162 



JOURNAL OF HOETICULTURE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEK. 



[ August 28, 1873. 



but we Bhonid onJy place them in heat for & time, and withdraw the pots 

 from it as they advance. If yon put in the tan in Februai'y, plunge the pots 

 in it early in March. We should, after ^ettin,^' the plants rooted in their final 

 pots, crradually withdraw them in May, and so that they mis^ht not experience 

 a check. In winter it would not be of any benefit to the plants to have them 

 plunged in a bed of warm tan, though it would not injure the Tricolor and 

 other Pelargoniums, only keep the soil no more than moist. The Fuchsias 

 would be worse of bottom heat in winter. The pots should not be sunk iu 

 the tan more than a quarter their depth, when it is 80'- at 1 foot deep, half 

 when it is 75", and fully when it is 65'^ to 70'^. It is beneficial to Pelargo- 

 niums in winter to he neoi- the glass at all times, hut they should be sheltered 

 from powerful sun. 



POLTPODirM ITALICT7M AND HOLLY FeUN ClTLTTTRE {FHix).— The flTSt- 



named we do not know. The Holly Fern (Polystichum Lonchitis) is difScult 

 of cultivation, and does not tlu-ive well under artificial treatment. It is a rock 

 Fern, and as such should have at least ouc-thii-d of freestone mixed with equal 

 proportions of sandy peat and yellow loam, the fi-eestone iu pieces from the 

 size of a pea to that of a walnut. Good drainage should be given, and the 

 plant placed rather high in the centre of a pot, and supported with pieces of 

 freestone. "Water freely when gi-owiuK, keeping moist at all times, and place 

 it in an airy place, shielded fiom bright sun, or a sheltered position on rock- 

 work out-doors. It is found to do best in damp but slightly elevated situations. 



Cucumbers not Fjifiting (G. M. TT.).— We are not able to account for the 

 plants not showing fruit as much as those of your neighbour, but there must 

 be something different either in the temperature, soil, or treatment. The 

 preparation of the border seems right, also the temperature (65 Ho 70"^ at night, 

 70- to 75^ by day without sun, 80^^ to 9(i° with sun and abundance of aii-), and 

 we can only conclude you do not stop the shoots so as to induce fresh or bear- 

 ing shoots. Stop when the shoots reach the wires. If the shoots resulting from 

 the stopping do not show fruit before the slxtlx joint stop them, and so on at 

 every sixth joint, or a joint beyond the fruit. 



Teeatrum nigrum Soil (H. H.).—lt requires deep rich loam enriched with 

 leaf soil, and to be moist and slightly shaded from sun. 



Keeping Vegetable Marrows {E. TT.).— We do not think they can bo 

 £0 kept that in winter they may be eaten as fresh vegetables. If there is 

 such a method we should be glad to hear of it. 



Various {P. T. B.).— The Eibston Pippin Apple tree will not need any 

 more pruning than that you have given it— viz., thinning-out the centre; all 

 you require is to keep the branches from being too much crowded. The roots 

 ought not to be interfered with; and if vigorous do not manure, but if weak 

 top-dress with manure. You may increase your stock by grafting next 

 March on the Crab stock if for standards, or the Paiadise if for dwarfs. The 

 stocks may be had of a size fit for grafting of most nurseiymen. The Eriar 

 stocks you have budded should remain where they are another yeai', and then 

 in November twelvemonths plant them in their permanent positions, or you 

 may move them during the coming November, only they will be poor the first 

 season. The ground should be trenched, and a liberal dressing of manure 

 applied. We should take out the soil from the circles two spits deep ; take the 

 bottom spit away, and mix with the other some strongtnrfy loam and a quarter 

 of leaf soil, and well-rotted manure and refuse, mixing and returning to the 

 hole, raising it about 9 inches above the sun-ounding ground to allow for 

 settling. The flower stems of the Picofees should be cut down after tlowering 

 close to the growth at the root, just above the young shoots. The distance from 

 the stem at which to cut off the roots in root-pruning trees depends on the age 

 and size of the trees. If they ai-e old and large they should have a space of 

 4 to 6 feet left undisturbed, calculating from the trunk of the tree. On low 

 walls and yoimg trees 3 feet from the stem is a suitable distance. Your fruit 

 trees on a stiff clay will need but little manure. We should add to it as 

 much of the burnt earth, old lirae rubbish, and refuse as you can spai-e, 

 digging it into the soil, hut not disturbing the roots. It is not desirable to 

 cut away the roots of Gooseberry or Currant bushes, but it is well to remove 

 the soil 2 feet from the stem all round to the roots, not disturbing them, and 

 after a fortnight's exposure fill-in with manure, placing a little fresh soil on 

 the roots. Apricots and Plums, which are the same as regaids then- roots, 

 may have these laid bare, the space being filled up with fresh soil and 

 manure. It would no doubt much invigorate them if weak, but we should 

 not leave the roots exposed longer than could be helped. Gooseberries of 

 large size are, red— London, Dan's Mistake, Conqueiing Hero ; yellow- 

 Leveller, Cathei-ina, and DriU ; green— Stockwell, Shiner, and Telegraph; 

 white— Antagonist, Snowdiop, and Careless. Trench the ground two spits 

 deep, and mLx with it plenty of leaf soil, burnt earth, and refuse. The tank 

 will be very useful, at least its contents, for applying to most kinds of vege- 

 table crops, pouring it between the roots or alongside. There is no crop in a 

 garden but when growing freely it will benefit. In case of the liquid being in 

 its pure state, it ought to be diluted before use with six times its volume of 

 ■water. AMien rain falls it will not need to he diluted. You must exercise 

 judgment iu this matter. It is better to apply it weak than strong. Do not 

 fail to give the Aspai-agus as much as you can— a good soaking evei? ten 

 days or a fortnight from June to the middle of September. 



