but alas! the learned dignitary has put a stumbling block in his way: instead of the simple, old-fashioned square, or saddle-backed boiler, with its capacious fire-box below, which, like a begging-bag, would hold little or much, we have saddled upon us a misshaped sort of a thing, which on its arrival at our premises attracts no little attention, as to what it is ever intended to be. Presently, a polite gentleman, or his man-of-all-work, follows after it, extolling its wonderful qualities for the required purposes; and often, in all probability, the greater part of the back-wall of your house is pulled down, the interior disarranged, and a hole dug deep, and large enough for the cellar of a prince, and perhaps water rushes in, to get rid of which your grounds have to be cut, and no end of trouble endured. But we will suppose this curiosity put in its place, pipes attached, fire applied, and you are invited to inspect the apparatus, and feel the congenial heat it imparts; well, all this done, the tradesman takes his departure, with an additional testimonial to his list of patrons, to repeat the same thing at another place. Now, let us follow the matter out: we said the house was well heated at the trial, and so it was-one or other of the attendant workmen stirring the fire every few minutes; well, when Mr. Leather-apron leaves the premises, the fire may not then be wanted for some little time again; something may want putting to rights in the inside of the house, and when our poor stoker-boy gets directions to put the fire on, he attends to it with pleasure-the thing is new; he has not to stoop and shovel in coal, but he has to put some coke into a funny-looking throat at the top, just like putting letters into the box of a village post-office. Well, this certainly is nice; looks well at it, and goes away, returning again by-and-by he finds the fire is out; to kindle it again, he quickly applies himself, charitably thinking it must be the damp (the fire not having been lately on) that makes it so unwilling to burn, but hopes all will be right shortly. How often he may repeat his visits I need not say, but at length he gets it to burn, and seemingly all is right at bed-time, and the fire on then. Well, he puts on so much coke as he can cram into the funny little fire, filling the hopper as well, as the bricklayer that set the boiler told him to do, as a sort of night food for this extraordinary progeny; well, in the morning he hastens to it, finds to his consternation, that the fuel he put on is there just as he left it; runs into the hot-house to look at the thermometer, which he finds 10° below what it ever ought to be, and back again to the boiler, with all the maledictions he can think of; at the same time taxing his ingenuity as to the quickest way to get the fire up before his master enters that house, and trusting he will be able to manage it better the next night. Well, the next night he takes care and forces the fire well before bed-time; and at the final covering up, puts no more coke on than just what the firebox part will contain, and in the morning is somewhat consoled to find it had burnt away, the fire out, and the house not so very much under the mark as the preceding night. Well, this is repeated once or twice, when lo! a clear star-light night betokens frost, and the boy has orders from his master to put a little more than usual on all the fires, consequently again tries filling the hopper, and again with the same result. Now, this is not an over-drawn picture; I have had more experience in the capacity of stoker than most of people, certainly more than those who write about heating, and have had boilers of various makes, -conical, cylindrical, or spiral, all with hopper-feeding appendages, but I have never yet seen one that was calculated to work well in a general way: the hopperhole was too small, large lumps of coke are apt to choke it up, and some of the fire-box partitions are also so small as not to hold anything like the quantity necessary to put on before leaving it for the night; and when there is no certainty of the fuel in the hopper finding its way into the fire, even with the greatest of care and attentive practice, it certainly speaks very forcibly that such an appurtenance ought to be dispensed with; and I may inform those advocates of novelties, while quarrelling over their supposed infringements of patents, that I have seen more than one of their coffee-pot-looking patents, after fruitless attempts to make it answer, pulled down, laid on its side, something like that useful utensil, and some alteration of course in the insertion of the pipes, and a capacious fire-box placed below it, and then it served very well; the whims of the inventor, in these cases, being buried in the brick-work, to the great satisfaction of the gardener attending it. Now, I do not draw my conclusions from the failure of one, two, or three cases; I have had several under my charge, and have also had a good share of the humble calling of attending to them, without which I think no man is entitled to give an opinion of their merits; but having drawn this letter to a greater length than 1 intended, I must leave the conclusion thereof until my next, when I will give some particulars of the arrangements of pipes, and other matters.