December 25, 1873. J 



JOURNAL OF HOBTICULTURB AKD COTTAGE GARDENER. 



515 



and nso a compost consisting of peat, loam, leaf mould, and dry cow mannre 

 in eqaal parts, and while growing give abundance of water. Do not pot them 

 upon a cone of soil, but a little below the rim, as with ordinary plants. It may 

 be propagated by breaking the old pseudobulbs into two or three pieces, when 

 each 'n'ill make a shoot. 



Cyclamens Worm-eaten (A Youri'j Bt-ginncr]. — The creatmes sent, which 

 you say are destroying your Cyclamens, are a small white species of hair- 

 worm, and not the larvie of some small gnat. They generally attack the roots 

 of plants already in a state ol decay, and are not the cause of the disease. 

 —I, O. W. 



CCRRANT-SHOOT GRCB AND GOOSEBERRY CATERPILLAR (J. M. S.).— We 



repeat what we have before often published. Every one acquainted with old 

 gardens must have frequently noticed that one or more of the branches of the 

 Currant trees tenanting them have suddenly withered and died witLout any 

 apparent cause. In such cases, if the wood of the branch be split down the 

 ceutrt', the pith will be found all consumed, the tube where it had been 

 blackened, and nothing remaining but the excrements of a caterpillar, which 

 may also he caught at bi? work of destruction if the examination is made so 

 soon as the branch first shows symptoms of withering. Thistateriiillarit;tleshy, 

 Whitish, with four ycUowiyh-brown spots near its head. It ia the larva of the 

 Currant (Sphinx tipuliformis, Sesia, or J-'geria, or Bombecia tipuUformis. 

 The parent moth is beautiful, and may bo seen at the end uf May and early in 

 Jano during hot sunshine, either settled on the leaves of the Currant, or 



flying aroond the flowers of the Syringa and Lilac. It is about three-quarters 

 of an inch across the wings when these are quite opened ; tbe prevailing 

 colour is bluish black, with various parts yellow; the autenn.T black; the 

 breast with a yellow line on each side; the abdomen, or lower part of the 

 body, has three yellow rings round it in the females, and four in the males ; 

 the fore wings are barred and veined with black ; it has a brush of fine scales 

 at the end of its abdomen, which fan it can expand as it pleases. The Red, 

 White, and Black Currant, and, we think, the Gooseberry are all liable to its 

 attacks. It lays its eggs in April in openings of the bark of a young 

 shoot, and the caterpillar immediately it is hatched penetrates to its pith, 

 and eats its way down this until it reaches the pith of the main branch. The 

 only secnritive measures are to kill the moth whenever seen, and to split open 

 the withered branches and serve the caterpillars similarly. The green cater- 

 pillars which so soon strip off a Gooseberry-bush's leaves, aie the larva? of a 

 Saw-fly. The cross lines show the natural size of this Saw-fly. This insect, 

 which has been named by entomologists Kematus trimacalatus, Nematus 

 Bibesii. Tcnthredo Groesuloriflc, and Tenthredo ventricosa, comes forth in the 

 coarse of April. Its body is yellowish-brown ; its autennic nine-jointed and 

 brown ; the crown of the head, eyes, three largo spots divided by a lij^ht line on 

 the back, and a large spot on the breast, are all black ; the body, or belly, is 

 orange; the wings reflect the colours of the rainbow; and their nerves, with a 



large 9pot on the front edge of the fore wings, are brown; the legR aro brown 

 also. Tbe female lavs her eggs along the principal nerves on the underside 

 of the Gooseberry leaves, and less frcqnently on those of the Red and White 

 Corrant. The eggs are hatched within ten days ; and the arrival of the cater- 

 pillars may be known from the leaves being eaten through into numerous 

 small bolefi. These caterpillars are pale green, with one ring at each end 

 yellow; the head, tail, feet, and rowsof spots on their sidcti, being black. Suc- 

 ccesional broods are hatched from the beginning of May until October, but it 

 Is daring May and Jane (hat they are usually most abundant and destructive. 

 Some of theee descend into the earth from cocoons, and bring forth fretih flics 

 at the end of the summer; but the later broods of caterpillars remain in 

 their coconn.<4 throughout tbe winter, and give birth to the earliebt spring- 

 ffwarm of Saw-flietfr. 



