quaintance with vegetables necessary. To them he would be indebted for his food, his raiment, his lodging, his utensils for cultivation, his materials for cooking, and his instruments of warfare. The first stage of his inquiry would be bounded by a discrimination of those plants which were fitted for his own food and clothing, &c., and the food of the more useful animals, and a knowledge of some of their qualities in a medicinal point of view. A second stage in the inquiry would take place when, owing to an increase of population, there would be the attempt to procure more food than what the earth naturally yielded, and thus agriculture would commence. A third stage in the inquiry would take place when men, not satisfied with necessaries-such as the bread, and the mutton, and the crystal spring -panted after those adjuncts which give a relish to the enjoyments of the table, in the shape of fresh vegetables, the leek, the cucumber, the onion; the pepper, the radish, and the mustard; the luscious melting fruit, the rich confection, and what has been termed "generous wine." Then horticulture would commence. When the desire became prevalent for the possession of luxuries, in the shape of beautiful flowers, rich scents, refreshing odours, cool shades, sparkling fountains, winding walks, and green lawns, then would be the dawning of floriculture and landscape gardening. When, owing to the number of plants discovered, and the impossibility of recollecting the properties of each, an attempt was made to arrange them into kindred groups and families, then, however rude and imperfect the first attempt, would commence the dawning of systematic, structural, physiological, and medical botany.

Our attention will chiefly be devoted in this department to the growing of those flowers that are suitable for the greenhouse and window, either of the amateur or the cottager, not forgetting that the work is especially intended for the latter. To be instrumental in promoting, in however humble a degree, a greater love for the beautiful in vegetable nature will be to us less a task than a pleasure: convinced that wherever that love exists, whether in princely halls or snug parlours, whether seen in the honeysuckle and the rose blending their sweetness around the cottage window in the country; or in the wallflower in a broken teapot decking the opening for light and air of a garret attic in a crowded alley of a smoky city; that there, though often associated with ignorance, and, sometimes, declensions from virtue, there are founts of genuine feeling, and well-springs of goodness, that only require to be opened up and set flowing, to reward the exertions and realize the wishes of the most anxious philanthropist.

Now, for more practical matters. All greenhouse plants should now be taken under shelter, if not into the greenhouse, as dashing rains and early frosts may soon be expected. If provided with necessary shelter some of the hardiest may remain out a few weeks longer, which will prevent crowding the greenhouse at first, and enable the work there to be got in a forward condition. Azaleas should be all under cover: the most of them will stand a considerable degree of cold, but not without injuring the beauty of the foliage. To keep the Indica or greenhouse variety in an evergreen state, the temperature should not fall much below 10°. If the buds are set they will flower pretty well, although from exposure to cold rains and cold air the greater part of the leaves should fall, but then the plants present a miserable, starved appearance, and the flowers are lessened in their beauty for the want of luxuriant green foliage as a back ground.

Those intended for flowering early should be kept somewhat close and warmer, before giving them a lift in a forcing-house. If this is done for a season or two, they will get into the habit of coming early of their own accord. If a forcing-house is not at your elbow, you may do much by keeping one end of your greenhouse closer and warmer than the other. This applies to many other plants besides azaleas; those, however, of these beautiful plants which you intend for flowering in May of the following year you must now set in the coolest part of the greenhouse, and allow a stream of air amongst them, provided the temperature ranges from 35° to 40°, and then, if the weather should be warm and sunny in April, you will have to contrive a sheltered and shady place for them, to which you may remove them if the buds swell faster than you wish. You may not succeed quite so well as the great growers, but great honour will be your due if in one house you can manage to grow a number of things nearly as good as they who have a house for each separate tribe or family. We will byand-by tell you of some little contrivances by which many plants considered rather tender be may managed well in a greenhouse. I have said that a stream of air may be admitted when the temperature ranges from 35° to 40°, but do not mistake me,-I mean outside temperature. Even at this temperature, in a very foggy day, I would be careful not to admit much air without a little fire-heat. You will not be likely to err in giving too much air for some time to come, but I direct your attention to it in time, believing that too much fire-heat and too much air in cold weather are the greatest enemies to all kinds of greenhouse plants in winter. The subject is a large one, but the cream of it may for the present be thrown into two rules: 1st, never in the coldest weather make up your greenhouse fire for the night without consulting the outside thermometer, and noting the changes that have taken place, as so many indexes from which you may attempt to predicate what the weather will be before morning. 2ndly, fires will seldom be wanted in the morning, unless for promoting a healthy circulation of air in damp foggy weather, or when a severe storm sets in; but, even in the latter case, always endeavour to determine whether the day will be sunny or not, as, if the sun shines, the less heat you have in the flue or pipes the better. In such cases the raising of the temperature 10° or 15°, with a little top air, will do no harm. The raising of the temperature so much by fire-heat would be ruinous. The most experienced will sometimes be deceived by the sudden outbreaking of the sun for several hours in severe weather; and when there is a considerable amount of artificial heat in the house, it is much preferable to damp the house, and shade for a short time, than to admit air by the front sashes, which is 20° or 30° lower than the temperature of the house. When you have means of heating the air before it is introduced among the plants, the case will be somewhat different. As we may expect as yet several weeks of mild weather, the alluding to this matter may be deemed somewhat irrelevant, but we have acted upon the principle that to be forewarned is to be forearmed.

