January 25, 1872. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



plied -with soft watc-r, aud, if the glass was coloured, some 

 charcoal aud pieces of manure were added. — R. F. 



TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 



Stuart & Meiu, Kelso, N.B. — General Catalogue of Vegetable 

 and Flower Six'ds. 



Hooper & Co., Covent Garden Market, London, Yi^.C— Gar- 

 dening Guide and General Catalogue. 



W. Bull, King's Road, Chelsea, London, ^y^ .—Retail List of 

 Select Flower, Vegetable, and Agricultural Seeds, and New 

 Flants.—List of Gladiolus and New Plants. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 

 N.B. — Many questions must remain unanswered until next 

 week. 



Character (W. Taylor). — It is a satisfactory testimonial; and on what 

 ground you could have thought it neediul to consult a lawyer we cannot 

 discern. ^ 



Setting Boilees— Kaistng Flow-pipes— Evaporating Tanks (M-). — In 

 fixing a. saddle boiler two plans may be adopted according to the size of the 

 boiler. If the boiler is email raise it at the sides the thickness of a firebrick 

 or tile above the furnace-bars; leave an open space of 6 inches at the farther 

 end; build with brick a flue C inches wide round the sides of the boiler, 

 and bring it as near the furnace doors as you can. This flue may be made 

 of bricks laid across from the cur\-e of the boiler, or by an iron plate so 

 placed. The opening at each side near the fiunace door allows the heat and 

 smoke to go round the outside of the boiler, then to pass along the top and 

 up the chimney, the farther end being blocked up. In a large boiler we should 

 prefer having two flues at the sides by using two iron plates as dividers on 

 each side. The heat would then pass round the lower part of the side of the 

 boiler, return near the upper part of the side, and thence go along the top up 

 the chimney. Iron plates 7 or 8 inches wide are very good for this purpose. 

 Soot-doors must be pro%'ided for all these flues. Like the writer at page 15, 

 we have made water circulate in all modes, even to going downhill ; but it 

 is much bettei- that the pipe should rise from the boiler, and then go and 

 return on a level until it dips down to the bottom of the boiler. It is still 

 better, in our opinion, when there is a sHght rise to the further end, with an 

 open air-pipe there, and then a similar decline to the bottom of the boiler; 

 and we say ths after ha\'ing been under the necessity of wt rlring many plnns. 

 The most interesting part of the article at page 15 is that relative to the im- 

 portance of hairing hot-water pipes ou a level, and having as fev returns as 

 possible. Not lon^ since we heated a smaU house by taking round three i-ipes 

 on a level beneath a stage, so as to leave a pathway free in front and at back. 

 The boiler was placed at the north-west comer. There was one flow and one 

 return. "When the flow arrived at its right position it was joined in the usual 

 manner to thi'ee pipes, and these went round the west end, the south side, 

 the east end, and the north side to no great distance from the boiler. In that 

 space the ri.se all round would be about 3 inches. At the highest point, just 

 ■where the three pipes were changed into the one to retxmi again to the boiler, 

 an open air-pipe was inserted. With the exception of this short piece visible 

 that joined the return, all the pipes were flow-pipes, and nothing could answer 

 better, the chief advantage being the unif orm heat in the pipes all through. 

 The steam or evaporating-pipe alluded to, page 15, we think you will 

 understand better if you suppose that the flat iron pipe is merely an open 

 level tank, and the 'ij-inch pipe that goes through it from end to end is 

 intended to heat the water in the pipe or tank. All that is necessary is to 

 connect that 2^inch pipe in the tank with the flow-pipe near the boiler, and 

 with the retum-pipe at the other end. The circulation will then be as com- 

 plete in that pipe in the trough as anywhere else. 



FLo^^-ER Beds [An ^maft ur).— Both your plans No. 1 and No. 2 would 

 look well if suitably planted. No. 1 is the more proportional of the two, but 

 the ends of your square figures should be curved-in to correspond with the 

 curve of the circles. Notwithstanding this, we much prefer No. 2, and chiefly 

 because it breaks in on the stiff monotony of the outline. In No. 1 you have 

 a 4-feet walk all round, and a band of turf between the walk and the beds. 

 In No. 2 this regularity is broken in upon. The grass all round is, wider, and 

 round the centre, especially, the widthis unequal or diversified, which of itself 

 will be a great advantage. The fault of No. 2 is the want of balance in the 

 Bize of the bed>;, and the narrowness of the turf between the beds at places. 

