342 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUKE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ September 26, 1867. 



TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 



"William Paul, ■Waltliam Cross, London, '^.—Bose Catalorjite 

 1867-68. 



Butler, McCulIoch, A; Co., Covent Garden Market, London, 

 W,C. — AuUunn Catalogue of Dutch and Cape Bulbs^ Flower, 

 VegptahU'y and Agricultural Seeds, t(c. 



Hooper & Co., Central Avenue, Covent Garden Market, 

 London, W.C. — General Catalogue of Dutch, Cape, and other 

 Flovering JUilbs, Flon-er and Kitchen Garden Seeds, &c. 



W. RoIIisson & S'^ns, Tooting, London, S. — Catalogue of 

 fiulbsy JZos'.'s, Grape Vines, Japanese PhmL^, d'c. 



E. G. Henderson, 'Wellington Road, St. John's Wood, Lon- 

 don, N.W. — Catalogue of Bulbs, Roses, Fruits, d-c. 



G. Brnnning, St. Kilda, Melbourne, Australia. — Catalopue of 

 Ornamental Trees, Shrubs, Fntit Trees, d-c. — Catalogue of Hoses. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



*•• We request that no one will write privately to the depart- 

 mental v/riters of the "Journal of Horticulture. Cottage 

 Gardener, and Country Gentleman." By bo doing they 

 are subjected to unjustifiable trouble and expense. All 

 communications should therefore be addressed solely to 

 The Editors of the Journal of Horticulture, dc, 171, Fleet 

 Street, London, E.C, 



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 an- 

 swered promptly and conveniently, but write them on 

 separate communications. Also never to send more than 

 two or three questions at once. 



N.B. — Many questions must remain unanswered until next 

 week. 



Books (T. T.).— No supplement has been published to the "Cottaffe 

 Gardeners' Dictionary.'' 



GARDENEna' Examinations (A Younrj Gardener). —Yon will find the in- 

 formation you require in our No. 304, page 6ri, January ^4th, 1867. 



Htbridisino Pelargoniums lIi}noramus).~ln the " Cottage Gardeners' 

 Dictionary." direcMons for raising plants from seed, the terms form, 

 substance, size, and colour, relate to the blosaom only. 



Vine Culture rNDEn Glass (BlacJ:rock).~Yon have not sent you'' 

 name or address I 



Measuring Land (S. J. T. 3/.).-Loudon's *' Self Instruction " will give 

 you the information you need. 



D^*f^ 1T^^'' P^"P (/'l^- ^■)--Yon had better write to the Editor of the 

 Pall Mall Gazette. We cannot furnish the information you need. 



Planting a Vinery (B. W. S.).~We are aony we missed yonr question. 

 We would plant the Vines now, but if the roots are out of doors, we 

 would protect the borders in winter with htter and glass or shutters, to 

 exclude rain. Muscats will do very weU along with Lady Do^-ne's, and 

 Barharossa. 



Green Gage Plum Tree Unfruitful (7?. O.).— Your Green Gage 

 would, no doubt, be very much improved by taking it up, bringing the 

 roots nearer the surface, and giving it a little fresh soil to grow in. The 

 Dresent is a good time to do it. First unnail the tree from the wnll, only 

 leaving a few of the principal branches secured to the waU to prevent 

 them from being broken. Dig a trench all round the tree 2 feet deep, or 

 aa deep as the roots, and about 6 feet from the stem ; then with a fork 

 work the Boil carefully away from the roots, always drawing the fork 

 towards the outside of the trench. When the soil has been taken away 

 to within a foot or so of the stem, the whole may be carefully hfted up. 

 If the tree is a heavy one it must be lifted bv means of a lever. This 

 should be done gradually, and as the tree is raised soil should be placed 

 beneath it. In raising the tree see that the branches that are left fastened 

 to the wall are fiuffenng no injury. As soon as the tree has been raised 

 %o the desired height, spread the roots carefully out. sprinkle some fine eoil 

 la amongst them, and frequently shake them with a small pointed stick so 

 that the soil may become settled about them, taking care to keep the 

 points of the roots the lowest. As soon as all the roots have been properly 

 covered with b oil give the tree a good soalung of water, then add more 

 soil, and finish the operation with a thick mulching of rotten manure. 

