245 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, January 22, 1861. 
_ault is growing too much straw. There are persons who collect 
it from the mills, bag and forward it to the agricultural districts. 
Farmers and others who reside at a distance from where it is 
collected cannot he too careful in making their purchases, as it 
is easily adulterated with other refuse.—R. S. 
BORDER AURICULAS. 
May I commend to notice a much neglected flower which 
would, I feel sure, reward cultivation and hybridising, bo no 
small attraction in the spring flower garden—1 mean the alpine 
or border Auricula, of which I have already some varieties 
both shaded and in self colours, which are very remarkable for 
size and beauty ? A slight notice in your pages would induce 
nurserymen to advertise the varieties they have, and thus enable 
amateurs to increase then - collections ; while some directions as to 
soil and culture would much oblige—A. M. Y. 
[An excellent subject for the new year. We have been raising 
seedlings of border Auriculas for the last five years, but more 
with the view' of testing if they also are as little subject to the 
influence of pollen as the Polyanthus, than for the flower-borders ; 
but a long stretch of our alleys are lined with a great variety of 
kinds, and some double ones. Tliej all like a deep, moist, sandy 
ground, and to be removed, divided, and set in fresh soil every 
third year.—D. B.] 
TRADE LISTS RECEIVED. 
Peter Lawson Sf Son’s List of Garden Seeds for 1861.—A 
copious list of all kinds of garden seeds, and containing many 
novelties we do not see mentioned elsewhere. 
Catalogue of Vegetable and Flower Seeds, Sfc., by Francis and 
Arthur Dtclcson Sf Sons, 106, Fastgate Street, Chester , i-s a 
capital catalogue interspersed with some excellent practical 
cultural remarks. 
Select List of Vegetable, Floioer, and Agricultural Seeds, by 
William Paul, Cheshunt Nurseries, Waltham Cross, N, is a 
catalogue of very nicely selected articles, adapted for gardens of 
all sizes. 
A Priced Catalogue of Neiu and Genuine Seeds for 1861, by 
Milne Sf Co., Wandsworth Road, S. —This is another of those 
catalogues which evince care in their preparation. It contains 
many useful notes. 
Catalogue of Vegetable, Flower, and Agricultural Seeds for 
1861, by William Cutbush Sf Son, Ilighgate, A., is a good and 
useful catalogue. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
TACSONIA MAH 10 AT A AND THUNBERGIA HaRRISII BUDS FALLING ( J. II.). 
—The dull season was against your plants. We should suspect dryness at 
the roots, and coolness and dulness in the air, as the reason why the 
Tacsonia flower-buds did not expand. The Thunbergia referred to likes a 
good moist heat to open its blooms, and a drier heat to keep them some 
time in bloom. We have no doubt you will succeed belter next year. 
Flue in Cucumber-pit (J. V., Swansea). —You will find several answers 
on much the same subject. There is the objection to smoke-flues to which 
you allude. You do not give us the height of your house. However, to 
have Cucumbers in winter and early spring in it, you would require two 
four-inch pipes for bottom heat and two for top heat. Were we to make 
the most of such a house, we would make it into two beds 4.^ feet wide each, 
and a pathway of 3 feet between them. We would take two four-inch 
pipes below the front bed, and run the flue from the furnace underneath 
the back bed; and, to be quite sure, wc would rather have a four-inch pipe 
all round for top heat. The front pit we w ould use for winter and early 
spring Cucumbers; and the back could be used for other things, then not 
needing quite so much heat. We would use the back for later spring and 
aututfin Cucumbers, which would succeed the front ones. The flue might 
be so secured that no escape of gas could come from it, and thus all the 
heat from the fuel would be absorbed. 
Pruning Peach and Cherry Trees in Pots (J. C.). —The name of the 
plant is Gesnera elongata. Without knowing more we cannot be sure, but 
would cut your eighteen-inch-long Peach and Cherry shoots back one-third 
or even more. Most of the pruning should be done in summer. 
Propagating Monochajtum ensifejrum (Idem).— Propagate the Mono- 
chcetum much as you would do a Fuchsia or a Lobelia at this season. Take 
off a few short shoots with a heel of the old wood, insert in sand under a 
loose glass, and place in a little bottom heat. 
Roses (J. IT. J/.).— The Roses you inquire about—Madame Marie Bower, 
Madame Auguste, and Mount Vesuvius, we never heard of. They are 
either so old as to have been forgotten, or are too new to be among the 
novelties of 18G0, or are some local names. 
Errata. —Page 218, first column, third sentence of last paragraph, the 
word “proving” should be “pruning.” To Correspondents, last line of 
third paragraph “ close combustion” should be “ quick combustion.” 
Numbers of Vol. XXIII. ( A Subscriber, II. 31.). — All the Numbers can 
be had from our office, free by post, on receipt of four postage stamps for 
each, with the exception of No. 575, which is out of print. 
„ Woodlice among Ferns (Roby). —We know nothing of the properties of 
Keating’s Persian Insect Powder; nor do we know how you can rid your 
fernery of woodlice, except by trapping them, as we have frequently 
particularised. 
