THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, November 15, 1859. 
term including only Wheat and Barley, for the Oat was then 
unknown. If the soldiers had been only foraging for their horses 
—that is, were cutting Barley, Caesar would have made use of the 
word pabulatum. But he leaves no doubt upon the subject, by 
saying immediately after, that the corn had been reaped in the 
adjacent parts {ex reliquis partibus demesso frumento*). 
The Anglo-Saxons next ruled over England, and it is quite 
certain that they cultivated Wheat here. Their contemporary 
historian, Bede, states that they sowed it in the spring {Fccles 
Hist., p. 244); and the rent paid for one farm, in a record still 
existing, was ten mittas of malt, five of grits, ten mittas of the 
flour of Wheat , eight gammons, sixteen cheeses, and two fat cows; 
and in Lent eight salmons.—(3. Gale's Hist. B. 410). It would 
not bo difficult to trace out their modes, and even their supersti¬ 
tions relative to its culture. Thus, some 1000 years ago, we read 
that “ the monks of St. Edmondsbury had certain wax candles 
which ever and onely they used to light in Wheat seeding ; these 
they likewise carried about their Wheat grounds, believing verily 
that thereby neither darnell, tares, nor any other noisome weedes 
would grow that yeare amongst the new corne.”— ( Weaver's 
Funeral Monuments , 724.) 
The very name of Wheat is derived from the Saxon, and 
seems to have its origin from the word Hwcet, signifying bold, as 
the name of its ear is derived from arwe, because of its resem¬ 
blance to an arrow. 
The Okchaed-house.I —It might have .been necessary merely 
to state that this is the sixth edition of Mr. Rivers’s useful treatise 
on the orchard-house, as our readers must, ere this, be familiar 
with its contents; but this new edition contains some im¬ 
portant matter which has not appeared in the previous ones. At 
page 36 we have instructions for growing Apricots as pyramids, 
in pots, and managing them on a principle which Mr. Rivers 
terms “ pruning made easy ; ” and again, at page 51, we have 
similar instructions on the same mode of treating Peaches and 
Nectarines. The plan is that adopted by M. Dubreuil, and 
which he calls cordon droit. The following extract will explain, 
in Mr. Rivers’s own words, how this is done:— 
“ I now propose a modification of this mode of culture for the 
orchard-house, by forming Peach and Nectarine trees into close, 
compact pyramids, like an upright Cypress, and annex a figure of 
a maiden tree, potted and pruned. For this purpose, maiden 
trees with straight stems and well furnished with lateral shoots, 
should be selected and planted in 11-inch or 13-inch pots. They 
should not be more than from four to five feet high; if more, 
their tops may be cut off to that height. Each lateral shoot 
should be cut in to two buds: these, and the buds in the stem, 
will, in May, give numerous shoots. As soon as they have made 
three leaves, pinch off the third leaf with the end of the shoot, 
leaving two leaves. These pinched shoots will soon put forth a 
fresh crop ; every shoot of this and all succeeding crops must be 
pinched off to one leaf as soon as two or three leaves are formed. 
Sometimes there is a small leaf at the base of the shoot which is 
blind, i.e., has no bud in its axil; this must not count for one. 
“ If it is desirable to increase the height of the tree, the leading 
shoot at each pinching may be left with five or six leaves. 
“ This incessant summer pinching of the shoots of a potted 
tree, in the climate of the orchard-house, will, in one season, form 
a compact, Cypress-like tree, crowded with short fruit-spurs. In 
spring these, if too crowded, may be thinned out with a sharp 
penknife, so as to leave them as nearly as possible at regular 
distances, and in summer the fruit should be thinned and the 
shoots pinched in as directed above every season. 
“ A close, fruitful tree will thus be formed, on which the fruit 
will be fully exposed to the sun and air. A great number of 
trees may in this way be grown in a small space, three trees 
occupying the space required for one bush, and they will form 
beautiful objects of high culture.” 
We have seen trees cultivated on this plan at Mr. Rivers’s, 
and all we can say of them is, that they are positively charming. 
The Young Lady’s Book.J —We are informed in the preface 
that “this work was first published nearly twenty years ago, 
• Frumentum, as we have already said, was a comprehensive term, in¬ 
cluding especially Wheat and Barley. Vavro says that triticum is derived 
from its having to be rubbed out from the ear (tritum e spiers). 
