50 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AIsD COTTAGE GAKDENEE. 



[ Jnly 18, 1867. 



we mnst come to the condnsion that the sloping stages in our 

 plant-houses, as well as sloping banks in our gardens, are, as 

 respects giving good healthy room to more small plants, all a 

 mistake and a waste of means. 



FEUIT GAKDEV. 



Much the same as last week. Pruning, thinning, watering, 

 and syringing, and protecting from robbers of aU kinds. 



ORNAMEKTAL DEPARTMENT. 



We trust the lawns are now secured from getting parched 

 this season, and but for some Plantains on newly-laid turf, would 

 look beautiful. Most of the beds have been finally made up, 

 edgings regulated, and if let alone, will be showy, and are 

 already pretty well, though not quite full of bloom yet. We 

 were glad to keep our plants in safety until the frosts of 

 May were gone. There has been an extra demand for bedding 

 plants this season, owing to so many having been lost that were 

 early planted. We think it safest, in general, to wait until 

 towards the last week in May. 



Much time has been taken up in potting Pelargoniums, Bal- 

 sams, Caladiums, Ferns, Gesneras, &c., but instead of insisting 

 on such matters, there are some things wo would wish to bring 

 to the consideration of our amateur readers, as respects their 

 beddivff plants. 



First. Let them recollect that the interest in their beds will 

 greatly depend on their always appearing in health, and not a 

 decayed leaf or floret to be seen. And a great attraction in a 

 bed, so long as a bit of earth is to be seen, is to have the sur- 

 face clean and stirred, instead of hard or baked, and cracking; 

 of course, a weed is out of the question. One such nice bed 

 will yield more pleasure than a dozen showing the signs of 

 tawdriness and neglect. 



Secondly. As soon as the plants are well established, we 

 would recommend cutthiffs to be taken off early. Yerbenas are 

 apt to have the thrips if taken off late. The side shoots of 

 Scarlet Pelargoniums will be the best. As giving least trouble 

 we advise all cuttings, if possible, to be put into pots or boxes, 

 as they can be so easily moved in changes of weather. Ver- 

 benas, and things of that kind, to go under glass. Pelargoniums, 

 &c., will do in the open air. If planted out in a border, they 

 must be lifted and potted. For general things, the pots should 

 be filled half full with drainage, then sandy loam, and a dash 

 of sand on the surface. 



Thirdly. Many are troubled as to getting suitable soil for 

 such purposes. We will indicate a few sources whence good 

 soil can be obtained for all such purposes. Have you a kitchen 

 garden with soil ridged up in winter ? then take some barrow- 

 loads carefully from the surface when dry in spring, and keep 

 under cover. Do the same from ridges of ploughed land if 

 come-at-able, skimming the surface very thinly. If neither 

 of these is accessible, remove the turf from the" sides of some 

 highway, and get the soil immediately beneath it, which will 

 consist chiefly of the soil of the district mixed with ground 

 stones. These with good s<md will answer for propagating 

 all such things, and growing them, too. Sometimes without 

 buying silver sand, it is difficult to obtain good sand free 

 from chemical properties that plants do not like. There is 

 road grit, rough sand washed by rains from the sides of roads, 

 that everything seems to like, and the amateur may easily 

 obtain a little of it. If he wants to have it very nice, let such 

 sand be washed several limes in a tub or pail, pouring the 

 water off repeatedly, which will take away aU the earthy matter. 

 Then turn out the sand to dry, and if it is wished to be very 

 particular, pass it then through a fine sieve, which will leave 

 out a good many little stones about the size of peas, and less 

 and larger. The fine sand will be about as good as the finest 

 silver sand, and the rough bits kept in by the fine sieve, \7ill be 

 valuable above the crocks as drainage, and also for mixing with 

 the soil. Such sand in the rough state will do admirably for 

 mixing with the earth referred to, and the finest sifted care- 

 fully kept will do admirably for placing on the surface of pots 

 and boxes. These means resorted to, there are few districts 

 where the amateur may not make himself independent of the 

 necessity of sending to distances fcf soils, sauds, &c., and 

 there is a pleasure in being able to make all such composts 

 without sending and paying for them, and, what is often worse, 

 waiting for them until the best time is lost. — E. F. 



from the heavy splnshinfj rains. Choice nnd good samples of Currants 

 and Geoseberries have consequently met with a better sale. The lirst 

 crop of West Indian Pines has just arrived. 



Apples A sieve 



Apricots doa 



CheiTies lb. 



Chestnuts bush. 



Currants ^ sieve 



Black do. 



Fifls doz. 



Filberts lb. 



Cobs lb. 



Gooseberries ..quart 

 Grapes, Hothouse, .lb. 

 Lemons 100 



.Artichokes each 



Asparafjns bundle 



Beans, Kidney, per 100 



SearletUun.i sieve 



Beet, Red doz. 



