THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, December 8, 1857. 
chapel and all other necessary accompaniments to such a 
huge establishment. Now for the gardener and the gardens. 
•—D. Ferguson. 
(To loe continued.) 
SABBATIA CAMPESTEIS. 
In The Cottage Gardener of the 24th inst., we observe 
a slightly incorrect statement regarding the Sabbatia campes- 
trie. Under the heading of “New and Rare Plants,” it is 
stated to have been first imported by Mr. W. Thompson, of 
Ipswich, whereas, tee received it from our Text an Correspond¬ 
ent in the years 1851-2, together with the beautiful variety of 
Lupin, known as Lupinus subcarnosus. We believe that 
both these seeds were introduced into this country, first, by 
Mr. James Drummond, the celebrated botanist, about the 
year 1836. Your kind attention to this will greatly oblige.— 
James Caetee and Co., 238, Sigh Solborn. 
[The mistake is not ours, but Sir W. Hooker’s. He 
says, this Sabbatia is “little known even in its native 
countries, Arkansas and the Red River (where it was first 
detected by the venerable Nuttall), New Orleans and Texas 
(where it was discovered by Mr. James Drummond). Lind- 
heimer also found it in Texas, in 1843 ; and it is No. 120 of 
fas. 1, of his “ Elora Texana.” We owe the introduction of 
this pretty annual to Mr. W. Thompson, of Ipswich, through 
a correspondent in Germany in 1855.”— Ed. C. G.] 
STOEIFYING versus COLLATERAL HIVES. 
Ie Mr. M’Lellan thinks the Collateral Hive superior to the 
Storifying one, I hope he will not object to a trial of the two 
hives, by accepting a friendly challenge to test their merits 
next season, side by side; which, I think, can be done very 
easily, by meeting halfway, either at Mullinsham Inn, or any 
other place he may name, and I will make arrangements with 
him, either by way of letter, or through the pages of The 
Cottage Gaedeneb, as to time and place of meeting. Now, 
if Mr. M’Lellan wishes to see the Storifying Hive managed on 
the Stewarton system, he will never have a better opportunity, 
and I may say, will have no cause to regret his trouble; as, 
very probably, I shall have a person in the trams of my hand- 
barrow who will be able to give him more information on the 
practical management of the honey bee, than all the books he 
has read on their management.— Alex. Eerguson, Stewarton ; 
[It is curious that rural bee-keepers cannot always tnix 
honey with then* ink, but write sometimes as if with a sting. 
—Ed. C. G.] 6 
CATALPA SEEDING. 
I AM not aware of the Catalpa having ever ripened its seeds 
in England, and I know it is but seldom that it produces 
any ; but, this year, a tree in the grounds here has upon it a 
great number of seed-pods of a peculiar construction, which, 
I fear, will not ripen; but I do not remember ever seeing 
any such before; and from the construction of the flower 
(a loose, open raceme), I should not have expected such a 
seed-vessel to follow as the one that has done so. The soil 
the tree grows on is a dry, stony one; and, no dotibt, its 
wood is well ripened each autumn ; as, at the present time, its 
leaves are all fallen, although the seed-vessels still retain their 
hold. I may add, that the tree is aft open standard, not 
very large, but prolific in flowers; and at the season when it 
is out, it certainly is the handsomest of all our flowering trees 
or shrubs, not even excepting the Althcea frut ex. The seed- 
vessel is a long, cylinder-shaped pod, with no perceptible 
marking where it opens ; and being, generally, perfectly straight, 
from six inches to a foot long, very much resembles a black- 
lead pencil, being about that thickness. 
I find some young trees have also seed-pods on them, as 
well as the larger one in question ; and I have no doubt but 
many things will have perfected their seeds this year, which 
only occasionally do so; but I do not expect the Catalpa to 
accomplish this, as the late period at which it flowers leaves 
little hopes of its being done in England,—J, Robson, 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
rnUi C ^I'n T1 h 0I:,I{A n Tn N , i (Titsford) .—Moving those plants “from a 
cold greenhouse,” without any preparation, into “ a very warm close 
stove was the cause of their leaves dying and looking- “as if 
scorched. Plants cannot be subjected with impunity to sudden and 
violent transitions of temperature. They must be gradually subjected 
to a higher or lower temperature, as the case may require 
Rhubarb borc1 * g ( X • L you refer to p. 16, 
No. 472, of the present volume, you will find directions for forcing 
sea-kale ; and the same are applicable to Rhubarb. If vou need fuller 
directions, buy our “ Kitchen Gardening for the Many.” 
Turf over-salted (J. J. 7b).—Though turnedbrow : n it will probably 
revive. You say you gave the turf “ a pickling ; ” which reminds us of 
another wise man, who, to manure his Potatoes, filled the dibble holes 
with salt after putting in the sets; they, therefore, had “ a pickling.” 
