THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, Ai-ril 21, 1857. 
very large petal; distinct, but sometimes eomes rather 
thin. 
3. Prince Albert (Headley).—Fine dark (the darkest) 
variety. 
4. Bessie (Turner).—Intermediate, purple edge, fine 
form. 
5. Finis (May). —Light edge; a superior, distinct 
variety. 
6. Mrs. Aitlcen (Turner).—Intermediate, purple edge, 
full and constant. 
7. Alice (Hoyle).—A heavy, rich, scarlet edge; fine. 
8. Lady Grenville (Turner).—A distinct, shaded, scar¬ 
let edge, pleasing and novel. 
9. Mrs. Drake (Turner).—Heavy scarlet edge, large 
bloom, and a good form. 
(3 s. 6 d. to 5s. each pair.) 
T. Appleby. 
Kew Gardens. —In Kew Gardens the living plants, 
which number about .15,000 specimens and varieties, 
are all named in a conspicuous and rather expensive 
manner on iron, tin, or wood labels. The remaining 
one-third or less are written on black or wooden tallies, 
I and generally attached to young or recently-received 
plants, which will in time bear the larger and more 
costly labels. A number of duplicates in the gardens 
are unnamed. In the Museum of Economic Botany 
almost all the specimens are labelled with both the 
common and the botanical names. The number of 
visitors to the gardens and museum of Kew last year 
was 344,140, which is an increase of 16,150 on the year 
of the Grand Exhibition in Hyde Park. 2,432 catalogues 
were sold. 
PAMPAS GRASS. 
That part of your notice of the Gyn&rium argenteum 
(Pampas Grass), on the 24th of March, which describes the 
soil of those vast plains, the Pampas, as peculiarly, dry is 
hardly correct. Having resided there I feel it right to 
correct the error, and the more so as I think correspondence 
I in your pages is often productive of much good. 
So far from the climfite being peculiarly dry it is subject 
to a periodical wet season, and also to frequent heavy 
thunder storms. The soil is very retentive of moisture. 
The face of the country, as is well known, is for hundreds 
of miles perfectly flat, and is intersected by numerous 
brooks and an immense number of lagunas, or shallow, 
reedy lakes—so shallow that an animal may at all times 
Avade through them—and on the banks of which, as the 
water recedes, evaporates, or flows away, a rich pasture 
springs up, affording ample food for the immense herds of 
cattle which tenant those plains. 
I never saw the Gynerhm growing there, but I have seen 
other Grasses so high that a horse was standing hidden in 
them and thistles which reached to a mounted horseman’s 
shoulders.—W. K. W. 
of earthenware pipes, bends, &c., as I can fit and jomt a 
four-inch iron pipe, including labour and materials, at 4s. od. 
per yard. Again, when the earthenware pipe is hot, the 
least drop of cold water spilled upon it is liable to crack it. 
—An Experimentalist. 
[Our correspondent is quite right. Earthenware bends 
can only he used with earthenware pipes,— Ed. C. G.] 
STRING BEDDING PLANT. 
Having a large patch or two of the Golden Sedum (Sedum 
acre aureum ), I took them up in October, potted them, and 
plunged them in the open ground. About the middle of 
February I turned them out on the beds occupied last sum¬ 
mer with Verbenas, &c., and now (April 6th) the beds are 
one mass of the most beautiful gold colour. Being so hardy 
and easy of propagation I consider it one of the best spring 
bedding plants we possess. When I want the beds for 
annuals, Verbenas, &c., I shall throw it on the rock or any 
convenient corner; for, like its parerft, it is not at all parti¬ 
cular as to situation and soil. . It will almost grow without. 
—G. T. F., Leek. 
[What can your plant be ? The little Stonecrop, Sedum 
acre , does not flower before the end of May.—E d. C. G.] 
BOITE A HOUPPE. 
This is a very simple yet effectual contrivanoe, introduced 
by Messrs. Burgess and Key, for the application of sulphur 
or lime to the Vine, trees, and all kinds of plants. Since 
it is now incontestably proved that the application of 
dry sulphur is so efficacious in curing the Vine mildew 
various modes have been introduced for its application. Of 
all these inventions none can be compared to the Boite a 
Houppe, which is very easily used, allowing the operator one 
hand always at liberty to separate the leaves and uncover 
the parts which are to be sulphured, distributing the sulphur 
regularly in impalpable powder (which is indispensable in 
order to obtain a successful result), the other hand being 
used merely in shaking the box. Two or three applications 
only are necessary, namely, when the plant first begins to 
shoot; 2ndly, after the plant has blossomed, and, if ne¬ 
cessary, when the fruit begins to ripen. There are many 
other uses to which this simple invention may be applied, 
su-ch as the distribution of lime or any other like material. 
The apparatus has been used very extensively in France, 
where large quantities have been sold, and found to have 
produced most successful results. 
An instrument like a pepper-box has been used for the 
same purpose; but it was found to distribute too freely, 
causing much waste. The advantage of the Boite a Houppc 
is, that before distribution the material to be distributed 
passes through short lengths of wool: by this means it is 
distributed in almost imperceptible particles upon the 
plants, without the waste which takes place by the usual , 
method. 
NEW BOOKS. 
I 
BENDS FOR HOT-WATER PIPES. 
Having seen in your journal a communication, sign 
. AbelNott, recommending the use of glazed bends 
lieu of iron ones for hot-water pipes, I beg to say that a: 
tual of the plan can but end in disappointment. In t 
first place there will be found a great difference in the e 
pansion and contraction of the two substances, and at t' 
socket end of the bend the expansion of the iron will can 
the earthenware socket to split at the spigot end. The expa 
the joint and cause 
to leak, and then will, by the contraction, crush the earthe 
ware end As for the joints of iron pipes not remainii 
sound H they ure made properly with iron cement they w 
stand for hundreds of years as sound as the day they we 
fixed ; neither can the advantage be very great in the cc 
Rearing Pheasants.* —This is a well-timed and useful 
little book, and ought to be welcomed both by the amateur 
and game-keeper. Its purpose is told in its first sentence : 
—“ Much money is often expended needlessly in making 
pheasantries, and as no one has yet attempted to put in 
print the proper way to avoid it, I have been induced to do 
sq, being much encouraged therein by the success of a work 
of a similar character on poultry.” 
It is a thoroughly practical little pamphlet, and gives 
available directions not only how to rear common Pheasants, 
but also the Gold and Silver kinds, and how to manage 
them in the larder, and in packing them for market. 
* Pheasants and Pheasantries. 
and Marshall. 
By John Baily. London: Simpkin 
