THE COTTAGE GARDENER AM) COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Novum bee 9, 1858. 
85 
fore, not an easy matter to give advice on the head of new va¬ 
nities, when we are told that it sometimes happens that half-a- 
dozen kinds can bo had from one bag. 
lie this as it may, the novelty-seeking public have brought 
mueli of it on themselves, by continually socking and patronising 
those who sell their seeds under the cost of production, to the 
disparagement of those who would doul fair, and arc reluctantly 
obliged to do as others do. However, leaving others to find a 
remedy for the seed trade and its concomitant evils, a few words 
on (he cultivation of early Peas will now be acceptable,—the 
usual mode of attaining them being by sowing their seed at 
this season. Other modes are also adopted by special growers ; 
but those grown for the million arc of necessity subjected to that 
hardy treatment which affords a good return for a small amount 
of labour and expense. 
Supposing an ordinary walled-in garden to have a south-lying 
border 1 at liberty, to have been manured for some of the summer 
crops, and to be in pretty good condition, it need not have any 
accession that way this time, as too much grossness is against the 
Pea plants standing hard weather. Generally speaking, Peas endure 
hard weather best on a dry, calcareous soil: even chalk is not 
averse to winter work, as in dry, chalky districts many fields are 
annually sown with Peas, which stand the winter, are gathered 
when ready, and some other crop sown on the ground. Hut, as 
all gardens have not a dry, chalky corner, recourse must be had 
to such places as present themselves ; and, in a general way, a 
south-lying border will bo found a suitable situation; only the 
warmer it is, and the more it is sheltered from cold winds, the 
better. As almost all gardens have a favoured spot of this 
kind, the claims of early Peas entitle them to its occupation 
before many things of less importance. 
The ground being fixed on, the sowing of the crop is easily 
effected. After the ground lias been dug, let them be sown in 
drills about four feet apart. As it is not expected that any of 
the tall-growing ones will be sown at this time, if the ground be 
very stilt', and slugs aud other enemies abound, a liberal coating 
of coal ashes over the seed will assist in protecting them from 
their attacks. If, however, the ground be dry, this need not be 
applied. But care must be taken not to tread the ground very 
much in wet weather, as it soddens and disorders it for the whole 
season; but, if it be dry, a good treading at top is beneficial 
rather than otherwise, the bottom being open and loose for some 
depth. 
The period for sowing is about the middle of November. But 
so much depends on the weather that follows ; for if it be mild up 
to the end of January, or later, the young crop is very likely to 
be six or eight inches high, which is much too high to endure the 
cold weather that often follows; but if severe w'eather should 
set in before Christmas, they will be none too early. The best plan 
is, to sow a portion in the middle of November, and a like quantity 
a month afterwards : the latter is very often the best, and some¬ 
times the earliest. 
As I have before observed, it is diflleult to give advice on 
kinds; but to the amateur I may say, that Warner's Emperor 
and Sang star's No. 1 are each good early Peas. No doubt, 
there are others equally good ; but it is annoying to have a tall, 
lanky, late one come up, where an early, good cropper was ex¬ 
pected ; yet such things happen in the Pea trade.— J. Robson. 
i if. Plentiful and well-placed drainage is highly essential, as the 
i plant is very impatient of superfluous moisture at the roots, 
especially in autumn aud winter ; and at theso seasons it should 
bo sparingly watered, as well as carefully protected from heavy 
autumnal ranis. It requires the protection of a cold frame in 
winter. Blooms in June and July, 
Cuphea silenoioes. Naas. Nat. ord., Lythracem. Native 
of Mexico.—Hardy annual, with erect branching habit. Branches 
round, covered with spreading, glandular hairs. Leaves opposite, 
obtusely lanceolate, entire. Petioles very short. Pedicels solitary, 
springing from between the petioles, each bearing a single flower, 
based by a couple of deflexed bracts. Calyx tubular, elongated, 
furrowed, viscid; with a limb of five acute segments. Petals 
six, uuguiculate, spreading, rotund : four (the lower), small, deep 
purple; the two upper, much larger, also deep purple, with the 
margin paler. Stamens attached to the side of the calyx tube. 
Style subulate. 
A beautiful annual, requiring slight heat, if raised in March; 
but it also suceeeds well sown in the open ground in April or 
May. It blooms most profusely till frost destroys it in early 
whiter; and it ripens seeds freely in this (London) locality. 