BULBS of all kinds usually employed for winter decoration should now be planted for the first and successional blooming. If you merely wish to flower them, any sort of soil will do, and even half-rotten moss will answer admirably, as you chiefly develop the matter previously stored up in the bulb. But if you wish not merely to flower them, but to grow them, so as they will flower again-if not the first,

at least the second succeeding year-then you must plant them in light rich soil, and the leaves must be encouraged and kept green as long as possible after the flowering, withholding water only when they begin to become yellow. In potting, use small pots instead of large ones; a four or five-inch pot will grow a hyacinth admirably, especially when assisted at times with a little weak clear manure water, made either from soot or guano. In a similar pot, half-adozen crocuses and snow drops may be placed, and those of the smaller tulips. The larger narcissus will require a six-inch pot to grow them well.

In potting, put in the earth loosely, and do not set the bulb on the surface, as some advise, but let it be at least half covered, which will not only secure its fastening, but render less water in the growing season necessary, as evaporation from the bulb will, in a great measure, be prevented. The reason why in growing bulbs in pots, during winter, it was ever recommended to place them on the surface, was owing to the fact that, when the soil was put in firmly, the damp was apt to arise between it and the base of the bulb, and decay frequently ensued. This evil will be avoided by filling the pots with the soil as lightly as possible. In the case of small bulbs they may be set almost upon the surface; as if, after planting, they are placed in a sheltered corner, and covered to the depth of several inches with coal-ashes or leafmould, &c., the weight of the covering will sink the bulbs sufficiently. Where no covering is used, but the pots are placed in a dark room or cellar, the bulbs should be somewhat covered at first. Either of these contrivances should be resorted to after potting, as it is bad management to set them at once either in a greenhouse or window. When growing out of doors these bulbs are always covered to a greater or lesser depth, and the flower-stalk never appears until there are abundance of roots formed to support it; because the earth, upon an average, is higher and more equal in its temperature at that period than the atmo sphere surrounding it. Now, if you set your potted bulbs in front of the window at once, the top part of your bulb will be as much, and frequently more, excited than the lower part, whence the roots issue, but, as the strength of the flowerstem depends upon the roots being somewhat in advance of the stem and leaves, we advise placing the pots in a cellar or a room where an equal temperature can be maintained; or covering them from four to six inches out of doors, protecting them from wet and frost, and then transferring them to the greenhouse or window when the pots are well supplied with roots. When wanted about Christmas, the pots best filled with roots must be transferred to a hotbed next month. One advantage of using small pots is that they can be easily used for filling vases of all descriptions; and, when covered with green moss, they thus, in masses, look very beautiful, and require but little water, the moss preventing the moisture evaporating. The moss should be steeped in hot water previously, to set slugs and worms a scampering, and then spread out to dry a little before using it. In growing bulbs in glasses, choose coloured instead of clear ones, as the roots have a distaste for light. Put some little bits of charcoal in the water, but, nevertheless, change it frequently. Let only the lower part of the bulb be moistened; you cannot well cover them with earth, but you can set them in a cellar. If you wish, however, either to see yourself, or point out to your children, the process of rootmaking, set the glasses on the chimney-piece, which, if either iron or stone, will be the best place for them

