ISO 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ September 4, 1873, 



we shall obtain from sis to twelve good fruit from each plant 

 — enough to test their merits. We have a great many sorts on 

 trial this year, and should any possess distinct, novel, and good 

 features, we shall be glad to recommend them. All our runners 

 were later this year, but the earliest are now making good 

 plants. We look the plants over once a-week to destroy a small 

 green caterpillar which feeds upon and disfigures the leaves, 

 and also to ijinch-off the runners, which are freely produced. 



ORCHARD HOXTSE, 



We can only repeat what was stated last week. We have 

 abundant supplies of Peaches, Nectarines, Pears, and Plums. 

 It is astonishing what can be done to supply a succession of 

 fruit from pot trees. This system of culture has its advantages 

 and disadvantages. It is true that fruit of the very best quality, 

 and size with quality, can be obtained ; a large number of 

 varieties can be grown, and by removing some of the trees out 

 of doors as soon as the fruit is set a longer succession can be 

 obtained. There is, on the other hand, one serious drawback, and 

 it is of no use disguising the fact, that they require unremitting 

 attention as regards watering, and when the trees are in fuU 

 growth an hour or two of neglect will ruin them for the season. 

 Prince and Princess of Wales Peaches are now coming in, as 

 well as the later Nectarines, such as Albert and Rivers' Victoria. 

 We continue to pot any trees that have been cleared of their 

 fruit. — J. Douglas. 



TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 



Charles Turner, Royal Nurseries, Slough. — Catalogue of Hya- 

 cinths, Narcissus, Tulips, c(-c. 



T. S. Ware, Hale Farm Nurseries, Tottenham. — Catalogue of 

 Bulbs and Hardy Tuberous-rooted Plants. 



Carter, Dunnett, Sc Beale, 237 and 238, High Holborn, London, 

 W.C. — Carters Catalogue of Flower Boots, Fruit Trees, and 

 Moses. 



W. Clibran & Sou, Oldfield Nursery, Altrincham, Cheshire. — 

 Catalogue of Dutch Fiower Boots, Li:c. 



Dickson & Robinson, 23, Market Place, Manchester. — Cata- 

 logue of Hyacititlis and other Dutch and French Flowering 

 Bulbs. 



W. Rollisson & Sons, The Nurseries, Tooting, London, S.W. — 

 Sujyplement of New, Choice, and Popular Flants to General 

 Catalogue, 1873-74. 



John Harrison, Darlington. — Catalogue of Flower Boots. 



George Poulton, Angel Road, Edmonton, London. — Catalogue 

 of Dutch Flower Boots, Vegetable and Flower Seeds, ^Oc. 



William Rumsey, Joyning's Nursery, Waltham Cross, Lon- 

 don, N. — List of Bulbs, Hardy Plants^ Bases, d-c. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



*,* We request that no one will write privately to any of the 

 correspondents of the " Journal of Horticulture, Cottage 

 Gardener, and Country Gentleman." By so doing they 

 are subjected to unjustifiable trouble and expense. All 

 communications should therefore be addressed solclij to 

 The Editors of the Journal of Horticulture, tC'c, 171, Fleet 

 Street, London, B.C. 



We also request that correspondents will not mix up on the 

 same sheet questions relating to Gardening and those on 

 Poultry and Bee subjects, if they expect to get them 

 answered promptly and conveniently, but write them on 

 separate communications. Also never to send more than 

 two or three qiiestions at once. 



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

 week. 



Books [J. G.). — Johnson's "British Ferns" enables in plain language any- 

 one to detect the name of a Fern without a magnifier. You can have it free 

 by post if you enclose 3s. 9d. in stamps with your addi-ess. (S. S.). — The 

 *' Cottage Gai'dener's Dictionary" will furnish you with information. Let U3 

 warn you that youi' suspicions are not justified by our experience, and you 

 will find that a nsual mode of rendering anyone untrustworthy i& to show him 

 that you mistrust him. 



Seedling GERANiuit (Ceta Brfa).— The petals were all ahed, but we coald 

 perceive that the pips and entire truss are large and the scarlet very bright. 



