THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Apeil 5, 1859. 
7 
Of course, only flowers with six, seven, eight, or more petals, or 
the stamens transformed into petals, or with any other indication 
of a predisposition to produce double flowers, should be allowed 
to remain upon the plant. 
I have heard it said, that the Double Primrose, if planted in 
poor soil, will return to the single state. I have tried, but never 
could accomplish this ; my object was to endeavour to get these 
double flowers with duly-formed seed-vessels, and pistilum to 
enable me to impregnate it, and get seed from it. The double 
varieties are so fully double, that seed-vessel, stamen, aud pistilum, 
are all converted into petals ; and thus, failing in these organs, the 
flowers are so much more enduring than the single ones, in which, 
as soon as the ovarum is impregnated, the petals are gradually 
deprived of their nutriment. 
Elowers, not "pin-headed,” are difficult to cross, as it is a 
tedious operation to cut out, with scissors, the stamens before 
the pollen has been scattered. I tried many experiments, some 
years ago, and found that the whole of the corolla, with the stamens, 
might be amputated without diminishing the power to perfect 
seed. But, for the sake of doubling, this cannot be recommended ; 
for, as the stamens grow from the tube of the corolla, no doubt 
the petals must have some effect to confer. Besides, as the object 
is to induce the greatest predisposition to multiply both growth 
and number of petals, these should be given all encouragement, 
and several of the pips removed, so that the few remaining may have 
no stint of the requisites for their development.— W. Woolee, 
Geneva House, Darlington. 
A HUMBLE BUT EFFECTUAL PEOPAGATING 
APPAEATUS. 
A short time ago I was turning over some of your back volumes, 
and met with a communication from an invalid lady corre¬ 
spondent, giving an account of a cheap propagating apparatus 
which she could use in her sitting-room, her health preventing 
her going into the greenhouse. I determined to try the plan, 
and on consulting with my head gardener (my wife), we soon 
set to work. 
An old baking-tin, about eighteen inches by twelve, was looked 
up, and filled almost up to the rim with damp sand. In the 
sand we .set our cutting-pans, filled with a nice lot of young Ver¬ 
bena cuttings, which I had preserved in the greenhouse during 
the winter, and covered over with bell-glasses. We then placed 
the baking-tin, thus loaded, upon an old candle-box, with top 
and bottom removed, and underneath it we set a lamp, consist¬ 
ing of the common floating wick in pale seal oil. I then set two 
thermometers into the apparatus—one into the wet sand, and 
the other into the cutting-pan underneath the bell-glass, and 
soon found the former rise to 110°, and the latter from 00° to 
78°. I change the wick three times a day, putting in the last at 
ten p.m., and filling up with oil, which burns steadily till nine 
next morning, when I change the wick, add oil, and scrape oft 
any black that may have accumulated. 
Now for the result. This was done and set to work on 
March 16th ; and to-day (March 26th), I find that the cuttings 
have nearly all made beautiful roots, and look remarkably 
healthy and well. 
The cost is hardly Id. a day, as a pint of seal oil can be 
bought for 6d., and will last about five days. 
I may also add, that after having potted off the cuttings,I 
put them into a little box with a tin bottom, in damp sand. I 
find I can obtain a nice steady heat, of about 66°, by placing 
another lamp at a greater distance from the bottom.—A Sub¬ 
scriber. 
WILD MUSHEOOMS IN MAECH. 
Having from time to time noticed many curious things in 
The Cottage Gardener, and Mushrooms in March in the 
open ground being, I think, very unusual, I beg to say, that, for 
the last three weeks, I have been gathering them in the meadows 
here in considerable quantities—some days I have gathered as 
many as half a gallon (which I did this morning, March 28th), 
from three to five inches in diameter, equal in flavour to the 
regular autumn-grown ones. No one, that I have spoken to (not 
even " the oldest inhabitant ”), having ever remembered such an 
occurrence, I have thought it worth mentioning, should you deem 
it worth notice. Another curious fact is, they grow at quite 
different places than I have ever seen any grow before; having 
been in the habit of gathering them here for the last twenty years. 
