THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN'S COMPANION, February 17, L857. 343 
QUERIES AND ANSWERS. 
GLASS OF GREENHOUSE BREAKING BY 
FREEZING. 
“ Will you give your opinion respecting the glazing of a 
greenhouse, used also as a Vinery with heat, the panes of 
which are very large and not fastened with putty ? The con- 
I sequence is that every winter several of them are broken by 
the frost. 
“ The reason they were not originally glazed with putty 
' was that the inside moisture might partially escape, and drip 
to a certain extent be avoided. The consequent breakage, 
however, of such large panes becomes a serious con¬ 
sideration, and I am desirous to know (as I can have it 
done still) whether the panes, fastened and made air-tight 
(as they would be) with putty is a thing which is considered 
objectionable in the best houses, and whether the inside 
drip is a necessary evil which gardeners have to put up with 
when the atmosphere of the Vinery or greenhouse is 
warmer than the outward air, and especially in frosty 
weather. 
“ I am aware that panes might be put in with a con¬ 
siderable space, half or a quarter of an inch between the laps, 
which would render the water less likely to congeal and 
break the glass, and give plenty of ventilation ; but then the 
rain would in that case be likely to drive in at times, which 
would be objectionable; or, again, the edges of the panes 
are, 1 believe, in some cases made exactly to tit without any 
laps at all; but this, my glazier tells me, could not be done 
with any ordinary glass, and which would, at all events, be 
now too late for me to think of.”—Q uerist. 
[We fear your glass must be much rounded to allow of so 
much water freezing. Is there nothing in the glass being 
too tight from bar to bar? In large squares we would allow 
from one-eighth to three-sixteenths of an inch lap. If the 
glass is hat the panes will go so close as to require no putty¬ 
ing. If at all rounded it is best to putty between, and if the 
putty has some white lead in it all the better. A small space 
of a quarter of an inch may remain unputtied in the middle. 
In a flat house there will be drip in sudden changes. In 
steep houses it runs down the sashes. A flat piece of zinc 
for the lowest panes to rest upon, and with several little 
j openings, will let the moisture escape. In flat houses, 
where drip would be injurious, the sashbars, instead of 
terminating in a point, should have a rounded groove on each 
side. We have seen tin and copper grooves fastened to 
the sashbars for this purpose, and answering admirably. 
Where a house or pit can be covered this is less necessary. 
We place little value on open spaces between panes of glass 
if air-giving by the regular means is attended to.] 
HYACINTHS TOO SHORT STEMMED. 
“ In October last I procured half a dozen Hyacinths for 
about as many shillings, and have grown them in vases in 
the window. The flowers are now just bursting; but they 
are so very short in the stem that you must look down into 
the leaves to see anything of it; I mean the leaves have so out- 
i grown the flower-stalk as to almost completely hide it. This is 
■ the case with all except one, La Candeur, single white; but 
! I cannot tell why this is, as they all have had the same treat¬ 
ment. I think I put them in the window too soon after 
placing them in water, although I ‘ hid ’ them for three 
| weeks in a cupboard. 
“You have spoken of ‘paper funnels’ to increase the 
I length of the spike; but I have not found this answer at all. 
I am sorry I have not succeeded this year, as I had a fine 
show last year, and felt sure of the same again. Do you 
think it is any use for me to put them in a dark place or 
cupboard now ?”—S. B. R. 
[We fear we cannot help you. Possibly your bulbs were 
rather soft, instead of being firm and well ripened. It would 
be of no use putting them in the dark now. The darkness 
is only useful until the glasses or the pots are full of roots. 
You might try a little portion of manure in the water, such 
as a pinch of guano, or superphosphate of lime, or a drop 
of spirit of hartshorn. Are you sure the flower-stalks did 
not get nipped and too much chilled in one of those frosty 
nights, or that the water was not next to freezing? We 
saw, about six weeks ago, several Hyacinths in the chimney 
corner in a cold evening, but coming dumpy, as you describe 
yours. The lady used the paper funnel, and speaks highly 
in favour of it, and that is only one instance in five score. 
We do not guarantee its success in every instance.] 
WINTER AND SPRING GARDENING OUT OF 
DOORS. 
“ I believe at Moor Park that Lord Robert Grosvenor has 
a good method for filling, during all the winter months, the 
beds within sight of the house with flowering shrubs, such 
as Laurestines, &c., also the variegated-leaved Aucubu Ja- 
ponica, instead of leaving them bare and unsightly as in most 
gardens. These are brought in from the reserve or back 
grounds in pots, and removed when necessary. 
“ It occurs to me that a very gay spring garden might be 
produced by introducing in those beds, during the months 
of April and May, before ‘ bedding out’ takes place for the 
summer, some plants which bloom during the spring 
exclusively. 
“ Will you favour me with the names of about a dozen 
plants, such as Daisies, Pansies, Wallflowers, Stocks, &c., 
which may be brought forward in pits at once, so as to turn 
out in bloom during those months when we are cheered 
occasionally with bright, fine, and warm weather, and every 
one is anxious to begin ‘ gardening?’ ”—A New Subscriber. 
[The plan of filling beds near the principal windows in 
winter with different shrubs is now universal in first, second, 
and third-class gardens. Every kind and form of “ ever¬ 
green " is suitable, and generally one-third of the number 
is of variegated plants, chiefly Hollies, and about the same 
proportion of upright or pyramidal-growing kinds, as Cypress , 
Juniper, Arbor Vitcc, and such things. They are much 
better without pots. Hundreds of such winter furnishing 
plants are used in the Experimental Garden without pots, 
being moved twice a year. They make so many roots “near 
home ” that they might be moved any day in the year, or 
once a month during the whole summer. Wallflower is the 
only flower that will answer to mix with evergreens in winter 
and spring beds; but borders or bands of spring flowers 
will do round such beds, not mixed with the evergreens, 
which would destroy their avowed use, as well as the effect 
they are intended to produce. There is no spring flower 
that will answer to be forwarded in pits, and then planted 
out to bloom—the first easterly wind settles all such ; hut 
in many places it is necessary to keep Nemophilas, Collinsius, 
and other annuals in cold pits over the winter to bloom 
from the middle of April.] 
ORNAMENTAL GRASSES. 
“ M. E. H. is desirous to grow some specimens of orna¬ 
mental Grasses this season. Would you insert a list of 
about twenty varieties in your next number, and also men¬ 
tion if the new Pampas Grass, advertised by Messrs. Hen¬ 
derson, is really hardy ? ” 
[There are not ten or even six ornamental Grasses in 
cultivation, and yet every Grass is ornamental. The Pampas 
Grass is the king or queen of them all at present, and is 
hardy in the climate of London. The Tussack Grass 
(Festuca flabellata ) was much spoken of as an ornamental 
Grass a few years since, but we hear nothing of it now. The 
different varieties of Arundo have been the old favourite 
Grasses with gardeners. Then there is Briza maxima, and 
there are other kinds beginning to be collected in the nur¬ 
series ; but we have no regular assortments of Grasses yet 
for the pleasure ground. We invite, therefore, a thorough 
discussion on ornamental Grasses among our contributors 
and correspondents as the most likely way to arrive at a 
good selection, and shall be obliged by communications on 
the subject.] 
CONSTRUCTING A PEACH HOUSE. 
“ I am making a new garden, and wish to ask if the Peach 
house at C. Mills’, Esq., Hillingdon House, Uxbridge, runs 
north and south ? (Vide Cottage Gardener, No. 434, page 