in the room-supposing that a fire is kept in the chimney-for some people are so very wise that they will not light a fire before a certain day, be the weather fair or foul, mild or frosty; preferring rather to have their toes and finger-ends frosted, and chilblained into the bargain! Now, we place them there that the water, the medium in which the roots are to elongate, may be, upon an average, warmer than the apartment; and we would remove them to the window, to pay their obeisance to the king of day, when the roots were plentifully formed, and the flower-stem had began to grow; and, when changing water, renewing it again at a temperature rather higher than the air of the apartment. But if you merely wish to have your hyacinths, &c., blooming in glasses without seeing them growing, then all you have to do is to grow the bulbs in small pots in the usual way, and when showing bloom, turn them out of the pots, rinse the ball through a pail of water, at 50° Fah., and then transfer the roots and bulbs to the blooming glasses. R. FISH.

HOTHOUSE DEPARTMENT.

EXOTIC ORCHIDACEÆ.-The cultivation of these singular, beautiful, and, in several instances, powerfully fragrant plants, being on the increase, and that to a considerable extent, we have been requested to write a series of papers weekly for the COTTAGE GARDENER on this subject. It so happens that we have to take periodical journies into various parts of Great Britain, and by that means it has come under our observation that there are a great number of amateurs in various parts of this country who have begun, or are about to begin, to grow exotic orchids. It is chiefly for their instruction that we have consented to give, briefly, yet sufficiently fully and explicitly, our experience in their culture, to lead them into the right method without making fatal mistakes or incurring ruinous expenses, whereby they would soon become disheartened, and abandon them as plants too difficult to grow. There are, also, in large gardening establishments, both public and private, many young gardeners who have expressed to us the great desire they have to know something of the right way and best method of cultivating orchids; and there are others who, we know, have often wished some one would give plain, short rules, by which they could successfully cultivate these plants.

Again, it is well known to numbers of the cultiva tors of orchids, that the writer of this has had considerable experience, and has been successful in this peculiar branch of floriculture. In addition to a considerable number of years' constant and successful practice, I may mention to my readers the fact that I have under my care a large select collection; and I invite those who do not know the fact to call at the

Pine Apple Nursery, and judge for themselves whether I am justifiable in undertaking to teach "orchidgrowing made easy." To the friends who do know me I need not say a word, for I have had unvarying approvals from them of my correct views and right method of cultivating those interesting plants. Having now, as I think, made it quite clear and evident that there are persons, and not a few of them, that want this knowledge, and that from having had extensive experience I may venture to presume that I can impart that knowledge, it only remains to say a few words about the medium through which we propose to detail our experience, viz., THE COTTAGE

GARDENER. Now, if there was no other reason, the cheapness of this periodical is quite sufficient to recommend it as a proper vehicle for this desired information, for it will place it within the reach of the poorest-paid under-gardener. It, perhaps, may be said that these pages should only contain instruction for the cottage labourer; but we reply, and reply advisedly, that this periodical is intended for all who are fond of gardening, though more especially for amateurs and cottagers; and the greater part of the pages, therefore, are devoted to these classes of gardeners. And why should not they be orchid fanciers? There is nothing in the world to prevent them. We stated above that several amateurs (by which title we mean a man who does not employ a gardener, but works his garden with his own hands) have begun to grow these curious and beautiful floral objects, and we hope to see the day, now that glass is so cheap, when orchids will be cultivated in a much greater number of gardens than they are at present. And we trust the pages we are about to write every week will be found useful, and have a tendency to increase the knowledge, and extend the culture, of these our most favourite plants.

Our plan is, first, to describe the proper kind of habitation for orchidaceae; secondly, to describe the various methods of growing: 1, in pots; 2, in baskets; and, 3, on logs or blocks of wood, giving the proper soils for each, and the best kinds of wood for blocks. Thirdly, the proper degrees of heat and moisture, including giving air and watering the plants, as well as moistening the air at all times of the year. Fourthly, the first week in every month to give a calendar of operations for the month ensuing. Fifthly, and lastly, to give lists of the orchids more worthy of cultivating.