Peach Trees Kepottino (Itob Jtoy).— The Peach trees in 18-inch pots we 

 Bhoald not repot, at least not now, nor remove the surface soil until the fruit 

 is set and begins to swell ; then top-dress with equal parts of turfy loam and 

 Ireah sheep's droppings, removing only the loose old surface soil. If (ho 

 sheep's droppingB cannot bo bad horse droppings may bo substituted. The 

 top-dresdinif may be repeated after the fruit is stoned. Potting is beat done 

 when the leavi^s are beginning to fall. We should not increase the size of pot, 

 bat reduce the ball, and lepot in tbe same size. Bather turfy loam two parts 



' half a part each rotten manure and marl, are a good potting compost for the 

 Peach. 



Orchids Repotting {IfftJ/i).— Keep them in the pots as they are, rather 

 ilry, until March, and then repot^them, using clean pots extra well drained, 

 and a compost of librous brown peat and rctugh or lumpy chopped sphagnum 

 and broken pots; of these materials employ equal paits, with a sixth part of 

 pieces of charcoal, and alike proportion of silver saud. Pot firmly, keeping 

 the idants high in the centre of tho pots. All do well in pots except the 

 Stanliopeas, which should have a basket. 



Winter Treatment of Snow Pansies (J. S.).— The plants ought to have 

 been potted, and placed on, or better plunged in coal ashes in a cold frame. This 

 we should do now, admitting air freely in mild weather, but shielding from 

 heavy rains, when the light should be tilted at the back, and in frosty weather 

 have the protection of mats over the lights. It will not do to place them in 

 the greenhouse. If you have no frame, protect them where they are in severe 

 weather with mats on sticks arched over tho bed. The kinds mentioned in 

 our paper were bedding ones, yours aro show varieties. 



Vegetables for Sowing now— Melon and Cucumber {Petite). — Beyond 

 Peas and Broad Beans the present is not a suitable time for sowing the seeda 

 of vegetables. Blue Peter and Dillistone's Early Peas, Early Long-pod, ami 

 Beck's Dwarf Green Gem Beans. Sow them on a warm border. It is too 

 early to bow Kidney Beans. The middle of April is quite soon enough. Sow 

 Carrots early ia that month. Read's Kow Hybrid Melon, scarlet -fleshed, and 

 Blue Gown Cucumber will suit you. 



Pines not Fruiting (A Sutsex Subscriber). — Yoor plants which were 

 suckers last December have done very well. The bottom heat is rather 

 high, 85'' should bo the maximum, and 75' to 80° would be tho highest we 

 should give at this time of year. The plants would have hoen bettor potted 

 early in August instead of September. All they wont ia time, and they wiU 

 probably show for fruit early in spring. 



Kidney Bean Leaves Spotted (Jjncs). — The leaves sent aro spotted from 

 being kept in a close, moist atmosphere, and too low a temperature. Give a 

 temperature of 55" to 60^ at night, and 65" to 75^ by day, admitting air freely, 

 and they will do well, the pods not faUing oft but swelling freely. December 

 and January are the worst two months in tho year for Kidney Beau growing. 



Pruning Vine Rods {H. H.). — The canes having reached the top of tho 

 house they should be cut back two-thirds tho lengtli of the rafter, which on 

 15 feet of rafter will be to 5 feet. From the rod at the bottom of the rafter 

 you will need to train-up another shoot, and take it up alongside the last 

 year's cane, and it ought not to bo stopped until it has grown 6 feet, and take 

 another cane from tho main or centre one to the top of the house. The otbes 

 eyes will give shoots that are to carry the crop of nest year. Next autumn 

 tho centre rod is to he cut hack one- third its length, or one-half the growth of 

 the current year, and tho side rod shortened to 5 feet. Tho year following, on 

 the other side, you will need to lot a shoot gi"ow, not stopping it until it has 

 grown 6 feet, and this is to be cut back to 5 feet. Your Vine will then he 

 formed; the centre canowill bear one-third its length at tlie top, the first side 

 cane will hear the middle third part, and the cane on the other side will bea:/ 

 on the lower third part of the length of the rafter. This is the long-rod 

 system ; in the short-rod system the canes are annually shortened to sis 

 eyes. Neither system we consider suited for Vines in a greenhouse. Spur- 

 pruning is much preferable, and in this case we should shorten the canes to 

 BIS or eight eyes from the bottom of tho rafter or trellis, and so on annually 

 until the top of the house is gained. 