Fruit for "West Wall {Q. M. F.). — As you reject Peara you may have 

 Black Tartarian, BigaiTeau, and Belle Agathe CheiTies. The last-named 

 Tariety has the gi-eat mtrit of not being touched by either birds or wasps, and 

 hangs vei-y late. 



Botanical Drawr;g {Mrs. L. (?.).— Tour query will be answered by the 

 following extract from Bnrbidge's " Art of Botanical Drawing." We advise 

 all who wish to draw plants and flowers correctly to buy the book. Its price 

 is but one shilhng. It in well illustrated. " In making botanical di-awiugs 

 eveiTthing should be clearly shown, and there mu«t be as much variety in the 

 position of the leaves and flowers as possible. Many leaves are smooth or 

 glabrous in frout and shaggy behind, this peculiarity must be correctly repre- 

 sented. In defining the margins of woolly leaves or leaves of great substance, 

 the student will find a soft pencil give a much better effect than a very hard 

 one, while a hard poncil is best for the definite outlines of flowers and their 

 dissections. Be particularly careful to show the petioles of some of the leaves, 

 «nd carefully note whether the leaves are arranged alternately, opposite, ver- 



ticillate or distichous, and also note if they are furnished with stipules or 

 other atipcndages, as hairs, warts, or glands on the petiole or lamina; if there 

 is evideuL-e of these being present, carefnlly esanune them thx'ough your 

 pocket lens (an indispensable companion to the botanical student aud draughts- 

 man ahke), and if their being borne by the species is unusual, carefully repre- 

 sent them in your di'awing, magnified when necessary, bo as to be easily 

 observed and noted." 



Seeds of Flanders Spinach {H. R. Q.). — The seeds are smooth, and any 

 sent to you with prickles are either of another variety or a cross-bred. Mr. 

 Keane in this Journal said that " the seeds are nearly round and smooth," 

 which is totally distinct from " very prickly." In the " Bon Jardinier," the 

 best of authorities, the Flanders Spinach (fipinard de Flandrc), is especially 

 described as one of the smooth-seeded kinds ; and so it is by another good 

 authority, Mr. Thompson, in his " Gardener's Assistant," who adds — " Leaves 

 large, hastate, from tJ to 8 inches in breadth." Grow plants from the seed 

 sent to you, and it they do not agi'ee with this description give the seedsman 

 " the right end of the stick." 



Fuchsia Leaves Browned {R. S. S.). — The Fuchsia leaves you sent have 

 shown no trace of being now or lately attacked with insects, and we should 

 therefore consider the plants have suffered from want of water and the bright 

 weather. The plants not having been shaded may have been the cause of the 

 mischief. 



Insects on Genista (Ideiiv. — It is an aphis, which may be destroyed by 

 syi'inging with a solution of soft soap 2 ozs. to a gallon of water, adding to 

 each gallon a pint and a half of tobacco juice. It is best applied in the even- 

 ing of a diy (^Im day. The worst-iniested shoots Bhould be dipped in the 

 solution. 



Grass in Stkawberrv Beds (Pc^i/*')-— It is nest to impossible to eradi- 

 cate gi-ass from the beds without seriously injuring the plants; and we can 

 offer no better advice than to pull it out, which will destroy all the kinds 

 except those that have creeping stems, and for these there is no remedy 

 but to fork out the roots, and that would entail the destruction of the Straw- 

 benies. We should continue to pull up the grass. If it is Couch or any other 

 grass with creeping undergi-ound stems, you may, by pulling them up as they 

 appear, keep them in check; but the only effectual remedy will be to destroy 

 the beds aud thoroughly clear the ground of the roots by digging and fork- 

 ing these out. After cleaning, the ground would need trenching and well 

 manuring. See that the ground for the new beds is thoroughly cleared of the 

 roots of the grass, and trenched and well manured. 



CATEr.PiLLARS ON CAULIFLOWERS (Idem). — The bcst remedy is hand-piel" 

 ing. which you say you have practised without making much difference. Per" 

 siht in it, aud it wilt soon be foimd that the plants will be freed ; or you may 

 dust the plants with quicklime, choosing early morning, or just before dark la 

 the evening. 