Next week, if possible, we will give the calendar of operations, and then proceed with our regular essay week after week. We propose finishing it by the end of September next year, so that our readers will have in the third and fouth volume a full description of one year's culture of orchidaceæ.

T. APPLEBY.

THE KITCHEN-GARDEN. ASPARAGUS.-A slight hotbed may at the present season be advantageously made for planting roots of this vegetable, so that a late autumn and early winter supply of fine shoots may be obtained. The glass lights should be taken off, at the commencement of forcing, entirely during the day in fine weather, and tilted when the weather is unfavourable, so as to admit a free circulation of air, without which the asparagus cannot fail to be weak and of a bad colour. The bottom heat, whether produced from a tank, from dung, or from other fermenting materials, should at first be moderate, and when the shoots have begun to start, a little additional heat then applied will assist in bringing them forward. The roots should be taken up very carefully with a strong fork or twopronged grubber, and must never be allowed to lie about afterwards; place them at once on the bed prepared for them, and let them be lightly covered over with good decomposed vegetable soil. Leafmould and old tan are both very good for this purpose; put about six inches deep under the plants, which should be covered with the same material about two inches deep at first, and some more applied as a top-dressing as soon as the first buds are

peeping through. Asparagus may also be produced by placing its roots in shallow tubs, boxes or pans, and putting these in the mushroom or hothouse.

ASPARAGUS-BEDS.-Attend to the autumnal management of these as the stalks appear turning yellow or dying-off, and the berries become ripe. First, collect the berries for what seeds may be wanted, and put them away for the present, for the seeds can be washed out on any rainy day, dried, and put away in paper-bags until wanted. After the berries are thus taken cut down the stalks close to the ground with a sharp knife or reaping-hook, and clear them all away. Then, if any weeds exist, let them be hoed up and all raked off and taken away neatly; next, with the digging-fork, dig up the beds carefully, without injury to the crowns, after which put on a thorough good top dressing of manure-the richer the better. Good half-decomposed pig-manure is excellent for the asparagus-bed; let it be spread regularly over the surface of the beds. After this (in order to secure a neat appearance) fork up the alleys carefully, without hurting the roots, then set a line along the side of the beds, and make up the edges neatly with the spade or shovel; then just run along and chop it out, and throw the crumbs over the manure: it is not necessary that it should all be covered. When all is completed, the beds will look about three inches above the level of their alleys. By this mode the annuallymade roots growing into the alleys will be left uninjured; and the rich soluble parts of the top dressing will be washed down to the roots during the winter months. We should always remember that the asparagus is not like the pear, or plum, or other plants grown for their fruit, for these if over-luxuriant have to be either replanted or root-pruned. Unlike them, asparagus wants all the strength it can get; therefore never hurt its roots by digging out deep alleys, and chopping through the best roots, to get earth to cover the tops of the beds with. Such treatment not only is not required, but is very injurious, leaving the chopped-through roots exposed to all weathers for the winter months-roots on which the next year's crop depends. Such treatment, however, is often seen in large gardens, where a better example ought to be exhibited.

ROUTINE WORK.-Continue to fill up every vacant space of ground, by planting Cape brocoli and borecole, if any strong plants of these are left in the seed bed, as well as cabbage and coleworts. Plant out also into beds, banks, or borders, a good store of small plants to stand for planting in the early spring. Plant leeks, and earth up those that are advancing, not forgetting, at the same time, the occasional application of liquid manure. Do not neglect to provide a good stock of lettuces, which should be planted generally in dry healthy situations, continuing to prick out small plants in abundance. Transplant parsley into warm and sheltered situations, and put a few roots in the greenhouse or frame, for securing a good winter supply. Frame radishes and carrots should now be sown on slight hotbeds, and the earth placed close to the glass, so that the plants may have the full benefit of the light; and a free circulation of air must be kept up. Cucumbers should be sown in succession, and those already advancing should be well aired. A root or two of rhubarb may also be placed in heat. JAMES BARNES & W.

