132 THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, November 25, 1856. 
Now, my preventive practice is to dig deep, and to plant 
in the latter part of March. I do not approve of autumn 
planting. The ground gets wet and sodden during the 
winter. I trench the Potatoes in, and do not put a foot on 
the ground after till I am obliged to, and I plant only the 
sorts adapted to the situation. I do not plant deep, but 
mould up as high and as early as I can. 
I believe, too, that the same cause that affects the Pota¬ 
toes affects the Mushrooms as well, for I have not seen any 
of spontaneous growth of any account since the appearance 
of the Potato disease. I have a spot in an orchard that pro¬ 
duces a quantity of the large Mushrooms every year. I 
have gathered a quantity within the last fortnight. If I 
should make a bed next year, and put spits from the above 
spot, may I have any probability of growing any Mushrooms 
from them ?— The Doctor’s Boy. 
CHEAP FERNERY. 
The following account of a simple Fernery may be of use to 
those readers of The Cottage Gardener who are unable 
to purchase an expensive glass shade :— 
Procure five pieces of glass for the sides and top of the 
case. Bind each all round the edge with a piece of scarlet 
galloon. Sarsnet ribbon will do equally as well as galloon 
for binding the glass. It should be scarlet, to contrast with 
the green of the Ferns. The galloon is not fixed to the 
glass with any cement; this is wholly unnecessary. 
Any lady could understand how it is done at once: it is not 
so easy to explain. The galloon is doubled over the edge of 
the glass, and stretched tightly all round the edge, being 
sewn at the corners. Each piece of glass thus bound 
round is sewn to its fellows by the galloon binding. The top 
is put on in the same way. If properly sewn, the case is 
perfectly strong. Mine was made by a lady in about half 
an hour; but it is not a large size, only holding six Ferns 
of a small description. The ventilation is just sufficient to 
J keep the Ferns healthy without propping up the edge of the 
i frame, as is a common plan. My case cost lid., not includ- 
! ing the tray. Plant the Ferns among broken pieces of 
j clinker in a wooden or zinc tray, water, and cover with the 
| frame. The sketch above is from a case of this description, 
which I have had in use four months.—E. A. Copland, 
Bellefield, Chelmsford. 
UNRIPE MELONS AND TOMATOES. 
It may be of use to some of your many readers who grow 
! Melons to know that they are not always to be thrown 
away as utterly useless if gathered late in the season, hard, 
half-grown, and unripe. 
About a month ago, three or four of Fleming's Hybrid 
. Cashmere (an admirable and delicious green-fleshed fruit), 
I were condemned by my gardener to the manure-heap. 
They were a second crop, and, with declining heat and a less 
powerful sun, it was thought hopeless to give them a further 
t rial. 
By my suggestion they were gathered and placed on my 
ldtchen-dresser, and after three weeks’ warmth turned out 
as ripe, luscious, and melting as if they had not been re¬ 
moved from the garden-frames. 
I may add, that I treat Tomatoes much in the same way ; 
those that are picked green just before the frost commences, 
are hung up in the kitchen to ripen. By this means last 
year I had a constant succession so late as even the middle 
of January.—Wi. J. Jenkins, Rector of Fillingham. 
TAYLOR’S HIVES. 
I am frequently interested by the correspondence in The 
Cottage Gardener on the subject of bee management, 
which, as all experience shows, requires to be varied accord¬ 
ing to circumstances, locality, &c. In your last publication 
(No. 421), Mr. D. G. M'Lellan alludes to his experience of 
Mr. Taylor’s Hive (meaning, I suppose, his storifying boxes), 
j which certainly does not correspond with my own. My ob- 
I ject at present, however, is to notice the error into which 
| the writer has fallen when he says, “The giving of an 
additional room below forms no part of Mr. Taylor’s plan.” 
It seems to me Mr. M'Lellan has advanced no further than 
an old edition of the Bee-Keeper's Manual, for, in my own 
copy, the fifth edition (a much enlarged work), the principle 
of under-hiving is distinctly provided for, shown in the en¬ 
graving (p. 53), and explained subsequently by the author, 
who says (p. 59), that the box No. 3 of the set is equally well 
adapted to be used either as a super or nadir, and he else¬ 
where calls attention to this application of it.—C. A. L., 
; Gloucestershire. 
NEW AND RARE PLANTS. 
Pelargonium Endlicherianum ( Endlicher's Crane's-Bill). 
This is one of the very few species native of other places 
than the Cape of Good Hope. It is from the western 
Taurus, in Asia. Its petals are purplish-crimson. It 
j flowered in a cool greenhouse at Copenhagen in July, 1856. 
! A few species of this genus have been found in South 
Australia and the South Sea Islands.— Botanical Magazine, 
i t. 4946. 
Moricandia Ramburu ( Rambur's Moricandia). 
Hardy perennial, native of the mountains of Granada, in 
Spain. Flowers pale purple.— Ibid , t. 4947. 
Galipea macrophylla ( Large-leaved Galipea). 
i By various botanists this has been included in the follow¬ 
ing genera:— Conchocarpus, Raputia, Sciuris, Obentonia, and 
Erythrochiton; but they all agree that it belongs to the Rue- 
worts (Rutacese). It is a native of Brazil, and requires to 
be grown in a stove. Its flowers are pale pink.— Ibid, 
| t. 4948. 
Hypericum oblongifolium {Oblong-leaved St. John’s-wort). 
A very lovely evergreen, with bright yellow, large flowers, 
and quite hardy. Native of northern India, Nepaul, and 
the Himalayas, up to as high as 12,000 feet. Sent by Mr. W. 
Lobb to Messrs. Yeitch and Son, of the Chelsea and Exeter 
' Nurseries. It is a great acquisition, and we agree with Sir 
W. Hooker in thinking “ it will soon find its way into every 
garden and every shrubbery.”— Ibid, t. 4949. 
Agave striata {Streaked-leaved Agave). 
Native of Real del Monte, in Mexico.— Ibid, t. 4950. 
Pachyphytitm eracteosum {Bracteated Pachyphylum). 
This is a solitary species, very unique in its appearance, 
on which has been founded a new genus. It belongs to the 
Natural Order of Houseleeks (Crassulacese) ; to Decandria 
Pentagynia; and is nearly allied to Echeveria. The leaves 
and calyx are intensely pale, glaucous grey, and contrast 
most strikingly with the. scarlet petals and golden anthers. 
Native of Mexico, and requiring a temperate greenhouse. 
Blooms in summer.— Ibid, t. 4951. 
