113 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTEY GENTLEMAN, Max 24, 1859. 
may be easily written upon with a quill. The best ink was lately mentioned. 
Some of the best Camellias'we have seen are under glass the whole year, 
with abundance of air in summer, especially after the spring growth is 
over. If it is necessary to take them out, they should stand in a place 
somewhat shaded at first; and they will be all the better for what rains 
fall on them, if not so heavy as to saturate and soak the soil too much. 
Wherever placed, the plants must not be allowed to get dry. Towards the 
middle and end of autumn they will enjoy all the sunshine possible; but it 
will be necessary, if the plants are out of doors, to avoid letting them 
get soaked with cold rains, or the soil in the pots getting too cooled in cold 
nights. The taking-out and keeping-in are chiefly questions of convenience 
and necessity. The plants will do well either way. 
Hkatiis (A Regular Subscriber). —Those in bloom should have the flowers 
removed when their beauty is over, he cleaned and slightly pruned, and 
kept rather close in a cold pit until fresh growth is proceeding, and then 
inured gradually to abundance of air and light—keeping the pots, however, 
shaded from the sun. Those growing so freely may yet bloom. We cannot 
say, as we do not know the kinds; and the different sections of Heaths do 
not require similar treatment at the same time. You cannot err, however, 
in giving these all the air and light possible now'; and if in very small 
pots, perhaps they may need more pot room. If these are housed in good 
time in autumn, never allowed to be either soaked with water, or too dry 
in winter, and are kept during that period free from frost, but in a sweet 
airy atmosphere, they are likely to bloom freely the next season. 
Bf.gonia Rex [Idem).— Except for a couple of months or so in the heat 
of the summer, you cannot manage Begonia rex. Gloxinias, and Aohimenes 
in the greenhouse. For the two first, even then, the house must be kept 
closer and moister than would suit greenhouse plants in general. We 
expect you will lose your Begonia altogether next winter. Your heat has 
been deficient. When the plants have plenty of heat, they must be kept 
rather moist when growing. 
Grubs destroying Strawberries [F. G. D.). —The grubs you have 
sent as destroying your Strawberry plants by gnawing the roots through 
and through, are the full-grown larvae of a common beetle belonging to the 
Weevil family, Otiorhyncus sulcatus. They are sufficiently large and con¬ 
spicuous to be easily seen; and we would recommend that the soil round 
the crown of the plants should be carefully removed an inch or two dee;), 
and search made for the larvae. Gas-tar water may also be applied round 
the roots with probable advantage. If now neglected, these grubs will 
soon enter the pupa state, and the beetles will be developed in a few weeks, 
and should be also sought for after dusk upon the plants.—W. 
Seedlings of Ipomceas and of Piiarbitis limuata (A Subscriber). —It 
was lately mentioned that many seedlings are apt to give way if left long 
in the seed-pans. Convolvuluses are not very subject to this ; but in 
general they do best either when potted off, or two or three seeds put in a 
small pot, and then shifted to a larger pot as they grow, without much 
breaking the ball. With your heat from 55° to 60°, and sometimes hotter, 
we cannot account for the failure, except that the drainage was defective, 
or too much water given in the dull weather we lately had. When grown 
in light, rich soil, and watered when they require it, much as we would 
water a young Geranium, we never noticed them go off as you mention ; 
but we have seen them do so when put in large pots at first, grow n in old 
stiff soil, and kept with more moisture about them than their small leaves 
could throw off by perspiration. Had your plants been in a cold pit, we 
should have assigned cold as one of the causes. So long ns the plants are 
small, when the sun is very bright it would be advisable to shade and 
sprinkle the tops with a little water instead of saturating the roots. The 
soil must be moist, not saturated. 
TRorjEor.uM Canariense [Idem). —The mode of growing this climber is 
purely a matter of taste. We have stuck in rough branches, and let them 
hang and trail among them. We have made regular and large arches, and 
let them cover them. Have placed the snagged top of trees, and let them 
festoon and cut about just as they liked. In general, the less trim they 
are the better they look. They will soon cover a rustic summer-house, by 
August or September ; but for the most of the year, the place would be 
bare. Anything that will support them and furnish you with head-room, 
will do for the job,—such as a number of stout sticks, which may meet 
together in a pointed form in the centre, or be bent in an arch-like shape. 
Large Hanging Baskets [Idem). —Lophospermums and Cobccas would 
be the most suitable for a middle-sized basket—say, two feet in diameter. 
Such plants as Maurandyas would answer well. For baskets—say, about 
a foot in diameter, such plants as the white Ivy-leaved Geranium, and the 
old lobelia speciosa or begnnifolia, would answer well. The basket should 
have a dish inside for the plants to grow in. The outside covering may be 
wire, earthenware, or wood—such as hazel rods, or rough oak branches. 
Destroying Woodlice, &c. (./. R.). —Sink bell-glasses, so that therims 
are level with the earth on your beds ; put a little water in the bottom, and 
a bit of leaf of fresh sweet Lettuce, crisp Carrot, &c. When the woodlice 
go in to feed, they cannot get up the smooth glass. Make the sides of the 
earth in the pit smooth and moist with a trowel and water, water the bed, 
and then put a thin layer of dry hay round the sides of the bed. Have a 
pail of boiling water in the morning, and a small pot with a rose, and as 
ou gently Uncos er the hay, pour the boiling water on the insects that will 
e congregated beneath it. For snails, water with lime water, and entice 
with tender Cabbage or Lettuce leaves, with a little butter, or fat, rubbed 
on here and there, and when feeding quietly at bedtime, take leaves and 
snails out, and after clearing the leaves, replace again. A few brewer’s 
grains are also great enticers to these gentry. For green fly, &c., use 
tobacco smoke. 