 If the weather remains dry syringe the tree two or three times daily. 

 Jho roots ^.'lU at once commence work, and the crop next year will not 

 be injured if the operation is performed with care. 



pROPAGATrNG ViOLA coBNUTA (/dcm).— Take the cuttings off and strike 

 them, the old plants may remain in the bed, or they may be removed to 

 another place and planted. If they have a spiinkUng of cocoa-nut refuse 

 placed over them they will soon push up numbers of young shoots, which 

 will at once root very freely into the refuse. These may then be taken 

 off and planted, and if a little more refuse be put on the bed soon another 

 batch of good plants may be obtained. 



Lobelia Pcsni.A elegans (C. If'.).— Apply to Messrs. E. G. Henderson 

 and Co., Wellington Nurseries, St. John's Wood, London. 



Grapes not Colouring (W. Kay).— Wo think the neglect of the pre- 

 vious season, and the very heavy crop, are the cause of the Grapes not 

 colouring. If the bouse is wide. 4 feet of a border will scarcely be enough 

 without heavy rich top-dreeslnga. but if you can lot the Vine roots run 

 mto an outsule border, we would do so. The outside border must be 

 lower than the inside one. Tbe plants in the other house planted outside 

 are most likely suffering from an over-crop. Try fewer next season. 

 Their being so fruitful leads us to conclude that the roots are healthy, 

 nut U roots are deep it is much against the fi-tiit colouring. 



Glazed Lf.an-to over Peaches (H. Foy). — Your plan will answer very 

 well, and with your trees on the back wall, you can have pyramids either 

 in pots or planted-out in front. If commencing, we would put the latter 

 in pots first. We do not see the use of the three wooden ventilators, 

 tliough they may be desirable. One at top and bottom, 10 or V2 inches 

 wide, would do. However, have tho one in the middle if so disposed, it 

 is well to have enough. 



Grapes Diseased (J. D.). — They are very severely "shanked" — that 

 is. the footstalk of each berry is ulcerated and decayed, so that the 

 passage cf sap is entirely stopped. This malady is usually caused by the 

 roots of the Vine being in a cold ungenial soil, while the branches are in 

 a hot moist atmosphere. Warmth to the roots and free ventilation in 

 such cases prevent the occurrence of the disease. 



Zonal Pelargoniums (J. Watson).— It you like to challenge other 

 growers of these beautiful plants to compete with your own. we will 

 readily insert your challenge; but upon reconsideration you will think 

 we are right in decliniug to insert either what the commercial traveller 

 said, or any attacks upon the Judges. 



Nectarines Shri\'eli.ing (J. S. D i.— The Nectarine from its smooth 

 skin is much more liable to suffer from sudden changen, excessive sun 

 heat, and defcciive ventilation, than the Peach. We had a few fruit in 

 an orchard-house that showed such symptoms as you describe ; but as wa 

 could not conveniently give more ventilation, we sputtered the glass with 

 whitened water, and that arrested the evil. In such sudden changes as 

 we have hnd this season, from dull weather to the brightest sunshine, 

 the powerful sun tricvl the trees much, and a littlo shade was very bene- 

 ficial Wefeel confident that in yonr case more ventilation, a little shade, 

 and ft mere sprinkling of the floor and paths during the hottest part of 

 tbe day, will rid you of the disappointment, 



Muscat Grapes Shanking (7?. H. T ). — The answer we have given to 

 another correspondent will apply exactly to your case. You will do well 

 to lift the Vine roots ns you propose, if they have sunk too deeply into 

 the border. Then mulch over tho surface of tbe border and cover with 

 tarpaulin, and adopt some other mode to keep the roots from being 

 chilled during the whole season of growth. 



