Aagiut U, 1863. 1 JOHENAL OF HOBTICITLTUKE AifD COTTAGE GAEDENEB. 



lit 



well and kindly. Planted out the last of our forced Straw- 

 berries. Potted tlie most of oui- runners, dag dow-n as 

 iilready stated a quarter of old plants, and as we can get at 

 them will clear the i-unners from those we intend to remain. 

 Some of these runners will be pricked-out on a rich border 

 4 inches apart, to be raised in spring for forcing if we need 

 them. Others iviil be pricked-out for spring planting, and 

 others laid in thickly by the heels to meet contingencies. 

 Many will often ask for a few plants, and it is a pleasure to 

 give what costs but little trouble to have. The first planted- 

 out forced Strawberries have given us some fine gatherings, 

 and would have done more could we have given them water. 



OENAMENTAL DEPARTMENT. 



Made cuttings, potted Cinerarias, Primulas, Geraniums, 

 stove plants, greenhouse plants, &c. ; but our chief work has 

 been in the flower garden. It is now as a whole in good 

 condition, and we want it to look well next week, and every 

 bed wOl have its look-over and training, especially in the 

 most conspicuous places. Many turn out the plants and give 

 them no more care, letting the sides grow higher than the 

 middle, and the edging, which shoidd be distinct, rimning 

 all manner of ways through the bed and into the centre. 

 Now, though we have sadly too much of it, we thoroughly 

 indorse the opimon of our old friend, Mr. D. Thomson, that 

 it is better to have a few beds done well than a number left 

 as it were in a state of nature. Dry as the season has been, 

 we have had to prune as well as regulate many beds. As a 

 whole. Calceolarias are, and have been, dense masses, though 

 we fear from the dryness that the autumn display will not 

 be so fine as usual; but below the huge bundles of flowers 

 we notice the little shoots coming with buds on their points. 

 We should like our amateur fi-iends to see thoroughly that 

 half a dozen of beds done well will afl'ord them more pleasm-e 

 than one hundi-ed beds in. a tawdry condition, where the 

 plants are left to shift for themselves, part rolled into dense 

 heaps and half of the bed with nothing but earth staring 

 you in the face. Merely as a sample, we may mention 

 that some thirty smaE beds cf about 4.1 feet square, well 

 filled and looking nicely— each bed with two and some with 

 three coloui-s— are just having a Uttle tying and pegging to 

 keep all in their places ; and two first-rate workmen will 

 require the best part of two days to make the very best of 

 them. That group of simple beds alone, well regulated and 

 full to overflowing, would give more satisfaction than acres 

 in a tawdry, wUd, confused state. 



The dry weather has saved us mowing and machining. 

 Many of our beds were machined— merely one cut round the 

 verges. Cutting more would have done more harm than 

 good. The late showers will give us greenness again. The 

 scythe would have done more harm than the mowing 

 machine ; and in such circumstances for knocking over^ all 

 heads of plantains, long grass, a sweep ivith our daisy- 

 knife made all neat and trim, and we must not say the 

 ground a man will easily go over in an afternoon. — K. F. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



*,* We request that no one will write privately to the de- 

 partmental vn-iters of the " Journal of Horticulture, 

 Cottage Gardener, and Country Gentleman." By so 

 doing they are subjected to unjustifiable trouble and 

 expense. All communications should therefore be ad- 

 <;lressed solely to The Editors of the Journal of Horticul- 

 ture, 4'c., 162, Fleet Street, London, E.G. 

 We cannot reply privately to any communication unless 



under very special circumstances. 

 Names of Plants.— Some of our correspondents are in the 

 habit of sending smaU fragments of plants for us to 

 name. This requires from us such a great expenditui-e 

 of time that we are compelled to say that we cannot 

 attempt to name any plant unless the specimen is per- 

 fect in leaves and flowers. 

 EosE Lbavi s Spotted (/. Price).— If your friend mulches tbe surface of 

 the earth over the roots of the Eoses 2 or 3 inches thicU with half-rotted 

 stable-manure, and Iteeps each tree plentifully watered throughout the 

 Browing season, he will probably prevent much of the apo'.ting, and render 

 the Rose trees more vigorous. You may propagate the Gentianella by 

 division of ihe plants. 



Detikg XERAhTnEiiUM FiowEBs. — JT. B. wishes to he informed as to 

 the best mode of drying these Everlastings. 



Distinction Betweek the Carnation and Picotke (J. A.).—S. Car- 

 nation lias all it« colour radiaiiiig up to the edge of eich petal in unequal 

 stripes from its base. A Picoleo has all its col,«r as a border on Ihe edge 

 of each petal. A fringed edge so far from being a characteristic ol a 

 Picotee is a defect. 



Cabnatios a.vu Picotee Seed (S. D. S.).- Those vho ,ire raisers of 

 choice viineties of tliese plants cross-breed, and would not for money part 

 with any of the seed so rai.ed. All that you can do is to buy ol the beso 

 floristf, and pay for seeds raised from the best flowers, and be satisfied with 

 the chance of acquiring good seedlings. When jou have obtained any you 

 must cross-breed with old varieties, or others which may impart desired 

 qualities probably to the progeny. 



Celket &c. (A StiUcriber).—n\m\m urine wai used in out-door forcing 

 of Celery, as mentioned in No. 122. Pelarsoniu,a cuttings may be strucli 

 in the mode mentioned at page 82. 



