JOURNAL OF HOKTICDLTUKE AND COTTAGE GAKDENEB. 



funfTus. which takes possession after some injorr has been done to the thick 

 roots in transplanting, and by desrees destroys the whole of the roots, those 

 living as well as those decaying. Exaraine'the roots, and Lf you find them 

 healthy you have nothing to dread. The late growth may be owing to the 

 tree standing in a wet spot, and the wet cold spring we have had. 



Oranoe Trees Unfeuitfcl {ifandarin). — The trees are probably seed- 

 lings, and require to be grafted or worked with a fruitful kind. Seedlings 

 will, of conrse, fruit, but it is a long time before they do so, and it is likely 

 they are seedlings from the fine tree which bears large leaves and fruit. We 

 should inarch them without delay with trees of any age or size. It is a much 

 more certain mode of working large trees than any other, and we think you 

 will be able to practise it with complete success. Inarched now, the union 

 will be complete by September. You may also bud them at the close of July. 



DESTRoyiNG Sluos (J. G. JR.). — There is no remedy so good as quicklime. 

 It destroys all it touches, and only needs to bo frequently applied to effectually 

 Iree the ground of slugs. Just before dork, or early in the morning, during 

 moist weather, is the best time. You would see what was said in answer to 

 another correspondent at page 401, on the same subject. Slugs are unusu- 

 ally prevalent this season, encouraged, no doubt, by the wet. Frequent 

 ' dnstmg with fresh-slaked lime keeps them under. 



BoiTBLE Lychnis and Yerontca Propagation (S. W.). — We think the 

 reddish and purple double flower is Lychnis Viscaria plena, and the other a 

 Veronica, probably latifolia. The Lvchnis is propagated by division of the 

 plant in spring, though you may divide in autumn if you want the plants for 

 spring gardening, for which they are well adapted. Cuttings of the young 

 ^oots will also grow if taken off when from 3 to 6 inches long in spring, and 

 placed in sandy soil under a hand-glass. Slip them off at the root. Small 

 side shoots of the flowering stems may also be put in, but they do not answer 

 80 well as cuttings of the young shoots. They require to be put in under a 

 hand-light. Divisions, however, are far the best. The Veronica will be best 

 propagated by division of the plant in spring, though it may be divided now, 

 choosing a shady border of sandy rich soil. 



Liquid Manure for Asparagus (L. F. F.).— To nine gallons of water 

 yon may safely put half a pound of guano, and the same quantity of salt. "We 

 prefer to apply the salt as a top-dressing at the rate of half a pound once 

 a-month up to the end of August. Some guanos contains a large per-centage 

 of salt, and when this is the case it is not desirable to add salt informing liquid 

 snannre- 



Pea Hurdles {A Constant ileadcr}.— We never knew of three rows between 

 the hurdles ; it cannot be so productive a system as only two rows. We have 

 had the following in use without repair for three years, and can strongly recom 



mend them. The only alteration we find desirable, is, that instead of having 



the supporters fixed upright, as in these sketches, they should lean inwards, 



and their tops touch in this manner /\. We paid 



&d. for each hurdle of unplaned deal, and had 



it painted over v\-ith coal-tar. To prevent con- 

 fusion in the drawing, we have only shown one 



of the hurdles as pierced with holes, and with 



string passed through them ; but, in practice, 



lioth are strung alike. Each hurdle is 5 feet 



long, and 3 feet wide between the two bars ; 



lor tall-growing Peas the width might be more. 



The upright ends are made of deal, and are 



4 feet long and 2 inches square. Eight inches 



of the lower ends are charred and pointed, 



l>€cause they have to be fijed in the ground. 



The side bars are 2 inches wide and 1 inch thick, 



also of deal, stmi into the uprights, and then 



Bailed. The Peas are sown indouble rows, v.-ith 



a space of 9 inches between the rows. The 

 hurdles are strung with stout wetted string, 

 because when dry it becomes tighter, and rain 

 does not slacken it afterwards. A hurdle is put 

 outside of each row of Peas, and is made 

 steadier by being tied to the one next to it, 

 and the whole made firmer by being united to 



those opposite, by pieces of wood about 1 foot 



long, tied as shown at No. 2. 



