64 THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION.— October 28, 1850. 
NEW AND RARE PLANTS. 
Argyreia hirsutA (Hairy Argyreia). 
One of the most beautiful of the tropical Bindiveeds. It 
belongs to that Natural Order (Convolvulacece), and to Pen- 
tandria Monogynia of Linnaeus. It is by some called 
Argyreia Choisyana, and by others Rivea hirsuta. We believe 
it to be a native of Burmali. Flowers purplish-pink.— 
Botanical Magazine, t. 4940. 
Lysiiiachia nutans (Drooping-flowered Lysimachia). 
This is the L. atropurpurea of some botanists, and the 
Lubinia atropurpurea of others. A native of South Africa. 
Flowers crimson, appearing in July; bearing out-of-door 
cult ure in summer, but the roots requiring shelter in winter. 
The young flowers droop, but soon become erect.— Ibid, t. 
4941. 
Codonopsis rotundieolia (Round-leaved Codonopsis). 
A native of the Himalaya Mountains. In Dr. Royle’s 
specimens the leaves must have been of a different shape 
from those on the plants at Kew, or he would not have 
called it rotundifolia. At Kew they are spear-head and 
heart-shaped. The flowers are yellowish-green, and not at 
all striking. The plant is a twiner.— Ibid, t. 4942. 
Orobus Fischeri (Dr. Fischer’s Bitter Vetch). 
It is probably a native of South Italy and Northern Africa. 
It is hardy. Flowers reddish-purple.— Ibid , t. 4943. 
Dendrobium Falconeri (Dr. Falconer's Dendrobium). 
An Orchid from the Bootan Mountains, at an elevation 
of 4,000 feet. Flowers white, tipped with purple.— Ibid, 
t. 4944. 
Mucuna prurita (Stinging Mucuna). 
This is the East Indian Cow-itcli or Cowage plant, the 
hairs from the pods of which are so intensely irritating. 
The flowers are blackish-purple, and, hanging in bunches, 
resemble black Grapes. It is common in India, especially 
near Madras.— Ibid, t. 4945. 
QUERIES AND ANSWERS. 
THE CRYSTAL PALACE DAHLIA.—PLANTS FOR 
A NARROW BORDER. 
“ I am much disappointed at seeing, in The Cottage Gar¬ 
dener for October 14th, that the Crystal Palace Dahlia is 
not nearly so good a bedding-plant as the Zelinda variety. 
I had imagined, from all I heard arid read about it, that it 
was the linest bedding-plant in cultivation. I have a few 
spring-struck plants of it in pots, as well as some cuttings 
just rooted. Will you be good enough to tell me the best 
method of preservirig them through the winter ? I have not 
seen either variety, but my anxiety to get a bed of Dahlia 
Crystal Palace is somewhat damped, and I fear now it will 
disappoint me. 
“ I have a long, narrow border, with gravel on one side 
and grass on the other; it is forty yards long, and only one 
yard wide. I am anxious to vary the style of planting. I 
had Verbenas and Scarlet Geraniums in it alternately for 
some years, and this season a row of Tom Thumb Gera¬ 
niums next the grass; then a row of Alyssum variegated; 
next to it Lobelia ramosoidcs ; and, by the gravel path, CEno- 
thera prostrata. The blue failed late in the season ; but, not¬ 
withstanding, it was admired very much by some. Will you 
suggest a few new modes of planting it ? I have a great va¬ 
riety of plants, and can accomplish almost anything you 
may suggest. My stock of the Golden Chain Geranium is 
rather small, and it would be as well not to arrange for them 
to be planted in it. 
“ Will you assist me in patterns for making rustic baskets 
for ornamenting a lawn? I am rather afraid of placing 
something of this kind on the grass, lest Mr. Beaton, if he 
saw it, might designate it a “ hideous mongrel,” like the or¬ 
namental flower-pots in the gardens at St. John’s Wood and 
all round the suburbs of London.— Pumpkin.” 
