THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, October 23, 1860. 
Various [B. TFcsl). —Anyone asking eleven questions at once must be 
answered very briefly. Dessert Apples in order of ripening :— Early Har¬ 
vest, Joanneting, Devonshire Quarrenden, Blenheim Pippin, Cox’s Orange 
Pippin, Downtou Pippin, Margil, Askmead’s Kernel, Lamb Alley Pearmain, 
Nonpareil, Sturmer Pippin. Kitchen Apples: —Carlisle Codlin, Springrove 
Codlin, Flower of Kent, Gloria Mundi, Hawthornden, Alfriston, Dumelow’s 
Seedling, Royal Russet, Whiter Pearmain,^Hambledon Deux Ans. Dessert 
Pears: —Autumn Bergamot, Bound Capiaumont, Bishop’s Thumb, Eye- 
wood, Hessle, Jargonelle, Jersey Gratioli, Louise Bonne of Jersey, Williams’ 
Bon Chretien, Winter Nelis, Swan’s Egg. Baking Pears : —Bezi d’Heri, 
Catillac, Gilogil. You may remove a spit depth of soil if eighteen inches 
remain alterwards; manure and fork, not trench the soil. Grafting is a 
slower mode of obtaining fruit than planting well-advanced trees. Lime- 
wash in early spring. All the trees are desirable we have named, select 
according to your need. Of Cherries , Black Eagle is early, and Coe’s Late 
Carnation a September fruit. The Kentish is the best cooking Cherry. 
Wintering Bedding Geraniums (/. C. II.). —If you can keep the frost 
and damp from the Tom Thumbs, your plan will do capitally. We would 
take off every morsel of a leaf under the cii cumstances. 
Wintering Diantiius Heddewigii [G.J.C.). —These new Indian Pinks 
are somewhat more hardy than the old race, but a long winter shatters 
them much on strong land. In sandy soil they seem to take little hurt. 
Our own stock of them are to be wintered thus :—All the old plants will be 
left as they are on light sandy soil, but the young stock from cuttings rve 
shall put into cold frames till the spring. " The best way to do them in 
future is to raise some seedlings every spring, and when tliese are in flower 
to choose the best and propagate from them, and the young stock to be 
under some shelter if only for fear of slugs or accidents through the winter. 
That will prolong the season of bloom. 
Cutting Back Hydrangeas and Fuchsias {Idem).— This is the last 
best time to cut back the shoots of Hydrangeas ; but early in September is 
the most proper time, as then their absence will give more light and air to 
ripen the wood for next bloom, and also to throw the force of the roots in 
the same direction. Most people prefer to cut back their Fuchsias in the 
spring. We depend more on how they are to be kept over the winter. If 
they have the least warmth we do not prune till spring ; if the frost is 
merely kept from them we cut in November. 
Clematises — Spirjea Callosa (A Subscriber). —We never heard of such 
names of Clematis as appendieulata, microphylla, and leptophylla. There 
is some mistake in your lists ; send to the Society that sent you these names 
and ask them to explain them. None of your names, and probably none of 
the plants are stove plants in any part of Europe, and most of them are 
hardy in all the countries of Europe with which we are in correspondence ; 
but the subject of hardy or half-hardy plants is too grave to be given at 
random to people who do not mention from where they write to us. The 
Spiraea callosa and all the Spirieas require exactly the same soil and treat¬ 
ment as the common Lilac ; and at Kew there are beds of all the best kinds 
of them, and of others which do as Lilacs with the same care and treatment. 
Crocuses in a Clayey Soil {Idem).— Crocuses will do on any soil which 
is not too much clayey for Beans ; but strong clay soil is not at all fit for 
most bulbous roots, but by reducing it so as to grow' Carrots it would 
answer for most of the strong border bulbs. The “ Pigeon Book for the 
Many” contains general directions for the arrangement and fitting up*' 
the cote. 
Roses for Standards on a Walk’s Sides (J. C. IT.).—You propose 
1. William Griffiths. 2. Madam Rivers. 3. Leon des Combats. 4. Lord 
Raglan. 5.Queen Victoria. 6. Madams Schmidt. 7.LouiseOdier. 8. Apolline. 
