298 



JOUBNAL OP HORTIOXJLTURB AND COTTAGE GAEDENER. 



[ October 16, 1873. 



ture both in their fruiting and succession houses diu'ing the 

 winter. Our houses ai'e kept at about 60'^ now, and during cold 

 weather the temperature falls to about 55^, and occasionally 

 lower. In the fruiting house there are a number of fruits in 

 different stages of development. There are ripe and ripening 

 Queens, and for later use, Smooth-leaved Cayenne, Charlotte 

 Rothschild, and Jamaica. The Smooth-leaved Cayenne is cer- 

 tainly the best winter Pine, and produces the greatest weight as 

 well as the best quality of fruit for the space it occupies. A 

 moderately dry atmosphere suits them best at this season, and 

 much care is needful in watering. 



Late Vificries also require to be constantly attended to in the 

 matter of airing. No plants requiring water shoiild be in the 

 houses where Grapes are hanging ripe ; a dry atmosphere is 

 essential to the fruit keeping. We are constantly on the look- 

 out for decaying berries, and have them removed as soon as 

 decay commences. Where ranges of houses, as is the case here, 

 are heated by one boiler, and the fire is constantly kept burning, 

 the hot water can be turned on to the vineries in the morning 

 when the ventilators are opened, and turned off again early in 

 the afternoon, so that the pipes may be cooled down consider- 

 ably before the house is shut up. The house should not be shut 

 up when the pipes are hot. 



Training and fijing Cucumhcrs to the trellises. These are 

 moveable, so that they can be fixed nearer the glass in winter, 

 and further removed from it in summer. The winter distance 

 is 9 inches, and in summer 1-1 inches. Thrips are very trouble- 

 some, and there is no more effectual method of destroying them 

 than by fumigating with tobacco, and this must be persistently 

 followed up until the thrips are destroyed. We read of growing 

 Cucumbers in dung frames during winter aud keeping up the 

 heat by linings, but this seems to us like going back to the dark 

 ages, and the time when two fires were required for an ordinary 

 vinery. There is certainly no better way of growing Cucumbers 

 in winter than by planting them in a house or pit heated by 

 hot water and training them to a trelUs overhead. 



PLANT HOUSES AND CONSERYATOKY. 



A re-arrangement of these was necessary after the frost of 

 Thursday. A few hardwooded plants were outside, and it was 

 necessary to get in all the Chrysanthcinurns, as the flowers 

 had considerably advanced on some of them. Those blooms in- 

 tended for exhibition should not have the outer florets de- 

 stroyed by frosts. The blossoms are all set now, even the latest, 

 and no time should be lost in thinning them out. List week 

 allusion was made to the method of training for dwarf speci- 

 mens, especially exhibition. On one occasion at the Chrys- 

 anthemum Show at South Kensington those trained in this 

 form were set aside by the judges for i^lants trained in a natural 

 manner — that is, all the shoots were trained upright in the form 

 of an inverted cone or pyramid, but the uatural-trained plants 

 were in excellent condition, and the flowers far superior to 

 the others in quality — two points of the very greatest import- 

 ance. In judging Chrysanthemums, or, indeed, any other 

 flowering plants, we would give quaUty of flowers and health of 

 foHage the greatest number of points. 



Cyclamens. — Oui plants are three years old, aud have been 

 much admired for the beauty of the foliage. Nearly all our 

 visitors ask how they were grown. The seed was sown in 

 February, 1871, and as soon as the plants were fit to handle 

 they were pricked-out singly iu small pots, and the pots 

 placed on shelves near the glass in the Pine house. They 

 were grown iu heat all the summer, aud each plant pro- 

 duced from twelve to thirty-six flowers or more the following 

 autumn and winter. Since the first year the plants have not 

 been grown in heat. As soon as the flowering period is over in 

 the spriug the plants are placed near the glass in a heated pit, 

 and when they have made some growth they are repotted. In 

 May they are removed to a cold frame facing north, and all 

 flowers are picked off as they appear. About the last week in 

 September they are removed to the conservatory or greenhouse, 

 and are allowed to flower. They require plenty of water all the 

 growing period, nor must the plants be allowed to become dry 

 in winter when in flower, but avoid watering the leaves, and 

 water mxtst not be allowed to lodge in the centre of the plants. 