Double Gorse, Clematis, and Genista Propagation {T. 0. N.}.— The 



double-blossomed Gorse or Furze is propagated by cuttings of the ripe shoots 

 put in at the end of s umm er or early in autumn on an east border in very 

 sandy soil, which may have some sandy peat added to it. They may also be 

 put in during the spring, choosing the growths of last year. We find they do 

 best when the cuttings are put in as early in summer as the growth has be- 

 come firm. Clematises are propagated by layers in September, also bv cut- 

 tings of the firm side shoots in August under a hand-light, using very sandy 

 soil. Genista is easily propagated by seed sown in gentle heat in spring. 

 The seedlings soon make nice plants, which should be hardened off for the 

 greenhouse or open ground, according to kind. They may also be propagated 

 by cuttings of the young shoots taken off after these have grown sufficiently, 

 and have the base rather firm. Insert them in sandy soil under a hand-glass 

 i I a shaded warm spot. 



Vine Leaves Diseased (No. 1, W. S.).— The small wart-Hke substances 

 formed on the under side of your Yme leaves are caused bv a close, moist 

 fttmosphore; they are not injurious. There is also mildew." Dissolve some 



soft soap in water, and add flowers of sulphur nntil the mixture is of the con- 

 sistency of thin paint ; apply this with a brush to the hot-water pipes. The 

 water should be heated to 150-. This will destroy the mildew, also the small 

 warts. You must fumigate the house with tobacco smoke to destroy the 

 thrips. 



Training Apricots, Pluhs, &c. (Sojnerset). — We would not pinch back 

 closely the young wood of your Apricot trees as you propose, but lay it in 

 between the main branches. Probably a too-luxuriant growth was the cause 

 of barrenness, as well as of the branch dying off this spring. Train the shoots 

 of the Plum trees in the same way, and shorten them back to say two-thirds 

 of their length at the winter pruning. We see no reason why your Peach 

 tree should not hear freely nest year; doubtless it will if it makes a healthy 

 growth, and the wood is well ripened. 



Pelargonium Leaves Spotted (SheTfield Rectory). — The leaves sent are 

 spotted in consequence of the plants being kept in a close and moist at- 

 mosphere. The moisture condenses and falls on the leaves, and from air not 

 being given in time to dissipate it before the sun strikes powerfully on them, 

 the drops of water act like so many lenses. Keep the foliage dry, give air 

 early, with some ventilation at night. Syringing ought not to be practised. 



LiLiuii acratum Flower-buds Shrivelling {Ras Hart). — We think the 

 buds are destroyed through being dressed with some compound which has 

 evidently been applied for the destruction of insects. The foliage and stems 

 are very weak, and very unlike the growth of L. auratum ; the leaves are 

 much too narrow for it, but we cannot say positively that it is not L. auratum. 

 Primula japonica Seeds Vegetating (A Lady Amateur). — "I acci" 

 dentally omitted to state the length of time which the seeds take to vegetate* 

 The plants frequently do not appear above ground until the spring after 

 sowing. Some of the seeds will be even longer than this. See that you do 

 not get too much heat in your warm frame, and do not give too much water, 

 as it will cause the seeds to decay. The soil in the pots or pans should be 

 kept only moderately moist. — J. Douglas." 



Apple Shoots Mildewed (J. Gre^n).— The shoots are severely affected. 

 Dusting them with flowers of sulphur is a certain remedy. We have pre- 

 vented the appearance of mildew on fruit trees by lifting them and renewing 

 the soil. We advise yon to lift a portion of your trees, trench the ground, and 

 replant, adding fresh soil about the roots. Dryness at the roots is a frequent 

 cause of mildew. 



Stock of a Cherry (Major Hinchliffe).— The stock on which the Cherry 

 is grafted is Pnmus Mahaleb. 



Self-acting Fountain [W. F. H. B.)— Yon had better write to Mr. J. 

 Pringle, Wragby, Lincolnshire. 