+ The Orchard House; or the Cultivation of Fruit Trees in pots 
under glass. By Thomas Rivers , of the Nurseries , Sawbridgeworth, 
Herts. Sixth Edition. London : Longmans. 
t The Young Lady’s Book : A Manual of Elegant Recreations, Arts, 
Sciences, and Accomplishments. Edited by Distinguished Professors. 
With 1200 Woodcuts. London : Henry G. Bohn. 
with about half its present number of woodcuts at one guinea ; 
and even at that high price ran through no fewer than six editions 
in as many years.” It is, therefore, owing to the well-known 
enterprise of Mr. Bohn that the “Young Lady’s Book” is now 
brought within the reach of many who, twenty years ago, might 
have sighed for it in vain. 
This is indeed a young lady’s book; and treats not alone of 
what are usually termed accomplishments, but upon subjects of 
a scientific character, which have of late years become a very 
important feature in female education ; and the subjects are all 
written in that popular and intelligible style which is so much 
appreciated in the present day by those who desire to acquire a 
knowledge of scientific subjects divested of them technicalities and 
conventionalisms. Such subjects as “Embroidery and Fancy 
Work,” “The Toilet and Costume,” “Archery,” “Riding,” 
“ Music,” “ Dancing,” and such other accomplishments we "do 
not pretend to be able to appreciate ; but when we state that the 
Instrumental Music has been revised by Dr. Sterndale Bennett 
the Vocal by Signor Rommi, and the other subjects we have just 
mentioned by others equally eminent in their respective depart¬ 
ments, we have an assurance that they have been ably performed. 
Among the scientific subjects we find Mineralogy revised by 
Professor Tennant; Conchology by Mr. Woodward, of the 
British Museum; and Entomology and Ornithology (or the 
aviary), by Mr. Dallas. These are treated very fully, and in 
such a manner as to enable young persons to acquire a respectable 
knowledge of them ; and being copiously illustrated with excellent 
woodcuts, they cannot fail to do so after a little application. 
That part of the work devoted to Floriculture and Botany, 
and for which Mr. Bohn holds himself responsible, is so creditably 
done that he has no reason to be ashamed of his performance. 
We recommend the work most cordially as one abounding in 
sound instruction and intellectual amusement. 
PROLIFEROUS GERANIUMS. 
Having observed what Mr. Beaton says of the sporting of 
Geraniums occasionally, by throwing up a truss of pips in place 
of a single pip in the original truss, I beg to say that this 
happened with me three times this season, with a plant of Cerise 
unique. The upper trusses each had nine or ten pips. I have 
struck several cuttings of the plant; and if the sport prove per¬ 
manent, Mr. Beaton will be very welcome to one of them, if he 
thinks it worth his acceptance.—R. B. P. 
COMBINING RANUNCULUS AND VERBENA 
CULTURE. 
Will it do for me to put my Verbenas into their beds after 
Ranunculuses are out of blow ? There is only one border in 
my garden in which Ranunculuses blow well, and that border is 
the one which I kept for Verbenas. For the last two or three 
years the Verbenas have been quite smothered by the Ranun¬ 
culuses ; and when the latter have been taken up half the 
Verbenas are killed. The Ranunculuses are raised about the 
iOtli of June. Would that be too late for putting out the plants 
which aro to succeed them—viz., Verbenas, Calceolarias, Lo¬ 
belias, Senecios, Ac. ? 
[We see no difficulty in the matter if you choose to go to the 
necessary trouble and labour. In the beginning of May, 
instead of planting out, turn your Verbenas and Lobelias into 
at least four-inch pots, and the Calceolarias and Senecios into 
at least six-inch pots; and then you may clear away your 
Ranunculuses, turn up, and dig, and air the ground, and plant 
it according to your fancy from the 15th to the 20th of June. 
Once] obtain the pots, and there will merely be the labour. We 
mention six-inch pots, especially for Calceolarias; as, though 
nice plants might be kept in four-inch pots, yet, if the roots 
were much matted in the pots, the risk would be, that, though 
the Calceolarias were in full bloom when you turned them out 
they would stand still afterwards, and either die or yield you' 
little but leaves in the autumn.] 
VINES AND BEDDING PLANTS. 
I have only one small greenhouse, which keeps my plants in 
winter and acts as a vinery in summer. I have had exceedingly 
fine Grapes for the last two years, and I wish to know whether 
the plants in winter are likely to spoil the Vines. The Grapes 
