September 19, 1885, 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
43 
greatest harm is done by the sparrow to the Marigold 
flowers, especially those of the Giant African kinds. 
These, let them be almost as big as Dahlias even, they 
set upon, tear all to pieces, and strew the ground with 
the flowers, thus wasting the seed shamefully. Why 
they should do this I cannot well understand, unless it 
be that they are seeking for small black insects which 
infest the flowers, but then they do the blooms no 
harm. So great has been the injury done, that in spite 
of a detestation of shooting, I have been obliged to 
borrow a gun and blaze away, but even then it seems 
almost needful that someone should stand by all day, 
so daring are these sparrows. If they would look after 
the grubs which are so destructive to plants this season, 
or otherwise render gardeners service, all would be well, 
but, year after year, all our care of birds, they are the 
most destructive of creatures, and the most ungrate¬ 
ful.—^. D. 
Thunbergla fragrans. —Although not so strong 
growing as many stove climbers, this is still a first-class 
plant for the purpose ; indeed, in no other position is it 
seen to the same advantage as when trained to the roof 
of the house. Being a native of the East Indies it will 
stand plenty of heat, and revel in the same, and will 
amply repay such treatment by the abundance of bloom 
produced. It is no unfrequent thing to see throughout 
the entire length of the shoots three or four flowers 
from the axil of each leaf, with buds in course of de¬ 
velopment. True, the flowers are short-lived, but this 
is fully compensated for by the rapidity with which 
they succeed each other. A plant here has been in 
flower since April, and is still nearly as full of flowers 
as during the month of July, which is perhaps its best 
month. To all ajipearance it will continue to bloom 
for some time yet, to our great satisfaction, for in the 
dull days of winter, as much as in summer, it enlivens 
the house with its pure white flowers, which are then 
doubly appreciated. I do not think any flowering 
plant, excepting some of the Orchids, are so generally 
admired as this one. As to soil, equal parts of loam 
and peat, with a rather less quantity of manure and 
sand added will be foimd to suit it. It is much subject 
to brown scale, and if grown in too dry an atmosphere 
red spider will be pretty certain to find it out.— E. 
Dumper, The Gardens, Summerville, Limtrick. 
Lilium ’auratum. —The long continued exhibi¬ 
tions of cut blooms of this noble Lily in the Conservatory 
of the Boyal Horticultural Society, at South Kensing¬ 
ton, must have impressed many of the regular visitors 
with some notion of the enormous number of bulbs 
grown this season by the New Plant and Bulb Company, 
at Colchester. "We have several times noted this 
collection, and the wide range of varieties included in 
it, and this week have to acknowledge the arrival from 
Colchester of a box of blooms which severely taxed our 
resources in the way of water-holding receptacles. The 
spikes were cut just before the buds were fully developed, 
and they have opened splendidly in water—a hint that 
some may be glad to take advantage of. 
Hardy Fruits. —At p. 826 of your last volume 
you allude to an Apple, “ Peter the Great,” as a new 
American variety ; but Rivers, in his catalogue many 
years since, described it as a Russian Apple, and from 
the name he would appear to be right. In Pears you 
allude to “Petite Marguerite” as a new variety from 
America ; but it was entered in Scott’s Orclmrdist many 
years since as having been received by him from M. 
Leroy, of Angers, in 1865. Scott also states that it 
was raised by him and fruited first in 1862, and the 
name would suggest that it was of French and not 
American origin.— II. T. [Both varieties are new in 
the sense that they are known to but very few 
growers in this country. Neither of them are to be 
found in the Fruit Manual, and only one specimen 
of the Apple was shown at the Apple Congress. As to 
their American origin, we should have said that Mr. 
