September 29. 1S63, ] JOUENAI, OF HOETICULTITRE AND COTTAGK GAEDENEB. 



259 



Pkunino Scarlet Gekanicms ((?.).-No rule should be driven too hard. 

 In prunlDK Scarlet Geraniums freely you get n.ore healthy robust plants, 

 and can keep them for many years, if so disposed, m the same sized pots 

 By adopting the Harry Moore stjle the plants are kep m the same pots or 

 boxes Ally extra strong shoot is pinched, to make all regular ; but after 

 sfewyeaV" Utile of this'will be required, as there «iU be comparatxve y 

 little erowth. Dryness in the end of autumn will cause the leaves to fall, 

 and after that the soil should be dryish, not dust dry. In spnnK most 

 likely a few twigs that seem sickly wUl want removing, and very likelj 

 the point of a shoot if not well ripened Such plants are best kept like a 

 faffeot in winter, but free from frost. There is so little growth that theie 

 Is little chance of let'giness. When the buds break a little water is given, 

 and most likely a little rich surfacing. The plants will not only bloom early 

 but continuously all the summer ; but, as a rule, the inuividual trusses of 

 bloom will be smaller than on plants cut back, repotted, &c. We lately saw, 

 at Putteridge Bury, four masave plants of Tom Thumb, in the centre of 

 beds, covered with bloom from top to bottom- the only plants m the 

 flower garden plunged in pots, and they had been m the same pots sixteen 

 years and were treated as above stated. 



Protecting Grf.enhocse Floor from Drip (Jd«m).— We should prefer 

 the edgins of zinu with the pipe for the stage, and cannot understand about 

 the pipe throwing its heat up to the centre of the house. The stages might 

 also be rendered watertight by pitch, as practised at Mr. Bewley s near 

 Dublin. A few ornamental stages so done might be placed in the house, 

 with a drain-pipe in tlie centre, and when defirable that could be taken by 

 a pipe to a pail underneath. Wc once had vases to fill with flowers and 

 keep healthy, but no water must be seen on the floor. We had wood 

 nedestals made, painted and sanded to resemble part of the large vase, and 

 in these we placed zinc troughs, which we emptied before they were full. 

 The plan you propose would be the best in your circumstances, il you dis- 

 like the look of the saucers. Prune the side shoots of the Solanum jasmin- 

 oides to two buds. 



Terrace Beds at Crvstal Palace (iVoro).— About the long line of 

 beds on the terrace you have made a mistake. The centi-e of the long tieds 

 is planted with Geranium Crystal Palace Scarlet, on each side Geranium 

 Christina (pink), with an edging of Verbena Purple King, llie circular 

 beds between are planted with Calceolaria Aurea floribunda, edged with 

 Geranium Flower of the Day. 



Lobelia speciosa not Prospering (C. P.).— Yours is not a solitary case, 

 as we have seen more than one other of a similar kind. Usually Lobelia 

 iikea more moisture than we had the last July ; but as this cannot always 

 be accorded, we would advise you next season to try seedling plants. Ihoy 

 thrive better than those from cuttings, though they arc not alway.s so good 

 a blue nor so upright in habit. The Lobelia does not furnish much foliage 

 at any time duiing the summer, and when the plants are not healthy it is 

 all flower-stem, so that many growers are obliged to cut down a plant m 

 August to encourage a growth of shoots for cuttings. 



Orcb-ard of Dwarf Apples (Tr. E. /.).— It your trees show undue 

 luxuriance two or three years afier planting, then take them up and re- 

 plant them, but such as incline to bear well will not require this. Ihe 

 distance to plant them will depend on the size jou propose to allow them 

 to grow ; but we should think about 12 feet from tree to tree will allow 

 tbe'm to be trained bush fashion. If for pyramidal standards they may tie 

 a trifle closer, but we should not expect more fruit by bemg nearer than 

 12 teet. 



