December 11, 1873. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENER. 



471 



but, from what we have seen of it, it will be as readily forced 

 as the white-flowered species, and when it can be obtained in 

 quantity will be equally valuable. 



STOVE AND GREENHOUSE. 



Phalctnopsis gra7idiJio7-a and arriahilis are throwiDg-up flower- 

 spikes freely, and a flower-spike will continue in beauty for 

 months at this season ; but care must be taken that the flowers 

 are not spotted with water. An over-moist atmosphere will also 

 cause them to become thickly dotted with black spots. On 

 looking over a fine collection of these plants recently, we noticed 

 that scarcely any of the flowers opened, although the plants 

 were in good health ; when half-expanded they became sickly 

 and dropped off, and this notwithstandiDg every precaution 

 being taken. Probably the form and aspect of the house had 

 something to do with it. It was a lean-to and rather dark. The 

 best plants we have ever seen have been in span-roofed houses, 

 where they flower and grow freely at all seaeous. They must 

 not be placed where a current of air can reach them, and should 

 be kept near the glass on the shady side of the house. We find 

 they do equally well in baskets or pots ; they also succeed best 

 when clean potsherds and live sphagnum moss ouly are used. 



In the greenhouse department we have been tyiug and train- 

 ing Azaleas. We noticed these at the flower shows during the 

 past summer, and it was pleasing to notice that in many iu- 

 stancea there was a considerable departure from the formal cone- 

 shaped plants of recent years, and the mathematically-trained 

 pyramids of 16G6, which so sadly marred the natural efi'ect of 

 your beautiful engraving of the International Exhibition held 

 at South Kensington that year. Most of our own specimens 

 were bought as pyramids; some of them have been trained and 

 allowed to gr«w out of that form. Whatever the shape may be, 

 do not use too much tying material, but let the shoots hang 

 loosely in a natural manner. All the tying necessary is to 

 arrange the branches so that when the plants are in flower they 

 may be evenly distributed. All decaying leaves are shaken off 

 before tying. 



Cuttings of Chrysantheviums are also being put in. One 

 cutting is inserted in the centre of a 60-sized pot, and the pots 

 placed on the shelves in pits, or near the glass in a greenhouse. 

 They will be slow to strike root in this position, but are not so 

 apt to run to flower early in the season as those which have 

 been forced-on in heat. The cuttings put in now are intended 

 to make specimen plants. Late in January, or early in Febru- 

 ary, is quite soon enough for those intended to produce cut 

 blooms for exhibition. — J. Douglas. 



TRADE CATALOGUE RECEIVED. 

 James Carter it Co., 237 and 238, High Holborn, London.— 

 Carter's Collections of Bulbs. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



Books (G. A.).~Yori can hare the " Cottage Gardeners' Dictionary," Utc 

 bj post if ;oa enclcEe 78. 2(i. with your address. The latest plants included 

 are those of 1868. {Atte). — A sapplement to the "Cottage Gardeners' Dic- 

 tionary " vaa published in l&€d. It can be bad separately at our office for 

 1«. 6d., or post free \t. Bd, A new edition of " Paxton's Botanical Dictionary " 

 iras poblishod in the some year, price 18*. 



Cyclamens {A Yvung B<'i;inntT).—'SVe cannot advise you unless you send 

 OS some of the grubs in a small boi. 



Messrs. BrxYARD's Ncrberies. — On the top of the third column of the 

 rep^^rt in oar last number, the quantities of fruits there btatod refer only to 

 those kindit named. The tlrm p^ow eighty sorts of Apples, eighty of Fears, 

 and about forty of Plums; and their stock of the vhole is between ei(,'hty and 

 ninety thousand. 



Pbopaoatiko Frake (F. J.}.— South aspect, if a lean-to. A span-roof 

 b«tter, bat dearer. 



Campanula Bouvardiana (3f. C, Duhlin). — We do not know the Cam- 

 panala mentioned by " £. C, Oakham" at page 415. Perhaps he will furnish 

 us with farther information respecting it. Our subscriber is anxious to know 

 its height when in flower. 



Pbjxtlas {A. B. i*.).— Any of the leading florists who advertise in our 

 colomns. 



Bebsea spiralis {A. R.). — It is one of the plants that annoys from being 

 differently named by diflciont botanists. It has been called Amaryllis, Car- 

 polyza, CrinntQ, Hfiemantbus, and Htnimaria. You will find it under the last 

 name in your " Loudon's Ilortus Britannicus." 