Bunyard obtained the trees from that country. — Ed. ] 
Ths Variegated Colt’s-Foot.— The Tussilago 
or Colt’s-Foot is known to many, and only too well in 
some eases, as being among the worst of weeds to 
eradicate from any garden where it has once obtained 
a footing. Its existence is generally indicative of stiff 
and rather moist soils, and I well remember a field near 
Nottingham, on the Trent side, several acres in extent, 
completely covered with it ; and who could wonder, 
when bad farming and the plough and harrow played 
their parts—the plough assisting in its multiplication 
and the harrow in the distribution of the species, the 
variegated form of which I am about to advocate the 
use of. It is worth noting, that while the typical 
species is a great pest, the variegated form has no equal 
among variegated plants. It is very attractive among 
deciduous trees, or it may be used with good effect in 
bedding arrangements in a variety of ways. By way 
of restricting its roots, it should be planted in pots, and 
owing to its silvery or creamy variegation, is best em¬ 
ployed in proximity to such plants as Coleus and the 
like. AVhere large ribbon borders exist it will prove 
useful, or if planted in lines it would prove very 
effective. The leaves are large, from 6 to 8 ins. across, 
broadly obovate and downy. It might also form an 
excellent ground-work for Lobelia cardinalis Queen 
Victoria, and make a striking contrast.— E. J. 
Single French Marigolds. —We have received 
from Messrs. Dobbie & Co., of Rothesay, a box of the 
most beautiful French Marigold blooms that can well 
be conceived. Every bloom is of the most perfect form; 
the colour of the petals being pure yellow and beauti¬ 
fully striped on each side with bright brown or dark 
chestnut-red. Anything more pleasing and attractive 
among marigolds we have not seen for a long time. 
They are certain to become great favourites, especially 
among ladies, when Messrs. Dobbie come to exhibit 
them at some of our great central exhibitions. If the 
habit is good they will be valuable for bedding, and 
equally useful for cutting for indoor decoration, as they 
stand a long time in water and mix up admirably with 
other flowers, as we have proved for ourselves. 
Euonymus radicans variegata. —Judging 
from its specific name, and also from the manner in 
which it is generally seen, one is lead to believe that 
this plant is best suited for trailing, and while as such 
it is very desirable, it has other uses no less important. 
"When some twelve years ago I first saw it used as a 
wall plant, it struck me as being somewhat wrongly 
placed, but as I watched its progress, and noticed how 
little attention was necessary to keep it in order, I 
began to regard this (which was to me a new departure 
at that time) as a most useful plant, especially as its 
position was an exceptionally dry one, on account of 
the overhanging eaves of the house against ■which it 
was placed preventing the rain from reaching it. As a 
silver-leaved plant against a 'wall it is a good and useful 
one, of denser and more compact growth than any of 
the silver-leaved Ivies, 'which in many cases take a long 
time in establishing themselves, and, indeed, when 
they commence growing the groivtlis generally are 
sparsely distributed. The Euonymus may require a 
fev r nails at first to keep it in its place, afterwards it 
will keep quite close to the rvall of its own accord. 
This seems all the more remarkable, since, in common 
with the other species and forms, it does not emit those 
claw-like appendages which fasten most plants of a 
climbing tendency to the substance to which they are 
growing in their onward course.— J. 
Rosa rugosa. —Of all the wild Roses of Japan this 
is without doubt one of the finest, a plant that deserves 
a place in every garden. It is one of those informal 
subjects which delight to ramble at will, and for 
isolated specimens on the lawn, for the large rockery, 
and such-like places, it is well suited, being in or out 
of flower always attractive. Its flowers are from 3 to 
4 in. across, salver-shaped, and of a bright rose ; these 
are borne in profusion about the substantial deep green 
glossy leaves ; and after the flowers come the fruit, 
large, and of a showy coral red. It fragrance, too, 
must not be overlooked, for it is most noticeable in 
early morn. The white form is equally free and 
vigorous, and makes a good companion to the tyjre. 
"We have also seen it as a standard, budded on the 
common brier ; it requires a stout vigorous stock, how¬ 
ever, to support it, when it forms an attractive plant. 
Campanula carpatica pallida. —This very 
pleasing variety has, despite the long-continued drought 
of the passing summer, kept up an incessant supply of its 
lovely lilac mauve-coloured flowers. It is especially 
suited for a front row border plant, or for the rockery, 
or, indeed, any position where a good depth of fairly 
rich soil may be had. It grows about 15 in. high, 
rather more if erect, but as it assumes a slightly 
decumbent habit, this may be taken as its full height 
when established. "We have lately seen a fine tuft of 
this more than 2 ft. across, and which has carried 
hundreds of flowers during the season ; still a few 
remain, souvenirs, as it were, even at this late date, 
of its modest beauty when in its prime. For those 
who prefer pleasing shades to gaudy colours this is one 
of the best summer ornaments for the flower garden, 
and a fine perennial. 
