282 
THE COTTAGE GARDENEE AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, August 3 1858. 
grass, and placed on a spot to whick the sheep have access in 
the evenings. As they eat a little every night, the seeds 
are dropped over the grazing grounds, in this simple way, 
with a regularity which could not be matched except at 
the cost of an immense amount of labour. The place becomes 
in the course of a few years a sheep farm, as these animals 
thrive on such herbage. As already mentioned, some plants 
of this family are furnished with an additional contrivance 
for withstanding droughts, viz., oblong tubers, which, buried 
deep enough beneath the soil for complete protection from the 
scorching sun, serve as reservoirs of sap and nutriment during 
those rainless periods which recur perpetually in even the most 
favoured spots of Africa. I have adverted to this peculiarity 
as often seen in the vegetation of the Desert ; and, though 
rather out of place, it may be well,—while noticing a clever 
imitation of one process in nature by the Cape farmers,—to 
suggest another for their consideration. The country beyond 
south lat. 18°, abounds in three varieties of Grape-bearing 
Vines; and one of these is furnished with oblong tubers every 
three or four inches along the horizontal root. They resemble 
closely those of the Asparagus. This increase of power to 
withstand the effects of climate, might prove of value in the 
more arid parts of the Cape colony, Grapes being well known 
to be an excellent restorative in the debility produced by heat; 
by engrafting, or by some of those curious manipulations 
winch we read of in books on gardening, a variety might be 
secured better adapted to the country than the foreign Vines 
at present cultivated. The Americans find that some of their 
native Vines yield wines superior to those made from the very 
best imported Vines from France and Portugal. What a boon 
a Vine of the sort contemplated would have been to a Rhenish 
missionary I met at a part in the west of the colony called 
Ebenezer, whose children had never seen flowers, though old 
enough to talk about them ! — {Livingstone’s Missionary 
Travels.) 
Superior Balsams. —We have before us a small basket 
of Balsam flowers, the finest, without any exception, that 
we ever saw. When we opened the basket we literally 
thought that they were specimens of very double new Roses. 
One bloom is dark purplish crimson, another creamy white, 
a third maiden’s blush, and a fourth mottled crimson and 
white. They are from German seed, imported by Messrs. 
Carter and Co., seedsmen, High Holborn; and have been 
raised by Mr. Parmenter, gardener to «— Taylor, Esq., of 
Croft Lodge, Higligate. 
year, but if you keep them mulched and thus well manured, they will 
t.ie \ ear follow ing. Uhubarb stools require to be thus divided every 
third year. If half the bed is done annually, there is no interruption 
oi the supply. ' 
Cow Shedding her Milk.— Can any of your readers tell me if 
there is any remedy, or what course had best be adopted, for a cow 
^»itO sheds her milk in the field 1 or is the butcher the only resource ? 
—A Farmer. [We shall be obliged by an answer.] 
Names op Plants {An Admirer of “ The Cottage Gardener”).— 
1 our plants are very small and imperfect bits, as compared with the 
plants m reality. Therefore, we cannot undertake to be certain as to 
the species of them all. No. 1, is an JEcheveria, and probably 
aentifolia ; 2, appears to be taken from the Cactus grandiflorus, the 
trailing night-flowering Cereus, or rather Cereus grandiflorus; 3, is a 
Cactus, but which species we cannot be certain; 4, is one of the dwarf 
Mesembryanthemurns , but too small a bit to be certain what species. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Disputed Rule {James Marsh). — The Heywood Horticultural 
Society has this rule. “ 18. This Exhibition is open to three classes, 
viz.:—1st. Gentlemen employing gardeners. 2nd. Cottagers with a 
greenhouse. 3rd. Cottagers window plants, not grown in a frame 
or greenhouse.” Now, it happens that J. M. has a small greenhouse, 
but he also grows plants in his dwelling-house window, and it is dis¬ 
puted whether he has to pay entrance money for his greenhouse 
plants, and entrance .money for his window plants, as he wishes to 
exhibit both. Our opinion is asked, and we are decidedly of opinion that 
he ought not to be allowed to exhibit window plants at all. The object 
of having a class for “ Cottagers with a Greenhouse,” is to keep them 
from competing with cottagers who have only a cottage window for 
their plants. J. M., we have no reason to doubt, would compete fairly 
with plants.grown solely in the window of his cottage ; but Sam Sly 
might slip in among his window plants other plants which had been 
nurtured in his greenhouse. The rule will be open to great unfairness 
if any exception is made. 