£Aia.r-RtPENiNO Potatoes {J. P.). — Wo never grow any bat Itoss's Early 

 and the Anh-leavod. There are many varieties of the latter. If you refer to 

 Dcan'H catalogue yoa will find Alma Kidney, Early Ilonolagh Eldnoy, Myatt's 

 Ashlcof, and Parple Ashleaf. 



Flce ITeatino a Greenhocse, &c. (J. W. L.).—Jt is difllcnlt, without 

 being r.n the spot, to give all the details necc^fsary to guide an alteration ; but 

 in rcfcrcnco to a length of stout fence-wire leing left in a flue when built, if the 

 flue wants cleaning, the removal of the cover at a few places will bo suflicicnt, 

 and by a Htring fastened to one end of the wire this can be drawn backwards 

 and forwards, with a bunch of straw or something of that kind, fastened to it 

 until the flue is clean. The wire con then be left fur another occasion, as it 

 takes-op little room. In your case wo would rocommon J the flue being built 

 brick'On-edgQ with well-prepared mortar, but do not plaster it inside unless 

 yon have a donbt about the mortar, in which case use cow dung. When the 

 covers arc put on take care that no loose mortar falls down inside to harden 

 into lumps and iropcde the drao(;htof the flno, or its cleauing-out afterwords. 

 For a short distanco near the fireplace it ou^t to be a half-brick thick to 



withstand the fire. The best places for taking off the covers for cleaning ara 

 the corners, and the more the flue is above the surface the better it heats,, 

 although it will heat when sunk^; but in this case it is best to be cased-off from, 

 the adjacent ground by a wall and space of an inch or two to allow the heat 

 from the sidts to ascend. Other matters will suggest theiutelves to the 

 builder. ^Yith regard to giving ventilation at the tup, could that not be ar- 

 ranged by converging ropes to the front under tho rafters? Allowing the 

 whole space for plants, instead of having a tier of eight shelvos, we would 

 only have three or four. The upper one of 4 or 5 feet wide would be fuuud 

 verj- uteful for arranging Fuchsias, Camellias, or any tall plants, aud if its 

 back next the wall were 4 feet deep or more from the under side of the 

 glass, you would often have plants tall enough to occupy the space, and. 

 shorter ones in front of them. The whole upper shelf or platform could be 

 filled with tall plants, and the lower shelves with dwarfer plants, and then 

 about 8 inches rise would do very well for each shelf. The material must not 

 be less than 1 inch thick ; in fact, ouRht to be thicker unless the bearings are 

 pretty close together. We have eecn a good shelf of Ij-iuch deal cut into 

 widths of 3 inches and placed about half an inch apart, aud the bearings, 

 about 2 feet from each other; for, be it remembered, the statue has to bear a. 

 person as well as the heavy pot he may bo lifting at the time. Oak is the. 

 best wood, but deal answers very well. We hardly know what to say about 

 paiutiug. 



Adiantums not Thriving (W. M. Y.).—A. Capillus- Veneris, though a 

 British species, luxuriates in a stove, and so does A. cunoatum, but both will 

 succeed well in a conservatory. A. farlejeuse roquirea a stove, aud would 

 thrive in the house not below 60' in winter. The soil yuu uso is altogether- 

 unsuitable. They require sandy fibrous brown peat chopped up moderately 

 tine aud not sifted, with a fourth part of fibrous loom aud a fifth of silver 

 Baud. A. Capillus- Veneris is the better of a sixth part of fruestoue or sand- 

 Btoue in pieces from a pea to a hazel nut mixed with the compost. Good!, 

 drainage should be given and the plants potted in March, removing all tho 

 soil that comes away freely from the roots, aud i)ot so that the creeping stems 

 may be only just covered. Water modoraLcly foratime, but keep the surfaces 

 around and under the plants sprinkled with water three or fuur times a-day, 

 aud when growing freely water abundantly. Sprinkling overhead twice daily 

 when in active growth is very beneficial. Give shade frum bright sun from 

 March to October. The plants may be shifted into larger pots in June, if they 

 have filled the pots with roots and are growing freely. A. cuneatum should 

 be kept rather dry in winter. A. farleyense should bo shiftod into larger pots 

 as it fills its present ones with roots, continuing to shift it as it advances.^ 

 Keep it moist, avoid sudden changes of temperature; and iu fumigating 

 remove the plant from the house, as a slight fumigation is suflicient to causo 

 the browning of its fronde. 