-S. N. V. TO CORRESPONDENTS. We request that no one will write to the departmental writers of THE COTTAGE GARDENER. It gives them unjustifiable trouble and expense; and we also request our coadjutors under no circumstances to reply to such private communications. MIS-CARRIAGE IN HENS (A New Subscriber).-This case is somewhat singular. Our correspondent says:-"I have three hen Bantams and one cock; one of the hens commenced laying, but after laying three eggs in three weeks, suddenly took to laying soft eggs, and yolks of eggs without even the skin; this happened day and night till she died. Another commenced laying to-day, and after laying one proper egg, immediately laid a soft egg, and she seems in a fair way of following the first one. Can you tell me the reason of this, and the cure (if any)? They have a night-house, a stone shed, an ample walk, plenty of old mortar, chalk, &c.; are fed with barley, oats, barley-meal, raw meat, water cresses, potato, and turnip, and have plenty of fresh pump-water every day." This we take to be a clear case of over-excitement. Give the hens a teaspoonful of castor oil; do not give them any animal food, nor anything else but boiled vegetables and scalded barley-meal. You feed your poultry too highly; give them not only less stimulating food, but less food altogether. DUTCH EVERY-DAY LAYERS (Rev. F. W. Pye).-Our correspondent wishes to know where he can obtain a pair of these, and the price. Much obliged; we have now plenty of seed. If you IVY TORN FROM A HOUSE (Carig Cathol).- On no account would we destroy the old ivy. No doubt part of the long shoots have snapped, but let them be cut below the fracture, and the bottoms will soon furnish strong suckers to supply the place of those broken. Let every shoot be disentangled, by cutting off the smaller branches which interlace, and be fastened to the wall with strong hooks. We have seen large pieces of torn-off ivy saved by such means. could save one-third of the old wood this way, and at regular distances, and cut down the rest to near the surface of the ground, your house will be furnished again in less than half the time it would take to do so from young plants or seeds. Even if the whole of the old stems were to be cut down to the ground, we would rather trust to the old roots for a fresh supply than to any other method. COCHIN-CHINA FOWLS (E. Muggridge).-In answer to your query at page 246, Mr. Martin Doyie says:-"The average height of the finest specimens of Cochin-China cocks is at least six or seven and twenty inches. They have, mostly, a rudimentary, and frequently a complete fifth extra toe, which is hereditary, and so adherent to the breed as to induce a suspicion of their close relationship to the Dorkings. The legs are of a pale flesh colour. INSECTS (Tyro, Plumstead).-The insect in the small box is not a Wireworm, but one of the Snake millipedes (see vol. 2, page 139). The large white grub is the larvæ of the common Cockchafer. HYACINTH OFFSETS (W. X.).-Whether in pots or in waterglasses, we never remove these from the parent bulbs. Put as much salt to your earth intended for manure as will give the land, to which it is appli-d, a dressing of salt at the rate of ten or twelve bushels to the acre. HOPS (Dr. Rooke).-These do not come within our province; being strictly a farming produce. They are raised from seed, wh ch can be obtained of the London seedsmen. A deep light soil suits them best. The poles should be ten or twelve feet above the surface of the ground. Reid's syringe is the best for vinery and gieckhouse use. 284 THE COTTAGE GARDENER. UNPRUNED PEACHES, APRICOTS, AND PLUMS (W. W.).—By all means pass the pruning-knite over your wees. As they were neglected last summer, and growing freely, they must be somewhat crowded. Thin out judiciously, in order to admit light; as for shortening back, that depends upon the character of the wood in respect of ripeness. Shortening must also occasionally be practised, in order to cause the tree to fill up any parts deficient. The gross shoots had better be reduced a little, and some white lead put on thin upon the cut ends to keep air and moisture out. You will see an article on pruning in this number. Make up your hotbed for cuttings immediately. PEAR PRUNING (A. C.).