THE COTTAGE GAEDENEE AND COUNTEY GENTLEMAN, August 9, 1859. 
277 
tho epidermis of tlio leaves and fruit of certain species of plants 
there is to be found a fine, soft, and glaucous powder. It is par¬ 
ticularly observable upon Cabbage leaves and upon Plums, to which 
it communicates a peculiar shade. It is known to gardeners by the 
name of bloom. It is easily rubbed off by the fingers, and, when 
viewed under the microscope, seems to be composed of small, 
opaque, and unpolished granules, somewhat similar to tho powder 
of starch ; but with a high magnifying power, in a good light, it 
appears transparent. When rubbed off, it is again reproduced, 
though slowly. It resists the action of dews and rains, and is 
consequently insoluble in water. But it is soluble in spirits of 
wine ; from which circumstance it lias been suspected, with some 
probability, to be a resin. ( Mirbel, Phys. Veg. i., 112.) Proust 
says it is wax. ( Ure's Chem. Diet.)" Whether it is a resinous or 
waxen exudation, in either case it would bo insoluble by water; 
and, like the down upon the wings of the butterfly, would throw 
off the gentle drops of rain, though it would adhere to the finger, 
however gentle its touch.] 
CULTUEE OP THE PEIMULAS. 
“Your correspondent ‘ Q. Z.’ (pp. 216—7), will, I hope, give 
us some hints as to the management of Primulas—at least of 
the more delicate sorts, which I find touchy things. P. Monroii 
should certainly, as he says, be grown in a pot placed in a saucer 
of water, and so should a few others. I find P. Silcimensis 
requires this treatment; and I have had it with stems eighteen 
inches high. P. Palinuri is not common, and is difficult to grow. 
I may also recommend him P. involucrata, which requires the 
same treatment as P. Monroii. I had P. Stewardii , but have 
lost it. It is said to be fine, but I never bloomed it.”—A. E. 
[In answer to the inquiries which “A. E.” makes about my 
treatment of Primulse, I beg to say that I also find several of the 
species rather touchy things. I conclude that “ A. E.” does not 
want any information respecting the management of the Prim¬ 
rose, tho Cowslip, the Oxlip, and their varieties. 
I will first observe that I cultivate all the other species in pots 
well drained. The drainage is, I think, an important part in the 
cultivation of all the species of Primulse, except those which 
thrive best when placed in a saucer of water ; for example, 
P. Muwroii. All the species like a shady, but an open situation, 
and a free air. I place my pots in flower-stands on the outside 
of window's, the aspect of which is north-west. I should much 
prefer a north-east aspect, but I have no window's that front the 
north-east. 
I cultivate P. Auricula , P. marginata , P. nivalis, P. Helvetica, 
P. villosa, P. viscosa, P. glutinosa, P. dentata, P. minima, in 
precisely the same way. The soil in which I grow them is a 
mixture of equal quantities of surface soil rather light, and mould 
from a woodstack, containing small pieces of half-decayed sticks ; 
to which I add some broken charcoal. I shift and part the 
plants about the middle of July. In winter I protect them in 
the night, and in the day also, with mats or pieces of carpeting. 
I part and repot P. longifotia, P.denticulata, and P. farinosa, 
every year in October, cutting off the old roots, and leaving only 
those which belong to the buds which contain the leaves and 
flowers of the next year. I think that P. longifolia and P. den- 
ticulata aro liable to suffer from severe frost, I therefore keep 
them during the winter in a room close to the window. P.fari- 
nosa I grow in peat and loam, keeping it in a cold frame during 
winter. I also keep P. integrifolia in a frame, and part it, if 
necessary, in the autumn. P. cortusoides I grow in the same 
soil in which I grow P. Auricula, &c. Finding that the roots of 
this plant struck into the moss wliicli I had put over the drain¬ 
age, I last autumn—when I parted the plants, the leaves being 
dead—lined the pots with moss, and I find that the plants are 
doing well. I believe that most of the species of Primulse, ex¬ 
cept those which require to be grown in pots placed in saucers of 
water, suffer from being watered too profusely, or perhaps I 
should rather say too frequently. P. longifolia and P. denticu¬ 
lata require more W'ater when growing than the greater part of 
the species.—Q. Z.] 
To make Sweet Potatoes oe Irish Potatoes.-— Steam 
them well and wring them in a towel to make them mealy; 
mash till there are no lumps left, and sweeten with common 
brown sugar, to the taste. They are now ready to be baked, 
fried, or made into puddings .—(Oregon Farmer .) 