Three pounds of salt on thirty square yards would have been enough 
for your lawn, repeated once a week, in wet weather. Keep your 
bedding-out stuff in greenhouse, at from 40° to 45°. 
Orchard on gravelly Subsoil (7?. Moseley) .—We have an orchard 
from which we cut the grass two or three times annually; but the trees 
do not canker, and “ occasionally die dow r n,” as they do in your or¬ 
chard. When we planted, we spread out all the roots horizontally, 
cuttmg away all that bent obstinately downwards. Since then, we 
have manured the whole surface twice annually with liquid manure, so 
as to keep the surface rich, and thus tempt the roots upwards. Your 
trees have rooted into the gravel. 
Names of Plants ( Angus Mc Leod). —We think, but are not certain, 
that No. 1 is a variation of xLdiantumpubesccns. No. 2 is Lycopodium 
stoloniferum. Send us a specimen of No. 1, with fructification on it. 
( IV. C.).—Pilea muscosa, or Artillery Plant. The aphis was crushed; 
but tobacco fumigation will destroy it on your plants. ( John Young). 
—Your plant is Polygonum complexum.' (TV. TV. TV.). — Yours is 
Zauschneria Californica. (J. Farnsworth). — Your plant, as you 
surmise, belongs to the Natural Order of Nightshades, and is allied to 
Oestrum. It is 77 abrothamnus elegans. 
, Various (Alpha).—Gixe the brick front of the house two coatings of 
linseed oil, without any addition. It is excellent weather-proofing. 
Do not dig in guano and phosphate of lime until the spring. Time and 
exposure to the air will remove the smell of gas tar. We cannot advise 
about the gas lime without more particulars. 
Gas-light in Greenhouse (Stephens).— If you have a funnel and 
escape-pipe to carry into the open air the gases produced by the light, 
no injury will occur to your plants from them. Keep your light 
enclosed in an iron case; illuminating plants at night does them harm. 
Such case, also, will insure the gases going up the escape-pipe. 
POULTRY SHOWS. 
December 8th and 9th. Crewe. Secs., S. Sheppard and D. Margetts, 
Esqrs. Entries close November 26th. 
December 16th and 17th. Nottinghamshire. Entries close Novem¬ 
ber 18th. lion. Sec., Mr. R. Hawksley, jun., Southwell. 
December 30th and 31st. Burnley and East Lancashire. Entries 
close December 1st. Secs., Mr. Angus Sutherland and Mr. Ralph 
Landless. 
January 1st, 1858. Paisley. Poultry, Pigeons, and Eancy Birds. 
Sec., Mr. W. Houston, 14, Barr Street, Paisley. 
January 4th, 1858. Kirkcaldy. Poultry and Fancy Bird Show. 
Sec., Mr. Bonthron, jun., Thistle Street. 
January 9th, 11th, 12th and 13th, 1858. Crystal PAlace. Sec., Mr. 
W. Houghton. Entries close December 12th. 
January 13th and 14th, 1858. Dublin. Secs., T, M. Hutton and R. P. 
Williams, Esqrs., Council Rooms, 212, Great Brunswick Street. 
Entries close November 21st. 
January 20th, 21st and 22nd, 1858. Nottingham Central. Sec,, Mr. 
Etherington, jun., Notintone Place, Sneinton, near Nottingham. 
January 20th, 21st, and 22nd. Liverpool. Secs., G. W. Moss and 
W. C. Worrall, Esqrs. Entries close Dec. 19th. 
February 3rd and 4th, 1858. Preston and North Lancashire. 
Sees., Mr. R. Teebay and. Mr. II. Oakey, 25, Fishergate, Preston. 
Entries close January 16th. 
N.B .—Secretaries will oblige us by sending early copies of their lists. 
BIRMINGHAM POULTRY EXHIBITION. 
“ The ninth great annual Exhibition.” So runs the pro- 
graiftme of oftr present subject. It may well be called “ great,” 
for it is so ill reality. The additions have been gradual: first, a 
few pigs, and a little poultry; then, more pigs and more 
poultry; then cattle and sheep ; and theft roots being added j 
have made up the present Exhibition. 
The poultry belongs to US. It has often occurred to us t 
to ask ourselves, How many pens would have been shown if 
no restriction had been placed on the entries, and if the mere 
payment of so many shillings per pen would enable an ex¬ 
hibitor to send as many as he liked ? In the early days of 
Poultry Shows it w'fis not an uncommon thing for one per- j 
son to send forty pells ; and we have ourselves seen twelve in j 
One class, all the property of the same owner. Now, with ! 
the necessity of being a subscriber, and being limited to four j 
pens, the numbers to compete are 1299, exclusive of Pigeons; 
but for these arrangements the poultry would have required 
half the hall. While we rejoice at the support this Ex- 
