THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Decembeb 1, 1857. 
135 
the lower one lying on the wall; the upper one set up the 
distance before mentioned, by supports every six feet. Upon 
this plate the rafters are fixed. Between these plates on the 
inside, I place pieces of three-quarter-inch w r ood, two 
inches and a half wide, two inches apart; this gives the 
appearance of alternate openings and blanks. I have a 
frame of a corresponding shape held to the wall-plates 
by elates, having runners on them. By moving thi3 two inches 
and a quarter, I can either open or close the ventilators: 
this I effect simply by a pulley and an endless cord. The plan 
I adopted for supporting my purline without upright pillars 
(which are always in the way), is to have tension rods fixed 
to tho top and bottom of the rafters, (every six feet), and 
having on the under side of the purfino a five-eight screw, 
eight-inches long, upon which a nut acts upon the tension 
rods ; by which means the purlines can be lifted up, making 
the roof as firm as possible ; so that men may get about it 
in any way without the least settlement. By this I think you 
will see that two other important points are gained, viz., a 
clear space in the centre ot the house, and equal ventilation 
the whole length.” —W. Yottngman: 
[We are much obliged for your interesting communications. 
The idea of the purline rod is a very good one. In the case 
of a greenhouse, such a rod would also do admirably tor sup¬ 
porting creepers. Your mode of giving air at the back i3 a 
good one, so far as giving it equally is concerned ; and you 
can regulate it from the one-eighth of an inch, to the full 
width of two inches ; alternating with two inch and a half 
closed space, all along the back of the house. We presume 
your roof is fixed ; and if there be neglect in giving air early, 
you will hardly have air enough; as, when all the ventilators 
are fully open, you will have little more than five inches out 
of the twelve-inch opening. The mode you have adopted 
is the same we have seen successfully used, instead oi glass 
windows, for fight and ventilation to stables and cowhouses. 
In this latter case, the sliding-frame is easily moved by the 
hand. You will easily manage yours with pulfies : but the 
question is, will another man or boy, of no ; great experience, 
manage them as well as yourself ? and will there be no danger 
of the slides, &c., getting out of order ? Altogether, though 
obliged for the hint, we think it is rather intricate than simple. 
In such a building as yours, and with double wall-plates, we 
should prefer a stout inch board, long, and wide enough to 
fill each space, swung on pivots, the pivots being a little 
higher than the middle of the board. The lower half of the 
board would thu 3 be heavier than the upper part; and a bit 
of lead fastened to it, would make it heavier still; so that, 
when left to itself, the board would become perpendicular, 
shutting up the opening. A string and pulley in the centre, 
at the top of the board, would pull the top of the board 
towards you ; and by means of a pin to loop the string to, you 
could give a little ah; or open it so as to have nearly eleven 
inches in width, or double what you would obtain by your 
mode. In cold weather, the draught of air would not be so 
keen, as by your method, by so many openings ; at least, wo 
think so. We are, however, much obliged for your kindness, 
and should be glad to hear how your mode answers.] 
REMOVING LARGE HOLLIES, AND AUSTRIAN 
PINES.—HOLLY CUTTINGS. 
« Be kind enough to inform me the best time for removing 
large Hollies. Will not November and December do, yhen 
the weather is dry and open, providing the plants have fine 
balls ? 
“ When is the best time to put in cuttings of the same ? 
“Would large plants of the Austrian Pine remove well 
now ? Is there much difference between a Seotch Pine and 
an Austrian Pine ? ”— Joseph Lahgley. 
[From the 5th to the 20th of September is the best time to 
remove Hollies. The last ten days in May are a better time 
to remove large Hollies than the first ten days of December, 
January, February, March, or April. Wet weather i3 better 
than dry weather for removing trees in all seasons. 
Holly cuttings never root, put in during any month. 
Large plants of the Austrian Pine are the most difficult to 
transplant of all the Conifers ; and you will kill yours if you 
attempt to move them. If your plants are of the kinds from 
tho Black Forest of the Tyrol, you will see little difference 
between them, at present, and some kinds of Scotch Fir. 