Allium fragrans, Ixias, Scilla, and Sp\raxI3 (Butbifenm^.—AlUam 

 fragrans is a native of the West Indies. Plant it in a pot of light rich soil 

 now, and keep it in a warm greenhouse. Ixias and Sparaxis are in many 

 cases deserving of pots, but we have known them also do well out ot doors. 

 They are somewhat of the same hubit as Tritonia— a sort of p.scudo-bulti. 

 We should think tliev would do in the midland counties if planted in dry 

 ground, and slightly 'protected if very severe weather occurred, frcillas are 

 hardy, but are nevertheless favourite potted plants, especially S. prsecox, 

 S. amojna, and others, which force well and form lovely objects early m 

 spring. In this respect they rtiifer widely from the Ixia and Sparaxis, which 

 only flower in summer, and often rather late in that season. AH the 

 Crocuses are hardy. 



Filbert Trees 20 Feet High (JiZSerd/m).— We fear your Filbert trees 

 that have been allowed to grow mipruned until they have attained the 

 height vou mention are useless, for to cut them down to ihe ground would 

 only be"to obtain a crop of rods better suited for cask hoops than for making 

 a good bearing plant. We should uproot the trees and plant others, not 

 on the same ground however, and at an early period in the coming winter. 

 You will see some notes in our pages on the pruning they require. No 

 plant that we know, not even the Vine, requires more judicious pruning 

 than the Filbert. . .,, , 



Various (A Constant Reader, XiM6«H).-Skimmia japonica will stand sun 

 as well as a Camellia. If the leaves are dry the sun's rays will not blotch 

 the leaves. It does well in a pot, kept in a cold pit or cool greenhouse. 

 Daphne cneorum does well in a pot. Both this and Skimmia japonica do 

 moderately in towns, and thev bear wind well, as all plants of low growth 

 do. Variegated Holly will grow almost anywhere, and in anything. ^ uccas 

 require to be strong and a moderate age before they flower. We do not 

 know what size the pot Lapageria rosea was shown in ; but we have seen 

 very fine plants on an umbrella trellis in IS-inch pots. 



Stopping Pipe-joists— Pipes Required [A Regular Suhseriter).—ll!im 

 some hemp or tow, with or without red lead, to the socket of your joint, ]UBt 

 to make a rest there. Make some Portland cement into a thick paste, till the 

 joint thoroughly with if, and, as soon asitshows signs of setting, smooth the 

 joint, all round with a putty knife, and go on with the next— or, rather, go 

 on with that whilst the nrst is hrming a little. To commence in March 

 you would need at least 54 feet of four-inch piping. To do so from 

 December to January you would need nearly double-fully from , to SU leet. 

 If you can start the Vine in the pot early, and plant when the ground is 

 •warm, so as to give no check, vou gain time, but at the expense of inuch 

 additional care and labour. If by spreadmg out the roots in a cold sou, or 

 any other carelessness you check the Vine, you will lose more than you gam. 

 Six Fucasus (Z)onfffi7/).— Smith's :-San8pareil, Conspicua (white 

 corollas). Mammoth, Hercules (double); Banks': -Minnie Banks, Mars, or 

 Madlle Trebelli. Aznlras.—liioolov, Perfection, i-toile do Oand, nag ot 

 TruocDistinction, Sir H. Havelock. If address is sent a correspondent 

 says that, for the sake of the old country, he would send a few cuttings of 

 Fuchsias. 



Cabbage Aphis (D., N-ewcastle).-\om Cabbages are infested with the 

 Cabbage aphis. Soot water is a drink they do not like and dry soot 

 sprinkled on the leaves and stems whilst wet will make them shift their 

 quarters ; and if the stems be sprinkled with soot P"or to an a tack the^ 

 rarely touch them, for no insects Idte the presence of soot. " '^^I'y ^ 

 marvellous to see how plentiful insect plagues are becoming, and yet people 

 advocate the destruction of small birds, insects' natural enemies. We 

 rarely are troubled with any insects, but we shelter birds. 



