134 



JOURNAL OF HOIITICULTTIRE AND COTTAGE GAKDENEE. 



[ August 18, 18S3. 



These and Chemea have done the best with us in pots 

 this season, though there are some Httle trees that are 

 densely loaded— too densely loaded— with Nectarines. If 

 we suspected that the next summer would be as dry as the 

 present we would turn aU these pot plants out, and give 

 there a Httle root-pruning as they needed it. When eon- 

 lined to pots there is a good quantity of water wanted, but 

 when planted out they are comparatively independent in a 

 few weeks of di-y weather. Commenced nipping a second 



time shoots of Apple, Pear, &c. ; and tying up and thinning 

 the truit on dwarf Pear trees, as the weight is bringim^ the 

 branches to the ground as if these were unable to sustain it. 



4--,'? tu ^'^^^ ^'^ ripening Gooseberries too fast, though 



stOi they are very good, and we trust those on the north 

 aspect will remain so for a long time. Gathered MoreUo 

 Cherries for brandy ; netted others, or there woiUd be none 

 tor tarts, &c. Fastened-in Figs closely out of doors, and 

 removed or shortened a few leaves, in order that the fruit 

 though somewhat shaded, should at the same time have a 

 &u- amount of sunlight, and thus gain flavour as well as size. 

 Have had some good fruit from pots in orchard -house, and 

 these with those out of doors generaUy make up the gap 

 between the first and second crop in the Pig-house. Have 

 next to lost a splendid Elton Cheny tree that generally 

 yielded us a dish of fi-uit every day for six or seven weeks, 

 ihe tree is old, and we watered as much as we could to 

 help to save it; but some large limbs have gone, and we 

 fea,r aU are gomg. A young tree of the Florence seems also 

 gomg and we believe entii-ely from diyness at the roots, 

 bmgularly enough, notwithstaniling the dryness of the season 

 and the heat combmed. we have as yet been little troubled 

 with wasps. But of aU sorts of flies, moths especiaUy, in 

 theevenmg, and the myriads of butterflies in a warm sunny 

 day, we never recollect seeing anything like so many. We 

 suspect that the latter will leave theii- marks on the whole 

 Cabbage tribe m the shape of numberless caterpillars. We 

 notice that already some Brussels Sprouts are pretty well 

 holed with them. Picking them otf and syringing with 

 cleai- bme water ai-e the best remedies. The wasps and flies 

 have done httle injury to the fruit as yet, but it is best not 

 to boast too much before we are out of the wood. 



OKNAMENTAL DEPARTMENT. 



Very much the same as last week. Fretting a Uttle at 

 the continued cb-yness, as every plant and bed is far too dry 

 for healthy action. However, it is of no use grumbling. 

 If It were only the present we would not grumble about it, 

 as perhaps flower gardens never looked better. Our Scarlet 

 Geraniums are m fii-st-rate condition, and Calceolarias, 

 &c., ai-e as yet fine, though we have some doubts as to 

 their continuance. Much labour has been bestowed on 

 them last we^ek, so that no earth, dii-ty leaves, dii-ty foUage, 

 &c.. ahoidd be seen ; and, at last, we suppose we must 

 join with Hundreds in saying the many beds as a whole 

 never looked better. At a future time we may mention 

 those combmations of beds that seemed to give the greatest 

 amount of pleasure to the largest numbers, if we may 

 judge from the use of note-books ; but for some time we 

 will be too busy to go very much into detail. Meanwhile 

 we may say that we have seen no class better pleased, nor 

 one Irom whose taste we have received more help in the 

 way oi combimng, contrasting, shading, &c., than those who 

 have studied colours and their an-angements as drapers 

 or assistants m their estabUshments. We once had a some- 

 what sneenng letter sent us because we had recommended 

 those who had a chance to study the ai-rangement of drapers' 

 windows m London and other large towns. It is good to 

 pick up fresh Ideas from this source, and after all the 

 sneermg and merriment we consider that much may be 

 ^Z^ f''. Y,''^ of arrangement from these windows. 

 A manufacturer the other day, who had once been a draper, 

 on admii-mg some beds and the arrangement of colour, 

 exclaimed-" Why, even a draper of first-rate taste could 

 not have done it better ! " Of course we took it, as it was 

 Eenously meant, to be a veiy high compliment; and we 

 mentjon it that our young men may not fear about taking 

 -a. stare at a draper's window. We are sure, if we had the 

 opp.ortumty of doing so more and reasoning on what we 



In '!;.«'''' "'°'^<J,>^^ ™«i''' beauty, taste, fulness and variety 

 an OUT flower gardens. — E. F. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



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

 partmental writers of tlie " Joiu-nid of Horticulture, 

 Cottage Gai-dener, and Country Gentleman." By so 

 doing they are subjected to unjustifiable trouble and 

 expense. All communications should therefore be ad- 

 dressed solely to The Editors of the Journal of Horticul- 

 ture, Sfc, 162, Fleet Street, London, E.G. 



We also request that correspondents will not mix up on the 

 same sheet questions relating to Gardening and those 

 on Poultry and Bee subjects, if they expect to get them 

 answered promptly and conveniently, but WTite them 

 on separate communications. Also never to send more 

 than two or three questions at once. 



We cannot reply privately to any communication unless 

 under very special cu-cumstances. 



