August 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
250 
ground down almost to tire roots. I think I have 
before remarked, that laurels should not he allowed 
to grow up very high, or else they become hare in 
the stems, and leafy only at the top, and soon dis¬ 
figure the shrubbery. If great heighth is required, 
a portion of the stems should he cut out yearly, so 
that the shrub might be .always a screen, and yet 
receive its regular and proper pruning. By this 
means we may avoid cutting down a whole shrub at 
once, which often disfigures a garden for some time. 
The flowers of autumn are rich and deep in colour. 
How brilliant and how various are the queenly 
dahlias—and how gladly they bloom in the cottage 
garden. They are autumnal treasures, and when 
placed in masses, and the colours tastefully blended, 
they really light up the garden. A bed of crimson 
and primrose-coloured dahlias has a splendid effect; 
the contrast, though strong, is very agreeable to the 
eye, and almost dazzles as we gaze. The dark, nearly 
black, maroon flowers contrast well with some of the 
paler sorts—and the deeper the shades, the more 
velvet-like is the bloom. The single dahlias, parti¬ 
cularly the scarlet, are very elegant, hut there is such 
richness in the double flower, such exquisite precision 
in the finely fluted petals, that it is impossible not 
to prefer them. Beautiful and wonderfid is every 
flower that blows; but there is something extremely 
striking in the ‘ quilling’ of the dahlia, and in the 
neatness and firmness of its form. It comes from 
the sandy plains and lofty mountains of Mexico, 
where it grows wild, but it is not, in its native land, 
so fine, so bright, or so well shaped, as it is with us, 
nor is it ever a double flower until brought into cul¬ 
tivation. The dahlia was named after Dahl, a 
Swedish botanist; but it was brought into England 
by Baron Iiumbolt, a distinguished naturalist, in 
the year 1789. It left a home of fruitful soil, a soil 
full of gold and precious stones, of deep interest too 
in its eventful history. It tells us how a wise and 
polished empire, whose existence had been for cen¬ 
turies, suffered for the sake of its glittering produce, 
the gold which perisheth. How ought England to 
fear lest, even in her enlightened state, gold should 
be her idol! In every cottage garden the dahlia 
blooms. In every lordly garden it stands brightly 
conspicuous. Let the rich and poor, alike, listen to 
the affecting tale it tells, and take speedy warning. 
It would be well for us if riches only made “ them¬ 
selves wings,” if they only flew away “ as an eagle 
towards heaven;” but they do more than this, they 
draw the heart after them, and take it captive. We 
have high authority for believing that it is very 
hard, when we “ trust in riches,” “ to enter into the 
kingdom of God.” 
Let us all, as we watch over our gay and fragrant 
flowers, hear a word in season ; let us not “ trust in 
uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth 
us all things richly to enjoy.” 
NEW PLANTS WORTHY OF CULTIVATION. 
Capitate Alloplectus (Alloplectus capitcitus ).— 
This is probably a native of tropical America, and 
requires a moist stove. Its flowers and stem are 
bright crimson, and it blooms in March and April. 
It may be grown in loose peat, care being taken not 
to give too much water in winter.— Bot. May. 4452. 
Splendid Amherstia ( Amherstia nobilis). —This 
most beautiful of all flowering trees is a native of 
Birmah, and requires a moist atmosphere, with a 
temperature ranging between 70° and 80°, and a 
bottom heat of 90°. It requires shade during intense 
sunshine; and the soil best suited to it is a well- 
drained mixture of rich loam and peat. It may be 
propagated by layers.— (Bot. May., tab. 4453.) The 
writer of this well remembers the impression made 
upon him when he first saw the long, pendulous, 
pale green foliage, and equally graceful wreaths of 
pink blossom of this all-lovely tree waving upon 
the warm breeze in the Botanic Garden at Calcutta. 
It was providently planted by Dr. Wallich in an 
open yet shaded quarter, enclosed by a pallisade, 
and the harmony and delicacy of the colours, com¬ 
bined with the eiegant form and soft flowing move¬ 
ments of all its developments, was an exhibition of 
vegetable beauty such as we never looked upon 
either before or since. Mrs. Lawrence has the ho¬ 
nour of being the first to bloom it in England. 