-Do not shorten the short-jointed shoots tied down in summer. If none of this proper character occurs, but ali are rank wood, tie a moderate portion down, and root-prune severely. The apple may be managed this way when deficient of natural spurs. APRICOT, PEARS, AND STRAWBERRIES UNFRUITFUL (Victim).Our correspondent's apricot grows above the wall, and is full of strong wood, without producing blossom; his pears, also against a wall, blossom abundantly, but produce little fruit; and his British Queen strawberries are deformed by hard green centres; and is Espalier apple-trees have a great many long shoots among them. You must shorten back your shoots above the wall, and root-prune immediately; all other pruning without this will fail. You have made your soil too good. Your pears are protected when in lossom; they ought to do better. We would try root-pruning. We have had other and similar complaints about the British Queen strawberry, but we cannot say, without seeing a case, what it may be. Do you water sufficiently when swelling off? Thin out some of the long apple shoots entirely; they will rob the true bearing shoots. SALT TO GREENHOUSE BULBS (T. R.).-How could we possibly say how much salt you may put into the water for these, without knowing the species? There are very few that could be benefited by the application. You can only get rid of the caterpillars in your rockets by carefully hand-picking and searching for the eggs. You will find a description of the moth producing them at page 21 of our second volume. HEMEROCALLIS JAPONICA (Ibid).—This is quite hardy, and ought to flower freely in any soil, Supply it abundantly with water in the summer. Charcoal is never used by us for bulb-pots; but it does no harm, and makes excellent drainage. VINES AND GREENHOUSE PLANTS (L. R. L.).-The shade of vines in a greenhouse will certainly injure plants. Keep them on a front sheif where there is no shade. Fuchsias will stand inore shade than most plants. CREEPERS IN VINERY (Ibid).-If grapes are a desideratum with you, no kind of creeper should be allowed to interfere with the vines on the rafters. CYCLAMEN SEED (Ibid).-This will grow very well now from seed. Sow them in a light compost, place them in a cucumber-bed till they vegetate, then remove them to a cooler place. APPLE-TREE CUTTINGS (Ibid).-These may be struck either in April or early in the autumn; and shoots of the previous year, with a heel of the older wood attached, strike the most readily, Soot, after being soaked in water, is useful upon heavy soil; but it has been deprived of its ammonia, and therefore is not so valuable as a manure. Poultry can be over-fed. See an answer to another correspondent. Keeping them shut up in a stall, or shed, is quite enough to make them dull. We have painted over walls with gas tar, and the effect is excellent. It destroys vermin, and certainly advances the trees against the walls. NAMES OF APPLES S. D., Ilford).-As far as we can make out from two such bruised specimens, we think your variety is the Courtpendu Plat; an apple originally from France, but sometimes called Garnon's apple, because cultivated at Garnons, the seat of Sir J. Cottre.l, near Hereford. (W. P. L.). - We think your small apples are the Boston Russet. MAMMOTH BROCOLI (M. T. Mould).-A correspondent will be obliged by your sending him a little seed, and of the Ohio Squash, to "W. G. Cherry, Esq, Buckland, Leominster." EARTH NUT. -The same correspondent wishes to know where he can btain some tubers of this. WIRE WORM (A Young Beginner).-A ton of gas lime, mixed with FOWLS WITH DISEASED EYES (Rem).-Our correspondent says, ROYAL MUSCADINE GRAPE (W. H. G.).-We have no cuttings of NAME OF SALVIA (E. B.W.).—If either of the two you name, it is rection where it abounds. We, therefore, think it would be useless them a good portion of the old soil. PLEROMA ELEGANS, &C. (A Young but Ardent Gardener).-The ALOE (T. M. W.).-You may take off the sucker from your aloe in ANTS (Ibid).-May easily be poisoned, by mixing arsenic with sugar or honey; and easily dislodged, by pouring lime-water into their fortresses. WASH FOR VINES (Ibid).-This may be put on cold or hot. If not too hot, it will be all the better to be warm. DRAWING-BOARD (Young Gardener).-Any carpenter (you giving him directions, and seeing that he uses seasoned wood, and lets in some pieces across the grain to keep it from warping, could make you a drawing-board. If he uses old wood, he could make you a You may obtain cloth covers for THE COTTAGE T-piece also. GARDENER at our office. GEESE (F. T. Herrick).-Water is necessary; but a large tub would answer, if five feet in diameter, and constantly full of water. Geese, for breeding, will not bear constant confinement. ASPARAGUS (J. B. C).-The plants, if grown in a single row, need not be more than nine inches apart. We once had a garden, the soil of which, like yours, would never bear a crop of the common Black currants similarly failed. It was a very light garden cress. soil, and we overcame the deficiency by giving the soil a very thick dressing of clay and lime rubbish. BLACK BARLEY (Pastor Rusticus).-Our correspondent wishes to know where he can obtain some of this grain; and whether birds are less inclined to attack it than they are the common barley. ROSES (Captain Forrest).