THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, May 31, 1853. 
plunged in a little sweet lieat, or set near a flue, or a hot- 
water pipe; but the plunging is best. Few combs will 
then disappoint you, and you will have the satisfaction 
that all the care you give will be well bestowed ; for as 
the leaves grow, so do the combs : in fact, the plan throws 
the most of the strength of the repeated shifts into the 
combs, instead of a tall stem and a number of large leaves. 
The plants are thus almost sure to be dwarf, and nearly 
uniform in size—a fact of importance when you wish 
either for row in a house, or a certain number to exhibit. 
GEEANIUMS, OE PELAEGONITTMS. 
These must now be kept cool, moist, and airy. The 
plants should have the training finished; but using 
as few stakes as possible, and these kept out of sight, 
as there is nothing ornamental in a fine whittled stake. 
Many large plants will do with one neat inconspicuous 
stake in the centre, and a string, or wire, round the rim of 
the pot to which the lower branches are fixed. If the 
plants are very luxuriant, a few of the larger leaves may 
be removed, that the sun may shine more freely on the 
rest, and more relief and strength bo thrown into the 
flower-buds. As soon as the flower-buds are fairly knotted 
for bloom, weak manure water of a cooling nature may 
be frequently given. If given earlier, it will have a 
tendency to encourage Cabbage-like foliage. Given when 
the flower-buds are formed, it will throw more strength 
and vigour into them. 
The succession-lot must be allowed to come on more 
slowly, and should experience no checks for want of 
water, &c. The autumn lot should now have their last 
shifting, and the last stopping be given ere long. Scarlets 
of all kinds may be potted on; but the finest blooming 
will take place only after the pots are full of roots. The 
soil should be poor rather than otherwise; and when the 
flower-buds come thick, then additional strength should 
be given by surface dressings and manure waterings. We 
noticed in scarlet-beds last season some wonderful foliage, 
but thinly-scattered flowers; and to remedy this defect, 
the beds have been well dunged and deeply dug this 
year ! The enthusiastic amateur could not see otherwise 
but that he must have glorious masses of scarlet in July 
and August, and looked very incredulous when told, 
that, if he succeeded, ho must remove many a basket of 
large foliage. Turning the ground frequently before 
planting, and a little surface dx-cssing merely to give the 
plants a start, would have been more likely to secure the 
desired result. Unless in the driest seasons, most beds 
of scarlet Geraniums, planted out, are apt to be too luxu¬ 
riant, especially in the autumn months, when the outside 
garden is most enjoyable. E. Fish. 
THE HEEBAEY. 
It has often occurred to me that writers in The Cot¬ 
tage Gaedenee have hitherto neglected the humble 
herb garden. A Beaton directs all his powers to hybrids, 
bedding-out plants, and their arrangements in the flower 
garden. An Errington takes the luscious fruits under his 
fostering care. A Fish devotes his attention to the green¬ 
house and its numerous inhabitants. A Eobson tells us 
how to cultivate in the best manner the useful products 
of the kitchen garden; and a Keene tells us what to do 
every week ; whilst to my care have been given the stove 
plants, the trees of the forest, and the lovely florists’ 
flowers. Various other winters have written on as 
various subjects, all pertaining to the garden ; but the no- 
less-necessary herbs for the pot, to give a relish to our 
food, have not a representative amongst us. And as now 
is a fitting season for propagating and setting the herb 
garden in order, I think a brief paper or two on the 
subject,—humble though it may be,—will be useful to 
many of the readers of The Cottage Gaedenee. 
In order to be more perspicuous I shall divide or 
classify the subject into— 
1st. Herbs used for the pot for seasoning and for gar¬ 
nishing. 
2nd. Herbs used for their perfume. 
3rd. Herbs used for tarts. 
4th. Herbs used for salading. 
5th. Herbs to be avoided on account of their poisonous 
qualities. 
1st. heebs used foe seasoning and gaenishing. 
Basil ( Ocymum basilicum).- —There are two varieties, 
the Sweet and the Bush Basil. The first grows a foot 
high, and the other six inches ; both from the East Indies. 
They are tender annuals. Basil is used in highly-seasoned 
dishes, and in soups. It should be sown ou a gentle hot¬ 
bed in April, and planted out, six or eight inches apart, 
on a waiuu border. It is generally used green; but may 
be dried and kept in a di’y, cool room for winter use. 
Chive ( Allium schcenoprasum). — A hardy kind of 
everlasting Onion, native of Britain, though rare. It 
grows in clusters, and is easily increased by division. 
Used for seasoning omelets, and for soups. A dozen 
bunches, or, perhaps, as many more, will be sufficient for 
a small family. It is also used to eat raw, and is accounted 
milder than Onions. 
Fennel ( Anethum fceniculum). —A hardy perennial, 
easily propagated by seeds sown thick in spring, the 
seedlings to be transplanted a foot apart. They wilL laBt 
for several years if not allowed to run up to seed. There 
is a variety whose stems swell considei’ably ; this is named 
Finochio. The thickened part should be blanched by 
earthing up, and is then very tender. This kind is pro¬ 
pagated by division in spring ; or it may be raised from 
seed, and transplanted in drills six or eight inches apart, 
and earthed up something like Celery. The tender stalk 
and leaves of Fennel are used in fish sauces. The blanched 
stalks of the variety Finochio are eaten raw with oil or 
vinegar, and hy some much esteemed. By earthing it up 
at various times it may be kept fit for use from June to 
December. 
Gaelic (. Allium sativum). —A hardy bulbous perennial 
found wild in Sicily. Each bulb is a cluster of sub¬ 
ordinate bulbs commonly called cloves. It is used in 
various kinds of dishes ; but should only be stewed a 
short time in the dish, on account of its strong flavour. 
It is more esteemed on the Continent than in this couuti-y. 
It is also used in medicine. It should be grown in a 
light dry soil, not too rich ; and the cloves should be 
planted in spring, in drills two inches deep and six inches 
apart. They will quickly come up, and should be fre¬ 
quently hoed to keep down weeds and freshen the soil. 
Gather when the leaves turn yellow, spread them in the 
sun to di’y, and tie them up in small bundles, and hang 
them up in a dry room ; they will remain good till spring. 
Hoeseeadisii ( Cochlearia armoracea). — A hardy 
British perennial, long cultivated in gardens. The most 
common use of this root is to sci’ape it in shreds, as an 
accompaniment to roast beef. The same shreds steeped 
in hot water, and w'hen the water has absorbed the juice 
and passed through a fine sieve, is excellent to improve 
the flavour of mustard. It is used, also, in sauces, and 
winter sauces. To procure fine, straight, tender sticks of 
Horsei’adish, dig a deep trench in spring, and place a 
layer of dung at the bottom ; then make a sufficient num¬ 
ber of strong sets, and place them in a row r , six inches 
apart in the centre of the trench, cover them, in level, and 
keep the ground clean. They wall push through, and the 
second year will be fine, straight sticks, ready for use; 
but the third year they wall be in greater size and per¬ 
fection. There must be no dung amongst the soil; or the 
plants will send out side-roots in search of the dung, and 
the crop will not be so good. 
Leek (Allium porrum). —A hardy biennial, requiring a 
light, rich soil on a dry subsoil. It is used in soups ; and 
