November 13. 1S73. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



381 



brain, Eagene Scribe, Earydice, Horace, Horace Vernet, James Veiteh, 

 Jupiter, LegouTf, Madame FartaJo, Madiune Desportes, Madame Dorabrain, 

 Mano Stuart, Mejerboer, Michiit:! Ange, ilubt-re, Nestor, Normo. Orphee, 

 Pbcebus, Phidias, lliiierve, Primatrice, Kobert Fortune, Rosa Bouheur, Rosa 

 Pei^ection, Scliiller, s-ir J. traukiin, Uljsse, VirgUe, Virgiuale, aud Princess 

 Mary of Cambridge. To these may be added — Benvenuto, ilt-aro, and Octavie 

 of thin year's seediings. To these may be added to make op the fifty — Adanson, 

 Armide, Dr. Lindley, FuUon, Humere, Reine Victoria, Shakespeare, Le 

 Poussin, Antiope, Araniis, and Oiietian. The fleshy roots nnderneath are the 

 old eorms, and must be detached and thrown away. The small white thinga 

 are the yoong bulbs, which should be kept for increasing stock. 



P110P.IGATING Pit Heated by Hot-wateh Pipes (A Constant Reader). — 

 As you say your pit, 8 feet by 3. has two doable rows of pipes passing through 

 it, we would advise, if oue of the sets of pipes passes close to one of the side 

 walla, that it be boorded-off, so as to impart a little top heat in midwinter if 

 wanted to do so; at the same time some contrivance ought to be adopted by 

 placing a b*tanl or somethiug over it, and covering it with sawdust or other 

 plunjfiug material afttr top heat is no longer wanted, which is not likely to be 

 after the end of .Tauuary. If the pipes are not at the side, the same effect 

 may be produced by placing a draining pipe or two, or something of that 

 kind, upon the piperi, and letting it pass through the plunging material; aud 

 this pipe could be stopped-up when not wanted by a bag of sawdust or any 

 other material easily taken out again. Then as to the bottom of the pit aud 

 pluD^ng material there are various opinions. Some like a hollow chamber 

 underneath with a slated floor; while some are content to cover the pipes 

 with coarse rubble stones, with liner ones at the top, and over that a layer of 

 moss or somethiui,' that does not decay very fast, and then the plunging 

 material, which may bo 10 or 12 inches thick, and may be tan, cocoa-nut fibre 

 refuse, or sawdust. If the latter, the thickness need not be quite so great 

 as in the case of tan, which is more apt to get dry at the bottom; but we 

 have had more experience with tan than with anything else, and have found 

 it answer very well. >awdu3t, however, is more convenient for plunging small 

 pots; and oocoa-nut flbro is also good. A\*hatevcr is used, it will be necessary 

 to give it a watering now and then, say with tepid water, in sufficient quantity 

 to wet it to the bottom, where it begins to dry with the heat from the pipes 

 below. With a litiie care in this way we have no doubt your propagating pit 

 ■will do you good service. Of course you will take care in opening it to insert 

 catting-pots and the like to allow aa little of the chilly cold outer air as you 

 can to get in. Such shouid be done in mild weather if possible, while in 

 severe nighta a little covering will be of much service. 



Repottisg Vallota pcupukea ( iV. G.).— The plants may he repotted up 

 to the end of March. We cannot name the flowei- you sent, and cannot 

 advise as to the time of potting. If an Amaryllis", it would be best potted 

 after it has had a season of rest, dried off, aud is beginning to grow ; if a 

 Uippcastrum, it would bo best potted after the growths are full-sized. 



DccK's-iirLL Api'le ( W«m). — The Dnck'e-bill Apple is much grown in Susses. 

 Another name for it is the Winter Pearmain. It will keep till June, and at 

 that season may bo used either as a dessert or a culinary fruit. It is a good 

 bearer every alternate year, and is reckoned one of the best quality. 



IpomiEa Learii Tueatment (Miss iV.).— It is not unlikely that the 

 briUiant purple Ipi.ma'a you saw on the Continent is this. You may keep the 

 plant, or rather i:s root, in the sand until spring, and in February pot it iu 

 a compost of two parts light turfy loam, one part each sandy peat and leaf 

 soil, with a sixth part of silver sand. It requires a rather large pot for the 

 size of the root. We have grown it well in a 12-inch pot. Place the pot in 

 a hotbed, and contiLue it there until the plant has made shoots 9 inches to 

 afoot long, and tlien gradually withdraw it from the hotbed, and set in a 

 Rreenhonse, tiaiuing ttie shoots up the roof about a foot from the Klass, 

 keeping the plant well supplied with water. It will flower, if strong enough, 

 in August or September. Wo think the Ceanothus spray you sent us is that 

 of C. rigidus, bat we cannot be certain in the abseuce of a better specimen 

 and floweru. 



