THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, January 13, 1857. 
253 
and by-and-by they would each want a pot. During 
the hottest part of the summer and autumn they would 
do best in a north aspect, aud by the month of No¬ 
vember they would be producing their pretty flowers 1 . 
Mignonette should be sown thinly at the end of July 
and the beginning of August. Mush, to be green and 
bloom nicely in winter, should be allowed to go to rest 
early, say about J uly or earlier, by letting it remain 
dryish, in opposition to moistisb, in a cool, moist place. 
In September, if the plant is turned out of the pot, it 
will most likely be found full of roots, pushing beau¬ 
tifully, and that pot will do for filling half a dozen or 
I half a score of pots if you want so many. When 
! potted, water, and, after the shoots have come through 
' the soil, never let it want water again until it begins to 
I show that it wants its usual annual rest. Many of our 
j friends throw their Musk pots away when the plant 
withers and dies down. If they would only treat it as 
above, they might serve themselves and many more who 
like Musk scent. Cyclamens will now be growing 
naturally ; when the flowers are over, and the leaves 
get shabby in the end of spring, keep them in a shady 
place, aud neither wet nor dry, and only give water 
freely again when you see fresh growth taking place in 
autumn. Many Polyanthuses will be showing bloom 
nicely from the open border, and so will the single and 
semi-double Anemones, and, if potted, they will bloom 
nicely inside ol a window. 
3. "Herbaceous Plants from one to two feet 
high. — Chrysanthemums, chiefly Pompones, Wall¬ 
flowers, Cinerarias, Calceolarias, Ageratums, Heliotro- 
piums, Pelargoniums, Scarlet, Oak-leaved, and Sweet- 
scented. (See articles on Chrysanthemums lately.) The 
dwarter Pompones are the best for windows, and are 
easiest managed by dividing the roots or suckers in 
April or May, keeping the tops in the sun, and giving 
plenty of water all the summer. A few of the tall kinds 
might be introduced as a back row; but, if a few large 
flowers are desired, it is best to layer the points of shoots 
of such kinds in August, and thus large flowers are ob¬ 
tained from small plants. When done flowering they 
will do anywhere not over-wet, and where the roots are 
protected from severe frost. Double Wallflowers struck 
early last spring will probably bloom about February. 
Single ones sown in March will be blooming in-doors 
most of the winter. Cinerarias to bloom now should 
have been sown in April or May, or the old plants or 
suckers from roots divided in August. Calceolarias 
must be chiefly shrubby ones that were not allowed to 
bloom much in summer. Ageratums from cuttings in 
May and June. Heliotropes from cuttings, or old plants 
I cut down then. The Purple Unique Pelargonium has 
| done flowering, and the others are chiefly sought after 
t for their leaves. 
4. Compact Shrubs from one to three feet high.— 
Myrtles, Camellias, such as double white, Donklarii, fim- 
I briata, Chancllerii, and Bealei; Epacris nivalis and im- 
i pressa, besides varieties; Erica Caffra and liyemalis; 
j Fuchsia serratifolia; Cytisus Attleana; Coronillaglauca; 
j Daphne Indica and Indica rubra; China Roses, &c. 
I Everybody likes the Myrtle, and there is no difficulty in 
! growing it. If attention is paid not to over-dry the air 
I by fire heat, and to give due changes of atmosphere, the 
Camellias will bloom freely in windows. When done 
flowering they should be kept from bright sunshine 
until they begin to knot for bloom, when a place out of 
: doors sheltered from the midday sun would suit them. 
1 The same may be said of Epacrises and Heaths, only the 
i latter are very impatient of a close, confined, dry atmo¬ 
sphere. Those who buy a few little plants merely for 
I the bloom will not be disappointed, as the plants will 
| not suffer enough to prevent them blooming. Daphnes 
i must be treated much the same as Camellias, and are 
| universal favourites. The Fuchsia is one of the best 
winter-blooming ones, and flowers as naturally in winter 
as the others do in July. Their treatment was fully 
given not long ago. Any place not too sunny would 
suit the Coronilla and Cytisus out of doors after June, 
and until the end of October, supplying them then with 
plenty of water at the roots, and also overhead, but 
guarding against deficient drainage and the entrance of 
worms into the soil. 
5. Succulent Plants. —The one sure to bloom in 
winter is the Epiphyllum truncatum. This should be 
moderately watered when in bloom, using chilled water, 
and when done blooming should get all the light and 
heat possible, and wbat water it needs. By the end of 
July it may be placed in a sunny spot out of doors in 
front of a fence; keep it there until the first week in 
October, but give no water after the middle of August, 
and prevent a shower getting to the soil, and when 
placed in-doors only water after the flower-buds show. 
The whole of the Cactus and Mesembryanthemum group, 
though not flowering now, could be easily managed by 
an amateur whose time otherwise was much engaged. 
These would chiefly bloom during the early summer 
months, and then, aud until the middle of September, 
they would want water ; from that time until March they 
would hardly ever need the sight of the water-can, and 
the dryness in winter would be requisite for their future 
blooming. Where a south window could be commanded, 
and little air was wanted in summer, I know hardly 
anything more interesting than a small collection of 
Echinocacti, Melocacti, and Mammillaria. In such 
circumstances they could be watered in summer, but 
they would hardly want a drop all the winter. 
6. Hanging Plants. —I am glad to see that many 
window gardeners are imitating the Crystal Palace in 
this respect. The best free winter-flowering thing I 
know is the Tropwolum Lobbianum. A cutting or young 
plant of this stopped in May so as to make a number of 
shoots, and these encouraged to hang down, and put 
inside a basket at the top of the window in September, 
would yield its red flowers most of the winter. I lately 
saw a purple and white-leaved Tradescantia with its 
hanging shoots covering the greater part of a window. 
Two very neat ones, and requiring no water in winter, 
are Cactus flagelliformis and Cactus Mallisonii. I should 
have called them by the name of Cereus, I believe. The 
Maurandyas aud the little Lobelias make also pretty 
creepers; but perhaps the neatest of all, when fairly 
managed, are the Hibbertia grossularicefolia and the 
Saxifraga sarmentosa. 
7 . Succession for Spring and Summer Blooming.— 
These will chiefly consist of Pelargoniums, Cinerarias, 
Calceolarias, Fuchsias, &c. The great thing with all 
growing plants is to take every means possible by air, 
cool temperature, and no more water than is necessary 
to keep the plants from lengthening, unless there is sun¬ 
shine to consolidate them. I have already so far trespassed 
beyond my allotted space, that I would only add that all 
plants in a state of rest, like the Fuchsia, may be kept 
anywhere, if deciduous, where they will be free from 
frost. This sets the window at liberty for other things 
in winter. The fading Chrysanthemums will also give 
room for bulbs or other things. If these general re¬ 
marks suit inquirers I shall be glad. There are many 
little attentions requisite to success, and no writing or 
advising will make us quite up to them until we have 
paid some of the penalties of experience and learned to 
generalise for ourselves. R. Fish. 
CULTURE OF CUCUMBERS IN WINTER. 
After reading over “ J. C. W.’s” remarks on the 
failure of his Cucumber-house, and also Mr. Fish’s 
article in reply, I am inclined to say thus publicly 