The Gardeners’ Calendar. 
» 
♦ * 
THE FRUIT HOUSES. 
Vineries.- —There is not much to be done in these 
other than maintaining a somewhat dry and airy atmos¬ 
phere, and watering the inside borders two or three 
times in the month with clear water. This should be 
given in the morning, and if the weather should be dull 
at the time, the fires should be started, so as to heat 
the water in the pipes sufficiently to prevent the con¬ 
densation of moisture on the berries, and also to pro¬ 
mote a buoyant internal atmosphere. Look the 
bunches over two or three times a week, and remove 
therefrom any decayed berries that may perchance be 
in them, also remove house-spiders, which, if left to 
themselves, would soon disfigure the best formed and, 
it may be best finished bunches, by reason of their 
knocking the bloom off the individual berries and other¬ 
wise giving them a dirty appearance. 
In many places I observe that the Gros Colmar grape 
is only beginning to colour, but the foliage being good, 
there is ample time to lay on that beautiful colour and 
bloom which, together with the size of the berry and 
compactness of the bunch, impart such a commanding 
appearance to this otherwise third-rate quality grape. 
But in order to make the most of the time between this 
and the date of the vines shedding their leaves, a some¬ 
what warm, dry, and airy atmosphere should, as 
already stated, be maintained. 
Melons. —Plants growing in frames placed upon 
hot-beds, will require to have the linings made up 
round them with fermenting material, such as long 
stable-dung or short grass, so as to impart sufficient 
heat to the interior of the bed and frame to prevent 
the night temperature from falling much below 7 65° 
until the crop is secured. And, with this object in 
view, withhold the syringe from the plants, also abstain 
from giving water at the roots, as the latter can absorb 
all that is necessary for the ripening of the crop from 
the manure-heap in which they are growing. — H. W. 
Ward, Longford Castle. 
THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Cauliflowers. —Prick out the first batch of these 
under hand-glasses placed 2 ft. apart, so that there is 
room between the glasses in the row for the top of each 
glass to be placed when taken off, and for this purpose four 
bricks should be placed in position for covers to rest 
upon. Previous to putting out the plants a surface 
dressing of wood-ashes should be put on to prevent 
the attack of insects. Put from six to nine plants 
into each hand-light, according to the size of the latter. 
These can be thinned out to three and five in February 
and March next, lifting them carefully with all the 
adhering soil, and transplanting them into a suitable 
situation. In order to maintain a sturdy growth the 
top lights must be left off, and only be replaced on the 
approach of frost, or during heavy rains. The plants 
thus treated, together with a few hundred plants 
wintered in 3-inch pots, will supply the earliest batch 
of Cauliflowers in May next, and to which these plants 
raised from seed at the same time as those in glasses, 
and subsequently pricked out in a cold pit or frame 
5 or 6 ins. apart every way, and transplanted a week 
or later than those in pots, will make a capital succes¬ 
sion. These plants, like those in the hand-glasses, 
should have the sashes and shutters left entirely off in 
the absence of frost, heavy rains, or snov T , the object 
to be secured in each case being the same—a sturdy 
growth. Failing the above accommodation, a sufficient 
number of plants may be wintered in an improvised 
frame, fixed in a warm corner, and protected during 
frosty nights with hurdles to which mats have been 
fixed, the whole to be covered with dry Fern in the 
event of severe frost. 
Lettuce. —This is another important crop, and one 
that requires some care in wintering it. The plants, 
raised from seeds sown at the same time as the Cauli¬ 
flower, will now be ready for pricking out in pits, 
frames, and warm borders. These may be grown in 
the same way, and under the same conditions as those 
recommended for Cauliflower plants in glasses ; but a 
greater number of plants may be put under a light, or 
in pits, &c. Those for early spring use should be 
wintered in glazed pits, planted in rows about 6 ins. 
apart, in light soil, and which should be within about 
