THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, February 9, 1858. 
301 
been for a small house where I grew Fleming’s Hybrid, trained 
to the rafters, and which fruited profusely, T should have 
been very badly off indeed. Last summer, especially, my 
Melons in frame were mostly attacked by a kind of dry rot at 
the collar of the stem, which became nearly white, dry, and 
powdery ; and in a few days the leaves withered; and none 
of the fruit which were then swelling came to maturity. 
What was it ? I wonder whether Dr. Beck would give us an 
outline of his method of the culture and pruning of the Melon; 
as also the names of the six best kinds, both green and yellow, 
numbered according to their excellence—No. 1 going for the 
best—and thus confer an immense obligation on—I talicus,” 
Ballymahon. 
[There is nothing more in Dr. Beck’s treatment of his 
Melons than what we have already supplied. The whole 
secret is this:—Dr. Beck attends to his Melons; and he 
understands them better than nine-tenths of our best gar¬ 
deners. He only grows the superior varieties of the netted 
Egyptian greenfleshed Melon : at least, he prefers that section. 
At the present moment there is not a better-flavoured Melon 
in Europe than the true old Egyptian green-fleshed ; but it 
is, like the true Golden Pippin, in very few hands at present. 
We tasted the true kind last summer from the original stock, 
which was introduced by the Horticultural Society many 
years ago. The disease in your Melons is well known in 
England; and, like the Potato disease, no one knows the 
cause or cure.] 
\ - 
I 
GREENHOUSE CLIMBER WITH STEM OUTSIDE 
—COLLODION FOR PLANT WOUNDS. 
“ I should be much obliged if you would recommend me 
any climbing plants whose roots may be put outside a green- 
( house, and the stems and foliage brought inside in the same 
way as Vines. 
“ Have any of your contributors tried the virtues of col¬ 
lodion ? Last spring I used it for covering the wounds of 
a young Vine when pruned, and the effect was marvellous in 
the growth of the leaves and stem, though the Vine was too 
, young to bear fruit.”—S. H. 
[ Tacsonia pimiatislipula, Mandevilla suaveolens , Passiflora 
ccerulea , and P. coerulea racemosa , and many others, would 
answer; but there would be no necessity for taking their 
stems out, as, when once established, you could prune back 
1 in autumn. In planting outside, however, care would have 
, to be taken that the stems were secured from frost. Little 
boxes, six inches square, and packed with sawdust, would be 
; sufficient for the purpose. The climbers would also bloom 
more freely if the roots were confined to a warm border—say 
from two to three feet wide, and well drained; and that 
narrow border might be easily protected from frost in winter. 
We have little practical experience of collodion. We sus¬ 
pect your Vine would have been strong without it.] 
ASPECT FOR GREENHOUSE—REMOVING PLANTS 
—COIL BOILER. 
“I intend erecting a small lean-to greenhouse, but have 
only the choice of two positions for it, viz., to face E.S.E., or 
S.SVV.; the latter will be the most convenient. Please say 
which will answer best. 
“ I %all be obliged to change my present residence in 
March next—say about the 20th. My flower beds are filled 
with bulbs of various sorts, such as Tulips, Hyacinths, 
Crocuses, Anemones, &c.; also Roses. Will you be kind 
enough to inform me if I can remove them then without 
much injury? and if so, how ? 
“ I have heard of an ‘ experimental coil boiler,’ and should 
imagine it is a good sort. Can you tell me where I can pro¬ 
cure one ? or any information respecting it ?”—R. F. G. 
[There is little difference: the S. S.W. is, if anything, the 
best; only you may require some shading on bright after¬ 
noons in summer. 
Take up all your bulbs when the foliage decays ; and keep 
them, when dried, in a dry place until March. Common 
single Anemones may be transplanted in March; but may 
also be kept dry until then : they will not bloom so strong. 
Roses may be transplanted then without danger: only, if 
taking them far, wrap the roots in puddle, or damp moss. 
Mr. Thomson, of Dalkeith, has invented a small boiler, 
with coiled pipes, through which gas can pass; and, there¬ 
fore, being heated by gas, we have no doubt it will answer for 
very small places. There is nothing new in this application 
of gas. The propagating case, so rightly recommended by 
Mr. Beaton, is so heated. Perkins, also, used a coil of pipes 
for his boiler; the coil being placed in the fire-place. We do 
not at present recollect coiled pipes for a boiler in any other 
direction. Perkins’ pipes were in the fire; Mr. Thomsons, of 
course, are in the water ; and the water heated by the heat from 
the gas-burners passing through them.] 