Seedling Orange Culture (Novice).~'Ihe Orange tree, if from a pip 

 sown this year, ^vill not require more than a 4-inch pot, and if not in one of 

 that size we should sMft into such at once, using a compost of light fibrous 

 loam tlu-ee parts, one part leaf soil or well-rotted manure, and a sixth of 

 sharp sand. Drain the pot well, and water only when the soil is dry, then 

 give a good supply. It requires a temperature iu winter of 40'^ to 45-, and in 

 summer of 55^ to 60 at night. 7U' to 75 by day, and SO-, 85", or 90=" T^ith sun 

 and abundance of air. It will bo many a year ere it frtiit, unless it be grafted, 

 and then it may be a fruitful plant in three or four years. 



Annuals for Spring Bedding {Amoteur). — Late in spring these do not 

 flower sufficiently early to be off before the time of planting summer bedding 

 plants. We name a few, with the colours of the tiowors and usual height :— 

 Aspenila azurea setosa, blue, 1 foot ; Campanula pentagonia, blue, three- 

 quarters of a foot, and its white variety of the same height; Candytuft, 

 crimson, lilac, white, all 1 foot ; CoUinsia bartsitefolia, purple, and its variety 

 alba, white, 1 foot each ; C. bicolor, puiple and white, 1 foot ; C. grandifiora, 

 purple, lAfoot; C. candidissima, white, Ifoot; C. verna, blue and white. 

 Ifoot; C. violacea, violet and white, 1 foot ; Erysimum arkansanura, yellow, 

 Ij foot ; Eucharidium graudiflorum, red, and variety alba, both 1 foot ; Lim- 

 nanthcs Douglasii, white and yellow, traihng, 3 inches: Nemophila insignia, 

 blue, 6 inches; Plafystemon califomicus, yellow, Ifoot; Sileuo pendula, 

 pink; S. ruberrima. rose, 9 inches; S. alba, white, Ifoot. They should bo 

 sown out-doors in the second or third week of September, and in October be 

 pricked-ont in hght soil in a sheltered border, and moved to the beds iu 

 March. We prefer bulbs and spring-flowering plants to annuals. It is now 

 too late to sow the spring-flowering plants. 



Pear Misformed (P. p.).— We have seen the same malformation. It is a 

 multiplication of the calyx remaining permanently as a portion of the fruit's 

 rind. 



Parasites of Currant Leaf (J. W. Co66).— The parasites on Currant 

 leaves are the eggs of Chrysopa abbreviata, or some closely allied insect.— 

 M. J. E. 



Insects on Melon Plant Koots (S. W. S.).— The insects you have sent, 

 found on the roots and stems of your drooping and dving Melon plants, do 

 not appear to us to have been the causes of the mischief. We have found in 

 thopliial nine specimens of Chelifer caucroides, a species generally supposed. 

 to feed upou mites and other small insects, and one specimen of the littlo 

 Beetle Anthicus antherinus, a still more harmless insect.— I. O. W.' 



Caterpillar on Apple Tree (Mm)-— The smashed cateriullarfoundon 

 the stem of your Apple tree is that of the Wood Leopard Moth full gi-own; 

 it burrows into the wood of the tjee, and is therefore injurious, especially if 

 the tree is young. It also attacks other trees.— I. O. W. 