OvER-viGORors Pear Tree (7rf<!m).-Dig out a trench half the height 

 of the tree from the stem, and cut all roots that you hnd within 3 feet 

 fom the surface. Thin out the branches to a clear foot distance between 

 each cutting all foreright shoots close, not leaving so much as an eye , but 

 the short pirs you must not prune at all, nor shorten the extremities o 

 the branches unless the space allolted to them is exhausted. K™»™ =-11 

 strong-growing shoots the season following by disbudding, and use the 

 knife but sparingly. 



Killing Worms in a Tan-pit {George S!m).-Be cautious about using 

 salt to kill worms in a tan-pit in which Ferns are plunged. The least touch 

 of sal? IS fat'l to most plains of. the Fern tribe, -^f J- >' ^^j^^'^^^^^V^f 

 fronds that are in contact with it. As the pots as well as the tan are lull ot 

 worms you must drive them out of the whole. Take a hogshead, say 

 holding sixty ?anons, and in this put 28 lbs. of fiesh-l.urned lime, P'^ur sixty 

 ga Ions of watir upoA it, and let it stand forty-eight hours. Having stopped 

 UD the holes in the pots deluge them with the clear lime water for a couple 

 otCurf The worms will couie to the surface-we need not say "Catch 'era 

 and kill 'em." Water the tan with the lime water, and clear the worms 

 awav s tb"; appear. Then sprinkle some ammoniacal liquor from the 

 gas-works on the tan, or a thick sprinkling of salt will answer the 

 same Durpose You may then cover the surface with ashes, and if you put 

 n"u pebMes 3 inches thick over the ashes the appearance will be improved 

 and the drainage kept open. Gleichenlas need no syrmgiug if the atmo- 

 sphere be kept moist ; but a gentle sprinkling retresbes them in hot dry 

 weather. , ^ 



Tank-heating Cucumber-pits (J. HHl).-Vfe have not a word to say 

 aga^sl tanks of any kind provided they are secure; but you had better 

 hive all tanks or all pipes fur bottom heat, or both pipes and tanks-that 

 is the nines passing thiough the tanks. But now as to the tanks one the 

 e'nethoftbe^house:and2! ieetwide and If, inches deep, would be ample 

 fo? bottom heat If you have two three-inch pipes for top heat-better two 

 four inch Pipes hough. These should be heated independen ly ot each 



S3feis^t£n -^irc£^s!;?:o;i:jSi:i^x^5 

 S^vJ^z^™r^.^s-pi^f^?b"tr^^npr« 



top for sending moisture among the rubble when desuable. 



Vine-border (An Old Sulscribcr].--L<,t there be a thorough drainage, 

 and then form itU a mixture of one half turfy loam ('"P-P't of^^P,^'^i^^|'- 

 one quarter charred rubbish and crushed bones, and one quarter limey 

 rubbish and bricks broken small. 



Naiif of Grape (— ).-The specimen sent is not the Muscat Hamburgh, 

 bu^the \?hite Toka). We have mislaid your letter, and therefore cannot 

 eive your nom dc plume. . 



Name op Sea Animal U Devonshire Eector;.-1he marine animal 

 fonndinvLt numbers on the sands at Northam Buriws near^^def^rd 

 ■3 an Acaleph belonging to the genus ^ eletta, eilhei ^. lunbosa or 

 V. cyanea.— W. . , vt «■ 



Names of PLANTS.-Some of our correspondents are « 'he habjt of 



S'-g^J^S^S^^Km^^S^ve'r^oni^ll-rs yS£ 

 ^^tifius,^^nativ.oft,,eCapeofGooaHope^a^^ 



Marvel of Peru. 



POULTRY, BE E, and HOUSEHOLD CHROMICLE. 



SMALL BIEDS EYED BY A POULTEY 

 KEEPEE. 



for -which they -were sent. 