Peach Leaves Blistered — Green Fly (J. J. 77iKrI^«).— Gardeners call 

 the disease " blistered leaves." It occurs in greatest virulence where the 

 borders are imperfectly drained ; but the immediate cause is exposure to the 

 night frosts of early spring. Draining and protection are the remedies. You 

 will find the aphides or green fly most numerous on the points of the 

 young shoots. Cut the affected parts off, and if your collection is not very 

 extensive dust all the imder sides of the remaining leaves with dry Scotch 

 snuff or tobacco powder, choosing a dry day to do it in. In four or six hours 

 after, give the trees a thorough washing with a powerful garden engine, using 

 rain water in which have been dissolved 2 ozs. of soft soap to the gallon. Six 

 hours afterwards give them a similar washing with clear rain water. 



Scollop Budding {J. -^ftiTtson).— Inform naof the nameof theoldgarden- 

 ing book in which this is mentioned. 



Erecting a Small Greenhouse {Mrs. St. C. J.).— Itis impossible for us 

 to advise properly without knowing more particulars, as to how you are to 

 support the floor of the greennhouse, 20 by 8 feet, which is to be 13 feet 

 from the ground, and in which the plants are to be planted out, and not 

 grown in pots. There may be a support to the building already, for anything 

 we know. Cross walls and three arches, the soil put in, and the floor tiled, 

 would be about the best mode. For a place 8 feet in width, we have little 

 faith in plants growing in the ground except climbers, and these, whatever 

 may be the intended height of the house, would look well. They might be 

 grown very well in tubs, with moveable drawers beneath them to receive the 

 waste water. In such a case the floor might be deal, covered with oUcloth. A 

 floor of wood, bound securely with iron, we have seen covered with concrete 

 and cement, ornamental tiles fixed in the cement, and a shght inclination given 

 to one side or end for the moisture to pass out of the house. We can give no 

 idea of fernery under such circumstances ; the place would require to be seen. 

 Conservatory Plants [A Subscriber). — For stocking such a conservatory 

 35 feet long, for successional blooming, you could not do better than have 

 Camellias, Epacrises, Cinerarias, and Primulas, with two or three Cytisuses 

 for winter and spring ; Pelargoniiuns — zonal, florist, and fancy, with Fuchsias 

 for summer, and Coleus, Ac, brought from the Cucumber house. Cucumbers 

 are all the better of a iiuld bottom heat, say from 70- to 80'^, never above the 

 latter. To grow them well in pots without bottom heat, the house should be 

 rarely under 65- at night, and hardly ever above 70'^. If these temperatures 

 can be maintained with just a little air left on at night all the better. Then, 

 if that cannot be done, give air early in the morning, if only from one-eighth 

 to one-fourth of an inch, increasing it a little if the sun comes out hot; but 

 early air-giving is the safety-valve. Supposing the house to be 68- at seven 

 in the morning, and the sun rose it to 72-, we would give a little air; but if 

 the sun came out and in we would give little more air if the temperature gradu- 

 ally rose and simk between 75- and 85^. With a little air we have often had 

 Cucumbers in a heat of 90- at midday, that were not much above 60'' at 

 night. Such a change in a confined air would be ruinous. WTien growing 

 Cucumbers in pots without bottom heat, we found it useful to have circular 

 rims of zinc to go inside of the rims of the pots, these zinc or tin rims being 

 from 2 to 3 inches deep ; this permits of several rich surface-dressings. 

 Instead of these we often used turf rims, and if the atmosphere was kept 

 moderately moist, the roots would be soon coming through the turf. If for 

 other plants the atmosphere is rather more dry than Cucumbers delight in, 

 we have found a large pan for the pot to stand in an advantage, placing three 

 bits of wood in the pan, so that the bottom of the pot should be 1\ inch above 

 the bottom of the pan, and the lower part of the pan suppUed with water. 



Insects {J. C. H.). — The insects (male and female), found in great numbers 

 on the Potatoes and Carrots are harmless. They have been brought out of 

 the ground (whei*e they passed their early states in rotten vegetable matter), 

 by the warm weather. They are the Bibio hortulana. The bee is the homed 

 male of Osmia bicomis, a mason bee, and not the hive bee. — I. 0. W. 



Names of Plants (H. D., Hau-khurst).— The thorny, purple-flowered, 

 deciduous shrub used sometimes for hedging in France, and there called 

 Lis^re d'Afrique, is the Lycium europieuni. In Spain the tender shoots are 