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

 habit of sending small fragments of plants for us to 

 name. This requires from us such a great expenditure 

 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 fiowers. 



POLYSTICHUM AND DAVALLIA LoSINO THEIR FrONDS (£.£.).— We httVC 



esperienced Ibe loss of the fronds of Polysticnum cinaceum, Darallia 

 cananensis, D. bullata, D. dissetta, Polypodium appendiculatuni, and were 

 at a loss to account for it. We tried ail sorts of .-chcmes, but witbout any 

 apparent remedy for tUe evil having been obtained. Our plants are in a 

 cool greenliouse. planted out as in jour case, and by c imparinn 'be growths 

 01 the lipecies above named in a stove fernery adjoining, we came to these 

 conclusious :— That tbey require less shading than most I'erns, that moistuie 

 or Oew on the Ironds caused them to turn blacli and die-off, and that they 

 would stand more drought without tl igging that any Fern we had, and we 

 had between five and six hundred species. Wo removed the stagnant 

 moist atmosphere by giving air in the place where the plants were growing, 

 and kept the fronds less shaded than beiore, and our pliotssoon commenced 

 to thrive. This year they were doing the same until we resorted to the 

 means named above, and we are hippy to say they are now flourishing. 

 Polystiehum cunaceum and DavaUia bullata, at the bes , seldom succeed 

 in a cool greenhouse ; though they do well in a winter minimu.u of 45°, yet 

 in one olten nearly at freezing tbey remain too long inactive, and have not 

 time to make their growths during the ohort suniiuer of a cool greenhouse 

 fernery. Tbey should be planted in tne w.uraest and driest part of the 

 ferneiv, and every availaoie means taken to prevent stagnant air surround- 

 ing the plants and dew lodging on the fronds. We have wondered too 

 that Lygudlum scandens is not more generaUy cultivased ; but many have 

 never had L. scandens true, which is a rapiu grower, and will soon cover 

 a trellis. We have had it on a rafter nearly 20 feet long in one season. 

 L. palmatum is often confounded with L. scandens, the lormer of which, 

 although very handsome, is rarely seen above (i leet In helahL All the 

 Lygodlums are as elegant as Gleichenias, and form beautilul objects oa 

 pillars. Ac. In lacr, witbout Lygodlums c imoing up pilUrs, Stei.ochlaenaa 

 running on walls, and Mosses growing; out ot cracks and crevices every- 

 whei e, a fernery is robbed of some ot its finest ornaments.— G. A. 



Amaryllis BELLADO.-rNA Coltuhe (IK fT.).— Instead of plunging yonr 

 plants out-doors under a south wall, we would place them under glass In 

 the lull influence of the sun to complete their growth, and then gradually 

 reduce the amount of water at the root, and let the-ii have a seasjn of rest 

 by keeping them dry and cool. After that, by iutroduciug into a higher 

 temperature, you Will be likely to matte ihem flower. Avoid any excess of 

 water at the roots at any time ; and let them have the full blaze of the 

 sun when making their fresh leaves. Under such treatment they should 

 flower with certainty. 



Underground Grubs (fefd).— They are the larvoo of the daddy long- 

 legs, Tlpula pratensis or T. quadtifaria. Tbey are called by many local 

 names, such as " terry trumps" near CbeUenhaui, but gardeners usually 

 name them "surface grubs" and " leathei-jackets." Nitrate of soda 

 (cubic petre) is said to kill them, and lime certainty will ; but we examine 

 the soil round the stem of a Cabbage or Lettuce the bark from the stem of 

 which they have eaten, kill the grubs, and inseii another plant. 



Strawberries {E. jP.).— No variety of Strawberry will be either fine or 

 productive on "a light gravelly soli," unhssvery great care is taken to 

 mulch the surface throughout the spring and summer, and to have them 

 well supplied with water. We should plant Keens' Seedling and Black 

 Prince. 



Book abodt Motus (.4 Constajit 5wft*cre&crj.— Westwood & Humphrey's 

 " British Moths." 



Book on Insects [O. CooAe).— Kirby & Spence's "Introduction to 

 Entomology." An edition in one volume was puulishcd not long since. 



Various [A Subscriber). — 1, wo prefer tbiiintng Gtapeswhen they are 

 about the size of a No. 4 shot ; but the tbtnning u.^ually requires repeating. 

 2, Give a Brugmansta required to flower in Juty a lar^e shift early, harden 

 it off, plant in rich soil during the middle ol June, give plenty of water, 

 and it will bloom until trust injures it. Of course, the same treatment in- 

 doors will do. We have Bru^^mansias in hous. s dt use masses from May to 

 November. Of course, out of doors it will cause Uss trouble. 3, .\zaleaa 

 sliuuld seldom be pruned back to the old wood, though it la often done suc- 

 cesslully. Grafting and inarching are best done with young plants. 4, In 

 sytln>jing, chilled water is best so long as the plar.ts are in a hothouse. 

 6, such lists as you mention have been often published in tnese pages. 

 When we repeat them often readers justly complain that they occupy space 

 that might be flllcd with new information. 



Book on Vine-culture (R. ii.).— There Is one by Mr. Thomson besides 

 that ot Mr. Sanders, and they are each ot the same price. Mills "On the 

 Pine Apple" wo lid suit you, but we are not sure about the prioo; it u 

 not more than 3^, 



