TIIE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Jtoe 10, I860, 
181 
greatest facility is afforded for hoeing amongst them perpetually, 
on which so much of their future success depends. 
Be assured thnt sufficient space for plants to fully do- 
velope themselves, and constantly stirring up and removing the 
surface soil for airing, are two of the greatest principles for the 
cultivator to practise We may gorge plants with liquid or solid 
manures, and force plethora upon them ; but it is tar better to 
feed them moderately, and assist their digestive organs by allowing 
them an abundance of light and air. I 
Most of our readers are familiar with the fact, so often proved, 
of the superiority of the Potato crop when planted above the 
ordinary width apart drill from drill; and this principle holds 
good in all our crops. Many persons plant their ground thickly | 
from economic motives ; but this too often defeats itself, and ends 
in the disappointment of the owner by an inferior and defective 
crop. There is a happy medium, which, if adopted, ensures 
success ; but it is more wise to err by planting at too great a 
distance rather than to plant so closely that the plants cannot 
thrive. 
With regard to the distances between drills for plants no 
specific rule can be laid down, as so much must depend on the 
quality of the soil—a very rich soil requiring, from its giving the 
plants a more luxuriant growth, the greater distance apart. 
Practical facts of the kind will always influence the gardener, and 
make him adapt his means to his end. 
One important consideration in drilling is, to adapt the depth 
of the drill to the size of the seed, and not to make deep ones for 
small seeds, although larger seeds may be covered three or four 
inches in depth. 
We feel fully aware that what we write here will be indorsed 
by the majority of good gardeners in this country ; but we take 
the liberty of soliciting the attention of the amateur and cottage 
gardener especially to this subject. To the man who strives to 
have his garden “ full without o’erfiowing,” it is really a most 
important consideration, enabling him to secure a limited space 
for everything, and to have everything in its allotted space. 
It is unnecessary to dilate upon the advantages which result to 
plants from ample and free exposure to the sun and air. The 
stunted and sickly occupant of the crowded city cannot compare 
with the robust and healthy inhabitant of the country village; 
nor can the crowded and partly blanched plant compare with 
that which is grown with free exposure. Whether a plant is 
esteemed for its flower or fruit-producing qualities, the differences 
between the two circumstances arc equally recognisable; and 
although the fruit-bearing plant may produce a greater quantity 
of fruit in its weak state, its produce is distinguishable by being 
small and of little value. 
The advantages of the drill system arc also very great in the 
cereal crops. We are not of those who receive with perfect 
incredulity the results of the celebrated Mr. Meclii’s farming, or 
the statements of the crops produced by the Lois Weedon method 
of farming. We believe that it is always necessary to make a 
little allowance for the fervour of statements which enthusiasts of 
any kind indulge in; but wc think it far wiser (than to treat 
such things with contempt) to experiment on a small scale, and 
prove for ourselves the advantages or disadvantages of new 
methods. 
We would, in conclusion, earnestly advise those of our “cot¬ 
tage garden” friends who have not tried drilling to make a trial 
of the system, and we promise them satisfaction and success. 
We have before advocated deep cultivation ; and believe that by 
its practice, with surface-stirring and drilling, all the essentials of 
a first-rate system of cultivation are combined. 
llnx'RY Bailey, Nun eh aw. 
COMMON FLOWERS. 
To me, as a reader of The Cottage Gabdexeb— and I have 
no doubt it is the same with others who do not possess the 
means or convenience to carry out the bedding-system of our 
more wealthy neighbours—it is always pleasing to read of our 
favourites, the hardy-herbaceous and alpine plants, although the 
article may be a description of one of our most common garden 
plants. 
Ajuga reptans alba (white Bugle), is now in flower, and is an 
interesting plant for the mixed border, and I have no doubt might 
be used to advantage by our bedding-gardeners. It is very hardy, 
and will grow’ in any situation where the common Bugle will 
grow ; but last year I moved my plants into soil that burns in 
summer, and nearly lost all my stock, 
TrolUus Ihiropmts has flowered beautifully this year. The 
wet weather we had when the flower-buds set helped it on most 
wonderfully. This plant and Caliha paluslris Jl. pleno seem to 
want the same cool, damp situation as the plants do in a wild 
state, or the gardener can do no good with them. 
