Junk 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
167 
get rid of triticum repens, in addition to those men¬ 
tioned by yon at p. 138. Neither that, nor any other 
creeping-rooted grass will long endure, unless it has 
loose, deep, and light soil. No one ever saw Triticum 
repens in or round the gateway of a field where 
cattle or sheep are frequently driven in and out, nor 
in a field which has been for some years habitually 
depastured, unless it be in the hedge-rows and hanks, 
where the cattle do not tread. If your correspondent, 
“ Amateur," will try frequent rolling with a heavy 
roller, 1 am induced to think he will find the Triticum 
repens gradually disappear, without deforming his 
lawn by digging it up for a potato crop, or trenching. 
Any other mode of compression, as the making his 
lawn a fair field, or a village cricket ground, or the 
site of a bazaar, or a horticultural exhibition, or 
folding it with sheep repeatedly, will have the same 
effect.—W. P. T. 
Destruction of Ants.— It may be useful to know 
that I have found a moderately strong solution of the 
common washing soda available for destroying ants. 
In two spots in our garden they have not appeared 
since I gave their hills a good soaking. The soda 
does not appear to have injured the box (against 
which the hills were thrown up) in the least degree. 
—William T. 
Death of a Distinguished Gooseberry Grower. 
—We have this week to record the death, under 
very melancholy circumstances, of one of the most 
successful cottage gardeners in the north of England, 
namely, of Mr. John Dees, mason, of Gosforth, 
near Newcastle-on-Tyne. It appears that on Thurs¬ 
day last, the deceased, together with a fellow-work- 
man, was engaged in making a “ staple,” and whilst 
suspended in a cage down the pit-shaft for that pur¬ 
pose, an explosion of fire-damp took place, which 
upset the cage, and precipitated them to the bottom, 
a distance of fifty yards—both being dreadfully mu 
tilated. The deceased mostly excelled in the culti¬ 
vation of fruit and vegetables, and many are the 
instances recorded in the local newspapers, for years 
past, of his numerous successes in winning prizes 
at the different shows in the district; but in the cul¬ 
tivation of the gooseberry he pre-eminently distin¬ 
guished himself, and vanquished all competitors in 
the neighbourhood. Last year he grew a red one 
to the weight of 32 dwt. 5 gr. 
Destruction of Potatoes in Lancashire. —The 
potatoes on the moss lands in the neighbourhood of 
Garstang, in Lancashire, have been totally destroyed 
by the late frosts, the first of winch occurred on the 
morning of May 28th, the second on the 8th, and 
the third on the 13th of June. By this last attack 
the hard land potatoes have also suffered consi¬ 
derably. Whether any of the tubers will yet be 
enabled to send forth new shoots is, at present, im¬ 
possible to say, but the loss will, under any circum¬ 
stances, be very great, as many hundreds, if not 
thousands, of acres are completely cut down by this 
uulooked for visitation. Replanting with the early 
kinds would be the best and most certain remedy, 
but such seed cannot at all times be procured.—M. 
Saul, Garstang. 
[We once knew a good crop of potatoes pro¬ 
duced on some very dry land, and in a very favour¬ 
able season, from sets planted in July; but we 
cannot consider planting in June, even the earliest 
sorts, anything like a “certain remedy” for the case 
in question. If the autumn prove wet and cold, 
there would be no crop worth consideration.— 
Ed. C. G.] 
SCRAPS. 
Beautiful British Plants, No. IIL— Barbarea 
1 vulgaris. —Yellow Rocket.—This fine plant, a native 
of the sides of our damp ditches and small water¬ 
courses, is noticed on account of a double variety of 
j it being pretty general in cultivation, thriving in 
! almost any soil or situation, and blooming profusely 
during the summer months. 
Cardamine pratensis. —Cuckoo Flower.—A beau¬ 
tiful plant enlivening our moist meadows with its 
elegant lilac flowers in the early spring months. 
There is a double variety in cultivation, well adapted 
for the shaded side of rock work. 
Hesperis matronalis. —Dame’s Violet.—This rather 
uncommon native plant should be in every collection 
where good flowers are grown. It has large hand¬ 
some and fragrant heads of lilac flowers. From it 
has originated all the varieties of double rockets, 
from the brightest purple to white, which ornament 
our gardens, and never shall we forget the sensation 
produced on our first acquaintance with this odori¬ 
ferous gem in its native grandeur near the town of 
Gargrave, in Yorkshire. 
Draba aizoides. —Whitlow Grass.—A diminutive, 
yet interesting, rock plant, with its leaves collected 
in dense cushion-like tufts, and bright yellow flowers 
in March and April; well worthy the attention of 
the cultivator. 
Draba incana. —Twisted-podded Whitlow Grass.— 
This interesting species is well worthy the attention 
of the curious from its great rarity, being seldom 
met with except on almost inaccessible rocks. Falcon 
Clints, in Durham, is one station where it is toler¬ 
ably abundant. 
Cochlearia officinalis. — Scurvy Grass.—A plant 
met with pretty frequently among the stones and 
banks of most of our rivers, with fine glaucous 
leaves and white flowers, blooming from early spring 
through most of the summer months. It is fre¬ 
quently met with on the sea-coast. 
Hdianthemum guttatum. —Spotted Rock Rose.— 
A very rare and interesting little annual, with bright 
yellow flowers, each petal of which has a bright red 
spot at is base: should be sown on fine soil in a cold 
frame, as the seeds seldom vegetate in the open air. 
Helianthemum vulgare. —Common Rock Rose.—Of 
this beautiful and well-known rock plant there are 
splendid varieties, both with single and double 
flowers, through every shade of colour, from deep 
crimson to bright yellow. 
Helianthemum polifolium. —Another of those beau¬ 
tiful rock roses which add such interest to the station 
where they are met with; with hoary leaves and 
white flowers. Very rare. The specimen in our 
herbarium is from St. Vincent’s rocks, near Bristol.— 
S.— Durham Advertiser. 
Carpathian Bell Flower ( Campanula carpatica). 
—Last summer we saw some large patches of this 
old herbaceous plant growing in a border so luxuri¬ 
antly, and shewing such a brilliant display of its blue 
flowers, that we resolved to recommend it for more 
general attention, and to inquire more about its ha¬ 
bits, but a necessity for this is in some degree re¬ 
moved by the following communicated to the Gar¬ 
dener s Chronicle, by Mr. J. F. M’Elroy, of Stamford 
Hill:—“ This desirable herbaceous plant grows ra¬ 
pidly, and may be readily increased in April by divi¬ 
sion ; the (rooted) slips should be planted 4 inches 
apart in a bed of rich compost, well drained. In 
borders plant in patches consisting of five plants 