Alstromerias for Bedding (A Subscriber). —Alstromerias are not suit¬ 
able for bedding according to the “bedding system.” Their mode of 
growth, or their appearance in a bed by the side of bedding plants, is so 
different as to destroy the harmony; neither are the flowers of Alstromerias 
so lasting as is necessary for the bedding system. But all the Alstromerias 
grow better in beds than in pots—that is, they' increase faster and grow 
stronger in less time, and produce ten times more flowers after they attain 
their full maturity. They, and the Gladioluses, and the spring Tulips, the 
pretty Scillas, the Atamasco Lilies, with all the original wild species of 
Calceolarias and Lobelias, would grow comfortably in one bed or one kind 
ot soil—that is, a light, deep, sandy loam. There is one exception, how¬ 
ever, in Alstromeria aurea. It is a tall front-of-a-shrubbery plant to 
range before the Hollyhocks; but to sustain that, its true character.it 
should be grown in strong clay soil. We hare had it on the London brick 
clay seven feet high, and spreading like couch grass, flowering, and 
seeding, and rising from self-sown seeds, in ‘ ‘ unmitigable clay',” all within 
a musket-sliot of Handel’s grave. A. psittacina is the one for the centre 
of a bed. Pulchella and Hookerii, and their allies, are now swallowed up 
in the seedlings from hsemantha; and iheir name is legion on the one side, 
and absolute confusion on the other. Pelegrina is not so suitable for out- 
of-door beds, being less hardy. The bed for Alstromerias should be secur ed 
from frost and wet in winter if the roots are left out; and they would do 
better that way, and to be lifted only once in three years or fo. 
Peach Trees in Tubs (A Young Beginner). —These will do in either 
the vinery y'ou start in February, or in that which has no artificial heat- 
The Peach trees may be moved out into a sheltered place in June, if you 
are gardening in the south of England; but you give us no information 
on this essential point. You, like many other correspondents, seem to 
think w'e are clairvoyants. 
Gas Lime (Gas Lime). —It is a good manure for Clover, Trefoil, and 
Lucern, but rarely of benefit to other crops, unless the soil is deficient in 
calcareous constituents. It should be mixed with earth, and turned fre¬ 
quently before being applied. It might be useful on your sandy gravel to 
improve the soil’s staple. 
Guinea Corn (Rom).—. Although it may not be recognised by the name 
of Guinea Corn, yet we know there is plenty of it in Liverpool, and it is 
better known as’“Indian Millet.” It is the seed of Sorghum vulgare, a 
native of India and China as well as of Africa. 
Cyclamens (H. N. E.).— Ferrarius must have witten on hearsay about 
Cyclamens. The bulbs cannot be divided with impunity. His Narcissus 
indicus deliciosus was probably our Tuberose; but we have not his 
figures by us, or we might tell them all. Gelsenhum is still extant ; but 
whether it was the same plant as is now so called we have no means of 
determining. 
Name of Fern (if.).— The Fern is Davallia pentaphylla. The Orchid 
looks like one of the small-flowered Maxillarias, but was too much crushed 
to be recognised. 
POULTRY AND BEE-KEEPER’S CHRONICLE. 
POULTON-LE-FYLDE POULTRY ASSOCIATION. 
January 16th and 17th. 
{Communicated.) 
Tiie third annual Exhibition of Poultry in connection with 
the above Association was held in the schoolroom (kindly lent 
for the occasion) at Poulton-le-Eylde, and, considering the 
severity of the weather for the last few weeks, the birds exhibited 
were in excellent condition, only four pens out of the number 
entered being empty. 
The classes opened with Spanish of any age, and although the 
entries in this class were not numerous, some choice specimens 
were to be seen ; Mr. Teebay’s birds deserving especial mention. 
In Dorkings many first-class birds competed, and gave the 
Judges a difficult task to decide who were to have the honours. 
The Cochins were highly meritorious, all varieties competing in 
one class. The Game classes here, as elsewhere, were foremost 
in entries. The Black Reds were not so numerous as the Browns ; 
but both varieties were well up in quality. The class for “ any 
other variety ” of Game only made a poor muster, if we may 
except Mr. J. Fletcher’s pen of Blacks, and Mr. J. Brown’s 
Duckwings. The Chicken class was the strongest in the Show, 
and, consequently, the competition very severe, many excel¬ 
lent pens having to be satisfied with a Commendation. The 
Golden-pencilled Jlamburglis we did not consider so good as 
have been at this Show in previous years. There were only 
three pens of Silvers exhibited, and out of this number one pen 
belonging to Mr. Wm. Cannan, was disqualified through the 
cock’s comb being trimmed to such an extent. The Golden 
and also the Silver-spangled formed unusually good classes ; 
but we cannot pass over these two classes without remarking 
that the decisions gave great dissatisfaction ; many pens which 
deserved prizes were not even Commended. In the distinct 
varieties there were some beautiful Polands. We were sorry (o 
see these birds competing against Brahmas, Malays, &c., and hope 
another year a class will be opened for this variety. The Bantam 
classes were well represented ; Mr. Turner taking the first prize 
