THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Arm 3, I860. 
9 
the plan ; 38 and 40, the first match pair, are also in three 
stripes; but the ends of their stripes and not their sides, are 
parallel to the axis 37 and 41, three equal stripes with their sides 
parallel-like, ns in 39; and 36 and 42 the last match pair in 
three stripes, as in 38 and 40—that is, with their ends standing 
parallel to a line drawn through the length, 26 to 30, or the axis 
of the plan. The colours in all the seven have reference to the 
position of the colours in the original plan, and the secret of 
agreement is, that these colours come first with their ends, and 
next with their sides, and so turn about. 
REFERENCE FOR PLANTING. 
1. Geranium Golden Chain edged with Lobelia ramosa. 
2, 3, 4, 5. Cuphea ignea edged with Cerastium tomentosnm. 
6, 7,12, 13, 14,15. Calceolaria Trentham Yellow edged with 
Tom Thumb Geranium. 
8, 9, 10, 11. Perilla Nanfrinemis trained and edged with 
Calceolaria Aurea floribunda, the best to fill up such sharp 
points. 
16, 17, 18, 19. Flower of the Lay Geranium edged with 
Purple King Verbena. 
20, 21, 22, 23. Ageraiitm Mexicanmi edged with Cineraria 
maritima, both trained down. 
28, 29, 34, 35. Geranium Brilliant edged with Geranium 
Baron Huge/. 
25, 26, 31, 32. Verbena Geant des Batailles edged with 
Alyssnm variegatum. 
24, 27, 30, 33, Verbena Purple King. 
36, 42. Verbena Lord Raglan, one third of each bed on the 
outside; Delphinium formosum or sinensis, one-third ditto in 
centre; Calceolaria Prince of Orange, one-third inside of each 
bed with the ends of these colours to 27 and 30. 
37, 41. Verbena Brilliant de Vaise, one-third inside and out¬ 
side, and Mont Blanc Verbena, one-third in the centre, the lines 
of colour being parallel with the axis of the pattern. 
38,40. Verbena Hamlet, one-third in the centre, and Mrs. 
Holford, one-third on each side, the ends standing to the axis. 
39. Calceolaria Aurea floribunda, one-third; Purple King 
Verbena, one-third on each side, the lines parallel to the axis.— 
D. Beaton. 
VILLA AND MINIATURE FARM. 
There are many of the readers of The Cottage Gardener 
and Country Gentleman’s Companion who, like myself, possess 
a small laeon, or grass-plat, in or adjoining their garden. Pro¬ 
bably, like’ myself, some of this number have oft-times within 
themselves said, if not by words expressed as much, how much 
prettier and more rural would their little parterre look were 
there some correspondingly small and pretty object of animal 
life to graze upon it. 
The lacon has always to my mind, as a lover of animal nature 
as well as’ of floriculture, appeared defective in this one point, 
and more especially when there is a small—ever so small— 
piece of a field attached. Possessed with this idea, I sometime 
back filled up the vacancy by a small goat; but as I took to 
keeping poultry about the same time, I felt that this was not 
quite what I wanted. I have, however, recently become pos- 
sessed of the very thing I wanted in the shape of an extremely 
pretty, gentle, and remarkably tame and docile Bretagne sheep, 
imported by the Messrs. Bakers, of Leadenhall Market. This 
tiny but full-grown creature weighs about 17 lbs. only, and 
gratifies my wish in every way. It is of no trouble whatever, 
very hardy, and the expense of its keep so trifling as not to be 
worth consideration; it will follow me about wherever I go, is 
playful, and delights in being noticed, more especially if fed 
from the hand. 
To ladies more especially these miniature sheep recommend 
themselves. For the comfort of this little animal, instead of 
tethering it on the grass, Mr. J.B. Brown, of 18,Cannon Street, 
expressly made me some light and neat little iron hurdles—the 
very thing, wherewith I enclose the sheep with full liberty inside. 
I find that I have no loDger the expense every fortnight of 
having the grass cut; while the manuring from the sheep 
improves the quality of the grass. 
Messrs. Bakers have since lately imported some miniature 
cows from Bretagne—so small, and pretty, and gentle, and 
elegant in shape, as makes me long to extend my little “ agri¬ 
cultural ’’ pleasures to the formation of a miniature “ farmyard.” 
