25G 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, July 21, 1857. 
fresh loamy turf is the best compost on good soils; the rest 
in liquid manure from the middle of May to the end of 
August. If we had our “way” we would pull up every 
dwarf Rose which is not on its own roots in all the land, 
! put them into heaps, and burn them root and branch. Still, 
| if one could make sure of the true Dog Rose for one’s Roses, 
| they would do pretty well; but all the best Dog Roses are 
used for standards, and all the “ riff-raff ” comes in to murder 
dwarf Roses on. Just take friendly advice, and keep Roses 
I to that" border, but have it trenched full three feet, and 
improved by loamy turf or burnt clay and rotten dung, 
! according to its staple, and have all the Roses on their own 
roots, and put a two-inch-thick mulching over it for the 
summer, and you never saw such Roses as you will have in 
two years.] 
FIG TREES IN POTS. 
“ I have lost this year the first crop of Figs in pots from 
their dropping off. The failure is generally ascribed to want 
of water. They have been watered every other day regularly. 
Is that an insufficient supply, and ought they to be watered 
every day, or twice in the day? What is the practice in 
good Fig culture ? ”—P. 
[We should say you judge rightly as respects the Figs. 
If the pots were at all full of roots they would in sunny 
weather want water every day; perhaps, in extreme cases, 
twice a day. We can state no times—that would depend on 
the weather; but generally, if drainage is secured and the 
pots not too large, you can scarcely over-water Figs when 
swelling their fruit. Let them get thoroughly dry, and 
alas for the crop!] 
PIT FOR MANY PURPOSES. 
“ I should feel obliged for your advice about my flower pit; 
its present dimensions are twenty-four feet in length and 
eight feet in breadth. I propose altering it thus: to remove 
the back Avail, so that the pit will measure ten feet six inches 
inside measure; to make a path two feet four inches ; and 
support the present frameAVork upon posts, and have the 
space added covered Avith glass, so as to form a half-span 
roof. I am going to have the pit divided in two (a glass 
division); one half to be for propagating plants; the other 
for forcing French Beans, StraAvberries, Melons, Cucum¬ 
bers, or floAvers, as may be required. After the propagating j 
season I intend to grow Melons in pots. I propose heat¬ 
ing it thus: a boiler and a four feet and a half brick tank 
divided in two, so as to form a two-feet floAV and a two-feet 
return, covered Avith rough boards ; then plunging materials 
for the pots. I shall have a simple contrivance to Avork 
one half of the pit at a time. I am to have a shelf sus¬ 
pended at the ridge above the path for French Beans, &c. 
The fire from the furnace I mean to pass along the pit at 
the top of the back wall, Avhich will form another shelf of 
itself to place anything upon, such as flower seeds, French 
Beans, &c. Now, am I doing right ? What sort of a boiler 
shall I require, and about Avhat price ? Would Thomson’s 
retort boiler do, and Avhich of his sizes should I require ? 
How far should the glass be from the surface of the pit?”— 
Janet. 
[We do not think we can do anything more for you than 
just to say that we have no doubt your proposed plan would 
answer well. Slates would be better than boards for the 
cover of your tank. If you use boards have open spaces 
daubed full of clinkers, &c. See articles on this subject 
lately. Thomson’s small amateur’s retort will suit you 
very well, or one of Rogers’ smallest conical boilers. About 
<£2 12s. is the price of the retort. French Beans, when 
growing, should be a foot from the glass, and Melons and 
Cucumbers fifteen inches. It is advisable to have a moveable 
stage for plants, and then, if too deep for Cucumbers, &c., 
use a trellis of any homely construction.] 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
^ ClERODENDRUM SCIUAMATUM.—Gesnera Donkelarii (An Old 
Subscriber) .—The mould on the underside of the Clerodendrum leaf is 
caused by the drying up of a profusion of watery glands, which come 
out when the plant is growing in a damp hotbed in the spring. The 
cure is to sponge every leaf as soon as it is fully formed, and again 
when the plant is showing for bloom. It does little harm beyond the 
bad looks. The best way to train Tecoma velutina is the way which 
the owner of it likes best. It is immaterial to the well-doing of the 
plant which way it is trained. Gesnera Donkelarii grows from leaves 
and parts of leaves like the Gloxinia, and better if taken off before the 
plant throws up for bloom. We are not sure if it seeds, but it looks as 
if it would ; at all events it is a most beautiful plant, that is to say, 
when the plant is done well, as Mr. Glendinning did it f«r the shows. 
Wild Bees (Morano).— We believe it to be quite impossible to 
domesticate any of our wild bees : we speak in the plural, for there are 
many species. You will find full information relative to all of them in 
Kirby’s Monographia Apum Anglice. There is no queen among any of 
our wild species. You have no right to keep other people’s pigeons be¬ 
cause some of your own have left, any more than you would be justified 
in keeping another man’s wife because your own had eloped. 