Growing Lavender for Distillation (.1/. ^)j(/ioj(w).— Unlike most 

 flowers, those of Lavender yield the most essential oil if gathered when 

 they begin to fall off. Even then the produce is nnt abundant, 10,000 ozs. 

 of flowers only yielding about 120 ozs. of the oil. They should be distilled 

 ns soon as gathered. We have no doubt that a perfume might be obtained 

 by distillation ^rom the leaves of Sweet-scented Verbena (Aloysia citrio- 

 dora) The directions for distilling are lengthy, and are detailed in most 

 cyeloptedias. 



Planting Watercresses (Bofrnor).—V^G have seen a. stream widened 

 so that the water was only 3 or 4 inches deep, and offsets or slips tnken 

 of existing plants, and if long enough tliey were planted with a dibber 

 in the bottom of the stream, the tops being long enough to show above 

 water ; or shorter slips may be laid on tho soil or mud at the bottom of the 

 stream, and a stone placed on them to keep ihem in place till they 

 attach themselves to the ground. In either case it is best to let the tip 

 of the cutting be above water. The plants should be in rows and a foot 

 apart, or less if plenty of cuttings are to be hnd ; they will quickly occupy 

 the space. We do not know of any work on Watercresses. 



Size of Kitchen Garden for Four Persons {M. T. F.).—ll you live 

 near London, or any other large town, we would advise you to buy your 

 Peas, which take up much room, but you ought to plant a few Potatoes 

 for early use only, as their freshness is a recommendation ; but after 

 September you will buy them cheaper. Allowing a fair breadth for Straw- 

 berry-beds and other small fruits, wo should say that about half an acre 

 is not too much, but everything depends on the quaUty of the ground and 

 the quantity of vegetables wanted. 



Fence to Divide Kitchen Garden from Field (/"(r^'m).— We recom- 

 mend 11 continuous iron fence 3 feet 8 inches high, with four flat bars 

 and a round one at top. Such a fence will cost about 3». per yaxd, in- 

 cluding standards a yard apart, and is both good in appearance, durable, 

 and not likely to let the cattle find their way amongst your vegetables. 



Manure for Grass Field {Idem).~li near a town where yoa can 

 obtain manure of all kinds, procure any decomposed substance that is 

 free from stones, for although the latter are nut objectionable in tillage 

 land, they are troublesome on grass If in the country, obtain all the 

 road scrapings you can, or ditch parings, and if these be mixed with 

 lime six months before being used, the compost will be all the better. 



Flower-pots (.1/. J.).— The following are the technical names and their 

 sizes in inches ;— Thimbles and thumbs ; any size under 3 inches diameter 

 at the top. Width of top Depth in Old 



in inches. inches. Ni>me. 



Three-inch pot 3 4 60'8. 



Five-inch 5 5 48'8, 



Six-inch 6 6 32's. 



Eight-inch 8 8 24's. 



Nine-inch 9 9 IH's. 



Eleven-inch 11 10 12'8. 



Twelve-inch 12 11 8'8. 



Thirt'-en-inch IS 12 6'a. 



Fifteen-inch 15 13 4'8. 



Eighteen-inch 18 14 2's, 



Tobacco Powder for Destrcti-ing Woodlice (H. J. R.).—The ground 

 tobacco will destroy all insects if burned, on account of the sulphur it 

 contains, and it will destroy vegetable life also. Yon will see the ground 

 tobacco advertised. 



Assimilation of Fruits ( Lie vi). —Yours is a \-ery curious instance of 

 the stock having so much influence over the scion as to change the fruit 

 of the latter to that of the former. Is there not some mistake? We 

 should like to have more particulars, aud to see specimens of the fruits. 



Double Budding on Manetti Stocks (Idem). — The supposed ad- 

 vantages of double budding are the more profuse flowering, a lessening of 

 vigour, and enhanced size, and colour of bloom. 



Sulphate of Ammonia [T. Y. C). — Sulphate of ammonia maybe 

 diluted with ten times its volume of water, and applied to ground in- 

 tended for vegetables, ur it may be poured between the rows. It will 

 destroy slutfs, but should not for that purpose be diluted with more thau 

 sis limes its volume of water 