Annuals for Flowering in House (Idfm). — You may sow now in pots the 

 following annuals : — Alyssum maritimum, Calandriuia umbellata, Campanula 

 pentagouia, Clarkia pulchella maruiuata flore-pleuo, CuUinsia hart si sis folia, 

 C. bicolor, Erysimum arkansanum, Eucharidium gi-audiflomm. Gilia tricolor, 

 Gypsophila muralis, Kaulfussia amelloidss, Leptoeiphon densiflorus, Lupinus 

 nanus. Mignonette, Nem.iphila insignis, N. atomaria, Platystemon califor- 

 nicus, Saponaria calabrica, Silene pendula ruberrima, Yenus's Looking-glass, 

 and Virginian Stock. They will need to have the protection of a frame in 

 winter, or a position iu-doors. 



Kemoving Old Stems of Tines (Ten-years SuhKcriber). — Cut away the 

 old rods as soon as the Grapes are cut, or as early after this as you can. The 

 manui-e on the border would not cause the Grapes to shank. Probably your 

 crop is heavy, hence the want of colour ; and the shanking may be due to the 

 roots having gone deep into an outside border, and the roots not supplying 

 sap to meet the demands of the branches. 



Varieties op Vegetables for Exhibition (Itlem). — Of the vaiietiee 

 named in your list we select Marquis of Lome Cucumber, Kidney Potatoes, 

 Canadian Wonder Kidney Beau, Intermediate Carrot, Turnips, Naseby Mam- 

 moth Onion, Cauliflowers, Excelsior Tomato, Mammoth Celery, and Custard 

 Marrow. We should have liked your lot better if you had had Peas. 



Blackberry Plantation (J. B. N.). — We presume you refer to an answer 

 to a con-espoudent in our number for December 5th, 1872. The address you 

 require is Messrs. Rivers & Son, Sawbridgeworth. 



Vine Mtldewed (D. H.).— It is very difficult to successfully combat 

 mildew out of doors. Mis 8 ozs. of soft soap and 8 ozs. of tiowers of sulphur 

 in four gallons of boiling rain water, and thoroughly syringe the Vine with it. 

 You should have sume person stirring the water while you are using it. Every 

 pait affected must be wetted. If you fail to do this you will also fail to 

 destroy the mildew. Many cures fail of the desired effect because they are 

 not properly applied. 



Grapes Attacked by Bluebottle Flies {SubscriWr). — We have tried 

 to protect our Gi-apes from these flies in many ways, but can only recorn- 

 mend one of them, and that is to hang gauze of some sort over the venti- 

 lators at the front aud back of the house. It is of no use putting the bunches 

 in bags, it will only spoil them. 



PRAR Leaves Blistered (J. J.}.— We have seen leaves similoily affected 

 when the roots were iu a stiff, undrained clay soil. It is also caused by tho sun 

 acting upon the leaves after cold nights. If your trees are in unsuitable soil, 

 dig round the roots aud add turfy loam. 



Celery and Vegetable Marrow Culture {JR. D. IT.).— Celery may be 

 grown for many years upon the same ground if it is well manured after each 

 crop. Bemove the plants fi'ora the seed beds or pans as aoon as they are 

 large enough to handle, pricking them out 3 inches apoi't into a border of 

 rich light soil, or a prepai-ed bed of one half old leaf mould or rotten manure, 

 and one half gai-den soil, with a httle road grit or saud, well mixed. Water 

 freely, and the plants will aoon be ready for the trenches. Vegetable Mar- 

 rows do well in any rich soil, or on a manure heap ; in your case we should 

 prefer the manure heap, or plant on a bed raised a foot or two above the 

 common level, and you will have no more decayed plauts. To obtain pood 

 Cucumber seed, impregnate the femalo flowers with the pollen of the male 

 flowers, aud let the fruit remain on the plant till it turn yellow. The seed, 

 and all other of a similar character, should be kept (h-y, as damp spoils it. 



Cucumbers Yellow at the Poikt a (Amatiur Gardener). — We think you 

 are kiUing your plant with kindness. The cause of the fruit turning yellow 

 at tho points is the atmosphere of the frame being too moist and the soil too 

 wet. Do not give any water as long as the leaves do not flag, aud we think 

 you will have Cucumbers this mouth. We find in dung frames that this 

 year Cucumbers have roquii-ed very Uttle water, ours damping-off as yours 



