288 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



for her. It will not do well in a greenhouse ; temperature intermediate between 

 the stove and greenhouse is the most suitable. 



Grapes for Cool Vinery. — F. J. B., Norwood. — Two best black grapes, 

 Black Hamburgh and Mrs. Pince's Black Muscat. Best white, Buckland Sweet- 

 water, or Thomson's Golden Champion. The last is first-rate in every way. You 

 cannot have a variety possessing a strong muscat flavour, for they all require a 

 strong heat to do them justice. 



Fuchsia Leaves falling prematurely. — Miss W. ~Enniscotty . — The plants 

 have probably been allowed to suffer from the want of water ; that would cause 

 the leaves to drop. When grown in a dry atmosphere, the red spider will soon take 

 possession of the foliage and produce the same results. 



G. E. N. — Make an offer of your plants to some of the leading nurserymen 

 that grow ferns extensively. If that fail, advertise them in the gardening 

 periodicals. 



Ashes as a Manure. — A Perplexed Rector. — A thin dressing of coal 

 ashes will act beneficially upon your heavy clay soil, by making it more workable. 

 Their action, however, is simply mechanical, and it is possible to dress too heavily 

 with them. A few good dressings of half-rotte.n stable manure will also be of 

 great service. A few medium-sized cinders will do no harm. Dress with 

 the ashes in the autumn, and leave the soil in ridges through the winter. 



Furnishing Conservatory. — P. S. O. — Your ideas are so good that we can 

 propose but few alterations with advantage. A rockery as you propose, planted 

 with choice o-reenhouse and hardy ferns, would have a charming appearance. The 

 water, if it can be conveniently arranged, will materially enhance the general 

 effect. Be careful in leaving plenty of space for the soil in which the ferns are to 

 be grown. The following is a good list of six neat-growing climbers, suitable 

 for the conservatory : — Cobea scandens variegata, Kennedga monophylla, K. 

 Mari/atta, K. inophylla fioribunda, Lapageria rosea, Passijlora Loudoniana, 

 and Tacsonia Van Volxemii. The tea roses grow and flower freely trained to 

 conservatory pillars, but they are scarcely to be recommended for that purpose. 

 Gloire de Dijon and Marechal Neil are two good varieties. 



Building Rockery. — Cleopatra. — Cut the tree down, and leave a stump about 

 six feet high, and build a rockery rouud the stump, and train ivy and other 

 climbers over it. The trunk, hollowed out as you suggest, and a good specimen of 

 Yucca recurva placed therein, would have a good effect ia the centre of the 

 rockery, especially if covered with ivy. 



"Winter Cucumbers. — Another Kentish Gardener writes, ''I was highly 

 delighted with the article upon the cultivation of Winter Cucumbers, but there are 

 a few particulars wanted in the routine treatment that would be of immense service 

 to a novice : — 1st. "Which is the best variety for the winter ? 2nd. When and 

 where should the seed be sown ? 3rd. What degree of heat, top and bottom, 

 should be maintained ?" [In answer to the above queries our correspondent, " A 

 Kentish Gardener" writes, " I find Masters Prolific and Telegraph (when true) 

 to be two first-rate winter varieties. The seed should be sown on the 1st of 

 September, singly in small pots, and plunged in a gentle bottom-heat, and the closer 

 to the glass the better. The pots must be placed near the glass, to keep the plants 

 stocky, as soon as the seed leaf is fairly above the surface. The bottom-heat should 

 closely average 75°, and the top-heat the same; but the latter may range 

 from 70' to 80°, according to the mildness or the severity of the weather ; but there 

 should be a fall of five degrees during the night."] 



C. T. R., Sunninghill A plaster.of grease from a cart or waggon-wheel, bound 



tightly round the wound, will generally effect the desired result. 



Spirtea Palmata. — X. B.— See our advertisement pages. 



The Fern Garden.— H. A. B., Dublin. — There should be no difficulty in 

 procuring this book in Dublin, or anywhere else in the United Kingdom, for if the 

 local booksellers cannot supply it, the publishers, Messrs. Groombridge and Sons, 

 5, Paternoster Row, London, will forward a copy, post-paid, on receipt of 3s. 6d. in 

 postage stamps. 