The earliest-potted Ilijacint/is are making growth in the 

 plunging material. The Komi^n Hyacinths have grown an inch, 

 and have been removed to a cold pit. They will in a few days 

 be placed where they can have a gentle heat. 



FLOWEIt GARDEN. 



The frost and a continuous rain have made sad havoc with 

 the flowering plants. The more tender subjects are quite black, 

 and the rest are over for the season. As soon as the weather 

 shall be fine we will have everything cleared oil except Calceo- 

 larias. From a press of other work the cuttings of tliese have 

 not yet been put iu. There is plenty of time yet, aud nothing 

 is gained by having them early, unless cuttings of any variety 

 should be scarce, when it is well to propagate early in order to 

 obtain cuttings in the spring. A number of the beds are planted 

 with Hyacinths and Tulips, but we only plant in alternate years. 

 The bulbs planted last autumn were not disturbed in the spring, 



the bedding plants being put in amongst them when the leaves 

 were yet green. When these are removed the beds will be hoed 

 and raked, and probably a dressing of fine soil put over the 

 surface. With this treatment the bulbs do well the second year. 

 — J. Douglas. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 

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

 week. 



Books (IF. G.).— Henfrey's "Elementary Course of Botany," edited by Dr. 

 Masters. The price of the *' Cottage Gardeners' Dictionary," free by post, ia 

 Is. 2d. 



Edsh and Pykamid Fbuit Trees (S.).— "We must decline inserting any 

 more but the results of practice. 



Winter Tempekature of Greenhouse (H. T.). — The beat required 

 for all tbe plants you name, and for every other needing greenhouse 

 treatment, should be a night temperature from now up to March of 40- to 

 45^ and in very severe weather it may fall to 3S-, but the nearer 40^ the 

 better. In tbe day the temperature should be 45^, and not exceediat; 50", 

 from fire heat, admitting air on all favourable occasions, but not lowering 

 the temperature below 45-, though in severe weather a day temperature of 

 4(J is better than heating the pipes or other surface very much to give a 

 higher temperature. The birds aud plants will do well together as regards 

 temperature. 



DouBLE-GLAzrNG FOE Eeststing Cold (Inquir€r).~Yo}i do not say what 

 tbe temperature of the two pits may be when they ai'e covered with the 

 lights, or shut up, hut we will presume the lights to be i^ut on close when the 

 temperature of the frames or pits is 40-, and out-doors at 35*^, and down to 

 freezing-point by dark, falling to *22- by morning. We do not presume to tell 

 how much less frost would enter the pit with double sashes than the one with 

 single, as so much depends oh the wind and continrance of the frost, for it; 

 might be 10'' of frost all night, or only half as many, though the thermometer 

 register lO'^ in the morning. Double sashes are equal to about 0- of tempe- 

 rature, or a structure with double sashes will be 5- bibber ia & dull cold 

 period than one with single sashes, the conditions being equal. 



Moisture on Ferns in Unheated Fernery ildtm). — Very few of our 

 native or hardy exotic Ferns will endure tbe continual dripping on their fronds 

 of water from a jet, but if only occasional the following would succeed: — 

 Asplenium Adiautum-nigrum, A. marinum, Adiantum CapiUus- Veneris, 

 Athyrium Filix-ftemina, vars. apuaeforme, corymbifeium, plumosum; Blech- 

 num Spicant imbricatum, Lastrea dilatata cristata, L. Filix-mas cristata, 

 L. opaca, Osmunda regalis cristata, Polypodium vulgare cambricum, Poly- 

 stichum aculeatum, P. angulare prolLferum, P. angulare multihdum, Scolo- 

 jjcndrium vulgare, vars. corymbiferum, crispum maximum, sa^ittatum cris- 

 tatum, ramosum majus, ramo-cristatum, and fissum, and Woodwardia ai-co- 

 lata and radicans. If kept constantly moist tbe Filmy Ferns, Trichcmanes 

 radicans and var. AndrewsLi, Hymenophyllum tunbridgense, and H. "Wilsoni ; 

 and if not often wet you may add to those preceding the Filmy Ferns, 

 Onychium japonicum, Niphobolus lingua, Lomaria alpina, L. mogellanica, 

 Litobrochia vesper tilion is, and Cyrtomium falcatum. 