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION.

MY FLOWERS (No. 46.)

WE are almost reconciled to the departure of our summer flowers by the increasing employment we find in the garden. From this time we shall never be at a loss for something to do in the borders and the shrubbery; for almost every gardening operation may be effected during the moist, cool months, now rapidly advancing. This autumn promises to be an early one, and will soon permit us to begin digging, trenching, planting, and transplanting, and making the new dispositions of beds that may have struck our fancy during the summer. There is a love of novelty in every heart-even in our gardens we display it; for we grow tired of the old circles, half circles, and squares, and delight in twirling our borders into other forms, as fancy moves us. I have myself signed the death-warrant of two triangles, of which I am weary, and am growing impatient for the soil to be wet enough to remove the plants. The magnolia may be planted now, and a beautiful plant it is; but it should be placed against a wall, if possible, and matted during the winter. The rhododendron and arbutus, too, can be moved now. The former must have bog soil to succeed well in, although they will exist without it, but in a very comfortless condition, and rather displease than gratify the eye. On wild heathy soil they do extremely well, and seem to grow spontaneously. I remember, some years ago, being charmed with the effect of these beautiful flowers in the garden of Fangrove Lodge, in Surrey. The house was built by the late Sir Herbert Taylor, and the gardens and pleasure grounds were laid out entirely under the directions of the venerated Queen Charlotte and her accomplished daughters, and great indeed was the taste displayed. A portion of heathy common had been enclosed, of which, part formed a rising ground; and it seemed to have been completely clothed with rhododendrons, azaleas, and other bog plants, through which winding walks were judiciously cut, with so much taste and ease that they seemed to have been made without art or labour, and led you on with delight to the brow, where they terminated in a lawn, covered with patches of the same flowering shrubs. The space of ground was not large, but was so contrived as to appear of much greater extent, and the whole effect was admirable. In such situations as this-on the edge of a sandy, heathy common-these plants would thrive without any difficulty, and would well repay some little expense in procuring them. At High Clere Park, the seat of Lord Carnarvon, they flourish luxuriantly, and mingle with the trees in the beautiful woods through which the drives are made; but then the ground was carefully trenched to a proper depth, and filled with bog soil, as the natural soil would not suit them. The rhododendron grows in many lands, under many skies, and there are many varieties. One blooms wildly on the shores of the Black Sea, spreading even into Persia. This is the common species, the rhododendron ponticum; it loves the cool shade of woods, and does not grow in high situations. Then there is a very hardy species, the Catawiense rhododendron, which belongs to America, growing in clumps on the hills and plains, as furze grows in England. Other varieties clothe the stern mountains of Switzerland, and the grand and lofty Alps, where they advance so fearlessly amid the snows, that they bloom richly where no other woody plants can live, and dwell among the simple herbs

and mosses. The tall forest trees shrink from the inclement blasts of these high regions, but the little sturdy rhododendron, with its large brilliant blossoms, defies the withering blasts that sweep over them, affording, too, the only fuel that the wandering herdsman can procure. The white mountain hares also feed on the bark of the rhododendron, when the deep snows cover up all other vegetation; so that these beautiful shrubs supply food and firing to the few living creatures that frequent those desolate heights. Let us remember this, and it will increase the interest we feel in them. How glowing must be the appearance of their rich blossoms under the sparkling frosty sunbeams of those icy regions; and how they must cheer and beautify the dreary passes of those trackless wilds. To the Christian's heart they must speak with power, as he gathers his bundle of sticks, scaring away the startled hare from her evening meal; for even among the solitude and gloom of perpetual silence, he will observe and adore the goodness of God, who giveth to all creatures "their meat in due season," and whose voice ever sounds louder and sweeter when that of man is still. In the soft rich vallies of Piedmont, too, the rhododendron flourishes, as also in those of Dauphinethus decorating hill and vale, and accommodating itself to the various haunts of men. Without bog or peat soil it is useless to attempt to cultivate them successfully, as far as my knowledge extends. I have seen them in common soil, but they were poor and unsatisfactory. For my own sake I wish it were otherwise; but I recommend those of " my sisters' whose gardens are situated on the borders of heaths or commons to try if they cannot succeed in growing and blooming them well.