[Keep the young, struck Dahlia plants just like Verbenas 
or Petunias all the winter; and, in the spring, make cut¬ 
tings of the tops as of Verbenas. The Crystal Palace Dahlia 
must be pegged down to make a good bed; it is not a dwarf 
kind at all. For the narrow border next season plant the 
first row next the gravel with Verbena, Geant des Batailles; 
the centre row with Flower of the Day; and the back row 
with Tom Thumb; or, second, Baron Huyel, Flower of the 
Day, and Commander-in-Chief or Harkaway; Calceolaria, 
Hugo; and Geranium, Tom Thumb. If rustic baskets were 
made on any plan which is recognised by artists there 
would be no objections to them.] 
FORCING VINES AND PEACHES IN POTS. 
“I have two small houses (fifteen feet by nine feet each), 
heated by hot water, in which I wish to force Vines and 
Peaches in pots ; and I want you to tell me how best to do 
this. My thought is to have Peaches in both houses, say 
from January to July, and then to follow the Peaches with 
Vines. I have a regular Vinery, in which I could bring on 
the Vines in pots up to a certain point; but what I want is 
to make my houses as useful as possible in the production 
of Grapes and Peaches in pots, and pray tell me how to do 
so. I see no reason why Vines in pots should not produce 
really good and fine Grapes every year without any change 
of plants, provided the Vines are grown in 13-inch pots, 
and are repotted every year. I was told the other day, by 
a very clever gardener, that this might be done ; and from 
what one often hears respecting the small quantity of soil 
which a Vine requires, supposing the soil to be of the right 
sort, there seems to be nothing against it. But why, then, 
is it the common practice with pot Vines to have new plants 
every year ?— Hugo.” 
_ [Weshallbegladtoassistyou,butratherthink,in the mean 
time, you know as much of the matter as we do. Gardeners 
differing is more a matter of appearance than reality. The 
great variety of circumstances that come under their notico 
cause them to vary the working of one principle to suit 
these circumstances. Hence you will find the same result 
arrived at by different means, provided you do not mingle 
the means, and take a leaf out of one practitioner’s practice 
on one subject, and a leaf quite different out of another 
practical’s mode, and thus create opposition instead of 
agreement. We can get to London in much the same time 
by different routes; but we should be a long time getting 
there if we went a bit by one road, and then took a cross¬ 
country cut to go a little way by another road, and then 
another. Just so with gardening; there is no particular 
royal road to success. We see as great results achieved by 
one mode as one seemingly different, just because the 
subject is thoroughly comprehended by both practitioners. 
Practice is based upon a clearly seen principle of action; 
and the operators, instead of bending a principle to suit 
circumstances and a certain outline of routine management, 
make the circumstances bend to the principle. Now for a 
few words as to your inquiries. 
You will have seen much on pot culture in previous 
numbers, and will be able to judge for yourself as to the 
pleasure to be derived from it, rather than the economy it 
will secure. We will, therefore, say nothing upon that head. 
We presume you have got Peach-trees in thirteen-inch pots, 
or propose getting them, or are ordering maiden dwarfs to 
be grown for that purpose. One great means of success is 
the power of keeping the roots, when you commence to 
force, a few degrees warmer than the top. This is best 
secured by plunging the pots partly in any substance which 
will yield a gentle heat, or which is heated artificially by a 
pipe, &e., passing below the plunging medium. In starting 
you must begin with a low temperature, as for a Peach- 
house ; but this, we presume, you know all about. If you 
commence with pots eight inches wide or so, a shift may be 
given the following year; but when they are in thirteen to 
fifteen-inch pots we should decline doing much in the shift¬ 
ing way. We would first secure good drainage and free, fibry 
soil. This will decay and get closer every year. No roots 
should be allowed to grow through the pots. As much of 
the surface-soil should be picked out every autumn as 
possible without injuring the roots, and fresh soil and rich 
mulchings and manure-waterings will keep such plants in 
good bearing for many years, provided the wood is strong, 
