£74 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, January 31, 1830. 
docile. Their natural song is a soft low whistle interspersed with 
some curious sounds, and accompanied with bowing and waving 
of the tail and other whimsical and grotesque movements. Their 
low plaintive call of “tui, tui,” their undulating flight, and 
white rump, are means of easy recognition. 
Dr. Bechstein mentions white and many beautiful pied speci¬ 
mens ; and they not unfrequently become almost blade in con¬ 
finement from being fed too much on hemp-seed. I do not 
approve of either hemp, rape, or linseed as a food for them. 1 
prefer Canary-seed, millet, buckwheat, and shelled oats, witli an 
occasional treat of a few apple-pips, or slice of apple or pear, 
lettuce, groundsel, and plantain. 
At the Crystal Palace Bird Show, 1858, were exhibited two 
hybrids between a cock Goldfinch and a hen Bullfinch, which 
were very beautiful birds. Dr. Bechstein says that Mules are 
sometimes bred from a hen Bullfinch brought up from the nest 
and mated with a merry cock Canary, but the union is not often 
prolific; the eggs should be reared under other Canaries; and 
that these Mules are very good singers.—B. P. Brent. 
(To be continued.) 
SUBSTITUTE for the YELLOW CALCEOLARIA 
I was glad to see an article in The Cottage Gardener 
(No. 588), from Mr. Robson upon this subject, one of such vast 
importance to the modern flower-gardener. Yellow’ being one of 
the primary colours in the arrangement of our ribbon-borders, 
beds, &c., how is it possible for us to dispense with it ? Indeed, 
so indispensable is it, that if one class of plants fail to supply us 
with the necessary quantity, we must resort to another; and, 
strange to say, that, until the last two or three years, our friend 
the Calceolaria ha3 been so very accommodating, that the thought 
has scarcely arisen in our minds to find a substitute, in case 
sickness should incapacitate it for further duty. 
The species of plants to resort to for this desideratum are so 
limited, that it would appear almost a hopeless task to find a 
substitute embracing so many shades of yellow as this favourite 
does ; but I, like Mr. Robson, do not despair of finding them, 
and that from two sources ; and, first, from that which he suggests 
as most probable, tire Nasturtium. I grew Tom Thumb , (the new 
variety), rather extensively last season, and it was really a showy 
thing, and a great step in the right direction as to habit; but it 
has too much orange blended with the scarlet to be any match 
for a good bed of Tom Thumb Geranium or any of its rivals. 
The same firm are now sending out a new yellow' variety of this, 
which has received a commendation from the Floral Committee of 
the Horticultural Society ; and if it do not realise all our desires, 
I anticipate the parent of a new race that will ultimately enable 
us to dispense with the Calceolaria—that is, so far as a sole re¬ 
liance being placed upon it. 
Perhaps some of your subscribers may not be aware how they 
may obtain a good supply of this novelty the first season. If so, I 
will relate my adventures with the original Tom last season. In 
February I procured a packet of seed, sowed it in a little heat, 
and potted off the seedlings as soon as large enough. These soon 
grew and supplied me with cuttings; and these again, in con¬ 
junction with the old plants, until, as Mr. Beaton would have it, 
the third and fourth generation ; so that by bedding time I had 
all I wanted. 
With a view of supplying our gardens with a really worthy 
subject, I would suggest a diligent watch over all seedlings; and 
wherever an improvement is perceptible, either in form, habit, or 
colour, to take great care of the seed, selecting the best again from 
this. I doubt not but that it would repay the trouble of hybrid¬ 
ising. 
The second source from which I expect a substitute for our 
treacherous friend is the Chrysanthemum. A variety has been 
grown for several years in our gardens under various names in 
the trade circulars. Suffice it to say, that it is a softw’ooded green¬ 
house variety, of a shrubby, free-flowering habit, capable of resist¬ 
ing drought better than the Calceolaria. No doubt but that its 
pedigree may be traced to the old Coronarium. I have been in¬ 
formed that it originated with Mr. Fish, and, I believe, has been 
recommended in these pages. Even under its present aspect 
it is no mean substitute for the Calceolaria, and I have no doubt 
but that under careful seeding it is capable of great improve¬ 
ment. As a confirmation of this, from a batch of seedlings raised 
last season I was enabled to select one which appeared a decided 
improvement upon its progenitor, being ns double and compact 
as a Pompone. I hope it will maintain its distinctive features 
under cultivation. I mention this as an incentive to others to 
commence cultivating tin's plant with this object in view, trusting 
that success will crown their efforts. 