-You may obtain every one of the roses in the list at page 24 of our first volume of any of the great rosegrowers: Rivers, Paul, Law, Francis, Curtis, &c. You are about to plant fruit-trees in a border covered with strawberries. These may remain for the present year, but will be injurious if left longer. CAPONS (Tyro).-Look at the answer we gave at page 136. PAYNE'S IMPROVED COTTAGE HIVES (A Subscriber, Rye).— You may purchase these of Messrs. Neighbour & Son, High Holborn, London. Drawings and full descriptions of them are in our first volume, pages 239 and 305. LONDON: Printed by HARRY WOOLDRIDGE, Winchester High Street in the Parish of St. Mary Kalendar; and Published by WILLIAM SOMERVILLE ORR, at the Office, No. 2, Amen Corner, in the Parish of Christ Church, City of London.-February 21st, 1850. ST. DAVID, the patron of Wales, is commemorated on the first of March; and the poet not unaptly writes: "March, various, fierce, and wild, with wind-crackt cheeks, By wilder Welshmen led, and crowned with leeks." In the west of England, where March is called Lide, and Ramsin is "Eat Leeks in Lide, and ramsins in May, In the north of England this proverb is common, indicating the time "Upon St. David's day Put oats and barley in the clay." St. David, who was Archbishop of Minevia, now called by his name, flourished at the close of the 6th and early part of the 7th centuries. ST. CHAD was a native of Northumberland, and born of Saxon parents. He was the chief agent in converting the Mercians to Christianity, being at the time a hermit, residing iu a cell at Litch field, in Staffordshire, on the spot where now its church, dedicated to him, stands. He officiated as Archbishop of York whilst Wilfrede went to Paris for consecration; and on the return of this prelate St. Chad resigned the office, and soon after was raised to the Bishopric of Litchfield. He died on this day, in 673. METEOROLOGY OF THE WEEK.-The average highest and lowest temperature of these seven days, during the last twenty-three years, have been, respectively, 48.5° and 35°. During the same period there were 96 fine days, and 65 days on which rain occurred. The lowest temperature during the period was on the 1st in 1847, on which day the thermometer fell to 24°. RANGE OF BAROMETER-RAIN IN INCHES. 1849. NATURAL PHENOMENA INDICATIVE OE WEATHER: The Leech.We are indebted for the following to W. H. Attree, Esq., Surgeon, 9, New Cavendish-square:-"1. If the weather proves serene and beautiful, the leech lies motionless at the bottom of the glass, rolled together in a spiral form. 2. If it rains, either before or after noon, it is found crept up to the top of its lodging, and there it remains until the weather is settled. 3. If we are to have wind, the poor prisoner gallops through its limpid habitation with amazing swiftness, and seldom rests until it begins to blow hard. 4. If a remarkable storm of thunder and rain is to succeed, for some days before it lodges almost continually without water, and discovers uncommon uneasiness, in violent throes and convulsive-like motions. 5. In the frost, as in the clear summer weather, it lies constantly at the bottom; and in snow, as in rainy weather, it pitches its dwelling upon the mouth of the phial. 6. Perhaps it may not be amiss to note, lest any of the curious should try the experiment, that the leech was kept in a common two-ounce phial, about three-fourths filled with water, and covered with a bit of linen rag. In the summer the water is changed once a week, and in the winter once a fortnight. This is a weathergiass which may be purchased at a very trifling expense. 1846. 1847. 1848. 29.952 30.229 29.419 29.681 29.388 29.004 29.480 29.917 29.664 29.624 INSECTS. The sinall moth represented magnified in our drawing, but of which the natural dimensions are represented by the cross-lines beneath, is one capable of being a most severe scourge to the fruit grower. It is the Apple Tortrix, and known among naturalists as the Semasia Weberana, Carpocapsa, and Pyralis Weberanu, and some other names. The moth appears in June. The fore-wings are a dirty orange colour, marked with dark bands, and numerous silvery and golden lines on their front edge, and fringed with black and dirty orange. The hind-wings are greyish-brown, with a pale fringe. They lay their eggs within the cracks of the bark of the apple and plum; and their caterpillars, which are dirty green, with red heads, feed upon the inner bark and alburnum of the trees. This causes gumming in the plum, and canker in the apple. A very good representation of its ravages may be seen in the 86th plate of the second volume of Westwood's Moths. There are also some observations upon the same subject by Mr. Spence, in the Horticultural Society's Transactions, vol. ii. WE have withdrawn all our editorial observations to-day, to make room for the great mass of interesting correspondence we have received; but, although we have done this, we have many letters which must wait until we can provide room for them. So great is the amount of information for which we cannot at present provide space, that we must enlarge our columns; but it shall be without either altering our size or increasing our price. No. LXXIV., VOL. III. THE FRUIT-GARDEN. WE must again handle more than one subject, for at this particular juncture a host of matters press, both out-doors and in. PINES.