164. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER 
June 
inches high, terminating in a peg’ which receives the 
slab of the table. The slab is about two feet in 
diameter, and has a corresponding hole in its centre, 
and rests on the ledge formed by the difference of 
si/e between the pillar and the peg, which latter is 
of the thickness of the slab, so as to be Hush with 
its surface. A couple of small bolts which run into 
the pillar, and are let into the surface of the slab on 
each side, secure it in its place. The object of 
making it moveable is, that the sub-surface is iiat or 
bevelled at the edge, and, with a cloth cover, makes 
a pretty book table ; and the other surface has a 
moulding round the edge, and, being turned upper¬ 
most when a iiower-stand is wanted, receives a ring 
of wire or osier basket-work, about seven inches 
high, and within that a tin tray, about live inches 
deep, which may be turned to account in various 
ways: the most obvious is to hold cut flowers, and 
when full of rhododendrons it has a line effect. 
Another simple use is to hold pots of blooming 
plants ; and those who have tried the double potting 
you so often recommend will see the merit of the fol¬ 
lowing contrivance. A strong lattice-work, or board 
full of large holes,'rests on legs about one inch high 
at the bottom of the tin, which is filled so far with 
water that the surface of the board shall be quite 
dry—on this the pots stand; and the interstices 
between them all, and between them and the basket- 
work, being lightly filled or covered with moss, the 
pots and roots are kept constantly cool and damp by 
evaporation. 
Much admiration has been excited by two other 
uses to which I have put my flower-table. I have 
made a miniature geometric garden, by placing 
sundry jelly pots, &c., in regular order, then tilling 
the intervals with damp sand or soil, and sowing 
mustard-seed to produce the effect of a green ground 
(moss answers the purpose) ; each vase being then 
filled with cut flowers of well harmonized colours, a 
different mass in each, the effect is complete. 
I also fill my tin with water in the summer, covering 
the surface with white water-lily leaves and flowers, 
which, if not allowed to stand in the sun, close and 
expand for many days in perfect beauty, making a 
miniature lake, which is never seen but with admi¬ 
ration. The tin may be filled with moss, and bulbs 
growing in it, in spring. Many other devices would 
suggest themselves to any one who possessed one of 
these tables, which I believe to be of a fashion of 
much older date than myself, or, perhaps, than any 
of your readers, but not tire less worthy of their 
notice on that account. 
A Flower Lover from Childhood. 
STRAWBERRIES. 
The following observations, made by us in another 
publication, are appropriate at the present season. 
Round strawberry plants grown in distinct rows, it 
is necessary to cover the surface of the soil with 
straw between the rows, or with the mowings of 
grass, during tile blooming and fruiting. This pre¬ 
serves moisture to the roots of the plants, and saves 
the fruit from being dirt-splashed. Such coverings, 
however, are more or less harbours for slugs and 
other predatory vermin, and tiles of an appropriate 
form have been consequently suggested as a substi¬ 
tute. Grass will be found to answer better than 
straw. It does not harbour slugs or mice so much, 
for, as it withers, it lies so close and compactly on 
the ground that they cannot crawl under it; and, at 
the same time, the surface always remains dry and 
crisp, offering a safe and clean bed for the fruit to 
rest upon. This supposes, of course, that care is 
taken in spreading it not. to lay on too much; 
enough to cover the surface of the ground, but not 
more, is all that is required. 
When tiles are employed, each tile should have a 
circle four inches in diameter cut from its centre, be 
12 inches square, and be in two parts. They might 
be made for a very few shillings per 1000, and less 
than half that number would cover a bed six feet by 
forty. It would improve then - assistant-ripening 
powers if painted with coal-tar. 
A tile of another form for this purpose has been 
lately invented by Mr. John Roberts, of 34, East- 
clieap, London. It is represented in the accompa¬ 
nying woodcut, and is thus recommended by him :— 
“ My horticultural double tile and socket when placed 
around the plant keeps it free from dirt, shades the 
surrounding earth from the sun, thereby requiring 
less water, and prevents the growth of weeds. The 
heat absorbed by day will nourish the plant at night, 
and produce fruit much finer and earlier. The tiles 
are placed on feet to allow the wet to run under; 
and should the plants grow so large as to overhang 
the tile, they can be kept in their places by means of 
a small socket. The expense is trivial, compared 
with the durability and saving of labour, for when 
once purchased they will last for many years.” We 
think they would be better without feet, for the 
hollow underneath is a shelter for slugs. 
PELARGONIUMS. 
The following were in collections taking either 
first or second prizes at the Horticultural Society’s 
Shew at Chiswick, J une 9 th. 
Aurora 
Beauty of Clapham 
Bertha 
Cassandra 
Centurion 
Cinderella 
Cruenta 
Chimborazo 
Delicatissima 
Duke of Cornwall 
Forget-me-not 
Gustavus 
Hebe’s Lip 
Isabella 
Margaretta 
Matilda 
Milo 
Miss Holford 
Negress 
N orah 
Orion 
Pearl 
Pericles 
Pictum 
Princess 
Rosamond 
Rosetta Superb 
Salamander 
Sarah 
Sir Robert Peel 
Sikh 
Star 
Sylvia 
Xarifa 
Zenobia 
£ ANCY VARIETIES 
Anias 
Defiance 
Empress 
Hero of Surrey 
Ibrahim Pacha 
Jehu 
Jenny Lind 
La Belle D'Afrique 
Lady Flora 
Madame Meiilerv 
Mulatto 
Orestes 
Queen Victoria 
Heine de Francais 
Statuiski 
Veat-Mariana 
The fancy pelargoniums are certainly a new feature 
