266 



JOUKNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



t Octaber S, 18G7. 



breaknge is due to the tyinj?. You will do well to remove the stakes. The 

 WeepiDg Ash will not break. Wo would cut-in the side-branches of the 

 trees which have had their heads broken oflF, and in spring select one of 

 the strongest shoots, putting a stake to the stem, and to this train the 

 flhoot you propose for a leader. 



LiLirM AUBATCM CuLTCFE iA Cniistant Subscriber). — The culture of 

 this plant is the sauiens that of Lilinm lancifolium. Early nest month 

 yon may repot it, removing all the soil that comes away easily, but on no 

 account remove or injure the fresh healthy roots. If there are any 

 offsets remove them, and pot tliem off singly in 4^-inch pots, or three or 

 more may bo placed in a sevcu-iueh pot. The drainage should be good. 

 Half-fill the pot with a compost of one half turfy loam from rotted tuivea, 

 and the remaining half equal parts of sandy peat and leaf mould, or very 

 old manure. Introduce the bulbs, spreading out the roots, and cuver 

 them and the bulbs to a little more than an inch above the crown. The 

 old decayed stem should be cut duwn to the soil. One bulb should h^vo 

 a seven-inch pot, whilst three bulhs may be placed in a nine-inch, or 

 seven or more may be placed in a 12 or lo-inch pot. Strong bulbs should 

 have more pot-room than weak. Give a good watering, and place the pots 

 in a house or pit from which frost is just excluded. The soil shoiild not 

 be kept nmre than moist over the winter. When the shoots ore growing 

 water should be given, and a light and airy situation in a cool iiouse or 

 pit should be afforded. Tlie pot should be filled to the rim with the same 

 kind of soil as was used for potting, the watering should be liberal, and 

 liquid manure may be given once a-week. The frequent syringing over- 

 bead will also be of advantage. You cannot give the plants too much air, 

 nor keep them too near the glass, only In no case must they be allowed 

 to touch it. After flowering lessen the supply of water, and repot im- 

 mediately the foliage turns yellow. 



BcLB > Idem). — Your enormous bulb from the Cape is probably one of 

 the Brunsvigifts. and from your descriptou, E. Josephiuje, which cannot 

 have too much water in summer, nor be kept too dry in winter, and 

 should at all times be kept near the glass. It should be kept in pots, 

 sniEill for the size of the bulbs, and never repotted until the bulbs split 

 the pots, or the soil ia these has become sodden. It succeeds in a 

 greenhouse. 



Crinum Ccltcre (Idem). ~lf yon were co give your plant an increase 

 of temperature in spring, and keep it well supplied with water, and iu a 

 moist atmosphere, it would, in all probability, grow verv strongly; and by 

 exposing the plant fully to light and air after a good growth has been 

 made, lessening the su'.^ply of water, but not so as to c.iuse the leaves to 

 flag, it would, most probably, attain strength for flowering, which is the 

 main requisite, combined with the well-ripeniug, or perfecting the growth 

 made. During its season of rest you can hardly keep the plant too near 

 the glass, or give it too littlo water, always bearing in mind that it does 

 not lose its foliage, and must not he dried to that extent. We apprehend 

 your plants are the Crinum capensc, which has white sweet-scented 

 flowers- It is ordinarily a greenhouse plant, but it requii'es a warm one 

 to grow it well. It is nearly hardy. 



LiLiUM ACRATCM AND L. GiGANTEUM CcLTrEE (A Constant Ecadcr). 

 — See what is said in answer to another correspondent about Lilium 

 auratnm. L. giganleum you will now repot in a compost of rich turfy 

 loam one-half, sandy peat one-fourth, and one-fourth leaf mould or 

 very rotten manure, adding sand if the soil is deficient in that sub- 

 stance. Keep it rather dry over the winter, but wlieu it begins to grow 

 it should have an abundant supply of water, and, in fact, place the pot in 

 a saucer of water, during the summer, towards the close of which the 

 plant should be fully exposed to light and air. and the supply of water 

 be gradually reduced, and left off altogether by September, so as to in- 

 sure a state of rest and the j-erfection of the growth. During the winter 

 safety from frost is essential, and a light and airy situation indispens- 

 able. The plant may, if it requires it, he potted into a larger pot in 

 February, or early in March, that being its last shift prior to fi.iwering. 