66

And now "My Flowers" close. The evening of their short existence has arrived; but before the last leaf falls they would speak one parting word of warning to our hearts. They tell us that man "cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down." "As a flower of the field he flourisheth; for the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more." Surely the people is grass." At this solemn time of God's judgment and man's impotence, when the sword of the Lord is stretched over our mourning land, mowing down the people as the scythe sweeps down the mowing grass, is it not a "time to speak?" We are more peculiarly connected with the soil and the operations of the husbandman. Let us remember" the threshing place of Araunah, the Jebusite," "the angel that destroyed the people," and also the mercy that stayed the chastising hand. Let us, as David did, lift up our eyes, and see whence the affliction comes; let us, as he did, fall upon our faces before the Lord, instead of seeking, by human means, to turn aside the sword. The faithful people of God may do great things for their country's deliverance in times of peril and distress; for the father of the faithful pleaded with God for the guilty city, "and he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake." Let our flowers repeat continually that solemn truth, confirmed by the fall of thousands in our streets, "Surely the people is grass."

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

AMERICAN STORE HOUSES (J. B. S.).-Your communication shall appear in our next double number; if you send your suggestions they shall appear at the same time.

RHUBARD PLANTING (J. Wilson).-The end of this month, and from that time until February, during any dry open weather, is a good time for doing this. Trench your ground deep, manure it richly, and take care that your plants have each a plump healthy bud at their top. Answers to your other questions next week.

WINTERING PLANTS IN OLD CUCUMBER BED (W. F.).-Take ont the decayed dung by all means, and fill up the space with coalashes, to plunge your potted plants in; the manure would only tend to keep up a root action, which is to be avoided in winter. See what Mr. Beaton says to-day upon the subject.

RECIPES FOR GOURD SOUP, &c. (A Lady Subscriber from the first). We shall be obliged by your forwarding the recipes. All questions, but a few requiring consideration, have been answered that have reached us within ten days from September 27th; therefore, if yours remain unnoticed, the letter never came to our office.

SETTING CUCUMBERS (A Country Subscriber).—It is not necessary to impregnate the flowers of the cucumber for the purpose of obtaining its fruit, but it is when seed is your object. The potato murrain has not set in in the south, as you say it has in Cumberland, and where it has appeared to any extent it is only among the lateplanted or the late ripening varieties; every result is in favour of autumn planting. Apples are abundant in the southern counties, but pears generally have failed. Open the ground about five feet from the stem of your unfruitful, over-luxuriant, mulberry tree, and cut away its tap-root if it has one, or two or three of its main roots if it has not one; do this immediately. The Malta lettuce is very good for a summer crop; it is a cabbage lettuce; we never heard it called by any other name. You will find the explanation of plants dedicated to each day at p. 176 of our first volume. The emphasis is on the first syllable of clematis, and on the third of anothera; anemone is correct, but anemone is the usual pronunciation. NITRATE, MURIATE, AND SULPHATE OF AMMONIA (W. B., Sheffield).-All these salts have been applied beneficially to flowers in small quantities. If used as a liquid manure, half-an-ounce to a gallon of water is sufficient. Sulphate of ammonia is said to have been applied in October to the soil destined to be planted with ranunculuses with great benefit to them. If applied in the form of powder, to be dug in immediately, one pound of any one of the ammoniacal salts must be sprinkled over thirty square yards. We know nothing of the compound manure you mention.

LIST OF CROCUSES (F. C.).-You are mistaken, we have not given a long list of these flowers; we will shortly publish a list of some of the best. Your other question next week.

PERSIAN IRIS (0.).-Yours throws out many offsets but does not bloom. It is not unusual for it to produce numerous offsets, and the cause of not blooming is probably the want of proper soil; it delights in deep sandy loam, dry at the bottom.

SHRUBS FOR A DAMP PLACE (Ibid).-Magnolias and the snowdrop tree will thrive best there.

EUCOMIS UNDULATA (Ibid).-This is probably the plant you inquire about; it is a Cape bulb, and grows in light sandy loam. Ixias, Sparaxis, Tritonias, Watsonias, Trichonemas, and a few others, are treated as the Ixia, in sandy peat, to he potted now. Mr. Beaton will, ere long, give lists of fuchsias, verbenas, &c.