-At page 195 we hinted that an increased amount of light would be the signal for an increased temperature, and for making what rearrangements might become necessary preparatory to a course of summer and autumn culture. In the first place, if any new bottom-heats of fermenting material have to be made they should be proceeded with instantly, if possible. Tree-leaves make an excellent and longenduring medium of heat; they are better, however, mixed with one-fourth their bulk of dung which has been sweated in a heap for a week or so. Four feet in depth of this material, slightly but regularly trod during the process of filling, will produce of itself a heat of nearly 80° until next September. It is customary with gardeners to case it over with tan; this is a more convenient medium to plunge in, and, withal, acts both as an increaser and controller of the heat below; for leaves are apt to dry too suddenly at the surface, and they moreover lay so loose and open as compared with tan that, although the pot may be plunged full depth, yet not above one-third will receive the benefit of bottom-heat. The pits or other structures intended to receive pines in any of their stages had better receive a coat of lime-wash; and as it is proper that the bottomheat should be fairly up before introducing the pines, there will still be a fortnight to spare before any thorough rearrangement takes place, and during this period the liming or other matters may be carried out. If the heat of such structures depends entirely on fermenting materials, our practice is to put about 15 inches in depth of new tan; not, however, plunging the full depth by any means on their first introduetion; indeed, we merely stick the ends of the pots in the tan, adding new tan at intervals as necessary. Where there is a tank bottom-heat, the case is altogether different; here no tan is absolutely necessary, although Mr. Hamilton, whose system must be known to most of our readers, chooses to thrust new tan amongst the stems of his pines, on the Hamiltonian system, occasionally. Whilst the heat is rising in the pits, we think it advisable to commence watering where needed. The Black Jamaica pine with us (see remarks at page 263) never receives a drop of water from the beginning of November until the middle of February; indeed, we have Jamaicas now, strong successions, which will not receive water until the very end of the month, and we are not thoroughly assured that it will even then be necessary. However, the Queen section requires a somewhat different treatment; these will enjoy twice the amount of water which some of the Black section require. Still much depends on the amount of pot room the plants possess, and whether very full of roots or not: if planted out they will not require one-fourth part of the water, provided the bottom-heat is rightly contrived. In all cases of doubt with the amateur, he had better water too little than too much; the former may cause a diminished amount of luxuriance for awhile, but the latter may totally destroy the young spongioles, and then a decided and sudden check will be the result, which will be exceedingly prejudicial. Where the pot system is the order of the day, some shifting may be necessary in the early part of March. We think it not good policy to shift young stock which has not yet become pot-bound, provided the soil is as it ought to be, and always will be under good culture, still fresh, and the drainage complete. We may remark here that the time of receiving the final shift into the fruiting-pot should be, in some degree, determined by the period at which the fruit is required to show or rise. We should say that, taking pines in the lump, some eight or nine months may be fairly counted on as elapsing between the last repotting and the showing period; some will be more, some less, but this will serve to convey an idea to the uninitiated. THE POTTING. Having provided some soil of a good staple, with pots of a proper size, and proper materials for drainage, nothing is needed but forecast to secure the plants from injury in their transit from one structure to another, and from one pot to another. An intermediate structure of any kind, if at liberty, may be used as the medium of transit, for it is rather tedious work to remove and plunge each pot as the performance proceeds. Such expedients, however, will naturally be resorted to; the main business being to prevent a sudden declension of temperature from chilling the roots; any place indoors will give immunity to the tops. But we come now to an important matter: how to repot them. Nothing is more eligible than a turfy loam, about six months old, which