404 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND CO EE TRY GENTLEMAN, March 27, i860. 
fieial action of the sun upon their roots ; and I have no doubt 
the cottagers can grow as good fruit in such situations as the best 
of gardeners, if they would favour them with a little stimulus 
occasionally ; for I know of no fruit trees that will bear so much 
drought without injury to the foliage as the Apricot.—C. Peabs, 
Grassenclale, Liverpool. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Vakiou3 ( Subscriber ).—Geraniums are better hybridised out of doors 
than under glass. Verbena venosa is about eighteen inches high, and is 
far too tall to plant with Geranium Perfection. The old “ Nosegays” are 
readily obtained. 
Hose of Sharon (A Cotistant Subscriber). —Your description shows that 
you mean the Rose of Jericho. Its botanical name is Anastaiica hicro- 
i kuntica. You will see drawings and a full description of it in our No. 507. 
You could not obtain a living plant, nor would it be cultivatable if you 
could. In our last number there arc several greenhouse climbers de¬ 
scribed. Our “Window Gardening for the Many” gives directions 
entirely applicable to small greenhouses in London and other smoky 
localities. 
Gas-lighted Room (A Subscriber). —With a ventilator at the top of the j 
bow-window, and another ventilator below it, we do not think that gas | 
burnt in the room would injure the plants. They should be shaded from ; 
the gas-light by a curtain. 
Books [P. W.H.B.).— Sanders and Hoarc “Onthe Culture of the Vine;” 
Cuthill on “ Mushroom Culture;” and Hamilton on “Bine Apple Culture.” 
Buy our “Fruit Gardening for the Many.” You will find what you | 
require in that. 
Grape [J. McM., Stratford Green ).— Send your address on a blue- 
stamped envelope to Mr. Beaton, Surbiton, Kingston, Surrey. 
Grape-bunches becoming Tendrils (A. S. W.). —We have no doubt 
that the cause of this is the roots being too cold in proportion to the 
temperature in which the branches are growing. Vines do not require 
pig-dung, nor any other very rich stimulating manure. 
Woodlice ( T. T.). —We know of no mode of destroying these pests, 
except trapping them, keeping toads in the house, and deluging their 
haunts with boiling water. 
Spkrgula pilifera turned Brown — March Cuttings oi Pelar¬ 
goniums ( A Tyro). —The early frost touched all the young Spergula plants 
which we have seen, and all the Scotch-kale in our neighbourhood, and 
there is nothing green for man or beast just now within miles of us; 
cheer up, however, these visitations are rare in this climate. Summer 
drought killed all our old grass nineteen years out of thirty ; but we never 
dreamed of giving up grass lawns for all* that; the grass came better and 
finer afterwards, and it will be just the same with the “new grass.” 
There is no reason why Pelargoniums, which are struck in March, should 
not be in bloom by the beginning of July; but that depends very much on 
the backward or forward state of the old plants when the cuttings tvere 
taken off. 
Heaths to Bloom in July (Greenliand). — Cavcndishii, the best yellow, 
aud some Ventricosa—as Ventricosa superba —are the two best for your 
purpose. 
Terrace Garden (TV. it.). —We never plant garden plans; we only 
correct ways of planting, so as to bring them within the fashion, and we 
have said so very many times. 
Hollyhocks (A Pecent Subscriber). —For thirteen good, cheap, showy 
Hollyhocks, well varied, and of decided colours, we should recommend 
Queen of the Whites, white; Lady Tarlton, flesh; Lizzy Improved, peach ; 
Lady Franklin, pink; Hon. Mrs. Ashley, lilac; Unique, carmine; Lord 
Jocelyn, cherry; Memnon, crimson; Queen of the Yellows, pale yellow; 
FI Dorado, golden yellow; Queen of the Buffs, buff; Walden Rival, 
orange ; Black Prince, black. 
Budding Peaches, &c. (A Youny Beginner). — Peaches and Nectarines 
require to be grown on the Muscle Plum stock, but you mayuse the common 
for Apricots, and particularly for the Moorpark. If the stocks are only 
just planted you had better not cut them down, and they will be ready for 
budding in the autumn. The culture of the Custard Vegetable Marrow is 
the same as for the common sort. 
Removing Protection {G. D.). —It is absolutely necessary to raise, or 
to lower, whichever may be most convenient, the covering of muslin from 
your wall trees during the daytime in mild weather. If you do not, the 
blossom will in many instances be unable to set its fruit from the weak¬ 
ness and defective secretions incident to the absence of light and air. The 
trees require no watering, nor need you trouble yourself to fertilise the 
blossoms; if exposed, the wind, the bees and other insects will accomplish 
the due application of the pollen. Your Cauliflowers buttoning is a proof 
that they had a check from frost, are on a soil too poor, or have not been 
duly watered and aired; or all those defects of management may have 
concurred to induce premature heading. 
Lime to Potatoes [H. C. Simpson). —No one can tel! exactly how 
many pounds of lime a hogshead of any capacity would weigh ; and who 
can tell whether Ur. Lang means a sugar hogshead, or a beer hogshead ! 
You had better write to Dr. Lang for more precise information. 
