324 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, February 21, 1860. 
poles or sticks and the Ivy would he nice, and the effect would he height¬ 
ened by placing a nice evergreen shrub in front at the bold points or 
curves. 
Houses not Heating ( T. TV. T.). —As the pipes get so hot it shows 
there is no fault in them, nor yet in the boiler. A dark colour in the pipes 
is best for radiating heat; but you do not say what the colour is : 
whatever it is the pipes must give out the heat that is in them ultimately. 
If the pipes are in a drain they will not heat the atmosphere so much, or, 
at least, so soon as when exposed. Our impression is that you have not 
enough pipe; but we can hardly judge, as you have not told us how 
tar your pipes go. If you have only three pipes in the twenty-feet front 
of your house, that would do for commencing forcing in March ; but no.t in 
November or December. To force such a house so early the pipes would 
require to go round the ends, or even all round the house. Besides, you 
say nothing of the height of the house, or the surface of glass exposed. 
Very likely Mr. Weeks, in heating, was never given to understand that 
you wanted a high temperature in winter. Such mistakes are made, and 
then the blame is thrown on the tradesmen, though they did all they agreed 
to do. Would it not be as well to tell Mr. Weeks of your difficulty ? We 
have had very severe weather; but if your thermometer is all right, and 
the pipes are so hot, we think you want more piping. 
Red SriDER on Verbenas (H. T.). —The shoot of your Verbena was the 
very worst case we have ever seen of attacks of the’ red spider. Nothing 
else was the matter with it, and it is a thousand to one if you can get a 
single cutting now from your plants free from the pest. The only chance 
there is for you is to cut away all the old shoots down to two or three eyes 
next the pots, leaving not a single leaf; to put the plants in a damp, close 
frame, with a gentle, moist heat, and to make cuttings of the new growths; 
but your greenhouse will not bo free from the red spider for months. 
A very cold frame is best for wintering Verbenas; they cannot bear a 
very dry exposure; but the red spider was on them last autumn when you 
made the cuttings. Dry sulphur is no remedy against the red spider 
when once it gets a-head. The fumes of it burning in very small doses 
choke the rascals, and they cannot bear up against a damp atmo¬ 
sphere ; but clear water is, of all others, the best remedy for killing them, 
either by the hand-syringe, or by dipping the whole plant in a tub of it; 
but unless the water floods every wrinKle between the veins on the 
under side of the leaves they will soon be up as bad as ever. 
Mauve-coloured Flowers (Little Greenhouse).— Mr. Beaton says he 
never saw or heard of a Verbena, or any other flower that he could say 
was “ a perfect mauve colour.” Such readings are what set the world by 
the ears but too often. In the Primulads or Primrose tribes, the tribes of 
the Pinks, Diautkuses, Dahlias, Scabiouses, and Verbenas, mauve-colourcd 
flowers are not very likely to be produced. 
Stephanotis flohibunda & Allamanda Cathartica Culture (II. JR. I.) 
—I:i recent volumes the treatment of these plants has been fully given. If 
the plants are in large pots and wholly or partially plunged in a bark-bed, 
they could have no better position ; and full exposure to light when grow¬ 
ing and ripening the wood is of more importance than mere soil or time of 
potting. The soil we prefer is fibry peat and loam with little bits of char- 
coal to keep it open whilst the plants are young, and chiefly flbry loam 
when the plants are of a large size and require a large pot. When grown iu 
a No. 4, 2, or 1 pot, we prefer frequent fresh surfacings to fresh potting, 
resorting to the latter chiefly when the soil is exhausted, or the drainage 
has become clogged. We give great importance to full exposure to sun in 
the autumn months, and having no more shoots or leaves than can be thus 
exposed, and keeping the plants dry and cool in the dark winter months. 
The Stephanotis in a temperature of from 50° to 5o°, and the Allamanda in 
a temperature of from 5.3° to 60°, with a rise from sunshine. Provided the 
shoots have been well ripened, they will bloom equally well on the long 
shoots, as upon spurs. To make sure, we would leave the Stephanotis 
without much stopping, and the Allamandas we would merely shorten back 
a third or a fourth. As the days lengthen and fresh growth is taking place 
is the best time to shift or top dress; and if the shoots were well ripened 
the previous year, the bloom-trusses will soon make their appearance when 
the fresh growth has taken place after a time of comparative rest in winter. 
It the plants were kept somewhat shaded in autumn, and growing in 
a high, moist temperature all the winter, there is less chance of the plants 
blooming profusely in spring and summer. 
Centre Oval Bed (A Subscriber). —Thelproper furniture for your front 
oval of twelve feet by six feet, and very exposed, is a “ ground work ” of 
the common evergreen Berberis { B. aquifolia), to imitate a bed of Rhodo¬ 
dendrons in looks ; and here and there a plant of lernettya mucronata, or 
better, it the oval is on gravel, the bed of Berberis, and the edging of Per- 
nettva, instead of turf. Both make excellent substitutes for turf; both 
may be cut, in May , almost as close as Box. The two may thus be kept to 
any height, under ten feet, you choose. The Barberry will attain that 
height in time, if it be allowed; but it may be kept under or about three 
feet high for a whole lifetirhe without hindering its blooming freely. The 
bed of other evergreens was for a lawn. The Skimmia Japonica is as hardy 
as A hododemlron politician, and Erica hcrhaeea is considerably more 
haidy than the common dwarf Heaths of Scotland. The nurseryman who 
told you these were greenhouse plants cannot have understood you. 
