THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, September 1, 1857. 3-11 
the minds of those ladies and gentlemen who, with a 
constant desire to widen the objects of their gratifica¬ 
tion, insist on a given amount of labour, whatever the 
period or the emergencies, the propriety of allowing their 
gardener, if he is really one, the power to call in extra 
assistance when circumstances require it. It is even in 
gardening as in matters of warfare: one regiment, in 
the latter case, may sustain and enforce the public welfare 
in one year, but two may be required the next. Our 
great Duke, now gathered to his fathers, had a decided 
objection to a little war; and really,little gardening is a 
pitiful thing providing the emergency is great. 
I again, however, recommend strongly the use of the 
spade in July and August when weeds have become 
masters. In this case it must be remembered that, 
where garden crops are for the most part in drills 
running north and south, as they should be, and 
sufficient room is allowed between the drills for culture, 
the spade performs a kind of summer fallow. But 
more may be said on this head. Who can determine 
the number of depredatory insects or their eggs that 
are destroyed by such a course of burying ? That 
it is of a more extensive character than is commonly 
imagined I am thoroughly persuaded, and in this 
respect our agriculturists may, if they please, take a 
hint: wliat holds good in the garden as to general 
principles is mostly equally valid in the farm. And 
shall we not leave a margin for the destruction of 
numerous fungi also ? Doubtless we may. 
R. Errington. 
SHORT CULTURAL NOTES FOR WINDOW 
GARDENERS. 
(Continued from page 327.) 
Nemophila insignis. —If this beautiful blue annual is 
sown in poor sandy soil in September out of doors it may 
be potted in March, and will form a fine feature in the 
window in April and May; if in pots in winter it must be 
kept cool and rather dry. In spring and summer, though 
requiring plenty of water, the collar of the plant should be 
dry. Placed in a neat basket and suspended few things 
are more beautiful in the spring and early summer months. 
Orange (Citrus aurantium ).— I am induced to notice this 
from seeing some nice plants of wild Orange, the Otaheite 
and the Mandarin , in a small farmer’s window. The young 
lasses sowed the seeds of the common Orange, and got so 
many plants they did not know what to do with them ; but 
they were assisted in grafting several with the kinds men¬ 
tioned above, keeping them until they had taken in their 
brother’s Cucumber frame, and proud they are of them 
now. They are grown in rich sandy loam, have plenty of 
air after April, and in June on to the end of September 
have a sheltered, somewhat shady, though not a sunless spot 
out of doors. In the intermediate months they stand in 
the windows of a large living room, and are generally well 
supplied with bloom in spring, especially the Otaheite . The 
leaves are sponged several times in winter. 
Ornithogalum. —It would be next to impossible to make 
a selection of these pretty Stars of Bethlehem, they are all 
such pretty small bulbs. Fibry, sandy loam with a little heath 
soil will grow them well. They want plenty of water when 
growing and blooming, and none at all when the leaves have 
turned yellow. 
Oxaeis Bowiei. —Many of these have been incidentally 
mentioned. Perhaps none is more interesting than Bowiei , 
with its large crimson flowers and fine green foliage, the 
flower-stalks rising, when supported, from a foot and upwards. 
When treated as a window plant it will bloom best in the 
late summer and autumn months. As soon as the flowering 
is over lessen water, but give a little so long as the leaves 
remain green. When yellowish refrain altogether, and place 
the pots where they will be dry and free from frost until 
they begin to shoot next spring ; then remove a portion of 
the surface soil, water, top dress with rich sandy loam 
and heath soil, and place the plants in the light, either in 
the window or in a cold pit, until they come into bloom. 
Water will be needed frequently as they require it, and 
plentifully when in bloom. In potting afresh place from 
eight to twelve strong bulbs, about three inches or so from 
the surface, in a six or eight-inch pot. 
Passielora CiERULEA.— This is one of the hardiest of the 
Passion-flowers, and as far north as the midland counties 
we have seen it festoon the outside of a window by being 
planted in the border or balcony outside. I have also seen 
it grow in a box inside, and part of the stems taken out in 
summer, when it flourished both outside and inside. Fibry 
loam and sandy peat grow it well. It wants little water in 
winter, but abundance in summer. When once established 
it should be pruned close back to within a bud or two of the 
main stem or stems every winter, as it blooms on the shoots 
from these buds of the current year. 
Pelargonium. — Under this head I include the whole 
group of Geraniums generally cultivated in windows, and, to 
be as clear and concise as possible, -will separate them into 
several groups, merely premising that the whole may be 
raised from cuttings from the end of March to the end of 
August. New varieties of all kinds may also be raised from 
seed sown in pans as soon as ripe, or, as saving room in 
winter to window gardeners, kept dry over the winter, sown 
in March or April, and be near the fireplace until up; 
then placed in the light, pricked off, put separately into 
small pots, and grown there until they bloom, as the smaller 
the pot, other things being equal, the sooner will the seed¬ 
ling bloom; and then you can give it more room if you 
think it worth it. 
1. Scarlet Geraniums. — Propagate at any time from 
spring to autumn indoors. In July and August they will 
strike freely out of doors, either planted in sandy soil in a 
border, placed in boxes, or separately, each cutting in a 
small pot. When thus treated do not drench with water, 
but syringe frequently after hot days, and do not fret if the 
point of the cutting hangs its head a little. Leave but a few 
small leaves, and this lessens the evaporating surface. The 
succulence of the cutting will enable it to absorb a little 
moisture as well as perspire it. All these cuttings must be 
kept from frost, have a fair portion of light, and a suffi¬ 
ciency of fresh air and water during the winter. The cut¬ 
tings may range from two inches and a half to three inches 
and a half in length, and stubby side-shoots are the best. 
These will bloom strongly and freely next season, but in 
general not nearly so freely as plants ranging from one to 
six or more years of age, and which will stand much rougher 
treatment in winter. I have had pots and boxes of scarlets 
never shifted for many years, and thus they were treated. 
About October, though kept full in the sun, little or no 
water was given them. In November or the end of Octo¬ 
ber every leaf was stripped off, and the plants were placed 
in a shed or loft where frost could not get at them, a little 
dry hay, or anything of that sort, being placed over them as 
occasion required. About the middle of March they would 
begin to bud, when they must have more light, and as they 
progressed a little water. Then the surface soil was re¬ 
moved, and fresh rich loam as a top dressing substituted. 
Before the leaves got large the plants were placed in the 
window, or under a similarly favourable position, and in¬ 
doors or out of doors they were a mass of bloom from June 
onwards. A little pruning, removing dead flowers and 
leaves, plenty of water, and manure water at times, kept 
them on thus until October, when they were prepared again 
for their winter quarters. 
2. The Nosegay section of scarlets may be similarly 
treated, only they will not bear being so dry in winter, nor 
yet kept in a dark position so long. 
3. The large florist Pelargoniums may bo treated the 
same as respects propagating, &c., in July and August, 
saving much trouble; but neither young plants nor old 
plants can endure dryness or darkness in winter. Old 
plants can only be kept nice by an annual pruning back, 
which should take place when the plants have done 
flowering, and have stood out of doors some weeks to 
harden the stems, and little or no more water given than 
will just keep the leaves from flagging. You must then 
cut back the young shoots freely according to the form you 
wish your plants ultimately to assume. Cuttings of the 
well-ripened stems farthest removed from the flowering 