Greenhocse BuLDors Plants fob Winter (Amateur). — ^We can only 

 think of two— Imautophylluin miniatum and Schizostylis coccinea, you 

 having debarred us the "ordinary class of bulbs." 



Peach Bokder— QtJiNCE FnciT Falling (.Ifrs. H.).— The border for the 

 Peach trees ought not to bo less than the length of the branches or height of 

 trellis the trees ore to cover. The inside border for planting the trees 

 should not be less thou 2 feet, better 3 feet, giving root space outside. It 

 would bo best to plant the Aprijots on the back wall, aud the Peach trees in 

 front, as the latter, we presume, will be the principal object. Whether you 

 have Aprioot^ or Peaches on the back wall, they wilt not succeed after a few 

 years unless the treen in front are kept low. so as to admit light to tbe trees 

 on the back wall. The Quinre on the wall probably casts its fruit through 

 the drynts* of the soil. Make holes about a foot deep with a crowbar about 

 afoot apart when the tree is in blossom, and give a thorough soaking of 

 water, making furrows near the bole of the tree, as making holes there with 

 a crowbar would probably injure the roots. Fill the holes and furrows at 

 least three times with water, allowing the water to sink in before applying 

 Tnoro. .■\ftor the water is alt settled iu, or the next day, loosen the surface 

 with a fork, level tbe ground, and give a mulching 2 inches thick of short 

 littery manure, and in a fortnight give another thorough soaking of water, 

 bnt without making holes. 



MaSTI8IA S*LT^T.iIlIA AND AllISTOLOCinA ORNITIIOCEPHALA IN WINTER 



(A Constant Rfadf-ri. — The former should be allowed to become dry, hut not 

 HO dry as to endanger the vitality of the roots, affording water occasionaDy to 

 keep them fr-jui Hlirivolling. The Aristolochia should also bo kept dry to 

 prevent as much as pit-sible growth during the winter. The drier it is kept 

 the Iwtter, crtnsiqtont with the vitality of the stems. 80 long as they ore 

 plump do not water. 



CLiMBiifo Rose Fon Back of Oreenhoube (J. M.). — If there are no 

 climbern on the roof, nor any plants hliading the back wall of your house, it 

 will answer fur a It'^.^e. for which yon will need to make a border not less 

 than IH inches wide, and 2 feet deep, it being well drained, and filled with 

 turfy loam and a fourth of woU-decayed manure. The Tea-scented kinds 

 would be mott suitable, as Mar^chal Niel, Sombrcuil, Marie Sisley, NiphetoB, 

 and Narcisfic. .Select from those. 



Caubllias for BArK Wall or VrNEEY (rrf<rm".— Camellias will Huccccd 

 on the back wall of a vinery havini? a suitable border. The beat compost is 

 the top inch of s/jil from a pasture where the staple is a rich light loam. 

 Cliopthis up roui^hly, ond add a fourth of sandy peat, draining tha border 

 well, and putting in thp compost firm. Select from Bealii, Bonominns, Ma- 

 thotians, Mathotiana olbo, Monarc'i, Reticulata florc-plcno, and Valtcvorcdo. 



pHCTfTNO Vines in Greenhouse (E. M. W.). — The Vines, we presume, 

 are now losing or have lost their leaves, or when this takes place they should 

 be pruned ; but we cannot make out what your propo^ed mode of training is ; 

 but we presume by having thein with one, two, and three leaders rtspectively 

 you intend to train them with one, two, aud three rods, aud bavethat nimiber 

 of rafters or wires for training them at 4 feet apart, wnich distance is suffi- 

 ciently close for a greenhouse. The canes should be trained along the front 

 to the place where you requne the canes, and thm up the roof, cutting each 

 cane to within three eyes of the bottom of the rafters. If you only require 

 three rods, then cut the strongest cano back to within three eyes of the bottom 

 of the rafters or where you wish to originate side shoots, and cut the other 

 shoots or canes in to two eyes each. This will give you two side shoots, on 

 which you may take a bunch of fruit eath, and train the uppermost shoot as 

 a continuation of the main rod, and this in the following year may be cut 

 back to within 3 feet of its origin. Particulars of treatment you will find in 

 the " Vine Manual,"' which may be had by post from our office for 2s. l^d. 

 Keep the hou&e cool, only excluding frost. 



Fuchsia Chlture (Daisy).— The cultivation of the Fuchsia is given in 

 our ''Florists' Flowers," which may be had at our office for 4(Z., or by post for 

 an additional postage stamp. The appearance of red spider is owing to too 

 dry an atmosphere, and probably a deficient supply of water aud nourishment 

 at the roots. 