“Various (A Subscriber).—Lobelia spcciosa is the best dark blue, an 
comes tiue fiom seed, andblooins early. Lobelia erinoides alba and con 
pactum album, but neither very good. The habit of Verbena venosa 
upright, comes true from seeds, and blooms late the same year. Vei-bcn 
mehndresK a very d warf creeping sort, and varies very considerably froi 
seeds. Mrs. Half or d Verbena comes the nearest to what you want, an 
the very best for your purpose. There is no white Calceolaiia usefi 
in beds or bedding. A'very good-grown Humea elegans would be tl 
best for the centre of a circular bed of Tom Thumb Geranium. There 
no rule against such an arrangement; but if the bed forms one of a grou 
tastes may differ. 5 
Leaves for Forcing Sea-kale (An Amateur).— The leaves require 
preparing. Of course these must be collected into some corner or otl 
where the wind will not blow them about. With us they are brought it 
one corner of the frame-ground from the lawns and other places a 
remain there for use whenever wanted. In covering up the Kale which 
done when the weather is favourable, the hottest and driest leaves i 
applied first They arc quickly and carefully placed in, amongst, a 
round the pots to the thickness of a foot and a half wider, and as mu 
higher than the pots, and the dampest leaves put on the top ; all being well 
packed together in a workmanlike manner, and just a thin covering of any 
long Utter put over the whole to prevent the wind blowing them about, 
and helping to keep the leaves warm. In about five or six weeks Kale may 
be expected to be ready for cutting under some of the pots. 
Removing Standard Roses (H. II.).—As they must be removed this 
spring, move them before April is ended, and prune them in very close at 
the time. 
Names of Plants (I. A. G.). —Such diminutive bits are very puzzling. 
2. Agathosma ovatifolium. 3. One of the Acacias, probably Acacia longi- 
folia. 1 and 4 not detectable from such specimens. ( A Constant Reader). 
—Yours is Mentha ratundifolia, variety variegata of the gardens, and 
much used as a bedding plant. (A Subscriber, Halifax).— The smaller 
Fern, No. 1, Asplenium Triohomanes, the common Spleonvort. The larger 
Fern is Eteris serrulata, a stove or warm greenhouse kind. 
POULTRY AER BEE-KEEPER’S CHRONICLE. 
POULTRY SHOWS. 
February 29th, and March 1st, I860. Ulverstone. See., Mr. T. Robson. 
Entries close February 11th. 
March 15th, 10th .and 17th. Cumberland and Westmoreland. Hon. 
Secs., Mr. J. J. Lonsdale, and Mr. W. D. Hastwell. 
May 23d and 24th. Beverley and East Riding of Yorkshire. Sec., 
Mr.Fras. Calvert, Surgeon, &c. Entries close May 17th. 
July 18th and 19th. Merthyr Tydvil. Sec., Mr. W. IF. Harris. 142 
High Street, Merthyr. 
N.B.— Secretaries will oblige ns by sending early copies of their lists. 
KEEPING POULTRY PROEITABLY. 
The paper to which wo alluded lately is only one of many ; 
and as there is an evident inclination to treat the poultry question 
on a large scale and to take interest in it, we purpose, during the 
season of leisure and relief from Poultry Shows, to devote some 
papers to the subject. 
While answering questions we art 1 , of course, more or less tied 
to certain points on which information is sought; but we pur¬ 
pose now to go freely and unrestrainedly into the question—to 
jot down anything we believe to be useful or interesting—and to 
write a chatty, familiar, after-dinner-sort-of-eonversational article. 
We some time since saw a “ sweet thing ” in the way of books. 
It was published by an Oxford man at Oxford, and was termed 
“A Synopsis of Plucking.” It showed how that undesirable 
event might be brought about in divers ways—by hunting in the 
morning and wine-parties in the evening; by continuous lounging 
in pastrycooks’ shops for the sake and purpose of conversation 
with the young ladies who officiate therein; by great devotion to 
rowing and the river; by hanging about livery-stables, making a 
book, and talking learnedly about odds; and by wagering on the 
possibility of colouring a given number of pipes before going up. 
J list as these victims to the foregoing pursuits all intended to 
pass, so every one keeping poultry intends it to pay. All want 
not the same. Some look for filthy ducats ; some hanker after 
fame; some yearn for excitement ; some like the fun of the 
thing ; some mean to sell eggs ; some to send barndoor poultry 
to the neighbouring market; while others have visions of those 
quoted in our columns at 6s. 6d. each in the spring of the year. 
A man wrote a shilling pamphlet entitled, “ What to Eat, 
What to Drink, and What to Avoid, in order to attain to Four¬ 
score Years and Ten.” We believe he died at thirty; but, no 
doubt, that was because he neglected his own writings. Like 
our hairdresser, who has invented the “ Gropilosonbalspot ” 
cream, which prevents the hair from falling oil’ and forbids it to 
turn grey ; yet he has been bald ever since we knew him, almost 
from his youth; and the little hair that garnishes the sides of 
his head is like that which remained on the “ pow ” of “ John 
Anderson my jo” when the song was written. He has not used 
his own cream, it is evident. 
We often wonder at the exigeance of ladies and the patience of 
tradesmen if, for our sins, we are condemned to go out shopping, 
and to see the piles of goods that are examined on the strength of 
a promise to call again. The truth is, ladies will not be denied ; 
and they put questions so closely, that experience has taught us 
to be prepared with answers. Anticipating this from the fact 
that many of our readers (may they be increased) are of the 
gentler sex, we answer beforehand : “ Yes, we have tried all we 
herein recommend.” “ No, we have not succeeded in everything.” 
“ Why ? ” “ Because we were like the author and hairdresser* 3 of 
whom we have spoken.” 
(To be continued.) 