Now, a word about the Calceolaria in answer to a corre¬ 
spondent. in No. 590 of your Journal, and in confirmation of 
your own views of its failure. In speaking of this plant we often 
give it one general appellation, as if we had but one variety, con¬ 
sequently requiring but one treatment ; whereas we have many, 
and these differing materially in all those qualities which con¬ 
stitute a worthy ornament of our flower gardens. Would it not 
repay us to have a trial-ground for these, as well as for Geraniums, 
i Verbenas, &c., taking care to treat them precisely alike, yearly 
j selecting those that best answer our purpose ? 
As to their failure, my views entirely coincide with your own. 
; As a confirmation of this, previous to last season I kept the plants 
in boxes and pots until planting-out time, when they were one 
mass of hard, impenetrable roots. When planted they appeared 
: to thrive for a time ; when gradually, one by one, many ceased to 
exist, presenting sorry blanks in beds and borders. Being rather 
i provoked by this state of things, I determined to adopt another 
j course which I have found to answer admirably. In October, 
1858, I selected a spot under a north-east wall, having first made 
the surface bard; I then put on it about three inches of light soil, 
leaf mould, and sand well incorporated; on this I placed small 
one-light boxes which I use for raising seedlings, &c. I then put in 
the cuttings as thick a31 could fairly place them, well watered and 
then shut them down close. They received no further attention, 
except covering up in severe weather, and giving occasionally a 
little air. I left them in that position until the beginning of 
April, when I lifted them with a nice lot of roots into a prepared 
north border, planting them about three inches apart. In this 
position they remained until they were finally planted out, pro- 
i tecting them during sharp frosts. When transferred to the 
flower garden they certainly presented a pleasing spectacle, with 
good healthy foliage and a mass of fine, luxuriant spongioles, 
which a slight watering would penetrate to the stem. Under 
this treatment I had not half a dozen out of a hundred of a 
variety called Vincent, and none out of Aurea jloribunda, 
which disappointed me. They continued flowering the whole 
season. Salvicefolia did not please me; it flowered well at 
first, but soon ceased, presenting that stunted appearance so 
much complained of until late in the autumn : consequently 
I have consigned it to the rubbish-heap. To illustrate the neces¬ 
sity of a trial-ground for these as well as other denizens of the 
i (lower garden before giving them any prominent position there, 
I have grown Angustifolia, Vincent, Viscoshsima, Kayii , Golden 
j Chain, Salvicefolia, Corymlosa , and Aurea Jloribunda, and have 
only selected two as answering my purpose. They are Vincent 
and Aurea Jloribunda.— Stephen Amey, Sating Grove . 
THE CONVOLVULUS MOTHS. 
The name of convolvuli is given to these moths because of 
their larva? feeding on the leaves of the Convolvulus arvensis or 
Bindweed. It is the largest of our Hawk moths, except the Death’s 
head and Privet; and some of the females are as large as the 
males of those giant, species. Like them it is rather rare, and is 
of an ash-brown colour with dark zigzag marks, especially on the 
upper wings, and dark and pink alternate rings on the abdomen. 
It appears in September after very hot summers ; still it is widely 
j dispersed over the country, being found as far north as Caithness 
in Scotland. It cannot be inferred, however, from this that the 
moth is more hardy than some others of its species, or butterflies 
that are only found in southern counties—such as the sulphur 
butterfly, which is never seen beyond the Tweed. Still it is very 
hardy, and often appears in February. Want of food for the 
larva* cannot bo the cause of its not being seen further north; 
and perhaps if some of the chrysalids were placed amongst Buck¬ 
thorn or Alder trees on which "the caterpillars feed, our northern 
neighbours might soon have primrose-coloured butterflies a con¬ 
siderable time before (lie less hardy white ones appear. 
These remarks may also apply to some other early kinds of 
moths and butterflies, especially from North America. How¬ 
ever, the sulphur one appears annually, while some others 
vary, and are sometimes found after the lapse of several years. 
The Convolvulus moth seems to he one of these. The absence 
of sufficient heat to hatch its eggs, or chrysalids, may be the 
cause j for the moth is only seen in September after a hot summer i 