 We would have none less than 4 feet. We would alter it thus: Reduce your 

 centre circle to 6 feet in diameter, and add a foot to the grass and a foot in 

 width to the four beds round it. Reduce your four circles from 6 to 5 feet in 

 diameter. We do not agree with you as to substituting an oval for the two 

 end figures. We do not think you can better the outline, but we would lessen 

 the size by placing the two cuned inside lines from 2 to 3 feet nearer the 

 boundary. Pencil a group as thus suggested, and you will see you will have 

 more room for turf, aud the beds will be better balanced. 



Geranium {D. F, J. K.). — We cannot attempt to name the varieties of 

 florists' flowers. 



Waste Lands {A Constant Reader). — We know of no wort on their culti- 

 vation exclusively. Arthur Young's "Agricultural Survey's" of various coun- 

 ties give information on the subject. 



Garden AncHiTECTrRE — Emigration {A Novice). — We think "Garden 

 Plans " and " Greenhouses for the Many," both pubhehed at our office, would 

 supply the infomyition. Wc are told by a good authority that Victoria in 

 Australia is the best new home for gardeners. 



Planting a Span-roofed House {A Market Gardener). — We would advise 

 planting both sides of your span-roofed house with Vines 4 feet apart, as thus 

 yi)U would have the house furnished sooner, even if afterwards you took the 

 Vines across so as to fiil both sides of the roof. We would in general only 

 take one stem to a Vine instead of two, but if one became very strong you 

 could give it more room. Planting at 4 feet apart, the stems on crossing 

 would thus ultimately be 2 feet apart; at that distance a great weight of 

 Grapes can be cut, but you can expect nothing to grow under the Vines. The 

 Vines you name are gui'd late sorts. We are not so sure of Mrs. Pince and 

 Madresfield Court hanging so long. We have no doubt you will succeed veiy 

 ■Well with the trees as bushes in the orchard house, if the roots be curtailed at 

 times; but after trying such modes largely we think that for economy and 



profit we would plant the trees on each side, and train them on a slope 18 inches 

 ir m the glass. Vines may be grown 7 feet apart; but even then the shade 

 will injure the colour of the Peaches. 



Celery Lifting {A Lady in C lie shire). —It is not a good plan to lift 

 Celery and store it in a potting shed, for it parts with a considerable amount 

 of moisture, and on that account loses crispness and flavour. It ought to be 

 left in the ground, and protected with litter in severe weather, but remove the 

 covering when it is mild. 



Pigeons' and Fowls' Dung (Aspire). — As both are powerful icanures 

 they should not be applied in such great quantity as stable or farmyard 

 manure, A dressing just sufficient to cover the siurface is enough, and shcaild 

 be pointed-inwith a spade. We have given with advantage a dressing haU 

 an inch thick to Onion beds. Both are valuable manures for every de- 

 scription of vegetable crop. 



Hotbed of Dcng and Tan (G. A. S.).— We do not approve of mixing 

 dung and tan together in forming hotbeds, not but that the mixture answers 

 well enough for bottom heat, giving a steady heat, but the tan spoils the 

 manure. We would, therefore, make a shell or lining of the stable manure, 

 say IS inches wide all round the bed, carrying it up to the required height, 

 which at this season will be 6 feet at back, and 5 feet in front, and fill up the 

 centre with fresh tan. The oily cotton waste you may mix advantageously 

 with the manure in the proportion of one part to four of stable manure, and 

 if you have sufficient to raise a bed 5 feet high at back, and 4 feet high in. 

 front, we should dispense with the tan. 



Heading-back Maiden Apple, PE.AJi, and Plum Trees {5i>fro).— We 

 would not head back the trees more than 3 feet, as we presume you wish them 

 to form pyramids or bushes, and this will give you shoots sufficiently near 

 the ground. These side shoots should be encouraged, not stopping the lowest 

 ones until they have grown a foot, nor the leader until it has made that 

 length of shoot ; then take out their points. If, from the top, strong shoots 

 start besides the leading shoot, stop them at the third leaf ; this wUl induce 

 the lowest side shoots to push freely. 



Cutting the Leading Shoots of Cupressus and Thuja— Peach TiiEE 

 Gumming (Amattur). — ¥ou may cut off the leading shoots of Cupressus 

 and Thuja without disfiguring them, and remove irregular growths. There 

 are no shrubs that will bear pruning better than Thujas and Cupressus, We 

 have some that are cut into close pyramids. We do not know what you can 

 apply to the stem of a Peach tree badly gummed. There is no remedy. It is 

 probably a consequence of the tree being on a foreign iPlum) stock. The 

 belt of old Fir trees just outside the north comer of the garden cannot do 

 any harm if the branches do not extend over the wall, or shade the giound. 