These cows are even prettier than the sheep, and have much to 
recommend them to small families who desire pure milk, and 
who seek the pleasure of attending to the wants of a pet so 
useful and graceful as these little things are. They stand only 
three feet high, give rich milk equal to the Alderney, cost very 
little indeed to keep, are very hardy. They give from four to 
eight quarts of milk a-day, according to circumstances, and add 
much to the pleasure of the “ homesteadwhile they add a 
charm to a little paddock or field of ever so small an extent, 
and can be kept in a shed. Their calves, wee things, are 
remarkably pretty. For villa residences they are just what is 
wanted. The attention they require and trouble they give are 
more than compensated by the pleasure they afford. I think 
there are many, both ladies and gentlemen, amongst your 
readers, who will thank me for bringing these pretty toys before 
their notice.— A Lover of Flowers and of Animated Nature, 
PLANT FOR A DOORWAY SCREEN. 
On either side of the house-door, having a north aspect, there 
is a window' half sunk, which lights the scullery and staircase, 
having for a screen a trellis about 3 feet 6 inches high and 10 feet 
long, of an elliptic form. They are covered now by old, wild¬ 
growing high-climbing, Roses of I know not what name, which 
are nearly dead through unmerciful pruning to keep them tidy. 
I do not remember that they have bloomed these fifteen years; 
and my wish is to plant something that would thrive and have a 
more pleasing effect. I have lately purchased at the recom¬ 
mendation of a friend a Clianthus puniceus, which I now am 
convinced would not answer there; also a Bignonia gran difora, 
which some gardeners tell me will require more height. The 
same difficulty applies to a Virginian Creeper and some others.— 
An Old Subscriber, Jersey. 
[Your ease is one of very general occurrence in villa or suburban 
bouses. The door is either in the centre or next the end where 
high life below stairs luxuriates; and every rap at the door, or 
every “ good morning ” in handing or landing your company to 
carriage, puts high life on its heels below to know the state of 
affairs in the upper regions, and that is indeed very disagreeable. 
Old Roses will not keep the proceedings out of sight; neither 
will C'himonanthus, nor Bignonia grandifiora, nor a Virginian 
Creeper as you have been told. There is only one proper plant 
to hide the higher from the nether world. That plant, by good 
management in the pruning, and by good gardening in the soil, 
might, be in bloom from May to October, be green nine months 
out of the twelve, and he as sweet as a double Violet; and every¬ 
body should have it for such screens. It will last forty or fifty 
years as good and fresh as at the beginning, it is nover troubled 
with insects, and it will come from cuttings nearly as freely as 
Torn Thumb. The English name is Japan Honeysuckle, and the 
botanical name Caprifolium Japonicum .] 
AUTUMN versus SPRING PROPAGATION. 
Much has been said, and many articles written, upon the vast 
superiority of spring over autumn propagation of bedding plants ; 
and although there has, no doubt, been much of truth in those 
remarks, yet I think the subject is worth further consideration. 
One great cause of failure in autumn propagation, is in not be¬ 
ginning soon enough ; it is put off from week to week upon the 
plea that it is plenty soon enough, until the latter end of Sep¬ 
tember often comes before a beginning is made. The cuttings 
then obtainable are beginning to lose their vigour; the vital 
principle is not so active in them then as it was a month pre¬ 
viously ; the weather is getting colder, darker, damper, and the 
chances are ten to one against their striking. Nor is it to be 
wondered at that we see so many cutting-pots partly filled with 
miserable-looking, mildewed plants, when such a system is prac¬ 
tised. Delays are dangerous, therefore do not be a day later than 
the 1st of August in commencing propagating. 
I generally begin with the Geraniums, which are put in on a 
south border in the open ground (no matter of what kind, or 
however rare they may be), where they remain until the end of 
September, by which time they are strong, bushy plants. Next 
j come the Verbenas, which are put in pots, and placed in a cold 
pit, where they are kept close all day, and have the lights tilted 
I by a brick at night. After they are well rooted they may be 
placed anywhere so that they are kept from the frost until the be- 
| ginning of February, when they should be potted oil, and if 
possible put in a little heat to set them growing. They must 
not, however, be kept long in beat—a month should he the out- 