CucuarBER Leates Mutu-ated {R. D, TF.).— The leaves sent are per- 

 forated by some insect, probably crickets, that may be poisoned by phos- 

 phorus paste spi-ead on thin slices of bread; or tbe leaves maybe eaten by 

 caterpillars, which may be taken by examining tbe plants, especially the 

 under side of the leaves. Examine the plants at night with a lantern, when 

 you may probably take the marauders at work. 



Pipes for Lean- to House {It. I'.). — Your small lean-to house will answer 

 well (or bedding plants with two 3 inch pipes along the front, aud in summer 

 it would answer for Cucumbers and Jlelous. We should have a pathway along 

 the back, with shelves over to utilise space, and tbe whole of the front for 

 plants on a lattice stage, to be taken out in summer. The cuttiug frame will 

 answer best if heated by a tank covered with slates or boards, and over this 

 a few inches of sawdust or other plunging materials ; or you may put in a few 

 inches of rubbish, and then 3 or 4 inches of soil, and insert the cuttings In 

 it. The sides of the tank left free will give sufficient top heat. 



LAw^• Patchy (Idem). — "U'e should apply a dressing of very rotten manure 

 to the lawn in March, or rich compost, and eai'ly in April rake it well with an 

 iron rake, and t^ow over it 6 lbs. Festuca dmiuscula, H lbs. Cynosuruscristatus, 

 aud 8 lbs. Trifolium minus, with 4 llisPoa nemoralissempervirens in mixture 

 for one acre. Kake lightly alter so\\iDg, and roll well, not mowing until May, 

 and then keep well mown and rolled. A dressing of guano in moist weather 

 in May would much improve the growth of the grass. 



Frames upon Brick Arches IJilcm). — You may have tbe frames placed 

 on brickwork pigeon-holed, and with arches also under the bed pigeon-holed, 

 and so constructed they answer very well, having walled spaces for linings 

 about '2 feet wide. Such pits ai-e not uncommon, and very old. 



White Bedding Viola {F. T., Duhlltj).— There is not a white bedding 

 Viola equal to Viola Perfection in habit and quality, but there is a yellow one— 

 viz., lutea gi-andiflora major, nearly equal to it m blooming qualities. Per- 

 haps the best white bedding Pansy is Dean's White Bedder. 



Ivy not Clinging to Wall IF. O. W.). — Wo advise you to nail-up the 

 shoots to the wall with shieds as they grow, and the Ivy will not fall from 

 the wall, but cliog to it after the shreds are rotten, or, if it show that 

 tendency, secure the main shoots with iron holdfasts. 



Melons Failing {Rev. F. H.). — W'e do not consider the cause of the 

 failure to be in the dry heat given off by the hnt-water pipes. They were 

 not, probably, surrounded and covered with rabble brought over the pipes 

 G inches. Had it been so, and the plants duly watered, the roots would nob 

 liave suffered. We, however, prefer the pipes iu a chamber, tbe pipes covered 

 with boards or slates, leaving the joints open, then about 3 inches of rough 

 compost or rubble on the elates, and then 10 inches or a foot of soil upon 

 that. We pret-ume you have other pipes for top heat, which should be pro- 

 vided with evaporation- troughs. 



Stove in Small Greenhouse (F. N. R.). — The stove you mention has 

 no tube to carry the results from tho biu-niog fuel into the open air, conse- 

 quently the plants would be all injured and many killed. 



Plums eok Walls (S. S.y—Drsscrt— 3 u]y Green Gage, GroenGage, Coe's 

 Golden Drop, and Ickwortb Imprrutricc. CuoKiitri—'E&dy Orleans, Goliath, 

 and Autumn Compnte. 