Figs in Pots (4 Scotch Constan t Subscriber). — So far as our experience 
goes, there are three things essential to success. First. Loam rather ad¬ 
hesive than otherwise. Secondly. Whatever the size of the pots, to have 
them well filled with roots before the Figs begin to show much; and, 
thirdly, though when at rest the pots may be kept moderately dry, from 
the moment that growth commences the roots must never know what it is 
to want water. Have the fruit half swelled, and allow the roots to become 
dry for a day or two; and in a short time the fruit will become yellow and 
drop. Pans’below the pots will help to keep the moisture more regular ; 
but the water must not stand in the pans for any length of time above a 
quarter of an inch deep. A box with a couple of inches of moss in it 
would be better, as the moss would long maintain its moisture, and there 
would he no danger of tho plant standing too long in water so as to be 
treated as an aquatic. If the plants are started early, it would be as well 
to nip out the terminal bud of the shoot when an inch long, as this would 
cause the fruit-buds along the shoots to show more regularly. This 
stopping will cause several shoots to come instead of one, and one'or more 
of these should be selected for tht second crop ; and so on again for next 
year’s bearing wood. To prevent dropping, and cause the fruit to swell 
quicker, we have also removed a small ring of bark, near the base of the 
shoot, below the fruit—say, from one-sixteenth to one-eighth of an inch, 
and the wound would be healed over about the time the fruit ripened. The 
best cure for mildew when it has come, is damping the places and dredging 
them with flowers of sulphur. The best preventive is good culture, and 
securing something like reciprocal action between roots and tops. Have 
the atmosphere of the house hot and dry, and the roots cold and with 
more moisture about them than they can absorb for want of due stimulus, 
and mildew will be apt to appear. Reverse the process, have the border 
dry and warm, and the house moist and warm, and the same thing will 
take place. Keep a nice growing atmosphere about the plants, and water 
the roots, to meet the demands of perspiration, &c., by suitable moisture, 
&c., and mildew will rarely showitself. Since we have kept soilandair in 
unison, we have scarcely seen a symptom of the annoyance. 
POULTRY AND BEE-KEEPER’S CHRONICLE. 
POULTRY SHOWS. 
May 25tli and 2Gtli. Beverley. Sec., Francis Calvert, Surgeon, &c. 
F.ntries close May 10th. 
June 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, 1859. Bath and Wert of England. At Barnstaple, 
Devon. Director, S. Pitman, Esq., Rumwell Lodge, Taunton. Entries 
close May 1st. 
June 6th, 7th, and 8th, 1859. Glasgow. See., Robert M’Cowan, 17, Gordon 
Street, Glasgow. 
June 16th. Essex. Sec., Robert Emson, Halstead, Essex. Entries close 
June 1st. 
July 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th. Sheffield. Sec., Win. II. Dawson, Sheffield. 
Entries close the 15th of June. 
July 21st. Prescot. Sec., Mr. James Beesley, Prescot. 
August 27th. Halifax. Sec., William Irvine, Holmfield, Ovenden, near 
Halifax. 
September 22nd. Bridgnorth. Sec., Richard Taylor, Bridgnorth. 
October 11th, 12th, and 13th. Worcestershire. Sec., Geo. Griffiths, 
7, St. Swithin Street, Worcester. 
N.B.— Secretaries will oblige us by sending early copies of their lists. 
INFLUENCE OF SOIL OYER CHICKENS. 
We believe that cattle which once were kept only on certain 
soils are now successfully installed everywhere ; because, their re¬ 
quirements being known, artificial means are used to supply 
admitted natural deficiencies, and some such knowledge may be 
advantageously used among poultry. 
Certain breeds, as Cochins and Brahmas, will live in spite of 
hard fare and easterly winds; while others, as Dorkings and 
Spanish, require help. We will, therefore, give the result of some 
experiments we have tried. 
Cochins and Spanish were hatched on the same day in January, 
and fed alike. We knew the same treatment seldom succeeded 
with both ; but would give it a fair trial. The Cochins nearly 
all lived; the Spanish died. At another place, Brahmas and 
Dorkings were hatched—the Brahmas lived; the Dorkings died. 
All these had to rough it, and had no indulgence. 
In February wo hatched again. Then we gave extra care to 
the Spanish and Dorkings ; they did as well, and grew as heartily 
as the Cochins and Brahmas. 
In all these sittings the chickens came out strong. They gra¬ 
dually fell off day by day. The first began to die at the end of 
a week, and in three weeks none were left. 
In the February broods that succeeded, the chickens, besides 
their usual feeding, had bread and ale three times per day. With 
this assistance they never flag; but remain hearty, and busy 
seeking their food all day. 
Our experience is, that on certain soils chickens want stimulants 
j for the first two or three weeks. It is during this time the seeds 
j of disease and weakness are sown that afterwards result in death 
! and disappointment. We cannot speak as to tho soil that suits 
certain breeds; but wo rear Dorkings most successfully on a 
stiff clay. 
We are sure if our readers will adopt our plan, and provide 
their chickens with bread and beer for the first three weeks of 
their lives, we shall hear fewer complaints of their dying, and 
shall not be asked so often what is to be done to keep them in 
health. 
SKIPTON POULTRY SHOW. 
This Show was held on May 11th and 12th, and at it the 
following prizes were awarded :— 
Game (Black-breasted, and other Reds and Blues}.—Silver Cup, Capt. 
\y. w. Hornby, Knowsley. Second, A. Sutherland, Burnley. Highly 