has been piled in a shed, or out-house, and has become dry: this is the principal ingredient with us. Such may be cut in bits with the spade, and those bits being shaken in a very coarse riddle or sieve, in order to reject all the mere soil which falls from it in attrition, will be lumpy, fibrous matter, which is almost complete in itself for pine culture. We add some old half-decomposed manure, generally leaves and dung, in the proportion of one part to two of the loamy turf; we also add some rubbly charcoal, to keep the soil open for a length of time. It is always best to give a bold shift: small shifts are a poor peddling proceeding; the gain is not commensurate with the ceremony and disturbance caused to the roots. Drainage is the great essential; many persons are apt to trust to only one huge crock or oyster-shell over the central hole at the bottom of the pot: we do not. We place three or four, overlapping each other in such a way as that four or five bold issues shall be provided. Over this we strew a layer of imperishable materials, composed of equal parts pounded crocks, boiled bone, and charcoal in lumps as large as horse-beans. Next, a litttle turfy material-the soil mostly shaken out; and on this we set the ball. In filling up round the ball, it is advisable to keep thrusting small lumps of turfy material as the filling proceeds, and thus to near the top; continuing to introduce the compost until within about three inches of the rim, when we place a layer of the chopped turf all over the surface, and on this the finer portions of the compost, until nearly or quite level with the rim of the pot. We must now take leave of the pine for the present, and will return to the subject in a week or two, if possible. VINE-FORCING.-At page 195, we offered observations on root-management, we may now give a few hints about the course of culture necessary with the young shoots. The first process in vine-forcing is disbudding; and the second " stopping," as it is termed; indeed, they frequently proceed together. Disbudding is absolutely necessary, for most vines, in a tolerably healthy state, produce double or treble the amount of shoots it is requisite to leave on them. They could not perfect the produce in the first place; and, in the second, the trees would become completely smothered for want of more training space. As soon, therefore, as a selection can be made of the bearing shoots, or any necessary to be retained, in order to furnish training space, so soon should disbudding take place. It is well, nevertheless, that it should be done successively; a good vine-dresser removes a few shoots almost daily; for vines require constant attention until the thinning out of the berry is completed, when most of the subsequent proceedings are resolved into a proper regulation of the atmosphere, and a due THE COTTAGE GARDENER. attention to the root. Let it be remembered that overcropping is always bad policy: it not only deteriorates the produce, but enervates the very constitution of the tree, and lays the foundation of premature old age. It is somewhat difficult to say how much a given vine should carry, so much difference exists in point of energy. As a general principle, we may say that the root being good, all the rest is dependent on the amount of light; and that the number of square feet of roofing may of itself be allowed to determine the question. We should, therefore, say, that one bunch of a pound weight to every two feet of roofing-surface is a good crop; this is, of course, supposing the vines to be equally grown and trained over the roof, and that they are placed, as it were, by measurement; such, however, is seldom the case, and, therefore, vines are made to carry more in one portion than another. Vines, confined merely to rafters and closely stopped, are generally allowed from 10 to 15 good bunches; this, of course, dependent on the length of rafter. a We need scarcely advise (the amateur about the mode of stopping; most people stop at one joint beyond the "show," or bunch. This is more matter of expediency than principle; for it would not do, in the majority of cases, to let them extend farther, for they would soon monopolise the space which should belong, of right, to the neighbouring bunch; and, like folks at a dinner-table, too much elbowing is not very agreeable. We will return to vine-culture again, shortly. PLANTING, PRUNING, &c., OUT-OF-DOORS.-Once more we say, let all planting, intended to be carried out this spring, be at once completed. We do not like this late planting; still there are those who do; and again, those who are compelled to do so, and on such we urge its completion. All wall-trees, or, indeed, any trees of choice character, and which have attained considerable size, should, on removal at this late period, have some kind of shade tacked or hung before them. This will prevent the injurious effects arising from intense sunlight, which causes a on the vital forces, not at all compatible with the "draw torpidity of the root. Such, also, preserves a more regular amount of atmospheric humidity in the vicinity of the branches-a thing of much importance; and those who can, will do well to frequently wet such a shade. Pruning must all be completed forthwith, except with figs; those may remain until the true character of the young wood can be ascertained. MULCHING.