Prices of Honey and Wax {Apiarian). — These vary in different 
districts. We shall be obliged by information on the subject. 
Phloxes {A Lady Gardener). — They were described as being at 
Messrs. Low and Co.’s, florists, Clapton, Middlesex. Write to them 
for the information you require. 
Latin Names {II. C .).—The names of plants in the Calendar are, 
some of those blooming in the greenhouse during the month. Martyn’s 
Language of Botany” will give you explanations of botanical terms. 
Seedlings of Antirrhinum and Tropasolum majus {JE. X. Y. Z.). 
—The Antirrhinums have no distinguishing merit. The Tropmolums 
are more varied in colour than we ever saw before. One pale yellow 
with a crimson-pencilled blotch on each lobe of the corolla, is very 
peculiar and good. 
Rhubarb Small-stalked (X. Y. Z .).—Trench some ground two 
leet deep mixing some rich manure throughout the soil. Take up 
jour KUubarb in October, when the leaves have turned yellow, divide 
ine roots, leaving one crown bud, or at most, two, such buds, to each 
in ision. Plant the divided roots with the buds an inch below the 
, ve a Part. In the spring, when the buds begin to move, 
give plenty of liquid manure. They will not give fine leaf-stalks next 
POULTRY SHOWS. 
August 7th, 9th, 10th, and 11th. Crystal Palace (Summer Show). 
Entries close July 10th. Sec., W. Houghton. 
August 1/ th. Ormskirk. Secs., Wm. Shawe, and James Spencer, 
U1 111 SK.1 Tlx . 
August 18th. Airedale. Eon. Secs., J. Wilkinson and T. Booth, 
Shipley. ’ 
August 28th. Halifax and Calder Vale. Sec., Mr. Wm. Irvine 
Ilolmfield, Halifax. Entries close August 14. 
October 7th and 8th. Worcestershire. Sec., Mr. G. Griffiths 7 
St. Swithin’s Lane, Worcester. Entries close September 23 . ’ * 
November 29th and30th, December 1st and 2nd. Birmingham Sec 
Mr. J. Morgan. Entries close November 1st. 
December 17tli and 18th. Halifax Fancy Pigeon Show. Sec., Mr. 
H. Holdsworth, Woolshops, Halifax. 
January 8 th, 10th, 11th, and 12th, 1859. Crystal Palace (Wintfr 
Show). Sec., W. Houghton. v 
T'CB- Secretaries will oblige us by sending early copies of their lists. 
CRYSTAL PALACE POULTEY SHOW. 
We are happy to be able to give our readers an outline of 
the treat they may expect at this place at the ensuing Show. 
Anxious, if possible, to improve the Exhibtion, and to give 
the poultry world and amateurs all the comfort they deserve 
or could look for, the Directors have changed the locale. 
The north wing, hitherto the Picture Gallery, will be this 
time devoted to poultry, and the large tower adjoining will 
be handsomely fitted up as a refreshment tent. Many 
amateurs, especially ladies, had complained that, when the 
Show was held in the other wing, the constant passage of 
visitors interfered with a comfortable view of the birds. & The 
new arrangement obviates this. The Show can be entered 
either from the Palace or the grounds. The eye then can he 
constantly refreshed, either by entering the Palace, or by 
walking in the grounds; and when it is recollected that all 
is arranged by the Directors without increasing the admission 
money, or taking to themselves an advantage in any way, we 
think they have established a good claim on the public, and 
we hope they will meet the support they so richly deserve. 
. We are in a position to promise them a sight of the best 
birds in England. Add to it a collection of Pigeons un¬ 
rivalled, and we believe the Emits entered for the Silver Cup 
are very giants. r 
The Crystal Palace lias, also, become the trysting place 
oi Kabbit breeders, and the entry this year promises to eclipse 
all previous exhibitions. 
MERTHYR TYDVIL POULTRY SHOW. 
J uly 28th and 29th. 
W hence comes it, that at some places, where success would 
seem almost impossible, Poultry Shows flourish, while at others, 
where every clement of success would seem to be at hand, they 
languish and die? We asked ourselves this question, and 
line to think it over did not fail us as we rode through the 
o'. Y W elsh valleys. At every station we put down tribes of 
visitors who had been to the Poultry Show. All had heartily 
enjoyed themselves, and, from those few who spoke an in¬ 
telligible language, we found that there was a desire that Shows 
should be multiplied in the principality. There would seem to 
be a heartiness and a freedom from affectation about the in¬ 
habitants of many of these places of recent growth, w hich we 