Flower-garden Plan ( F. J.). —No. 1, Flower of the Day Geranium> 
with or without an edging of blue Lobelia. No. 6, the match of No. 1- 
Brilliant, or any other good variegated Geranium, but it must be a 
Geranium, with a four-inch-wide edging of the Cerastium, of which you 
have so much. No. 11, Robinson’s Defiance Verbena. No. 12. Your best 
white Verbena, with a ten or twelve-inch edging of Purple King round it. 
Nos. 2 and 8, Tom Thumbs, or any Scarlets; and Nos. 3 and 7, yellow 
Calceolarias, and the rest just as you please. It is just like trimming a 
dress after those are thus dealt with, and you must know more about that 
part than your teachers. 
Atricot Buds Dead ( W. W. C. G.)— Whether by mixing lime with the 
Gishurst Conipound you developed anything corrosive we cannot say, for 
we do not know the constituents of that compound ; but two things are 
certain—first, that you were decidedly wrong to mix the lime with the 
Compound, inasmuch as that you ate not told to do so in the directions 
sent with each box; secondly, it is certain that the buds are dead. We 
incline to think that their death must he occasioned by the roots having 
descended into a wet or otherwise ungenial subsoil; hut you do not 
inform us where or on w'hat soil the trees are growing. We cannot tell 
from such a description the flower at the Crystal Palace. 
Name of Fern (Alcthra ).—This is one of the handsomest of our English 
Ferns, and belongs to the Polystichum angulare species. It is the 
P. angulare var. sub-tripinnatum. 
POULTRY AND BEE-KEEPER’S CHRONICLE. 
POULTRY SHOWS. 
May 23d and 21th. Beverley and East Riding of Yorkshire. Sec., 
Mr. Eras. Calvert, Surgeon, &e. Entries close May 17th. 
June 6th, 7tli, and 8th. Bath and West of England. At Dorchester. 
See., J. Kingsbury, Esq., Ilammet Street, Taunton. 
July 18tli and 19tli. Merthyr Tydvil. See., Mr. W. H. Harris, 142, 
High Street, Merthyr. 
N.B .—Secretaries wilLoblige us by sending early copies of their lists. 
MAKING POULTRY SHOWS REMUNERATIVE. 
Thebe is a companionship belonging to a Poultry Show, 
which should interest all equally who are concerned in it. Love 
of the pursuit, and a desire to see these exhibitions placed on a 
firm basis, induce us to moot the question. What is the best 
plan for making these meetings self-supporting? It is certain 
they are not so in many instances ; and when we consider the 
labour to which Secretaries and Committee men expose them¬ 
selves, we think it “ like the cheese down-west,” far too hard they 
should have to suffer in pocket. "Wo have nothing to do with, 
nor have we any care for, some of those speculative Shows, which 
cause fortunate (?) exhibitors to write and ask what we would 
advise them to do under the circumstances. “ They paid say 6s.- 
entry, gained a first prize of £3, had their birds claimed at ten 
guineas, which they have not received, and on the strength of 
the sale purchased another pen at £6, for which, as the Secretary 
said, ‘ to avoid confusion,’ they paid.” 
We wish to speak of some of those well-conducted Shows, 
where nearly every demand is paid within a fortnight of the 
Show, and where every Committee man holds himself responsible 
for all claims on it. If the only dependanee is on admission- 
money, it is trusting to a broken reed. A snow-storm, three wet 
clays, some great attraction in another spot, very severe cold, all 
these tilings will destroy any hopes that were founded on ad¬ 
mission-money. We will endeavour to clear up as we go on. 
We do not say there will be no visitors. There will always be 
those who delight in the pursuit, but there will not be the 
numerous attendance that will insure a profit to the responsible 
parties, or that will enable the projectors to enjoy the conviction 
that, let what may happen, they will not suffer in pocket, Every 
one will admit how essential a working Committee is to a Show; 
but the working members are very often among those, who, 
most justly, decline to sacrifice anything, beyond part of their 
rest and time during some days. This will explain the reason 
why many Shows that had always been prosperous died suddenly, 
and disappeared from the list. A Committee of eleven, com¬ 
posed of the Chairman, six opulent, and four working, solvent, 
respectable, hut not rich men—those who have more children 
than freeholds. Every man, country, and society, has had its 
dark day. Such an one comes over the Committee; and if things 
do not alter, there will be a loss. At the meeting in the evening, 
the active men give an account of what they have done. The 
| Chairman and other members will enjoy the Show amazingly 
when the birds are unpacked and put straight, and all is in 
apple-pie order ; but they do not mean to work. Those who do 
will not spare themselves ; and they believe, having worked, they 
have done then’ parts. They do not contemplate losing money. 
When, however, a small deficit is apparent, they are surprised to 
see those who have done nothing hitherto, show themselves 
still less disposed to pay. Some will give their colleagues to 
understand they do not consider themselves in any way liable for 
anything but the use of their names. The anticipated loss proves 
unfounded. There remains a small balance in hand after paying 
all expenses; nothing could go off" better; the decisions were 
approved ; no bird died; all were sent away punctually; exhibi¬ 
tors and visitors were profuse in their professions of support. 
The Cottage Gabdenek had a fiamiug article in praise of the 