Salvia Nemorosa. —This fine purple Sage, so highly re¬ 
commended recently for bees by your correspondent, and 
advertised for sale in the October number of The Cottage 
Gardener, was raised from seed, transmitted to the Bury 
Botanic Garden from Gottingen, labelled Salvia nemorosa; 
being also recorded by that name in Loudon’s “ Encyclopaedia 
of Plants.” It is well adapted for a bedding plant, growing 
eighteen inches high, and producing a succession of flowers 
until late in the autumn.—N. S. H., Bury St. Edmund’s . 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Work on Gardening ( A Banker ).—You will find all you mention 
in the “ Garden Manual,” published at our office. 
Gas Light (A. Z .).—It will he injurious to the climber, and all the 
other plants in your greenhouse, unless a tube be fixed over it to carry 
the noxious vapours arising from the burnt gas into the air outside. 
Photographic Apparatus {Inquirer). —A good and complete set of 
apparatus can be purchased for the sum you mention. The following 
prices ;are extracted and arranged from a trade catalogue. Our in¬ 
structions for amateurs, will shortly be issued in a pamphlet form. You 
will there find all the details of manipulation. £ s. d. 
Sliding body, Honduras mahogany Camera, with one single 
back, two inner frames, (one for pictures 5 inches by 4 
inches, the other for 2£ inches by 2 inches), and focussing 
glass. For pictures, 64 inches by 4f inches. 1 8 0 
Half-size single Achromatic Lens, 21 inches in diameter 
(diaphragmmed to j inch opening, for pictures, inches 
by 4£ inches, with rack and pinion adjustment, stop, and 
attachment ring . 1 15 0 
One twelve-groove Plate Box, for plates, 2£ inches by 2 
inches, at Is. One ditto, 5 inches by 4 inches, at 2s. 0 3 0 
Two porcelain lipped Dishes, one 8 inches by 6 inches, at Is. 
One 10 inches by 7£ inches, at Is. M . 0 2 3 ■ 
Slab of | inch sheet glass, 12 inches by 9 inches (ground 
edges). 0 10 
Gutta Percha vertical dipping Bath, 7f inches by 5j inches, 
at 3s. Glass dipper for ditto, 6 d . 0 3 6 
Second-size mahogany tripod Camera Stand . 0 10 6 
Printing Frame, with hinged back, 8 inches by Clinches ... 0 6 3 
Two dozen Patent Glass Plates, 2£ inches by 2 inches, at 
8d. One ditto Crown ditto, 5 inches by 4 inches, at Is. ... 0 2 4 
Two quires Salted Positive Paper, 11 inches by 9 inches, 
at Is. 0 2 0 
Universal joint Head Best. 0 4 6 
One quire White Blotting Paper, Is. 0 10 
£ 4 19 4 
Buy each article separately, and don’t be swindled into purchasing 
“ a complete apparatus packed and sent to any part of the kingdom.” 
Many, by so doing,;have been induced to throw up a noble art in 
disgust.— Edward A. Copland, Bellefield, Chelmsford. 
Botanical Terms ( Scolopendrium ).— Henslow’s “ Dictionary of 
Botanical Terms,” published by Groombridge and Sons, will suit you. 
Scalebrosum means “ uneven.” There is a variety of Scolopendrium 
vulgare, called sinuosum; and scalebrosum, is a sub-variety of this. 
It is not a good plan to put flowers of sulphur on slaked quick-lime for 
fumigating. The heat is too great. 
Cottage Gardener’s Dictionary {L. T.). —No appendix has been 
published. A second edition has appeared. 
Sewage ( Vectis).— You may apply it undiluted to fruit trees, and the 
kitchen garden. Water Asparagus weekly with it in summer. 
Cucumber Frame {C. Rosa). —We have something like a recollection 
of answering a batch of such inquiries, and soliciting a return of informa¬ 
tion how the questioner succeeded. It is a sort of retrograde movement, 
to choose between paper and canvass for Cucumber sashes in these days, 
and more especially after having the means of heating by a flue. No doubt 
you may grow good Cucumbers in the way you propose, more especially 
if you do not sow until about March. Of the two materials, we would pre¬ 
fer stout thin-bleached calico, made waterproof with oil, &c. Before 
getting your material, would it not be worth while to look at the adver¬ 
tising columns, and see for how little money, Mr. Phillips for instance, 
would let you have fifty or sixty square feet of glass, varying alike 
according to the size of square; and then, if you have plenty of heat, you 
