October 2, 1873. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



249 



the wet, I was afraid it was going to be too coarse. This year 

 I had a good-sized bed of it, and from first to last it has been 

 the best pink bed I have ever seen, the trusses immense, pui'o 

 fresh pink — not so deep-coloured as some of Mr. Pearson's 

 other pinks, but very fresh and bright, standing both sun and 

 rain, the flower-trusses well above the foliage, but the stalks 

 not too long. I can recommend everyone who has it to pro- 

 pagate it freely, and those who are not fortunate enough to 

 have it I should strongly recommend to procui'e it. As a 

 companion to it, of a deeper shade of pink, which I am more 

 inclined to call lilac, Amaranth has been nearly as good, and 

 has been much admired by many ; this, however, as Mr. Read 

 remarks, has become better known, and having been certificated 

 at Chiswick, will be more readily sought after. Florence Da- 

 rand has been nearly as good, especially late on in the season, 

 and is remarkably fine as a pot plant. I can also sny the 

 same of Mrs. Lowe, of which I had two trained plants which 

 made beautiful specimens. One I have cut down for propa- 

 gating to save having to cut into my beds ; the other has still 

 trusses 5 inches in diameter in my greenhouse. Now Corsair, 

 too, which I thought likely only to make a good pot plant, has 

 been good as a bedder. 



And here I may remark again, as I have, I think, before 

 noticed, that the pure Zonals which have no Nosegay blood in 

 them, do not stand sun, their petals seem to drop in hot 

 weather, especially in beds that face the direct rays of the sun 

 at midday. This is especially the case with .Jean Sisley, which 

 is very good both spring and autumn, but in the summer both 

 Chonder Sen and Charley Carbon surpassed it. 



I have not time at present to enter into further details of 

 other sorts ; but I can recommend those who have a desire to 

 improve their pinks, and to get rid of Christine, Pink Stella, and 

 others, to propagate Mrs. Lowe, Amaranth, Florence Durand, 

 Comtesse Quarto, Mrs. Fytche, Mrs. Musters, and Mrs. Young. 

 I will, however, refer again more at length in a future number 

 to the Zonal Geraniums. — C. P. Peach. 



SHADES AND SHELTERS.— No. .'). 



FRUIT-TEEE PROTECTION. 



Among the various appliances in use for the protection of 

 fruit trees in bloom from injury through soring frosts, cutting 



height of the wall, but in this case it is about 7 feet, and each 

 division is fitted with shutters. 



Fig. 1 shows the shutters closed over the trees. The upper 

 shutter, n, is made of boards from a light kind of wood such as 

 deal, and the lower one is made of clean straight straw in the 

 manner described in my paper on straw mat making ; if straw 

 were preferred to boards the upper shutter might be made of 

 that material also. The shutters ai-e hinged to the frame by 

 stout pieces of leather, and when closed the top of each is 

 fastened by a wooden button shown at a. I ought to mention 

 that the framework is fastened to the wall by wire and small 

 iron studs or staples, and at the bottom stout wooden pegs are 

 driven into the ground at equal distances to keep the frame in 

 its place. 



Fig. 2 shows the shutters open for admitting light and air in 

 the daytime, and after being let down they are kept in their 

 place by narrow leather straps or cords, as shown at b in the 

 top shutter, and at b on the lower one. 



Fig. a is given to show the construction of the framework 



Pig. 3. 



with the measm-ement attached to the whole length as well 

 as to each division ; it also shows the size required for each 

 shutter in order to fit properly in the framework. On the 

 whole I consider this an excellent contrivance, and very suit- 

 able for amateur gardeners, the walls of whose gardens are 



winds, and wet, there may be room to place the simple yet 

 effective contrivance for the purpose shown in the accompany- 

 ing woodcut. It is neither put forth as a new invention or as 

 a model of what the generality of fruit-tree protectors should 

 bo, but it is worthy of notice nevertheless, as it is a home-spun 

 contrivance, and on examination it will be seen that there is 

 something ingenious in its construction and mode of working. 

 Donbtless glass is the best and safest protection for wall fruit 

 trees, becanso it is more effectual in every sense of the word ; 

 but there are some persons who have no desire to go to the 

 expense of glass coverings, cheap though they be, therefore the 

 more lik'ly are they to stand in need of some such contrivance 

 as that illustrated. It will be seen that it is a framework of 

 wood five-eighths of an inch thick and S inches wide, extend- 

 ing from under the coping at the top of the wall down to the 

 earth's snrface. This, as shown, is divided into lengths of 

 about 9 feet C inches, and the v.-iJlh may be regulated by the 



seldom bnilt so high as those round a garden of a large estab- 

 lishment. — Thomas Becobd. 



DESTEOYING WASPS. 



I WISH to ask committees of flower and fruit shows to offer 

 prizes for the best collection of wasps' nests. It would be the 

 means of destroying the.se garden pests, and not only would 

 the gardener derive a benefit from it, but the bee-keeper would 

 be pleased to get rid of them ; and I am sure it would be a great 

 novelty, and would attract great notice, for there are hundreds 

 who never saw a wasp's nest. Of course the wasps must bo all 

 dead when exhibited. 



I am sorry that I have let the season go so far before speak- 

 ing about it, but I hope that I am soon enough for next year, 

 and we can commence as early as March or April. We can 

 begin with individual wasps, for by destroying the early one 



