284 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ October 10, 1867. 



Fauir Trees on Wooden Palings (Inquirer).— As your soil is on the 

 gravel, we should think M.-rello Cherriea would do ns well as nnythiup. 

 The best fruit of that kind we ever saw were prown on a soil very full of 

 Stones, at the same time it was deep and henllhy for some distance down. 

 Plums mipht also bo tried, or the intervals between large trees mifj;ht be 

 planted with Red Currants, which, if npainst the north side, may be 

 matted up and keep longer tbnn when grown in the open quarters. If you 

 merely wanted the fence covered with climbers, there are plenty of plants 

 available for the purpose, suchns Ce(inothu8,Cotoneasters,andBanksian 

 Koses, all of which will do well in your dry, gravelly soil. 



Local HoRTicDLTcnAL Shows (S. Alhott).— There (ire between four 

 and five hundred local socii-ties, many holding more than one show 

 annually. If we reported one of the smnller exhibitions we must report 

 all, and no one is interested in them except the prize-takers. 



Vine- PRUNING (A Subscriber, V.). — To give "full instructions for 

 pruning and dressing " the Vine would occupy a small volume. We have 

 published such a volume, entitled " The Vine Manual," and you cr.n 

 have it free by post from our office if you send your address, together 

 with thirty-two postage stamps. 



Allowance of Vegetables {W. D. Paine). — "A gardener allowed 

 •vegetables in addition to his wnges." The above agreement, without 

 any special stipulation cither way, would, if construed strictly, iucluue 

 Potatoes, the family supply for the winter being giown in the garden 

 under the gardener's care ; but if a plot only sufficient for producing the 

 family supply is giown, tho gardener would not be wise or just to insist 

 npon "taking any of that supply. The Double-blossomed Peach may be 

 budded upon the same stocks as are used for the single-blossomed. 



Fruit Trees in Obchard-hodse (C. P.)- — We consider it is of little 

 importance whether the surface-soil of the pots is removed or allowed to 

 remain, provided they have the proper top-dressing and after-culture. 

 Spirits of wine employed to destroy scale will not injure the huds of the 

 trees. 



Budding Hoses. — " Will ' Amateur,' who writes in Vol. XI., page 8, on 

 *Budding Eoses,' say how much of the Briar stem he leaves on below the 

 •bud' before he plants it, as, of course, there can be no 'heel' to the 

 cutting? Does he graft on Briar branches of the same year? And when 

 does he strike them, supposing they are grafted in July and August?— 

 Chateau Vallon." 



PoLYSTiCHUM LONCHITI8. — *' I cannot Ict ' FTLix-FffinnNA ' continuo 

 writing about P. lonchitis proliferum without joining in. I have a plant 

 of the same variety, which, curiously enough, came from a gorden at Lea- 

 mington, m Warwickshire, many years ago. It was in my early Fern days, 

 and I had a strong inclination for moving my plants, which at last caused 

 my poor Fern to grow less, and take sick; and I had to remove it to the 

 hospital, where it has a quiet life and a warmer climate, and is looking 

 healthy again, but not vigorous enough to throw off the young plants it 

 nsed in former days. It has one tiny little plant by its side now, which I 

 shall treasm-e much. If ' FiLix-F»EmNA ' has more than one to dispose 

 of now I should much like it, as I promised one to a friend. I should 

 be delighted if 'J. E. M.' would allow mo the pri%ilege he otTered to 

 •Finx-F(EMiNA ' of telling how he produces young Ferns without sowing 

 seed; and also if he would let me have Polysticbum lineare proliferum, 

 which he mentioned. I would gladly exchange any Feins I have to spare 

 for new varieties of any kind, as I am anxious to make my British col- 

 lection as perfect as possible. It is now a very good one. — Cat." 



Spider {L. B.). — The spider found in the orchard with a body something 

 like a Cherry stone in size and shape, of a bright orange colour with p, 

 dark brown spot on the body, dark underneath, and with legs striped red 

 and white, is one of those which make the beautiful geometrical webs in 

 the autumn. Epeira scolaris. Figures of both sexes are given in Mr. 

 Blackwall's fine work published by the Ray Society. — W. 



Willow Pattern (J. 0. G.]. — Various fictions have been invented to 

 weave the pictui'e into a connected narrative, all too long and too foreign 

 for our columns. 



Roses for Trellis {The Cedars). — Wo would advise you to cover the 

 trellis against the southern aspect of your bouse with Tea-scented and 

 Isoisette Roses. In addition to Gloire de Dijon, and Climbing Devonieu- 

 sis, which we would not remove on any account, we would have 

 Marechal Niel, Tea-scented ; Celine Forestier, 0}>liirie, and Lamarque, 

 Noisette Roses. To suit your requirements, as Hybrid Pei-petuals wo 

 may name Docteur liuschpler, Ducbcsse de Cambaceres, Jules M:ir- 

 gottin, Jacques Lafitte, Madame Hector Jacquiu, and Red Knver. We 

 should prefer all on the Manetti stock. The folk-wing will suit you for 

 the wrll. in addition to the six last named :— Bourbons: — Baronne de 

 Noirmont, Vivid, and Sir Joseph Pjixton. Hybrid Perpetuals: — Souvenir 

 de la Reine d'Angleterre, Prince of Wales, and Louis Buonaparte. 



Hardiness of Ltcopodium denticulatum (J. C.) —The fragment 

 sent us is from a plant of Selaginella (Lycopodium) denticulata. It is 

 hardy in sheltered situations in most mild localities. We are not sur- 

 prised to hear of its proving haidy in Leinster considering the mildness 

 of the winters in Ireland. 



Boeder for Peach Trees {A. K. C. Z>.).— The best soil for a Peach- 

 border is a strong unctuous loam; and turf from a pasture, cut 3 or 

 4 inches thick, is to be preferred. Good drainage is essential iu fruit 

 cnltnre, and a layer of brickbats and old mortar, 9 inches thick, at the 

 bottom of the border is to be recommended. The depth of soil in the 

 border should be from 20 inches to 2 feet. 



Six An-nuals for Exhibition (Tu-eeclside), — You do not say whether 

 you wish them to be hardy, half-hardy, or tender. We. therefore, uame 

 sis or eight of each. HorrfJ^— Whitlavia grandiflora. Viscaria splenden=, 

 CEnothera bistorta Veitchii, Ncmophila insignis marginata, Lupinus 

 hybridus Dunnetti, Linum grandillorum rubrum, Centrantbus macrosi- 

 phon, and Pectis grandiflora. H(x//-/(nrrfi/.— Clintonia pulcbella azurea 

 grandiflora, Alousoa Warscewiczii compacta, Martynia fragrans, Kho- 

 danthe maculata, Schizantbus Grahami. Salpiglossis sulphurea splendens, 

 Phlox Drummondi Kadowitzii, and AcrocUniuni roseum. Tender. — 

 Cockscombs. Celosia pyramidalis coccinea, C. argentea, Mimosa pudica, 

 Thunbergia alata, T. alata alba, Gomphrena globosa aurantiaca, and 

 G. globosa striata. 



Thirteen Good Gladioli (7((rm\— Oracle, Calypso, Rebecca, Velleda, 

 Adtle Souchet, Reine Victoria, Raphael, