THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, February 28, 1860. 
339 
branched; radical leaves lanceolate ; stem ones linear, all 
striated with nine and eleven parallel nerves; umbels eight 
to ten-rayed ; involucre one and two leaves; involucel leaves 
four and five, lanceolate, apiculated. Yellow-streaked. June. 
Germany. 
A genus of hardy plants with handsome foliage, and heads of 
rather pleasant-looking flowers. They require a good sandy dry 
loam, and aro easily propagated by dividing the roots in April, 
replanting immediately in fresh soil. T, Appleby. 
{To be continued.) 
TRADE LISTS RECEIVED. 
Messrs. Arthur Henderson & Co., Pine Apple Place, Lon¬ 
don. No- I .—A Catalogue of Orchids , Select Stove Plants , 
Greenhouse Plants , Sfc., is a comprehensive and well-arranged 
list, interspersed with useful notes. No. VIII .—A Catalogue of 
Flower Seeds is also an excellent list, with the botanic names 
accentuated throughout. Trees, Shrubs, and Poses , and Fruits, 
are both good catalogues. 
A Descriptive Catalogue of Select Vegetable and Flower Seeds ‘ 
by John C. Shiells, St. Fnoch’s Square; Glasgoiv, is a good list 
of the articles usually kept in a respectable seed establishment. 
A Descriptive Catalogue of Fnglish and Foreign Novelties, by 
John Salter, Versailles Nursery , Hammersmith. — Those who 
want to know about Chrysanthemums, Phloxes, Irises, and plants 
of that description should procure Mr. Salter’s catalogue, which 
will tell them all they require to know on these subjects. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Wep.ks’s Heating System. —In The Cottage Gardener, at page 324, 
there is an article headed “Houses not Heating,” signed by “ T. W. T.,” 
in which it appears that it is one of our hot-water apparatuses. We are not 
aware that we have done a single job without giving perfect satisfaction; 
therefore, we shall be obliged if “ T. W. T.” will favour us with his name 
and address.— John Weeks, King's Road, Chelsea. 
Repairing a Mowing Machine ( L. B.). —You had better write to the 
maker of the machine, and tell him how it now bothers, and ask him the 
easiest mode of getting it repaired, as the Norwich whitesmiths have failed 
to effect a remedy. We will take this opportunity of warning all gardeners, 
that a mowing machine is always liable to be spoiled if it is not thoroughly 
cleaned, and the cutting-blades oiled all over when it is put away after 
using. 
Knight’s Perfection Pea (H. Marshall).— The height of all varieties 
of Pea will vary rather with the richness of the soil and the dryness of 
the season. On a moderately fertile soil, and in an averagely moist season, 
Knight’s Perfection is five feet high. We are pleased to hear that a very 
extensive experiment has been instituted at the Chiswick Garden to test 
the merits and the originality of the very numerous varieties of garden 
Pea. 
Motion of the Sap ( Richies ).—This can best be observed by the aid 
of the microscope, in one of our native aquatic weeds Char a hispid a, and 
in Chelidonium majus or Common Celandine. We have been told that it 
may also be seen in Valisneria spiralis. The mode of proceeding to 
observe the motion in the Chara, is fully detailed in Raspail’s “ Organic 
Chemistry” (Henderson’s Translation), page 356. 
Annuals for Bedding-out ( Lancaster ). —Public writers are exempt by 
common assent from the etiquette of answering private letters—they 
cannot spare time for that. The frosts of 1859 and I860 will do immense 
good in flower-gardening. Thousands like yourself must make up this 
seasons with annuals, and annuals are they which teach the art of arranging 
flowers on a natural scale of colours. Red Geraniums and Verbenas, 
Yellow Maiigolds and Calceolarias, white and purple Petunias, and blue 
Salvias and Verbenas, are all good in their way, but not for teaching the art 
of planting they only make lazy beds as compared with annuals, in which 
every tint and shade, size and substance, stature and style of growth are 
given ; and without the eyes are practised on all these, it is utterly impos¬ 
sible for one ever to learn more than to be able to plant a few lazy beds, and 
to repeat them from the other end of the scale, and then across from both 
sides. A flower garden ten times the size of yours could be kept gay with 
annuals alone. First of all, Rose-beds, or a Rose-bed of standards in the 
centre of a flower garden must have every inch of the ground covered with 
Mignonette, to be sown early in April, and to have the seeds cut off as fast 
as they occupy one-half the flower-stalk. Your two 6-beds plant with Tom 
Thumb Nasturtium or Tropoaolum; 2 and 4 with blue Lobelia speciosa ; 
5 and 3 with something very low and very yellow—say the dwarf yellow 
French Marigold ; and 7 7 must be of three or four kinds of tall things, of 
which Zinnias in two straight rows must be at the back, but the rest must 
be your own choice; and if you only keep to the colours, as we say, any 
kind of annual you may like better will do just as well. If your garden 
were ours we would have four kinds of annuals in each bed, we are so fond 
of them, as you may see by our early volumes. But one thing we never 
did and never can do; and that is, say how much seeds for so many beds. 
Mushroom-bed (IF. P.).—In our No. 577, you will find a long article on 
the subject by Mr. Errington. In making the bed, which should be under 
a shed, you may proceed as in making a Cucumber-bed, only the spawn 
must not be put in until the heat becomes very gentle. For producing 
Mushrooms in winter, a bed should be made in August, and for succession 
another at the end of October, and a third in January. If you require 
directions on any point, write again. 
Camellia Flower-buds Falling (Infirmis ).—The vicissitudes of tem¬ 
perature “ in a drawing-room without any fire at all” were quite enough | 
to cause the buds and leaves to fall, even without the dryness of the 
air in such a room. Camellias require to be kept free from frost, 
although they are hardy, and to have abundance of air.—Write to Mr. 
T. Moore, West Street, Fareham, and tell him the kind of Canary you 
require. Of the other birds we regret that we can give you no informa¬ 
tion, but we will inquire. 
Garden Plan (A Four Years' Subscriber). —Your system of bedding is 
the most complicated we ever saw; but your crossed-beds we have seen 
tried by Mr. Barnet, in Edinburgh, more than thirty years back. If we 
had power, we would banish all such beds. Your windmill-like beds are 
little better, but in them, and in the centre, and two side-beds, you have 
managed the heights and colours exceedingly well. One would think your 
head is full of the Plaids of the Clans, for that is just the pattern-book for 
your, style of bedding. Messrs. Carter will give you the true Yellow 
Marigold, certain. We never say the quantity of seeds, but we always 
sow very thickly, and thin early. 
What is Stf.rcus ?— An Amateur Gardener asks “ Is the article ad¬ 
vertised under the name of “ Stercus,” the same as shaddy-waste, used in 
the neighbourhood of Manchester for forcing ? and what are its merits in 
general garden culture 1 ” 
Soil for Vine-borders (A. AT.).—If you can get plenty of turf, and 
that is pretty good, we should use little or none of the garden soil. Were 
we making Vine-borders to-morrow we should desire no better chance, 
and we should not make the borders more than four feet in width at first, 
but would add to them every year until the space was filled, and then we 
should top dress a little every yoar. We should rather avoid much chopping 
and turning of the compost: it will decay fast enough. We should proceed 
thus :—Supposing the border well drained, place the turf in layers, w ith 
a little leaf mould and a few bones, and some lime rubbish sprinkled 
between them; and when within nine inches of the top use the soil 
obtained under a thin layer of turf, and to every eight barrow-loads of that 
add a harrow-load of leaf mould and one of lime rubbish, and in this plant 
the Vines, and mulch with fresh horse-droppings. 
Plants to Bloom in a Conservatory all the Year (A Constant 
Reader). —We recollect your note, and replying that we wanted more 
definite information as to whether the house was span-roofed or lean-to, 
and the arrangement in the house, and the sized plants you chiefly w’anted. 
For instance, how many pots can you put in your house at a time to do 
them justice? Some people would fill such a house (12 feet by 9 feet) with 
very few, and others for variety would prefer several dozen. F'or want 
of such information w r e must just suppose a case, and probably you would 
get nothing to suit you. Give this information and we will endeavour to 
meet your wishes. 
Climbers in a Greenhouse ( J . C.). —We here are in much the same 
position for want of knowing the height of the house, the height of the 
side-walls, and the height of the end-wall next the dwelling-house, and if 
the south-east end is of glass. The mode of furnishing the interior would 
also he a help. With your limited command of heating power we can hold 
out no hopes of succeeding with tender climbers turned out of doors in 
summer, and you seem to have made no convenience for taking them out 
and in easily. We think the numbers marked will he quite sufficient for 
the house; but the kinds would depend chiefly on the room and height 
you could give them. As soon as we know that we shall be glad to assist 
you, and will keep the letter for reference. 
Cucumbers in a Stove [J. Stephens). —Your house with the heat you 
give it (63° day and night), is not a greenhouse, hut a plant-stove or 
forcing-house! You will injure any greenhouse plant kept long in that 
temperature in winter. You would not have had far to look back to find 
the information you want. In your circumstances we would proceed thus : 
At the hottest end of the house, supposing the flues are close or near to¬ 
gether, shut off a space for a small hotbed. If the flues are strong, build a 
wall on the top of them a yard long and thirty inches high, and shut in 
the ends ; the wall of the house will form one end. Fill that pit above the 
fluedo within eight inches of the top with clinkers, stones, &c., roughly 
and openly put together, and cover the top with tan, ashes, or sand, and 
there raise and grow your plants when young. If the flue is not strong 
enough, build a wall by the side of it, and make a pit in the same way. or 
place a layer of bricks above the flue, and raise above it a bottomless 
wooden-box, part of which you may fill with tan, sweet dung or leaves. If 
even that is objectionable, a large hamper filled with fermenting material 
would suit your purpose; but the box or the pit would he preferable. The 
latter could be removed when not needed. When the plants get to eighteen 
inches or so in height, they could be set along the flues. A couple of bricks 
and a sod, or a water-pan being placed under each pot. The best plan to 
give moisture to the house is, to have evaporating-pans, or basins, placed 
in all open spaces on the top of the flue, fhid to keep the ground, or floor, 
near the flues moist. You need not throw away you lanky plants. Put 
each of them in a three or four-inch pot, with the roots at one side, and 
after covering them lay the lanky stem along the side of the pot inside, and 
hardly cover it, leaving the seed-leaves above the rim. If these are then 
plunged near the glass, as suggested, the stems will emit roots, at least 
many of them, and good plants he secured. 
Too Much Top Heat and too Little Bottom Heat ( A Subscriber, — 
Holt).— You say nothing as to the position of your pipes, but we presume 
those for top heat are higher in level than those for bottom heat. Ho 
the air-pipes rise considerably higher than the supply cistern ? Where is 
that cistern? It seems strange that with a two-foot boiler, and something 
like fifty feet of three-inch pipe, you should lose some thirty or forty 
gallons of water in a night, and that thrown out at the air-pipes. How¬ 
ever, it is quite evident that you have not made allowance in such a small 
place for the expansion of the water by heat. Did you put a kettle on the 
fire, full of water, you would find that it would run over long before it 
came to the boiling point. If the ends of your pipes ended in a cistern 
containing several gallons, above the pipe level, you would need no air- 
pipes, and the water would rise in the cistern when hot, and fall when cool, 
and thus always keep the pipes full, with but little attention. We would 
suggest this without any alteration of the boiler, that is evidently all right. 
You can put as little fire as you like. The simplest plan, would be to fix a 
wooden tank lined with lead at the end of the pipes, and take the open- 
air pipe into it"near the bottom. 
Vine Beetle (A . Z.). —It is one of the Weevils so frequently injurious 
in the vinery, by eating the leaves. It is the Curvulio picipes, so called 
from its dull black colour. There is no better plan for destroying it than 