LIQUID MANURE APPLIED UNDERGROUND (J. D., Old Brompton). Your perforated zinc pipes will answer nearly as well as those made of clay draining pipes. You will oblige us by letting us know the result of the application both to your celery and asparagus. You will probably have to take up the pipes laid horizontally to clean out the sediment. We have no doubt of the application being beneficial. WINTERING FUCHSIAS (G. A.).-You have a bed of young fuchsias in pots, which you propose to winter by covering them with pots, and filling in between them with ashes, and to cover the whole with double mats during hard frost. But why take such trouble, as you have them in pots? It would be much better to remove pots and all under cover; any shed or cellar will keep them with half the trouble, if you cover them with hay or straw to keep the frost from them. It is of no advantage to keep the tops of such young plants alive, as the roots will make better shoots next season.

GLOXINIAS, GESNERIAS, AND ACHIMENES (A Reader from the beginning).—These are kept dry in a warm place in winter, and early in the spring are potted in fresh soil, and brought forward in a stove or hot-bed. They all do in the same compost-two-thirds sandy peat and one-third light loam; or they will do in peat and leaf-mould with sand; or in rough sandy peat only; the last is the safest for amateurs. A damp warm atmosphere is necessary, to grow them well, till the flower-buds appear, then they require a drier place, and they flower best in summer in a cool greenhouse.

JAPAN LILIES (Ibid).-These (usually called Guernsey lilies) are perfectly hardy, and like a deep light soil; when grown in pots rough sandy peat is best for them. See Mr. Appleby's account of the family, p. 309, also p. 291, vol. ii.

HEATING PITS (S.).-You cannot heat the two divisions at the same time by your arrangement of the flues and one fire; not, at least, without trouble and a constant attendance to move the dampers; whichever flue heats the fastest when the dampers are drawn will carry all the smoke, and the other must be fed as soon as the first is hot enough. Give up the idea, and have the fire-place at one end of the range; a front flue and one across each division at the farthest ends will then suffice, with a damper anywhere between the two ranges; by that damper you can regulate the heat, for the first or for the two divisions. You lose too much room by the return flues at the back, far more than what the extra heat is worth.

UNFRUITFUL WALL TREES (A. T. Blythe).-Your main wall faces nearly due south; the earth is two feet above the level of a lane on the north side of the wall; the soil light; the trees do not bear. Mulching the whole border, and watering with pond water occasionally, from the middle of May to the end of July, are the best remedies. RAINBOW ARRANGEMENT OF FLOWERS (Ibid).-For your purpose the annuals mentioned at pages 137 and 274 of our first volume are the best for flower beds in May. Lists of spring-flowering hardy bulbs have been given already, and Mr. Beaton will offer more advice on the subject immediately.

ERROR.-At p. 323, col. 1, line 20 from bottom, for "one eye" read "few eyes."

DISTANCE OF PLANTS FROM GLASS (Ibid).-The plants in your pit during the winter should be six inches from the glass, but some of them must be more distant and some less, for they are of different heights. We have had some all but touching the glass.

CHRYSANTHEMUMS (Ibid).-These ought now to be in bud: of course you have not stopped any of them since the end of July. If you have, you nipt off the flower-buds.

PETUNIAS (W. H. G.).-You had resolved to treat these plants as annuals, and raise them from seed in the spring-abandoning the old plants and taking no cuttings from them. Your seedlings, however, are not worth looking at: the colour is good, but the size of none much exceeds that of a shilling, neither of those in your pots or borders. It is not in your power to improve them much, for seedling petunias never improve in shape or colour, and hardly in size, by cultivation. They turn out with all growers as they have with yousometimes good, but oftener good for nothing.

NIGHT-BLOOMING STOCK (W. L. Ollard).-This, the Mathiola odoratissima, is worthy of all the care you can bestow on it. It is a half-hardy frame plant, and we have seen it survive the winter close under a wall in a light dry soil. It is, however, rather impatient of a pot. Have it potted soon in light mould-using a small pot-tie it to a neat stake and set it in the shade, say in a north window, for three weeks. After that allow it a sunny aspect, but do not confine it too long in a warm room. On fine sunny days place the pot outside all day, and be sparing with theatering-pot. March or April is the best time to strike cuttings from it in the usual way.

