether leaders 
or side shoots. Do not, however, totally expose the fruit to the sun 
until they aie coloured. 
Names of Plants (Lancastriensis). —We think your flower is 
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, but you should have sent a leaf as well as a 
flower. Oesneras will not escape Mr. Beaton’s attention. (A Flower 
Lover from Childhood). —If it has leaves doubly crenate your flower 
is Primula cortusoides; your ferns are Adiantum reniforme and 
Asplenium palmatum. 
Earthing up Potatoes (Peter Love). —We never adopt this 
practice, it retards the ripening of the tubers, and diminishes the 
weight of produce. 
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.—June 21st, 1849. 