Plants for Conservatory Hanging Baskets (A. Z.).— For your rather 

 large baskets we advise plain aud variegated Ivy-leaved Gerauiums. The 

 following plauts are also good, and two or more kinds may be planted in a 

 basket:— Tradescantia zebriua argentea. Heliotropes, Convolvulus raauritani- 

 CUB, LithoBpermum prostratum, Nicrcmbergia gracilis, Lysimachia Num- 

 mnlaria, Lioaria Cymbalaria aud its white variety. Campanula gart,'auica, 

 AljBSum variegatum, Petunia, Saxifraga Fortunei foliisvai-iegatis, S. sar- 

 mentoea, Antirrhinum procumbent, aud Mauraudya Barclayana. Some of 

 the TropiEolums are also pretty, and Cereus spleudidus, C. tenuis, aud Me- 

 eembryanthemums floriboudum, australe, clavellatum, torquatum, rubro- 

 ciuctum, aud reptans. 



Dieffenbachia, Centrorolenia bi'llata.and Aphelandra Leopold! 

 Cclture (0. N. S.).— The Dieffenbachias are propagated by cuttings both oi' 

 the stem aud growing point inserted in open soil, the base of the cutting 

 resting on and surrounded by silver sand. Plunge iu a brisk bottom heat, 

 cover with a bell-glass, aud keep close and moist, but not very wet. A con.* 

 post of two parts fibrous sandy peat, half a part fibrous loam, and a quarttr 

 part each crocks, charcoal, leaf soil, aud silver sand will grow it well. Good 

 drainage, liberal watering, and atmospheric moisture when growing, with 

 comparative dryness when at rest. Ceutrosolenia bullata is propagated bj 

 cuttings in brisk bottom heat, keeping moist, but taking care to avoid damp.- 

 It should have an abundance of moisture aud warmth in summer, and l8 

 sparingly watered in winter. It requires equal parts of sandy peat, fibrous 

 loam, and leaf soil, with one-sixth of silver sand, and good drainage. Aphe- 

 landra Leopoldi is increased by cuttings of the side shoots taken off iu April 

 or May, inserted iu pandy peat, loam, and silver sand, placed m bri^k bottom 

 heat, aud covered with a bell-glass. For soil uso fibrous luam, sandy peat equal 

 parts, and a quarter part leaf soil, with a like proportion of silver sand. Tho 

 compost should be used rather rough, with good drainage. The plant requires 

 free watering and moisture during summer, with brisk heat, aud to be kepi 

 rather dry and cool in winter. 



Deutzia Gracilis Culture {A. f7.).— We presume the plants are in tLa 

 cool greeiihouBe, and have been there all the summer, as you write of growth 

 succeeding growth. Plunge them out of doors now in coal anhos up to the 

 rim of tho pots, and let them remain until the middle of January; then take 

 them to tho greenhouse, and after tho soil iu tho pots is diied a little turn 

 them out of the pots, remove all the soil coming away freely from the roots— 

 in fact reduce the ball considerably, loosening its sides, and repot in the same 

 sized, or in a larger pot if needed, the point being to give some fresh soil 

 amongst and around the roots, and to pot moderately firm. Three parts 

 fibrous loam, one part leaf soil, aud a sixth of sand, with good drainage, wiU 

 grow it well. Place in the greenhouse in a light airy position, watering 

 moderately until the plants are growing freely, then abundantly. After 

 flowering set them outside in a sheltered position, aud if frusty protect \yit}i 

 a covering at night for a short time, aud finally stand the puts ou ashes in a 

 sheltered sunny spot. Keep the plants well watered throughout tho summer, 

 and until the leaves turn yellow in autumn. They may bo taken into the 

 greenhouse again in January. 



Celery Stem {X. B.).— The section of stem you sent us is perfectly 

 healthy, and is woody as if the plant wore miming to seed. It may arise 

 from the seed having been sown early in heat, aud tho plants not having been 

 hardened-off properly, or from a clieck to growth, either iu conseciueuce of 

 cold or want of water. Celery, to do well, requires to bo grown without cheeky 

 and to be liberally manured, and supplied with water aud Hquid manure. Tho 

 chief cause of *' bolting," however, 19 too early sowing and starving tbn 

 plants. 



Adiantdu farleyense Fronds Bno\\'NED (A Subscriber).— The frond 

 has tho appearance of having been browned by fumigation with tobacco, 

 which is very destructive to this Fern. It is much the beat plan to remove it 

 from the house when fumigation is practised. Wo have also experienced the 

 browning of tho fronds from the admission of air in bright wcatlier succeed- 

 ing a dull period, which evidently has caused too great evaporation and dry 