— G. Jenner, St. Julian's, Sevenoaks, Kent. 
FEUITS ADAPTED TO THE YAEIOUS 
LOCALITIES OF GEE AT BEIT AIN. 
(Continued from Vol. XXI., page 402.) 
GEAPES. 
Canon Hall Muscat. —This differs from its parent, 
the Muscat of Alexandria, in having better-set and more 
tapering hunches, and rather larger and longer berries. 
The vine is of more robust growth, and the flowers have 
six, and sometimes seven, stamens ; but the fruit is not so 
highly flavoured as Muscat of Alexandria. 
Catawba (Arkansas; Catawba Tolcay ; Lebanon Seed¬ 
ling ; Heel Murrey; Singleton). —Bunches medium sized, 
shouldered. Berries medium sized, round. Skin thick, 
pale red, becoming a deeper colour as it ripens, and 
covered with a lilac bloom. Flesh somewhat glutinous, 
juicy, sweet, and musky. A popular American dessert 
grape, and used also for wine. It is very productive, and 
very hardy. 
Champion Hamburgh. See Rlaclc Champion. 
Chaptal. —Bunches large. Berries large and round, 
inclining to oval. Skin white. Flesh juicy and sweet. 
This is a new French grape of excellent quality, well 
adapted for a cool vinery, when it ripens about the middle 
of September. The vine is a great hearer, and, accord¬ 
ing to Mr. Eivers, is well adapted for pot culture. 
Charlesworth Tokay. — This is very much like Mus¬ 
cat of Alexandria. Some consider it quite distinct, hut I 
have as yet failed to observe wherein it differs. If it is dis¬ 
tinct, it is not sufficiently so to make two varieties of them. 
Chasselas. See Royal Muscadine. 
Chasselas Blanc. See Royal Muscadine. 
Chasselas Bleue de Windsor. See Rsperione. 
Chasselas Doree. See Royal Muscadine. 
Chasselas Duhahel. —This is, in all respects, very 
much like Chasselas Yibert, and was raised in the same 
batch of seedlings. Mr. Eivers describes it to me as a 
fine, large, amber-coloured Sweetwaterdike sort, which is 
likely to prove very valuable. He imported it for the 
first time into this country three or four years ago. 
Chasselas de Falloux (Chasselas Rose deFalloux ).— 
Bunches long and compact. Berries large, round, and 
somewhat flattened. Skin tough, of a pale yellow colour 
at first, but gradually changing to a pale red. Flesh firm, 
juicy, sweet, and refreshing, with a distinct musky flavour. 
The vine is a great bearer, and well suited for pot culture. 
The fruit ripens in September in an ordinary vinery. 
Chasselas de Fontainbleau. See Royal Muscadine. 
Chasselas Musque (Josling's St. Albans; Muscat 
Fleur d’Orange; Muscat de Jesus; Muscat Primavis ; 
Pascal Musquec; Totcai Musque). — Bunches long, 
tapering, rather loose, and shouldered. Berries above 
medium size, round. Skin greenish-white, changing to 
pale amber when highly ripened, and covered with a 
delicate white bloom.' Flesh firm, rich, sugary, and with 
a high Muscat flavour. A most delicious grape of first- 
rate quality. It may be grown cither in a cool or warm 
vinery; but the berries are very liable to crack, unless 
the vine is growing in a shallow border, and the roots 
are kept moderately dry when the fruit is ripening. It 
is rather an early variety, and ripens in a vinery in the 
beginning of September. 
Chasselas de Negrepont. See Negropont Chasselas. 
Chasselas Panache. See Aleppo. 
Chasselas Eose de Falloux. See Chasselas de Falloux. 
Chasselas Eouge Fonce.— This was introduced by 