GenUana verna is another plant which has done well this 
spring, and I hope it mil become a common favourite in our 
1 gardens. A collector of botanical varieties informs me, that it is 
not as common in Teesdalo as it has been represented to be. He 
had a place pointed to him where be might find acres of it. On 
visiting tlic spot be found it growing very sparingly. 
For years I have tried to obtain Anemone pvliaUlla (Pasque¬ 
flower)’, a beautiful plant for the flower garden. This spring 1 
found it in flower in a nursery ; but being the only plnnt in stock, 
the owner refused to part with it. Cannot some of the readers 
of The Cottage Gabdexeb collect seed from the wild plants, 
and pass it through some seedsman ? I think there would he a 
demand for it.— Rustic' Robin. 
DETAILS OF THE CULTURE OF SOME 
POTTED HARD-WOODED PLANTS. 
May I ask the favour of your giving a few ABC directions 
for the pruning, potting, resting, soil, and general management 
of Camellias, Azaleas, Ericas, and Epacrises ? These beautiful 
tribes beiug almost tabooed from lady-gardening, by ignorance of 
their treatment. They are brought annually from the nursery¬ 
men hi bud, but seldom bloom a second year. From my own 
experience, of about a dozen of each kind, I feci sure with 
proper directions they would be as easily grown as the every¬ 
where-cultivated Geranium and Fuchsia tribes, and would relieve 
the monotony of our windows and cupboard greenhouses. 
You cannot be too minute, although I feel it is difficult for 
scientific professional men to understand the ignorance and diffi¬ 
culties of the inexperienced and limited gardener. Yet, I pray 
you to try ; for you would do a good work if you could induce 
"thousands of young persons to lay aside the crochet-needle and 
embroidery-frame, and learn to weave living bouquets, and 1o 
exercise the powers of their minds in the cultivation ol these 
beautiful ornaments of creation.— Saltebton. 
There is too much truth in all that you state, but writing- 
gardeners are not alone to blame. There is hardly a single, 
simple, minute, direction about plant culture, but lias been treated 
even to tediousness in these pages ; but when people are not 
thoroughly interested in the particular matter at the time, they 
seem to consider it no affair of theirs, and hence questions are 
repeated this week that were fully answered a fortnight pre¬ 
viously, only to a different correspondent. When these repeti¬ 
tions arc made very often, then another class of readers, farther 
advanced, are apt to exclaim, “ Why repeat the same thing over 
and over again ? ” Well, were I to make a clean breast ot it, I 
should be apt to own, that the. same thing over again, with a few 
salient exceptions, forms the bulk of all gardening literature foi 
a number of years past. Matters may be presented under dit- 
forent aspects’, and expressed in phraseology more or less fitting 
and pleasing; but the main facts and principles of actions re¬ 
commended are very much the same. This is much more allow¬ 
able in serial, than in what pretend to be standard works. The 
first arc intended to act more as timely reminders, and to attord 
to all readers means alike of information and inquiry. The ad¬ 
vanced professional, therefore, whilst passing with a shrug ot lus 
shoulders what to him is now of no moment, should be generous 
enough to recollect, that these are matters that are greatly in¬ 
teresting to those just beginning to make gardening alike a study 
and a pleasure. . . , T 
Did it not look somewhat selfish and extra professional, I 
should praise to the echo the concluding sentiments of our cor- 
respondent’s letter. I have kuown ladies who frankly owned 
that they were indebted for tlieir vigorous health, robust strength, 
and buoyant cheerfulness, not to the neglect of their embroidery- 
frame, or any other lady-like accomplishment or study, but to 
their rising early, and with their own hands forking, hoeing, 
tying, and mixing their soil, and potting them plants. Let people 
talk as much as they will, I feel confident that the. more-than- 
mesmerio power that flowers are capable of exercising over us, 
will never be thoroughly felt until we sympathetically engage in 
ministering with our own hands to their wants. I never could 
we how any young lady of good sense and true refinement, 
should for a moment consider such work so unfemmine and un- 