CHRYSANTHE3IUMS BusHY (O. E. S.). — The Way to secure this is to stop 

 the plants at 6 inches ; and when they have broken, and to induce shoots, the 

 shoot may be pegged down, taking care not to break it, and the shoots result- 

 ing from the stopping may be thi-ee or more. They should be trained by pegs 

 towards the sides of the pot, and when they have grown 6 inches should be 

 stopped. The shoots should be pegged or tied down or out as they grow, and 

 disposed evenly, so as to form a well-shaped head. Stopping may be practised 

 up to the first week iu July, bnt not later; after this, regulating the shootsv 

 by tying out to neat stakes. Cuttings are preferable to old plants. 



Bedding GERANroMS — Tomatoes from Cuttings {C. G.l. — The Gera- 

 niums that have the leaves slightly nipped by frost, and which you have placed 

 rather close together in the vinery pit iu ordinary soil, will not, should they 

 revive, which is not unlikely, give you any great amount of cuttings in spring; 

 but you may cut them iu then, and put iu any available shoots as cuttings. 

 Theye will strike freely iu gentle heat. We have no experience of the raising 

 of Tomatoes from cuttings, but plants so struck would be likely to fruit sooner 

 than those raised from seed iu January. The forcing house would probably 

 bo most profitably employed in growing Cucumbers, but the small amount of 

 heating medium would be totally inadequate for the growing of Cucumbers in 

 winter. 



Weevils (G. S.). — Lime water in the usual proportion of 1 lb. to three 

 gallons of water for driving out worms has no effect on thei^e pests, nor do 

 dressings of soot or soot water drive them away. We should be glad of the 

 experience of our correspondent on the subject, and by what means he traps 

 the perfect insects in April. 



Names of Fruit (Thomas Clapkam). — 1, Fearn's Pippin; 2, Norfolk Beef" 

 ing ; 3, Franklin's Golden Pippin; 5, Keddlestou Pippin. (A. D.). — Pears: 

 No. I, Catillac; 2, Easter Beurrt-. Apples: 1, Norfolk Beefing or Winter 

 Greening; 3, Golden Harvey ; 4, Graveustein. (F. J. A'.).— We have named 

 six as we announced as our restricted number. Others which we recognise 

 we will publish next week. 3, Golden Harvey; 5, Hall Door; 7, selwood's 

 Beinette; 10, Franklin's Golden Pippin; 13, Parry's Pearmain; 15, Early 

 Nonpareil. 



Names of Plants (F. B.). — 1 or 4, Arbutus TTnedo; 5, Spartiura junceum 

 Remainder leaves only. (J.H. B.).— l.Scolopendrium vulgare; 2. Polystichum 

 angulare. (Sub.).—1, Brassia Lanceana, Li?id?. ; 2, MaxiUaria picfa, floofc. ;; 

 3, A Gesneria or ally, but specimen inauJiicieut. (P. IV.I.— Davallia ciliata, . 

 Hook. (Fife). — 1, Polypodinm (Campyloneuron) repens; 2,Davalliadissecta; 

 3, Acrostichum (Glaphoglossum) couforme; 4, Polypodium stigraaticum. 

 (R.R). — Very bad specimens. 1, Alternauthera ; 2, Tradescantia discolor; 

 3, Selaginella sp. ; 4, Crassula sp. (J. C.).— 1, Pteris longifolia ; 2, Aspleuium 

 Fabianum; 3, Selaginella Kraussiana; 4, S. uncinata; 5, S.Braunii; 6, Gym- 

 nog; amma tartarea. 



POULTRY, BEE, AST) PIGEON OHEONIOLE. 



STANDAKD CHARACTEKISTICS. 



I AM very glad that the remarks I hastily penned a week or 

 two back on this subject have elicited some opinions on the con- 

 trary side. What we all want is truth, which we hope to see 

 finally emerge as the fruit of free discussion ; aud now that two 

 correspondents have replied directly to my previous remarks, I 

 should like again to make such observations as occur to me in 

 reply to theirs. 



I differ seriously from the postulates assumed by " O. P. H. Z.," 

 or at least from most of them. It may bo that only one in a 

 hundred exhibitors knows what are the requisite points iu fowls j 

 but his poultry acquaintance must be very unfortunate if it be 

 his own personal experience which prompts the remark that 

 " that oue " does his best or his worst to mislead the others. I 

 remember vividly the time when I, as a youug and inexperienced 

 fancier, had to glean from others information that could not 

 possibly be obtained from books ; and I remember as vividly 

 the kindness and courtesy I met with from nearly everyone to 

 whom I applied, though in most cases I had no personal ac- 

 quaintance whatever to presume upou. And I can affirm that 

 the same spirit exists still, for I see large drafts being drawn 

 upon it at every show I visit. One fancier is quick to recognise 

 the real spirit of the craft in another, however ignorant, and 

 wherever this is found it is only to ask and have. 



But further, when " O. P. H. Z." asks if it is not worth while 

 to instruct the ignorant, I reply. Decidedly bo ; but I also reply 

 that such ignorance as he speaks of— the not knowing " what are 

 tbe requisite points," is perfectly inexcusable. There is hardly 