 All oflsets should be removed and potted before they become large. 



VAiLOTA PURPUREA AFTER Flowerixg {W. B. i/.).— You should keep 

 the plant rather dry at tJic root during the winter, in fact, give it no 

 water so long as its foliage remains Iresh, which it will do in a room 

 window for weeks. When it is growing freely, water should be given 

 copiously, and the pot may iie set iu a saucer of watt r. When it has 

 ceased growing lessen the supply of water, and keep the soil no more 

 than moiht whilst the plant is not in active growth. Do not repot it, nor 

 at any time give it a lai-ge pot, as it will flower much better when the 

 roots are confined than when they are allowed much soil. A compost of 

 two-thirds rather strong loam from rotten turves, end one-third leaf 

 mould, with a free admixture of snnd, will grow it well, good drainage 

 being provided. It is increased by offsets, which are produced around the 

 old plant rather plentifully. 



Lomaria gibea Seedling (J.Biu^h). — Loniaria gibba, so far as we know, 

 is not more subject to variation from spores than other kinds of Lomaria 

 and Blechnum. We have not had any instiinc^e of the variation nitmed, 

 but we have seen it frequently in other bi»ecies. and we think that a 

 hybrid has been produced between the Lomirni and Blechnum in your 

 case, but you will best, judge of this youi'self by a comparison of the 

 plants of both species with the seedling. 



Various (A. L. C).— The best and most simple kind of house for 

 Cucumbers in winter, is a low half-span, with a bod in front, having hot- 

 water pipes under, and a pathway at back with two hot-water pipes there 

 and two in front. The best two white bedding plants are Pelargonium 

 Alba floribunda nana, and Pelargonium Purity. Lobelia Snowflake is also 

 good. The best of plants for covering ground between shrubs is Vinca 

 minor and V. major. The best covering for a slope is common Laurel 

 with the shoots pegged down. — G. A. 



Seedling Peach Tree (Hounslow Hfath].~yonT tree being in the 

 open ground, we would remove it immediately the leaves fall and plant 

 against a south wall, or in a pot in an orchard-house, if you have one. 

 You would do well to thin the shoots after the leaves fall, shortening the 

 shoots if necessary to seciure a well-shaped head. 



Aloysia citriodora Leaves Eaten (South Croydon).~The leaves 

 sent us are eaten by some caterpillar, which vou may possibly yet find 

 upon a close examination of the plants after d'ark, the plant being held 

 over a white sheet and shaken. Hand-picking is the only remedy. 



Pruning Vines (J. H. D.\— Your Vines planted two vears ago may, 

 after the leaves have fallen, be cut back to within 3 feet of the bottom of 

 the rafters, and you may take half a dozen bunches of Grapes next year. 

 " The Vine Manual " will suit you. You may have it free by post from 

 our office for thirty-two postage stamps. 



Azalea Leaves Browned ( JJ-m).— The leaves were browned, we 

 think, by syringing overhead, and keepiug them wet and the sun shining 

 upon them in this state has scorched them. Yen say you do not water 

 the plants overhead, but only on the surface of the pot. " The appearance 

 of the leaves, however, does not accord with your statement, and we can 

 only account for the browning otherwise by water standing on them, or 

 from itb being withheld from the roots so as to cause the leaves to flag. 