Boiler (IF. 0. D.). —No doubt the one you mention would fully 
answer your purpose. It is Veronica Andersonii. 
Name of Orchid (H. M. D.). — An Eria, and if the flower was 
taken from an upright spike issuing from the bottom of the plant it is 
Eria stellata. 
Linum grandiflorum rubrum ( M . H., Elm Park).— It seems to 
be the true, but was parched up, and so was the Scarlet Geranium. 
Such things can only travel safely in damp moss in a tin box. Your 
Tropseolum leaves were ravaged by the red spider. More moisture and 
flowers of sulphur are your remedy ; but if the whole of the leaves arc in 
such a state cut down the plants and burn them. 
Galvanic Battery (A Schoolboy). — This is quite out of our 
sphere. 
Bee Traps (An Apiarian of a Year). — We have no means of ex¬ 
plaining it more fully than it is explained in our “ Bee-keeping for the 
Many.” Say what special explanation you need. 
Pear Leaves Grub-eaten (IF. Shore). — The dark blotches on 
the leaves are caused by the grubs of a small smoth, Argymoryges Cler- 
kella, or Pear-leaf Miner. We know of no cure. To prevent their re¬ 
currence collect the leaves in autumn and burn them, for on them are 
the eggs deposited. 
Names of Geraniums (A. B .).— Diadematum rubescens, alias 
erubescens, and Pelargonium holosericeum, the latter having the most 
silky velvet-like touch of leaf of all the Geranium race—a very scarce 
old kind. If all that are in cultivation of that race could be gathered 
into one garden or nursery, with a dozen or two that might be easily 
had from the Cape, and our present skill let loose among them, new 
gems surpassing our present jewels might shortly be expected. 
i ■■■■ ■ ' ■ !■■■■ —— a in ■■■urn —————i — — 
THE POULfRY CHRONICLE. 
POULTRY SHOWS. 
July 20 th. Royal Agricultural Society. Salisbury. The Ex¬ 
hibition will be open to the public on the 22nd. 
July 28th, 29 th, and 30th. Sheffield, South Yorkshire, and 
North Derbyshire. Sec., William Henry Dawson, Fig Tree 
Lane, Sheffield. 
August 8 th, 10th, 11th, and 12th. Crystal Palace. See., W. 
Houghton. Entries close on the 11th of July. 
August 19 . Bridlington. Sec., Mr. Thomas Cape. 
Aug. 29 th. Calder Vale. Sec., W. Irvine, Esq., Holmefield, Halifax. 
September 2 nd. Dewsbury. Sec., Harrison Brooke, Esq. 
September 7th, 8 th, 9 th, 10 th. Gloucester. Sec., Mr. H. Churchill, 
King’s Head Hotel. 
October 1 st and 2nd. Worcester. Sec., Mr. G. Griffiths, 7, St. 
Swithen Street, Worcester. Entries close Sept. 19th. 
October 7th. South West Middlesex Agricultural Society. 
At Gunnersbury Farm, Ealing. Sec., J. Gotelee, Hounslow. 
November 30th, and December 1 st, 2 nd, and 3rd. Birmingham. 
Sec., John Morgan. Entries close the 2 nd of November. 
December 16 th and 17 th. Nottinghamshire. Entries close No¬ 
vember 18th. Hon. Sec., Mr. R. Hawksley, jun., Southwell. 
December 30th and 31st. Burnley and East Lancashire. 
Entries close December 1 st. Secs., Angus Sutherland and Ralph 
Landless. 
January 4th, 1858. Kirkcaldy Poultry and Fancy Bird 
Show. Sec., Mr. Bonthron, jun., Thistle Street. 
January 9 th, 11 th, 12 th, and 13th, 1858. Crystal Palace. 
January 19 th, 20 th, 21 st, and 22 nd, 1858. Nottingham Central. 
Sec., Mr. Etherington, jun., Notintone Place, Sneinton, near Notting¬ 
ham. 
N.B .—Secretaries will oblige us by sending early copies of their lists. 
POLANDS WITH COMBS. 
I must again ask for a little space in your columns for the 
purpose of speaking on the Polands. The predominant 
idea in “ Perruquier’s ” and “ C. E. C.’s ” letters seems to 
be a wonder that Mr. Williams and I should have the pre¬ 
sumption to dispute “ a decision arrived at and acquiesced 
in by all, or nearly all, the best breeders and exhibitors in 
England.” No doubt our audacity is unparalleled, but still 
we cannot help showing it. 
I will grant you that all the prize-taking Polands, nay, 
three-quarters of the Polands in England are combless, 