-Let all newly-planted trees receive a mulching immediately, if only of half-decayed weeds, rotten straw, or thatch,-or, indeed, anything of a porous character; if enriching, so much the better. We prefer horse-droppings, or rather, the shorter portion of stable door dung, in a fresh state, just roughly shaken over, and merely the longest removed. STAKING. This is all-important when fruit-trees of some size are removed. If they are permitted to be rocked to and fro with our March storms, all the benefits of careful planting and mulching will be negatived. R. ERRINGTON. THE FLOWER-GARDEN. PROPAGATION BY CUTTINGS.-Those who have grounded their practice on making all kinds of cuttings according to the dictates of vegetable physiology, have often found themselves at fault, without being able to discover the cause of their failure. They insist on keeping as many of the leaves entire as the cutting-pot will hold, even at the risk of hav 287 ing the leaves laying close on each other; because they believe they have been taught that the more leaves a cutting has, the faster and more sure it must root; but there never was a greater mistake in gardening; and physiology, in its true meaning, never taught anything so absurd. It is but too true, that writers on the higher branches of our art have often made use of obscure expressions, which are difficult to understand, but very easy for a young beginner to misapply; but that does not alter fundamental laws. Many cuttings will strike roots in the open air without any leaves; some will only root when the leaves are present; others there are, on which the action of the leaves in the open air, or even with the air partly confined, as in a hot-bed, is so powerful that by perspiration it exhausts the juices of the cuttings long before roots can be formed to suck up a fresh supply to sustain the life of the cutting. I believe most readers of this work are aware that leaves can only perspire under the influence of light; and, therefore, it follows that if cuttings could be made to grow in total darkness, there would be no perspiration from the leaves, and, consequently, no waste of the substance of the cutting, and all might go on safe enough. But cuttings will not live in darkness any more than will living plants; therefore, we must try some other scheme with them. Let us suppose that we have no better arrangement than a close hot-bed, and we have just seen that certain cuttings failed to keep up their leaves in such a place, because there was still too much free air in this bed for the safety of our experiment. This is not a rare thing with gardeners, but of every-day experience; and those of them who adhere strictly to the rules of physiology, and will not reduce the leaves of their cuttings so as to suit them for a particular arrangement of means, seldom shine in the propagating department; whereas others, who are less scrupulous on that head, make very light of natural laws, and of two evils they choose the least. They know very well that the more leaves are left on a given cutting, the faster it will root-provided that such leaves are accommodated so as to insure their safety; but, finding their own means insufficient for that purpose, they violate the letter of the law, and reduce the leaves to such a point as will come within the capabilities of their propagating means-say a common cucumber-bed. Now, a bed of this sort must have air given it every day, more or less, according to the weather; and we have seen that certain cuttings will not stand even a close hot-bed when their leaves are all left on, much less can they stand secure in a bed with a portion of air on; and in that case, more leaves must be sacrificed to reduce the perspiring surface. And if we are deprived of even a cucumber bed, and must root such cuttings in a greenhouse, or vinery, a still greater proportion of the leaves must be cut off, otherwise the free access of the air to such structures would soon reduce the substance of the cuttings. Now, when physiology issued the laws of propagation it did not take these make-shifts into account, but rather took it for any of granted that the conditions necessary to insure success were at hand. The most essential of these conditions being a bell-glass to cover the cuttings so as to cut off all communication with the surrounding air, and to maintain a uniform humid atmosphere around them, thus doing away altogether with the stimulus to perspiration, which, as we have seen above, would soon exhaust the leaves of their juices before they had time to form the matter from which roots are made. |