Removino an Evkeqree» Oak ( Tf. R. 7.).-The answer we gave last 

 week: relative to the Holly is equully applicable to the tvergieen Oak. We 

 should incline to move it in October during moist weather, preserving a 

 good ball of earth about the root^ securing it effectually troiu being wind- 

 waved, giving abundance of water, aud mulchmg over the surlace above 

 the roots. 



MiEDEWED GuAPEs (ff. N: S.).-They are indeed fearfully inildewed ; 

 but we have seen Grapes quite as severely aliected cured by flowers of 

 au.phur. The siilphui was in a bowl, and this was held up so that each 

 bunch could be .smothered in the sulphur. It w;,s left on for a week or two, 

 and then washed off with the syringe. You will see a eoi.,mun.cat.on i 

 our pages to-day upon the use of sulphured water. Try that befuro using 

 the flowers of sulphur. 



Vaeiol's [M ,4.).— We know of no method, except pickling Cucumbers 

 less or more. We have used salting and keeping in close boltles, but Willi 

 no happy result. The subject is ol considerable importance, i.l.iny vege- 

 tables, " Beans, may be preserved in brine, and the flavour restored by 

 soaking in water belore using them, and we have partaken ulvioney Beans 

 at Christmas so treated in August; but, though very l-ir. Hej ,w°;^W f'" 

 do lor epicures who wanted them Iresh gathered Ihe 1 call N'^'"r- 

 tium is all right-it is a line creamy yellow. The Iropxolums are olten 

 u. c"r ain The best time to repot them is just when a tiny shoot begins to 

 emerge irom the tuber. They very often do so "'■ 'i'/ln 'wL^r Z' S 

 then is the best time to repot them. They fc'to"' last m winter and will 

 bloom early in spring and summer. Peat and loam and a Uttle old cow- 

 dung suit them be,3t. . 



Training Peaches on Du Beeoil's Plan (C. S.) .-Your success in the 

 proposed plan will consist entirely on close-stopping the top, and regu at.ng 

 ihe loots so as to have each tree, (ro.ii top to ooitaui, a wreath or cluster 

 of buds Unless you can give that aiteniion we would advise planting 

 few trees, and in tne usual way. 



SowiNO Pleroma elegans Seed (c/'7/>!r>7.).-The best time would be the 

 beghining of March, as then the seedungs would be esiabhshed before 

 w nte? We would tise a middle-si.ed pot hall rilled wuh drainage the 

 rest sandy peat flue at top, mixed with sand, boak well, allow- to dram, . 

 sow cover s'ightly plunge the pot in a mild hotoed, cover with a glass, 

 rnd'sCde befoTthe'Sngs Z-.. Then give more au: and lull light by 

 degrees. 



Grapes Spotted IT. B. £.).— You should have sent a berry or two, as 

 we are uncertamo the appearance. It may for aught we know bo the 

 rppelrance left from syringing with water not qui.e clear and pure or 

 which mav cuntain a little chalk in solution ; or it may be the edects ot 

 scorching from deheient ventilation. In the hot days we have had lately, 

 if vou cLnot give air at top, however little, by hve in the morning, you 



Slitid^^;^n<riida i^^s^arii-ri^^iii'iiK 



ESsl^~etr^S^^H?S!tH 



more The account of the gradual colouring is all ugnt. " " ", . V ^ 



?r f wo nrecedcs the others in blackness, there is more Ukehhood ot hue 



, ?Jl .h,n if all beein to change at once. The description ol your 



spot Ind shank Irom hunger, especially when the crop was large 



Prfsehving Garden Nettino (C s;i«r/).-We know of no better pre- 

 scivative than having it tanned, Moring it away quite dry, and ■" » ve y 

 scivative man uayi 5 ..,,„,,„(, Tuvine " you in-iuire auout is usually 



citratus. 



CoTTt^o DOWN Zonale Geranium in ^O" (^-JJ^'^i'.'.thTiS'out 



L IS ttliloni thej- can 



in be cut down iiow> 



, whL-ii itn;y nv.x7 be 



vanetiea 



ting the 



plant to make new shoots. ,r^rtvuri^\ — 



Cbrvsanthemcms and CAMEEEtAS to Eeoom in December (^.rf,„^^^ 



Let the Chrysanthemums stand out ol door» "» f ^ "» ' ,^„,(,er uule.-s the 

 Them ; but the Camellias ought to ^^ housed early in hepteniber^^ ^^^ 



buds be very forward, as ""ything depends on tuelo.wa. a 

 in. We have seen a Camellia m ttowcr in he ^^;t «'^^ '°^,^ IJ^ ^^^^, 

 kept warm until that time ; »liile, on the f'"^f%\ ,„ May cannot, 

 kept back until the May following ; but a plan Howeiig j^^^^^ 



ofcouise, flower iu July the same year. H..l)its ot eaiij uo 

 are acauired by the usage of a year or two. , ■ ,v„ 



THE potted Tree in verse is not suited to our pages, and we advise the 

 ^-'^^J°sZllu1^r^'.\j:T{.-V,-. have made a.rangements for stating 



""naVTof Grass (£ T 4.).-It is not a Grass, but one of the Spergulas. 

 W^eailot decide wSchspUies ,t is unless we see the flowers. 