Hardy Flowering Shrubs (A CheKhire Suh^criber). — Evergreen : 

 Laurustinus, Berberis Darwinii, B. Wallicbiana, and B. aquifoliura, Cis- 

 tus angustifolius, Chamrebatia fohosa, Daphne cneorura, and Raphiolepis 

 ovata. Dfciduojts : Amygdalus persica, double-flowering variety ; Chimo- 

 nanthus fragrans, Cydonia japonica, Cytisus alpinus, Daphne mezereum 

 in variety, Deutzia gracilis, Hibiscus syriacus, Hydrangea japonica, 

 P:eonia Sloutan of varieties, Philadelphiis coronarius, Prunus triloba 

 flore-pleno, P,ibes sanguineum and its varieties album and atro-rubrum. 

 Spiraea ariasfolia, callosa, prunifolia flore-pleno, salicifoUa paniculata 

 alba; Syringa persica and persica alba, S. vulgaris Charles X. and Dr. 

 Lindley, and Weigela rosea. 



Scale on a Pear Tree (A Constant TJearfcri.— The leaves and shoot 

 sent us were infested with the brown scale, and not the mealy bug. Your 

 remedy will be, after the leaves have fallen, to give the tree a few good 

 syriogings with water at a temperature of 140^. The leaves should be 

 cleared away as they fall and burned. After the leaves are all oft' wash 

 or paint every branch and shoot with a composition formed of 1 lb. of 

 ground tobacco, having a gallon of boiling water poured over it, and 

 8 ozs. of soft soap added and dissolved. This applied with a brush, 

 working it well into every hole and crevice, will destroy the pest. The 

 brushing is the most important part of the operation as regards freeing 

 the tree of the insect, but it should be done with care, so as not to dis- 

 place or rub off the buds. Exposing the trees by the removal of the 

 lights during frost, so that the branches may be frozen, will also do much 

 to destroy the scale. The dressing with the composition should be re- 

 peated, if necessary, a little before the swelling of the buds. 



Gas-heating (W. Laufimead), — There are many forms of heiting by 

 gas which will effectually exclude frost. In our tenth volume, New 

 Series, we have pubhshed all the forms with illustrations. 



Crystal Palace (J. 5.).— We do not think there will be anotlier horti- 

 cultural exhibition there this autumn. 



Flower-garden Plan (D. F.). — We have a volume with numerous 

 plans now printing. 



Pigmy Grapes (H. M. S.). — We cannot obtain any more information, 

 and in our last week's Journal Mr. Henderson declines answering m«rc 

 queries. We must wait until he publishes his promised hook. 



Name of Fruit (Tr. B. S.). — Appears to be some seedling Apple not 

 known. 



N.uiEs OF Plants (P. F. L.5 ).--IresineHerbstii. (T. TF.).— 1, Chelone 

 glabra; 2, Sanguisorba media. {It. J. G.). — Pyrus scandica. (G. C). — 

 1. Saxifrage of the cristata group; li, Cuphea platycentra ; 3, Oxalis; 

 4, Epilobinm montanum ; 5, Alonsoa. [A. G .11/.).— Pteris (Litobrochia) 

 incisa. (T. T. M.f. — 1, Datura stramonium; 2, Erica ramentacea ; 3, Myo- 

 sotis caBspitosa; 4, Campanula, sp. yBy/ord). — Littorella lacustris. 

 {Veritas). — 1, Veronica iucana ; 2, Ei-ica ramentacea. iN. d- Wood\. — Tro- 

 pieolum tuberosum. (.4 Young Gardener). — (Bad specimens) 2,Helianthe- 

 mum stramineum ; 4, Blechnum occidentale ; 6, Phyraatodes vulgaris ; 

 7, -Esc^iynanthus. {P. J. iV.).— Echium vulgare. {A Constant Reader).— 

 1, Daphne laureola ; 2, 3, and 4, species of Pinus not determinable without 

 cones; 5, Scolopendrium vulgare. (A Subscriber^ Sandown). — Probably 

 Atbyrium Filix-foemina (no fructification). 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS in the Suburbs of London for the Week ending October 1st. 