Lemon-coloured Cyrtochilum (Cyrtochilum citri- 
mini). — A pretty orchid from central America. 
Thrives in a basket of turfy peat, suspended in the 
cool division of the orchideous-house. Shade in 
summer, and do not give too much water in winter. 
— Ibid, tab. 4454. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Potatoes fob Seed (A Hector). —It is possible that Walnut- 
leaved, or even Ash-leaved, Kidneys planted early in August may 
ripen tubers, very late in the autumn, of sufficient size to serve for 
seed next year. The doubt is whether the tubers would ripen suffici¬ 
ently then to produce a healthy vegetation. We are quite sure no 
variety taking longer to perfect its growth than those we have named 
would so ripen its tubers. We should like to know the result of your 
experiment, employing chiefly the Walnut-leaved Kidney, a light, 
well-drained soil, no manure, a southern aspect, planting four inches 
deep, and not earthing up the plants. 
Poultry (J. H. S.).- —To induce hens to lay in the winter, give 
them each daily about half an ounce of raw meat chopped fine ; and 
a few handfuls of sunflower seed are additionally influeucial. Do 
not let the cock company with the hens, but keep him shut up, and 
do not allow any nest eggs to remain in the nests. We do not know 
which are the best layers of the two varieties you mention—Chit.ta- 
prats and the Golden or Silver Pheasant hens. Can any of our 
readers give us this information ? 
Hints (J. Lloyd Phelps). —Thanks for your suggestion, but, as 
we publish in weekly numbers, we cannot do more than give in the 
last number of each month a calendar of work for the next month. 
Some soils will not grow good flavoured potatoes, but such soils are 
usually heavy, or badly drained. If this is your case, grow your 
potatoes in narrow beds with deep trenches between them, elevating 
your beds before planting by putting on to them the earth from the 
trenches, and mixing with the soil a good thick dressing of coal 
ashes or charred vegetable refuse. 
Fuchsia Soil (A Subscriber). —You will find this, and an excel¬ 
lent essay on the culture of the plant, at page 221 of our first volume. 
Geranium soil is stated at page 114 of the present volume. You 
cannot successfully bloom geraniums in winter without a hothouse. 
They ought, when not forcing, always to be kept with the soil very 
slightly moist, and no more heat than suffices to exclude the frost 
from them through the winter. 
Strawberry Forcing (Ibid). —Keen’s Seedling and Black Prince 
are the best for this purpose. Mr. Fish will give some directions for 
the management of the plants in due course. As a general rule, 
flowers in winter should have very little water. 
Greenhouse Climbers (X. Y. Z.).—Seven most excellent plants 
of this description are Habrothamnus fasciculatus, Solanum jasmi- 
noides, Clianthus puniceus, Jasminum grandiflorum, Mandevilla 
suaveolens, Herbert’s Passion-flower, and Clematis grandiflorum. 
Heating a Small Pit (A Constant Subscriber). —They are quite 
right who advise you that a flue to heat your pit nine feet long by 
three feet nine inches wide would burn up your plants. We presume 
that you merely require to keep out the frost, and, if so, an iron pipe, 
two inches in diameter, running along the front of your pit, and re¬ 
turning along below the same, united at each end by knee pieces, 
and one of these knee pieces passing into the fire of a small furnace, 
would be sufficient without any boiler. A small reservoir must be 
attached, and communicate with the return pipe, to keep the appa¬ 
ratus constantly filled with water. Lead colour is that usually 
adopted in painting garden frames, but we see no objection to green. 
White is the best for the inside of your pit, for it increases the degree 
of light. 
Succession of Flowers (Sabrina). —You will find a very full 
and descriptive list of summer and autumn blooming flowers at pages 
33 and 34 of our first volume. 
Hollyhock Seedlings (Ibid). —Plant these out this autumn 
where you wish them to remain for blooming. Auricula and Canter¬ 
bury bell seedlings treat as directed for polyanthus seedlings at page 
248 of our last number. Your rose leaves have been eaten by the 
caterpillar of the saw fly (Tenthredo cethiops), as described at pages 
1~9 and 222 of the present volume. 
Sour Krout (0. H.). —Select the cabbages with the most solid 
hearts, cut these in half, rejecting all the loose leaves and stalk, and 