Burning Clay (A. M.).—Ae you have tried in every conceivable way to 

 burn clay and failed, we quote that given in the "Gardener's Assistant," as 

 practised by Mr. Mechi. "The mode of raising aud burning is this :— A 

 strip of land is broken up in very di-y weather with Eausomes Y L plough, 

 drawn by thi-ee strong horses abreast a Scotch equilibrium Whipple tree. So 

 great is the resistance that it requires two men to hold the handles of the 

 plough to counteract the leverage of the horses. The earth is thus broken, or 

 I may say torn up iu immense rough masses or clods, as much as a man can 

 carry, which are admirably adapted to foi-m walls and supports for the mass 

 of fire. By this means heaps of nearly two hundred solid yards may be 

 readily burned. The earth being ploughed-up the fires are formed on the 

 spot, the workmen placing a certain quantity of di-ied stumps of wood of 

 sufiicient soUdity to maintain a body of heat,"and enclosing the mass with 

 large clods. These are canied by hand ; subsequently, as they get more dis- 

 tant from the fire, a barrow is used, and beyond that a one-horse cart. It is 

 important to have the sides of the heap as upright as possible, not conical, 

 because the heat always makes for the highest place. An important point in 

 bm-ning is to supply the fu-e sufficiently fast to prevent its burning through, 

 and yet avoid overlaying it, which might exclude all air, and put it out 

 Practice will indicate the mediiuu. When the fire shows a tendency to break 

 through, the outside of the burning mass is raked down aud more earth 

 added. If the ground is vei-y dry, aud no rain falls, the men are obliged to 

 feed the fire almost constantly night and day ; but when there is moisture it 

 may be left for five or sis hours, but seldom longer. Something depends on 

 the current of air. A strong wind would blow the fire from one side aud out 

 at the other. This is guarded against by placing hurdles interlaced with 

 straw as a guard to windwai-d. The size of the heap is limited by the height 

 to which a man can throw up the soil, and. of course, the diameter must be 

 pi-oportioned to the height to prevent its slipping down." Full particulars are 

 also given for burning clay as practised by BIr. D. Thomson, when gardener 

 at Archerfield, in The Journal of Horticulture, Vol. XSJI. New Series, 

 page 235 ; also the mode of burning clay at page 310 of the fifth volume of 

 our first series. 



Clethra arborea Culture (Iih'm).— It is a greenhouse plant requiring 

 to be grown in sandy fibrous peat three parts, and half a part each leaf soil 

 aud fibrous loam, with a sixth of silver sand. Afford good drainage, abun- 

 dance of water when growing, and moisture at all times, but keej) di-ier when 

 at rest than in growth. A light airy position should be afforded. 



Prickly-seeded Spinach (IF. C. E. S.).— Any one of the principal seeds- 

 men who advertise in oiu- columns could supply to yon the Flanders variety. 



Grapes Withered (Sussex, and C. E. B.).— They are severely "shanked,"" 

 as gardeners term this mode of failure. The stalka are dead, consequently 

 no sap is supplied to the ben-ies. The usual cause is that the roots are kept 

 either too cold or too dry; not knowing any of the circumstances we cannot 

 give a further opinion. 



Transplanting Cedrus Deodara {Peter Bridaford).— The Cedrus Deodara- 

 that is 7 feet high may be safely removed any time in November, or sooner 

 if necessary. Lift it carefully from its present position, retaining a compact 

 ball of earth of about 2 feet in diameter about the roots, wrap the ball 

 secuiely iu a garden mat, and then pack it in a basket or box i\-ith moss. 

 Secure the branches with string and a mat. In replanting lot the position of 

 the tree be raised somewhat above the surface of the surrounding soil, so 

 that when the roots are covered it may appear to be standing upon a slight 

 mound ; water it thoroughly, covering the surface with some litter. Fasten 

 the tree securely with wu-e attached to the stem, and to three stout stumps- 

 driven into the ground, equidistant, in the form of a triangle. See that it 

 does not eoffer from drought. Your rich light soil will answer admirably 

 for it. 



Heating a Gkeenhouse {Idem}.— Yom rows, or about 130 feet of 4-inch 

 piping, will suffice to keep frost out of a span- roofed greenhouse that is 32 feet 

 long, is feet wide, and about 9 feet to the ridge. 



Forming a Pine Wood {Sunun). — Pinus Laricio would, doubtless, answer 

 well for planting three acres of ground on the side of a hill between two other 

 woods of mixed deciduous trees, but as you require a dark thick wood we re- 

 commend Pinus austriaca. It gi'ows to a large size, is veiy robust and hardy, 

 aud its numerous branches arc densely clothed with dark green glossy foliage, 

 so that a large mass of it has a rich and striking appearance. In planting 

 such a wood, future thiiming ought certainly to be contemplated, and to 

 render such profitable wo would plant the Pinuses 9 feet apart, fill the whole 

 intermediate space with Lai'ch 3 feet apart, the Lai-ch to be gradually re- 

 moved as the Pinuses requhed space; and we should certainly contemplate the 

 removal of quite half the Pinuses in time. Thus much of the formation of a 

 Pine wood. We cannot speak decidedly as to its future apv>earance, because 

 the aspect of the snrroimding features must very much influence this. If 

 you fear that so large a mass of dark foliage will appear sombre, heavy, and 

 monotonous, as it very likely wOl do in some degi-ee, you mitjlit introduce 

 some bold clumps of Scarlet Oak, Birch, Scarlet Maple, Norway Maple. Pui-ple 

 Beech, Fern-leaved Beech, and Acacia. A few clumps of such Conifers a.-"- 

 Abies Douglasii and Picea pectinata, by their lofty growth, and distinct and 

 elegant appearance, also answer admirably to impart a pleasing relief. Wo 

 prefer November for planting, but you may safely venture to plant any time 

 in October. Let all of the holes be made before the trees arrive, and the 

 position of every tree should be decided upon, in order that no time may be ' 

 lost in planting. 



Clematis Jackmanni Flowerless (J^i^m).— Tour Clematises which havo 

 been planted two years, growing vigorously but failing to produce any flowers, 

 arc, doubtlesfj, glutted with nutriment. Cease using manure water, and you 



