TFT 15 COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION.— November 4,1800. 
84 
SUPER PHOSPHATE OF LIME AS A GARDEN 
MANURE. 
From observations in The Cottage Gardener on the 
use of Super-phosphate of Lime, I have been induced to try 
it under the following circumstances :— 
My garden, by no means an old one, lias for the last five 
years produced everything of the Cabbage tribe, particularly 
Cauliflowers, with what some gardeners term “ finger-and- 
toe ” roots, or, in other words, clubbed roots. I therefore 
this year planted two rows of Cauliflowers, one of them 
with rotten horse-manure and a small quantity of the super¬ 
phosphate, and the other entirely with tlfte latter. In the 
first row there was a little clubbing, but nothing to prevent 
growth ; but the latter, having used more of the super¬ 
phosphate, was entirely clear, and the Cauliflowers in both 
were the best I have had for several years. 
I have used it for Peas, Deans, Spinach, and Onions with I 
good effect; indeed, the Onions were allowed to bo the best , 
in this neighbourhood. 
For pot Roses and Chrysanthemums nothing can excel J 
it. —A Subscriber prom the First. 
QUERIES AND ANSWERS. 
A 
UNITING STOCKS OF DEES. 
“ Having a swarm of bees of this year which appears too 
weak to stand the winter, 1 purpose buying an old stock- 
hive. Ought the weak swarm to he united to this hive, as 
directed in “Bee-keeping for the Many?” I have a spare 
attic, about thirty feet from the ground, in which the hives 
might be kept, as a bee-keeper tells me that it is best, if 
possible, to devote a room to them, where they will be free 
from vermin, damp, and wind, and easily got at. Would 
you recommend this ? or is my attic too high for the 
purpose? It has a south aspect. 
“ The hive which I am about to purchase is one of the old 
sort. Should I keep this merely as a stock-liive, and get a 
swarm from it into one of better construction? or how 
should I deal with it? My present hive is one of the same 
description.—A. N.” 
[It is too late in the year to attempt the union of stocks. 
This should be done seldom later than the middle of 
September in fine weather. “A. N.” purposes the purchase 
of an old stock; but the selection ought to be one of : 
sufficient health and strength to stand through the winter 
without the necessity of any junction of hives. It must be j 
removed to its intended position in another month, and j 
remain till swarming time without disturbance. A spare 
room or dry outhouse will do very well, with an aperture 1 
through the wall as an exit for the bees, taking care that 
these cannot get into the room itself; but thirty feet from 
the ground is too high an elevation, and many bees would j 
be lost; besides that, in the swarming time they might liy 
to an inconvenient distance, or be lost altogether. Perhaps 
“ A. N.” might preserve his weak stock by abundant feeding.] 
CULTURE OF TRITOMA UVARIA AND SISY- 
RINCHIUM GRANDIFLORUM. 
“ A Subscriber to The Cottage Gardener, having lately 
received roots of Tritomu uvaria and Sisyrinchium grandi- 
Jlonnn, would feel greatly obliged by being informed when 
they should be planted, and how treated.” 
[They should be planted at once. Triloma uvaria is the 
hardiest plant we have from the Cape of Good Hope. It is 
very seldom destroyed by frost; but young suckers of it, 
sucli as your plant, should have the same protection as young 
Artichokes in the kitchen-garden; that is, some people take 
great pains with them about London, and mulch them very 
heavily to keep out the frost; while, on the other side of the 
Grampian range, very few people think the frost docs any 
harm to Artichokes. It may not be quite so with Trilumas; 
but cottagers give “ slips ” of them to their friends, who never 
think of mulching them. The Trilomas are the finest 
things we have late in the autumn, and we ought to have 
them by the hundred instead of by the dozen. Sisyrinchium 
grandiflorvm, as well as the Trilomas, does better at first, | 
or while young, in a bed of half peat and half sandy loam ; ! 
but in a few years they will be strong enough to do in any j 
soil which would grow Carrots or Barley. Neither of them | 
will be so safe in pots through the winter as in the free ground, 
with a little coal-ashes over them till March or April ] 
DELPHINIUM FORMOSUM. 
“ I am curious about the history of Delphinium prmosmi, 
which I sec mentioned in a recent number. I have bad 
Delphinium Hcndersonii for Iwo years, and find it bad to 
keep through the winter, as it dies if left in the ground, and 
its growth is stunted if taken up; besides, it does not come 
true from seed. 
“There was, in a nursery garden near here, this autumn 
a most magnificent lied of Delphinium formosum. It con¬ 
sisted of more than 200 seedlings, sown in a little heat last 
April, and planted out in June. ' I looked them carefully 
over, and there was only one, a purple one, which was not 
true to the colour of the Hcndersonii, and they had a more 
compact spike and larger flower. They were ripening seeds 
abundantly. If those who are supposed to have raised it 
are honest about it I suppose it cannot be a species; but 
no species could have come truer from seed ; and, if such is 
its regular habit, it will be the finest addition to our bedding- 
plants we have had for some time." 
[The history of Delphinium formosum we gave last month 
only. It was raised by Mr. Deeriug, near Norwich, and 
is the finest of all Larkspurs, as we have said on three 
occasions this summer. It should not be touched for the 
first twelve months after buying it, as we answered two 
weeks ago. It seeds tolerably well, and it comes true from 
seeds; but that proves nothing to those who can see any 
difference between species and variety. Your Hendersonii 
can hardly be true. We never saw it in seed, and it is as 
hardy as any of them as far as we know.] 
SIX STOVE PLANTS.—FORMING AN OVAL BED. j 
“ I want half a dozen stove plants, fast growers, profuse j 
bloomers during winter, if you will kindly send me the j 
names of six. At tlie same time, could you give me some 
directions for cutting an oval bed ?—A Subscriber.” 
[These six plants will suit you:— Poinscttia pulcherrima, . 
crimson; Euphorbia Jacquinijlora, crimson: Justicia Jlavi- 
coma, yellow; Erunthemurn pulchellum varicosum, blue; 
Begoniafuchsioides, scarlet; Begonia muricata, pink. 
To make a gardener's oval bed: —Decide upon its greatest \ 
length; place a line to represent thus its long diameter, j 
Bisect it in the middle witli the transverse diameter, placing 
one half of it on one side, and the other half on the other 
side of the long diameter, and at right angles with it. Then 
take half the length of the transverse diameter, and divide 
it into three parts. Take one of these parts, and at that 
length from each end of the long diameter place a stick 
firmly in the ground. Place a stick at tin ,-,unie distance 
from each end of the short diameter. Then, place a string 
round the two pins on the long diameter, and the pie on 
one side of the short diameter, so loose.,) that when you 
strain it with a pin in your hand, it will r. acli the extreme 
end of tlie diameter. Take the line round with this 
strain on it, and you will describe one side of the oval; 
move tlie line to the pin on the other side of the transverse 
diameter, and you will describe the other side, and the oval 
will be complete. Where mere length is given, divide the 
length of the diameter into three parts. Make tlie two 
outer parts the centre of two circles, which will thus form 
the ends of your oval. The places where these circles cross 
each other will be the centres from which to finish the oval 
on each side. There are many other modes, but these are 
simple.] 
MELONS IN POTS. 
“ My late gardener was very unsuccessful in the cultiva¬ 
tion of Melons. I shall be thankful for an opinion as to 
the following plan:— 
“ To fill earthen pots, fifteen inches wide by thirteen 