The Scotch Fir assumes a dozen forms under twenty or thirty j 
years of age; but finally will all run into two distinct kinds—• 
the white and the red, or Braemar Forest Pine. You may 
try the Hollies now ; but you will lose one-half of them.] 
CUTTING DOWN A HOLLY HEDGE. 
“ I have a Holly hedge four feet high ; and, on account of \ 
its hiding the prospect from the house, I want to reduce it 
to two feet. Were I to cut it dow r n, would it injure tho 
growth ? If not, what time would be best ? It is rather 
naked at the bottom.”— Gkeenish. 
[A Holly hedge four feet high and bare at the bottom 
must have been very badly managed. If it were fourteen feet 
high, and beginning to get bare at the bottom, one might 
pass an examination on it before learned critics ; but there is 
no leg to stand on in this case. Do not mention it; but make 
up your mind between this and the end of next April to cut it 
down then, and not till then, to within one foot of the surface 
of the ground, and cut all the plants with an upward cut. 
Then clear the grass and weeds from eighteen inches on each 
side of it. Stir the ground then, with a fork, about three 
inches deep, and pick out the roots and weeds. After that, 
put on two or three inches of fresh soil, and mulch it with 
any kind of fitter, just to keep a cool bottom ; and in June 
and July give it three or four heavy waterings ; and voir will 
soon have the finest start for a Holly hedge in England. At 
the end of twelve months go over it, and cut back all the 
strong, upright, young shoots to one-half then* length; and 
trim the side-shoots at the end of June. Do so yearly, till 
the hedge is “ As you like it,” and then keep it down to your 
liking.] 
MULCHING WITH COCOA-NUT FIBRE. 
“In June last I covered my Rhododendron beds with 
Cocoa-nut fibre, according to the suggestions in your paper. 
Will you be good enough to tell me what I should do with 
them for the winter ? Should I leave the fibre on the beds 
untouched, or rake it off, and put it under cover lor use next 
year ? Or should the fibre be dug into the beds ?”—-M. H.B. 
[Let the Cocoa-nut fibre mulching remain on the plants as 
it is till the end of March, then chaw it off carefully. A little 
of the soil of the bed taken with it will be better than to lose a 
morsel of the dust. To every bushel of this add two bushels 
of some strong loam, so as to make a good, universal compost 
for all pot plants. Turn and mix this, mix and turn it, pound 
and thump, and beat it with tho back of the spade. Then 
and there your compost is fit to pot Golden Chains ; but, be¬ 
fore pitting, send up to the mills and get a fresh supply lor 
the Rhododendrons. And while the thing is to be had so 
cheap, just put on double the quantity this year, and never 
take off’ more than half the depth again.] 
NOTES ABOUT THE DOCTOR. 
“ My worthy friend, the village doctor, was more delighted 
than words can express when he read that his health hacl 
been really drunk in London; and he says that next summer, 
if at a alive, he must go and see the wonders which have 
sprung up in London since he last w r as there, viz., the Crystal 
Palace and the Experimental Garden; this last, especially, he 
is most anxious to inspect, as he intends to bring home many 
a wrinkle from it. Nothing could surpass the loveliness oi 
the doctor’s garden the past summer — such a display ot 
colours! Yet some of the new beds, which he had hoped 
most from, did not turn out as well as he expected. One, 
for instance, filled with blue Nolana, edged with a large pink 
Verbena. But then, just next to it, was a bed planted with 
Tom Thumb Geranium, and white Petunias, mixed; and a 
more lovely contrast I never witnessed. There was, also, a 
bed of white Petunias, edged with Tom Thumbs; very lovely, 
but not equal to the one where they w r ere mixed.. Lut the 
bed which, more than any other, elicited the praise of the 
ladies for the time it continued in perfection, was a cnculai 
one, planted with the largest Asters I ever saw* in shades ot 