 On account of the shelter they afford from north winds, we would not cut 

 them down. If the branches extend over the wall and cause shade or diip. it 

 may be desirable to lop, and perhaps cut down the trees. Remember that it is 

 easier to cut down trees than to rear others that will afford the shelter of 

 those removed. 



Border for Climbers— Liquid Manure {Black Edge).—'SVe highly ap 

 prove of your taking upthe concrete. We would make the width 2feet, and il 

 possible 3 feet, take out the soil, put in 9 inches of drainage, and then 3 or 

 3 feet of soil. The border would be far better than the boxes. A M^Ttie 

 trained to the wall would thrive if protected fiom frost in very severe winters. 

 We would remove the offset at once, and place in the water two or three pieces, 

 of charcoal about the size of a nut. Bedroom slops are useful as a manure, 

 if diluted vrith six times their bulk of water. They may be poured betweeii 

 the rows of growing crops of vegetables, or used in an undiluted state od 

 ground before cropping. 



Double White Violets, &c. (B. FiTicent).— Write to some of the princi- 

 pal florists who advertise in our columns. 



Treatment of Vines (A. D.).— Remove any loose bark from yoxu: Vines, 

 and paint the stems with a mixture composed of 4 ozs. of sulphur, 2 ozs. of 

 soft soap, and a small portion of soot, to half a gallon of water. The vinery 

 started at the end of Janhary should have a night temperature of 45'- to 

 begin with, gradually increasing it, so that by the time the shoots have giown 

 an inch, 60° may be attained. Increase it in two weeks to 65*=. In all cases 

 allow a rise of 5 by day from ai-tificial heat, and of 10- to 15° from sun heat. 

 Syringe the Vines twice o-day until the buds break, when syringing should be 

 discontinued. 



Vines in Pots (Essex). — Your young Vines had the proper treatment until 

 you say that in May, " they were much shaded by the permanent Vii^es." 

 They would not be likely to form fruit-buds under such highly disadvanta- 

 geous circumstances. The position to which you removed them, " the ironfc 

 stand of a plant house," was not good; they required more heat than they 

 obtained there. We obtain fruiting canes of the strongest description from 

 eyes inserted the same season, growing them ou in a temperature of not less 

 than from 60*" to 65=" at night after they are fairly started, but they must not 

 be xmder shade. You should have shifted them into their fruiting pots by 

 the end of July. As you have placed the Vine eyes on pieces of tm-f upon a 

 Pine-bed, you will find full instructions how to proceed in No. 513, page 131, of 

 last year's Journal of Horticulture. The Vines which did not show 

 bunches try in both ways, but grow the largest portion from a single eye at 

 the base of the cane. The fruit-buds must be formed and thoroughly ma- 

 tured before the leaves fall in autumn. 



Peach House (A. r.).— Your trellis should be from 12 to 15 inches from 

 the glassj instead of 6 inches. Have from 18 to 24 inches of good soil above 

 the concrete. We prefer the saddle- boiler and 3 or 4-inch pipes, but we like 

 conical and tubidar boilers very well, the simplest the best. A boiler with 

 furnace fittings for such a long house would cost about £8, and two rows of 

 pipes on each side would be necessary. Good 4-inch pipes will tost fi-oni 

 2s. 3d. to 2s. Gd. per yard, without the workmanship. Pipes may be pur- 

 chased at any price ; we lately heard of some put up very cheaply, but they 

 proved to be poor rain-water pipes, dear at any price when used fur hot water. 

 We cannot recommend tradesmen. If particular, have a clear specificatioii 

 and a contract, and any of our advertisers wUl do the work well. 



Conservatory (Leamside). — The best arrangement we can think of for 

 such a house, 14 feet wide, would be a border all round, except oppcsite the 

 plate-ghiss window, of 18 inches in width— ■wide enough for climbers— with a 

 shelf or trelliswork all round of the same width, at about 3 feet from the 

 ground, except opposite the window. That window we would take to the floor 

 as a door, unless you can walk at once from the drawing-room into the central 

 outjut of the conse^^•atorv. Then with a walk 2 feet 9 inches all round you will 

 have a base for your central stage of 5A feet. If you will be satisfied with a 

 30-inch path you will have a G-feet base for your stage. Many would prefer 

 a 3-feet pathway to give room to the ladies, even if thus they curtailed either 