DOMESTICATED MAETEN CAT. 
NO. II. 
Having in a former number of The Cottage Gardener 
detailed somewhat explicitly the particulars of the thorough 
domestication of a Marten Cat, I feel confident that some of 
your readers will feel interest in the account of the “ sport ” 
which arose from the singular activity of this beautiful little 
pet, combined with the docility it generally evinced when thus 
engaged. 
It will be recollected, that, although perfectly tractable and 
familiar on ordinary occasions, its evident antipathy to both 
rats and squirrels caused it to be rather unruly, even to biting, 
in their presence, if undue restraint on its natural propensities 
were then enforced. The first occasion on which I noticed this 
destructive inclination was from a rat, caught in a steel trap, 
being instantly killed, and voluntarily, too ; for this unfortunate 
captive was brought in a trap on to the premises by a neigh¬ 
bouring playmate to try whether a small Blenheim spaniel I 
then possessed would kill it. The spaniel regarded the rat 
with astonishment, and evidently considered to walk away 
showed more discretion, if not valour, than to wager battlo with 
such an adversary; the rat, however, seemed ill at ease, and 
squealed at intervals. “ Liglitfoot,” as wo had named tho 
Marten Cat, wars, at this early period of her domestication, 
generally confined in a large cage with a wire front; and a 
servant said, “ Look at Lightfoot! she’ll have the front of her 
cage through.” True enough it was : she was struggling hard 
to pull out the wires with her teeth—an attempt she had never 
previously indulged in. The suggestion, “ Ob, try Lightfoot,” 
was at once adopted, and the death of the rat followed instan¬ 
taneously. She seized it while still in the trap with her teeth 
at the back of the ear, placing her fore feet on it at the same 
moment, and afterwards never quitting her hold till the rat was 
quite dead ; she then regaled herself with its blood, and brained 
it completely—a practice that was never afterwards forgotten. 
This unlooked-for first effort (for it was certain this Marten Cat 
could never have seen a rat previously) determined us on again 
trying her prowess against a rat unshackled by either trap or 
broken bone; and a giant specimen was expressly obtained for 
this purpose, and turned loose in an almost vacant room. 
Lightfoot was then brought in; and the rat, with apparent fore¬ 
knowledge that personal danger was afloat, retreated to a corner, 
where a piece of heavy furniture partially shielded him from 
attack. Each of the combatants now seemed to be fully aware 
of the vast importance of first impressions. Lightfoot menaced 
by loud murmurings, but seemed determined not to venture 
whilst she found her opponent was evidently waiting the ex¬ 
pected onslaught, with head never turned askance for a single 
moment. Some one now touched the rat, and it moved triflingly, 
and was as instantly seized and killed momentarily. It was on 
this occasion, however, that my pet received a wound so severe, 
that it showed a complete scar until her death some two years 
afterwards, being bitten completely through the left jaw. It is 
remarkable that this is the only instance in which, in any of her 
encounters, she was herself ever injured; and likewise the only 
occasion on which I was ever bitten by her, which I always 
attributed to the pain she was then suffering from the hurt 
just received. Besides which, not being at that time so accus¬ 
tomed to her temper when excited, I might possibly have handled 
her somewhat too hurriedly ; nor was she nearly so tame at this 
time as she became even within a few months afterwards. 
Whether or not her domestication influeifced her natural appe¬ 
tites I cannot say; but it is certain that, from some inexplicable 
cause, she would not attempt to injure a rabbit, although even 
tested with young wild ones, which ran rapidly from her. These 
she would follow with alacrity for a few minutes, and even 
strike with her feet; but no inducements would make her so to 
injure as to destroy them, and she would then withdraw irom 
a pursuit in which she appeared to take no interest. This 
seems by far more extraordinary from what I am now about to 
mention. 
About this time sho became equally familiar with all around 
her; and evidently was pleased with caresses when quietly 
offered, even from a stranger. Her aptitude for rat-killing had 
ceased to excite attention; when one day a squirrel, that had 
escaped by accident from some one in the neighbourhood, was 
suddenly espied in a somewhat lengthy row of Poplar trees. 
Lightfoot had been taken into some fields more privately 
situated for her accustomed run, and was then in a basket on a 
young friend’s arm, together with the cat—that being a necessary 