Broccoli bundle 



Brng. Sprouts ^ sieve 



Cabbdfre doz. 



Capsicums 100 



Carrots bunch 



Cauliflower doz. 



Celery bundle 



Cucumbers each 



pickling .... doz. 



Endive doz. 



Fennel bunch 



Garlic lb. 



Herbs bunch 



Horseradish .. bundle 



S to 4 



Melons... each 



Nectarines doz. 



Oranges 100 



Peacbes doz. 



Pears (dessert) ,. doz. 



Pine Apples lb. 



j Plnms i sieve 



Quinces doz. 



Raspberrifls lb, 



Strjiwberrios lb. 



Green. 



per lOO 



Leeks bnnch 



LettncB .... per score 

 Musbrooms .... pottle 

 Mustd.& Cresfl, pnnnet 

 Onions, .perdoz.bchs, 



Parsley per sieve 



Parsnips doz. 



Pens per qaart 



Potatoes bushel 



Kidney do. 



New lb. 



Radishes doz. bunches 



Rhubarb bundle 



Savoys doz. 



Sea-kale basket 



Shallots lb. 



Spinach bushel 



Tora.'itoe.'!.. .. per doz. 

 Turnips bunch 



COVENT GARDEN IIARKET.— July 17. 



This week's unsettled weather hns materially aflecled ns here, the 

 fruit arriving in very damp condition, some growers not venturing to 

 pick at all. The Strawberries and Raspberries especicUy have sufi'ered 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



*,* "We request that no ©ne will write privfitely to the depart- 

 mental writers of the "Journal of Horticulture, Cottflgo 

 Gardener, and Country Gentleman." By so doing they 

 are subjected to unjustifiable trouble and expense, AU 

 communications should therefore be addressed Rolehf to 

 The Editors of the Joimial of Horticulture, (C'C, 171, Fleet 

 Street, London, E.C. 

 "We also request that correspondents will not mis up on the 

 Bame sheet questions relating to Gardening and those on 

 Poultry and Bee subjects, if they expect to get them an- 

 swered promptly and conveniently, but write them on 

 separate communications. Also never to send more than 

 two or three questions at once* 

 Dr-^ / SED Medlab Leaves (G. Mois). — They are attacked by a para- 

 sitici' iungus. "VVe would strip off all the affected leaves, even if it de- 

 nuded the tree, and burn them. Paint the branches and trunk also, with 

 a creamy mixture of clay, flowers of sulphur, and water. This is tho 

 only mode of eradicatinf? the fungus, for it \vill ripen and shed its spores, 

 so that the disease will spread further and further. 



Caterpili,ars on Rose Leaves (A. H.).— The snrface of yonr Roso 

 leaves has been partially gnawed off by tbe larvie of a small black-winged 

 saw fly, Selandria lethiops, or an allied species (we cannot determine pre- 

 cisely, as the specimens were smashed in the post transit). Lime water 

 will kiU them, but it would have been better earlier in tho spring to have 

 employed children to look over the Rose trees, and catch the small black 

 flies, and so prevent the deposition of their eggs upon the midribs of the 

 leaves. When full grown the larva) descend into the earth to become 

 pupic— W, 



Sand (Inquirer). — It will do very well for the same purposes as silver 

 sand. 



Plantains on Lawn (T. C).— Mr. Fish in his "Doings of Last Week/j 

 has given details in our previous Number. 



Variegated Bind'^^'eed (W. S.). — We fear that, as in similar instances 

 we. have known, it will not be permanent. It is very like tho Japanese 

 Honeysuckle. 



Making Mushroom-bed in SEPTEBrsER (E. D.). — We are glad that our 

 advice as to tbe Mushroom-bed answered. Wc have no doubt a einiilar 

 bed made in •September would answer equally well, but it would require 

 more protection as tho nights become colder. With very unpropitious 

 material we have scarcely ever been witliout Mushrooms for a number of 

 years, and, therefore, can tell how to make the*most of materials. 



Admitting Front Air to Grapes [Lincoln). — You may admit a very 

 little front air during a hot day, but we would not admit much until the 

 berries begin to colour. Some of our best gardeners give such front air 

 freclr. The rust has nothing to do with your ventilating. Very possibly 

 it is the result of sulphur on the pipes if you have used any. A little fire- 

 and your early air-giving is all right. Leave a little on all night. 



OnNITHOGALUM THVRKOIDES AXBDM AFTER BLOOMING (Thom). — If it iS 



in pots the easiest mantiRcment is to allow the bulbs to ripen by withhold- 

 ing water gradually until tbe foliage decays, then set the pot in a cool,, 

 dry, shady place, and prevent the bulbs getting over-dry until they begin 

 to move, when water must bo given. Avery good plan is to take tbe bulbs 

 up carefully when the leaves are all withered, and place them in a saucer^ 

 and cover them with sand, and set them in[acool dry place. When they 

 begin to shoot pot afresh. We think they are safest thus managed. 