9. Gloire de Dijon. 10. Paul lticaut. 11. Charles Desprez. 12. Cardinal 
Patrizzi. Nos. 6 and 12 are too dwarf for avenue standards, and Paul 
Bicaut is only a summer bloomer. Therefore, notwithstanding their rich 
colours, we would not plant these three as you propose. For C we would 
plant Madame Masson; for 10, Duke of Cambridge; aud for 12, Eveque de 
Nimes, or a Bishop instead of a Cardinal. 
Rhododendron Planting (IF. II. B.). —The best place to go to for 
Rhododendrons is a respectable nursery ; but journalists must not prefer 
one before ano'hex. The next six or seven weeks is the best time to plant 
them in British gardens ; but Rhododendrons can be planted any week in 
the year, except just w hile making their annual growth, and when the 
ground is frosted. The best selections we know of are in Mr. Appleby’s 
papers on that family. See our No. C02. The best of each colour are 
there named. 
Fuchsia Prize (A Lover of Fuchsias).—We have no notes about .the 
Royal Botanic Garden Show. 
Uses of a Greenhouse {D. B. B.).— All that was said at page 18 is 
thoroughly applicable. Strawberries maybe commenced with at new year 
or at Christmas-day, or earlier or later; but later, other things being equal, 
the more fruit will you be likely to get—but they will not be so valuable 
as when had early. ' Cucumbers may also be commenced with as soon as 
you like, hut the same rule will hold true. To hear in winter the plants 
should be raised at the end of August. But with all this we must give you 
a caution. Yines in pots may also be started along with the Strawberries, 
either being placed on the floor of the house or on a bed there, or even in 
the Cucumber-bed before the Cucumbers are planted. See an article on 
Vines in pots lately. It matters not when these Strawberries or Vines are 
commenced with, provided there is a division along the front to keep the 
heat chiefly at first about the Cucumbers. If Vines, Strawberries, and Cu¬ 
cumbers are to be respectively started and grown in the same house, heated 
by one flue, and without any division, then the Strawberries and Vines must 
he in the house fully six weeks before the Cucumbers are commenced with. 
Y'oucan thus give Strawberries and Vines a temperature at first of 45° to 
50°, and rise gradually in that time to 60° and 63°, and so forth, if the Vines 
and Strawberries are to be brought into a house suitable for Cucumbers, 
they must be brought forward in another place until the Vines are well 
broken and the Strawberries are in bloom and setting. Then they would 
do weil—the first on the floor, and the second on the first and second shelf 
at the top of the back wall, and would continue to do so until the roof was 
too much covered with foliage. The top shelf when air is not given will be 
the warmest part of the house ; and provided that, in a heat suitable for 
Cucumbers, you at once placed Strawberries there from the open air or a 
cold pit. We should only deceive you if we held out hopes of a success 
worthy of the name. 
Rustic Work [G. R.). —We do not know the price of Ricauti’s volume. 
If you write to the publisher, enclosing a stamped envelope, he will pro¬ 
bably inform you. lie is Mr. J. Carpenter, Bookseller, Old Bond Stieet. 
Wintering Geraniums (7 V . II . G .).— Your light attic will do. You 
must exclude frost. Any stove with a pipe to carry off the smoke, and a 
flat top for a vessel full of water to stand on will do. You will find fuller 
instructions in “ Window Gardening for the Many',” and “Greenhouses 
for the Many,” which you have just bought. 
Many Questions^ Constant Reader).— Buy our No. 527, for all about 
a Wardian Case. V our plants are too largo. Use sulphate of ammonia 
very sparingly for bulbs. Lime water is useless for the Violet leaves; dust 
them with Scotch snuff. You can have our last volume. If you had The 
Cottage Gardener direct from the office, you -would have it on Wednes¬ 
day morning. It is published by eleven every Tuesday morning. Dog 
biscuits horrible food for Dorkings or any fowls. Buy “ Poultry Book 
for the Many.” The room would do for some plants, hut birds would diity 
them. Buy our “Window Gardening for the Many.” 
Loam {An Obliged Reader). —By “a good, strong, rich loam,” is meant 
such a soil as forms the top six inches of a fertile upland pasture. It is a 
soil that can he worked with the spade at any time when not frozen. It is 
crumbly even in wet weather, and not dusty even in the driest season. 
