320 THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



frost would certainly rip it off. Laurestinus are by no means the hardiest of 

 shrubs, and when cut down at this time, or through the wintrr, they frequently die 

 altogether. Besides, should we have a winter sufficiently aevcre to injure the 

 younger branches, they will protect the large ones, which will break freely in the 

 spring, and soon make nice bushes again. Your best time for pruning them will 

 be the first or second week in April, when you can cut them to the desired shape. 



Taking up Plants olt of the Flower Beds. — An Old Subscriber. — You 

 must take up the geraniums which you wish to preserve, at once. Apart from the 

 danger of frost, you will run greater ri?k of their perishing after they are potted, 

 the longer you allow them to remain in tlie open ground. You can leave the 

 cannas in the beds all the winter, without receiving any injury, if you cover them 

 with a good thickness of some protecting material. Cocoa-nut refuse answers 

 admirably, but we prefer a good thickness of dry leaves— say a foot deep over the 

 bed — and covered with six inches of soil, to keep them dry,' and to prevent their 

 being blown about. We know of nothing that will resist frost so well as a covering 

 of this description. Aralia papyrifera and Ficus elasticns must be taken up, and 

 stored in the greenhouse. The Tobaccos, Solanums, and Castor Oils should be 

 consigned to the rubbish heap as soon as they get unsightly, for you can raise any 

 quantity of them from seeds next spring. 



Heating Greenhouse. — E. B. has just completed his greenhouse, which is. 

 a span roof, forty feet long by fourteen wide, and would be glad of a little 

 information respecting the best mode of heating it, without going to any more 

 expense than is really necessary. He intends growing azaleas, camellias, pelargo- 

 niums, and miscellaneous plants. The greatest difficulty that almost all amateurs 

 labour under, is their inability to get sufficient heat to grow their plants properly, 

 and often not enough to protect them from frost in severe weather. We admit that 

 there is more expense attached to fixing a full supply of piping than there is in not 

 half enough, but the extra cost is soon repaid in the saving of fuel. When there is 

 an insufficiency of piping in a hoase, the pipes have to be kept at an extra heat ; 

 and to do this in cold weather, the fire has to be kept at full draught, which can 

 only be done by a great loss of heat, in consequence of its escaping up the chimney. 

 When there is a proper Quantity of piping, the pipes can be heated to a moderate 

 degree of heat, and the fire stopped. This will maintain them at that heat for a 

 long time, and consequently nearly the whole of the heat from the fuel is absorbed 

 in a proper manner. Attention to these matters would save plant and fruit-growers 

 an immense amount of labour and anxiety, in daily attention and setting up at night. 

 We should advise you to have a 24-incli saddle boiler, and two rows of 4-inch 

 pipes up each side of the house, close to the wall. You will then experience very 

 little difficulty with the heating part of the question. If you like, you may employ 

 3-inch pipes instead of 4-incb, end if you cannot really afford more, you can by 

 extra firing keep the frost out with a double row of 4-inch piping on one side only. 

 By all means have the four rows if you can, and you will then have cause to thank 

 us for the advice. 



Chucron. — Your plant appears to be Sedum populifoliura, but from such a mite 

 it is not easy to determine. 



C. G., Exeter. — Apply to Mr, Gidney, ironmonger, East Dereham, Norfolk. 



Mealy Bug. — Three Years^ Subscriber.- — The very best remedy for mealy bug 

 is Fowler's Gardener's Insecticide, used warm as directed, and the fullest strength, 

 allowable. If you do not use this, a remedy that sometimes answers is a mixture 

 of a pound of size dissolved in a quart of hot water, a quart of soot well beaten up 

 with it, and four quarts of water added. After a few days, this must be washed off 

 the plants. 



C. G. M. — Brompton stocks will do better planted out than in a pot in the 

 house. The best book for you is "The Town Garden," price Zs.()d. It contains 

 directions for cultivating all the favourite garden plants, shrubs, etc. etc. 



J. S. J3., Doncaster. — You can obtain what you require from Messrs, E, G. 

 Henderson and Son, Wellington Road, St. John's Wood. 



T. — Yes. the young shoots that push from the base of the old ones are to be 

 pinched off, unless required to keep the vine properly furnished. 