Cuphea puupueea. Native of Mexico. Nearly allied to, but 
very distinct from, C. silenoidcs .—Annual, about a foot and a 
half high. Branches strong, covered with glutinous hairs. Leaves 
opposite, shortly petiolate, ovato-cordate, acute, entire. Pedicels 
short, produced between the petioles. Calyx tubular, elongated, 
furrowed; limb divided into six segments: five short, acute; 
the sixth larger, and very obtuse. Corolla of six petals : the 
four lower, small, obovate; the two upper, larger, and more 
rounded. All pale purple. Stamens arranged in two rows, 
attached to the calyx tube. Style subulate, with several spread¬ 
ing hairs near the apex. 
A very beautiful, free, and long-flowering species, requiring the 
■ same treatment as C. silenoides, aud, like it, freely ripens its 
| seeds here. 
Loasa Pentlandii. Paxl. Nat. ord., Loasacece. Native of 
Peru.—A dwarf twiner, about four feet high. Branches round, 
1 thickly set with short, stiff', stinging hairs. Leaves opposite, 
elongated, pinnatifid, clothed villi stinging hairs. Calyx tubular, 
persistent; divided into five lanceolate, pinnatifid segments. 
Petals ten, unguioulute, five large, spreading, concave ; alternating 
with the calyx lobes, five small and scale-like, inserted opposite 
to the calyx lobes. Dark orange. Stamens numerous. Anthers 
erect. Capsule turbinate, oblong. Stylo short, with a trifid 
• apex. 
This is a tender, or half-hardy, annual, particularly well worth 
j cultivating. It requires a compost of about equal parts light 
I loam and leaf mould, with about a third-part of sand. It should 
! be sown about the middle of March, in gentle bottom heat. 
When the seedlings are fit to handle, they should be pricked off, 
moderately thick, into six-inch pots ; and, after they are well esta¬ 
blished, the weaker plants may be tliinned out, and the stronger 
encouraged as much as possible, under glass, till planting-out 
; time, when some, after being duly hardened off’, should be trans¬ 
ferred to the open ground, and the others potted on for the 
1 greenhouse.—S. G W. 
NOTES ON NEW Oil HAliE PLANTS. 
Pkimula Sxuakti. Wall. Nat. ord., Primulacece. Native 
of the Himalaya.—An alpine, herbaceous plant. Leaves radical, 
numerous, long, broadly lanceolate, acute, gradually gliding at 
the base into a short footstalk, which is much grooved on the 
upper side; margin acutely serrated, pale green, and shining 
above; covered below with yellow farina. Scape about fifteen 
inches, high, terminating in an umbellate inflorescence. Involucre 
composed of numerous lanceolate leaflets. Calyx monoscpalous, 
tubulate, and slightly campanulate; limb divided into five acutely 
lanceolate segments, farinose. Corolla monopctalous; tube long, 
contracted near the mouth; limb salver-shaped, divided into five 
rounded segments,—yellow, tinged with orange towards the 
centre. Stamens five, attached to the tube of the corolla. Style 
long, surmounted by a capitate stigma. 
This is one of the most striking species of the genus Primula, 
aud by no means a common one; indeed, it is a pity it should 
be so scarce. Peat and loam in nearly equal parts, with a good 
portion of sharp, gritty sand, form the most suitable compost for 
AMPTON PARK. 
I HAVE been much gratified of late by seeing accounts in TliJE 
Cottage Gaudenek of fine specimens of the beautiful Gyneritxm 
argent evm, the merits of which, as a highly ornamental plant, 
appear to be deservedly recognised in all parts of the country. 
I have seen several fine plants of this gigantic grass, but by far 
the best I have seen is now flowering beautifully at Aiupton, the 
residence of II. Browning, Esq., about five miles from Bury St. 
Edmund’s. It is the female plant, and is growing in common 
garden soil. It carries no less than fifty-four fine spikes of flowers, 
the central ones attaining an altitude of twelve feet. The plant 
itself is a perfect sphere, twelve feet in diameter, and, as may be 
supposed, is altogether a most singular - looking and beautiful 
object. 
This place also boasts of some uncommonly fine old Cedars of 
Lebanon, &c. In fact, few noblemen or gentlemen’s seats arc more 
delightfully situated than Aiupton Park, and the grounds present 
many rich and beautiful scenes, perhaps not to be surpassed by 
any seat in this county. 
The grounds are naturally of an undulating and diversified 