Geraniums, Aunt Harriet’s and Harry Moore’s Mode of Winter¬ 
ing (£?. B. C.). — Aunt Harriet’s modoisin our No. 14 (Vol. I., p. 150), and 
Harry Moore’s in No. 53 (Vol. III., p. 5). 
Gymnogramma Wetenhalliana.— This beautiful Fern was raised by 
Mr. Kelly, gardener to Mrs. Ridgway', of Ridgmont, Bolton-le-Moors. The 
specific name was given by Mr. Kelly to commemorate a nephew of Mrs. 
Ridgway. We give these particulars, because Mr. Beaton made some 
slight errors in the names at page 3 of the present volume. 
Bromborough Pool Works Horticultural Society.— Our Brom- 
borough people will be greatly delighted in reading their statistics so nicely 
out in print. Beyond the use of the land, for which they pay fair rent, the 
use of a large room, and a small annual subscription in aid of the Show- 
expenses, our people in this matter owe nothing either to our Company or 
to me. Our Mr. Hatcher has taken the leading part of all our horticultural 
doings, and compiled the statistics. Through the allotment gardens being 
most popular, he has been most actively and ably helped by some of our 
best people who are on the gardens committee. —Geo. F. Wilson. 
Midland Florist (TU. M. IVardrop). —Wc know nothing about this 
serial. If the Editor will not answer you we must not attack him for his 
silence. 
Names of Ferns («/. F. Armstrong). —1. Adiantumpubescens. 2. Wood- 
wardia (Doodia) media. 3. Cystopteris fragilis dentata. 4. Asplenium 
trichomanes. 5. Pteris tremula. 6. Hymenophyllum unilaterale (Wilsoni). 
Names of Plants { IF . S .). —The plant in flower is Hyoscyamus cana- 
riensis. The other is not recognisable. (A s K.). —You plant is Clethra 
alnifolia. 
POULTRY AND BEE-KEEPER’S CHRONICLE. 
POULTRY SHOWS. 
October 24th. Frome Agricultural Society. Hon. Sec., Mr. Charles 
Harding, jun., Grandon Farm, near Frome. Entries close October 23. 
November 7th. Devizes and North Wilts. Hon. Sec., Geo. Saunders 
Sainsbury, Rowdc, Devizes. Entries close October 13th. 
November 21st, 22nd, 23rd, and 24th. West of Scotland Ornitholo¬ 
gical Association, Glasgow. (Pigeons and Canary Birds.) Sec, 
Thos. Buchanan, 74, Argyle Street, Glasgow. 
December 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th. Birmingham. Sec., Mr. John B. Lythall, 
Offices, Unity Buildings, Temple Street, Birmingham, Entries close 
November 1. 
December 6th. Hull and East Riding. See., G R.obson, 25, Waterwork 
Street. Entries close November 22nd. 
December 12tli, 13:h, and 14th. Northern Counties (Darlington). 
Sec., J. Hodgson, Darlington. Entries close Nov. 19th. 
December 12th, 13th, 14th, and 15th. Crystal Palace. (Poultry, Pigeons, 
Rabbits, Ornamental Water Fowl, and Pheasants). Sec., Mr. W. 
Houghton. Entries close November 10. 
December 21st and 22nd. Halifax Pigeon Show. Sec., D. R. Edgar. 
Entries close December 8th. 
December 28th aud 29th. Kendal. Hon. Secs., G. C. Whitwell and 
T. Wilson. 
January 30th and 31st, 1861. Ulverstone. Hon. Sec., Mr. T. Robinson, 
The Gill, Ulverstone. 
N.B.— Secretaries will oblige us by sending early copies of their lists. 
PURITY OF RACES. 
To revert to the subject wo treated of some weeks since—viz., 
the purity or origin of races, we have to remark that observation 
seems to prove it is much easier to get size than colour. Also, 
that in breeds imported into this country which cannot be re¬ 
newed or strengthened by the introduction ot fresh blood, dege¬ 
neracy is first shown in those of small breeds by an increase of 
size, while in the larger specimens the first indication of wearing 
out is that there is diminution of hulk and substance. We do 
not pretend to have seen the first of the black Ducks imported 
into this country, and known as East Indian, Labradoor, Buenos 
Avrean, &c. We saw some of the first, and they were very small, 
not larger than Widgeons. Now, spite of every care they increase 
in size. 
This is only one out of many cases we might quote, but it 