Tree Violets.— Can any of your readers tell me where to procure pots of 

 tree Violets, either double Neapolitan or any other kinds ? A lady, a friend 

 of mine, is in want of some. — C. P. Peach. 



Chicory Forcing (J. S.). — The roots should he taken-up now, or better in 

 November, and have the tops cut off to within an inch or so of tho roots. 

 When wanted to force they should be placed in soil level with tho crown, and 

 set in a Mushroom house or other dark place having a temperature of 55-'' to 

 G0°. The roots may be potted and corered with an inverted flower-pot 

 having tho hole in the bottom stopped with moss to exclude aii* and light, 

 and placed in a house with tho temperature named. They also do well in a 

 cellar. A fresh lot of roots should be introduced at intervals of ten days or ft 

 fortnight so as to keep-up a succession of blanched leaves for salads. 



Heating a Small Greenhouse {Arimtcut). — A gas-stove and hot-water 

 pipes 1 inch in diameter would not give sufficient heat. A large Shrowsbui-y's 

 apparatus might, but the fumes of the gas must bo convoyed into tho open air- 

 Grate Cracking (Consfatit Readier). —In all probability your Grape is 

 ChasBt'las Musqui'. It cracks just as you say. We know no such Grape as 

 Tokay Frontignan. To prevent cracking, the border where tho roots are 

 should be moderately dry at tho time of ripening; preserve also a dry atmo- 

 sphere in the house; and as a further precaution cut a notch on tho branch 

 to which the bunch is attached, between the bunch and the main stem, this 

 will check the flow of sap to the berries. Plant the old Ash-leaved Kidney 

 Potato at once and force gently at first. 



Planting Waxl Fruit (Welby).— On the east wall plant Apricots and 

 Pears. On the west aspect Plums and Cherries. The following is a good 

 selection. Apricota. — Hemskerk, Moor Park, and Peach. Pf (i vs.— Bergamo tte 

 d'Esperen, Gansel's Bergaraot, Beurn'' Bosc, Beurrc Diel, Easter Beurrc, 

 Beurrr Hardy, Wilhams's Bon Chr-'tien, DoyennO du Cornice, Glou Morrcau, 

 Marie Louise. Ourrien. — Archduke, Bigarreau Napoleon, Black Tartarian, 

 Elton, Knight's Early Black. P/itms.- Blue Gage, Coo's Golden Drop, Golden 

 Espercn, Green Gage, Guthrie's Late Green, Jefferson, Transparent Gage, 

 Victoria (Denver's), and Washington. Maiden trees of the above would cost 

 from 9(/. to 1«. M. each. Now ia the best time to plant, but they will succeed 

 if planted at the end of February or beginning of March. Wall trees may be 

 planted 15 foot apart. 



Vine Management {K. /f.).— Plant out your Vino in the usual way, but do 

 not coil any part of tho stem in tho ground. Prune tbe young wood back to 

 two eyoB. We have destroyed scale on the old branches of fruit trees by 

 dressing them with boiled oil. 



Pear Trees not Beabing (Kenilworth). — As your trees blossom freely and 

 produce no frnit your climato must be too cold for the sorts you have. Every 

 district has its special sorts which succeed bettor there than they do at other 

 places. Could you not obtain grafts of the sorts that nuccoed host in your 

 neighbonrs' gardens ? With us Mario Louise is a moderately free bearing 

 sort. Mario Louise d'TTccIe bears freely. Williams's Bon ChrL-tion, Louise 

 Bonno of Jersey, Triomphe do Jodoigne, Napoleon, Beum- d'Aremborg, Beurro 

 Bosc, Madame Treyve.BcurrO d'Amanlia, Winter Nelis, and Ztpbirin Gr»-goiro 

 are amoDget tbe most certain bearers. Wo once erected a framework of wood 