MADAME DESPREZ ROSE (Clericus, Beds). You say that buds of this inserted in June have produced healthy shoots now bearing flower buds. The circumstance is not unusual with gardeners. We have seen a bud inserted early in June, which formed a large head for a standard rose before the end of the season, and flowered from the second week in July. That section of free-growing Bourbons to which Madame Desprez belongs, if budded early in June, will unite to the stock sufficiently in three weeks and if the shoot of the stock is then cut back, the bud starts, and is in bloom in less than a month. ANEMONES (A Cottage Subscriber).-You have a box of anemones grown to about "a couple of inches high, which appear to be stagnated in their growth," and you ask us their winter treatment. How did they come to be "two inches high" about the middle of September? They should rather have been at rest then. We presume they were grown in the box last season, and you let the rains start them too soon. You must transplant them to a border at once, for the soil in the box does not suit them.

VINES (W. Newton, Castle Bromwich).-Your vine leaves are no doubt infected with the prevailing mildew, for which the only cure known it would appear is sulphur. As to border making we will soon endeavour to assist you through THE COTTAGE GARDENER. Look at Mr. Fish's remarks in a recent number.

SUGGESTIONS (J. M.).-Some of your suggestions have been adopted; others cannot be at present; and some we have no means of carrying out.

NIGHT-BLOOMING STOCK (Twig).-This is the species referred to by our correspondent at p. 29 of our second volume. Some directions as to its culture are given to-day, in answer to another correspondent. It is increased by young cuttings under a bell glass.

FERNERY (R. G. L.).—If you will refer to Mr. Appleby's three papers at pp. 98, 108, 128, in our first volume, you will find full directions for the construction of the fernery and the culture of the plants. For arum culture look to pp. 51 and 180 of volume 2. For oleander culture also consult the Index of our first volume. All the cassias will grow well either in light loam or loam and peat mixed.

LATE STRAWBERRY (W., Yarmouth).-The best latest is the Elton. The White Alpine is small, but luscious, and will bear on until winter.

PLATFORM PLANTING (E. B., Beckenham).-You will find the information you require in our ninth Number. There is a paper there on the subject, by Mr. Errington; though there is also much relative to the same subject in other parts of our first volume.

UNITING STOCKS (X. Y. Z.)-You may unite the bees of two stocks though situated at present in distant parts of the same apiary, or even of the same garden.

NAMES OF PLANTS (Clericus Sarisburiensis).—Yours is Loasa lateritia. (Lover of Flowers from Childhood).-We cannot be certain of the fern from the specimen sent, but we think it is Polypodium effusum. (G. J. M., Gateshead).-Your seeds are those of Cantua, but we know of no such specific name as ticta. Cantua ovata is called Cantutica by the Peruvians. The flowers of the Cantua resemble those of the Gilia and Ipomopsis. The Cantuas are pretty greenhouse plants, with white or purplish flowers, all natives of Peru or Brazil. If the seeds were ours, we should sow some of them now, and some not until next spring. The soil they prefer is a mixture of equal parts of loam, peat, and sand. (A Cottager).-We wish every one would send specimens to name in the neat and easily-referred-to order you adopt:-1, is Centaurea cyanus (Garden Blue-bottle). 2, Linaria purpurea (Purple Toad-flax). 3, Achillea ptarmica pleno (Double-flowered Sneczewort). 4, Lamium maculatum (Spotted Archangel, or Dead Nettle). 5, Stenactis speciosa (Shewy Stenactis). 6, is a syngenesious plant, but not in a condition to enable us to name it.

LONDON: Printed by HARRY WOOLDRIDGE, 147, Strand, in the Parish of Saint Mary-le-Strand; and Winchester High-street, in the Parish of St. Mary Kalendar; and Published by WILLIAM SOMERVILLE ORR, at the Office, 147, Strand, in the Parish of Saint Mary-le-Strand, London.-October 4th, 1849.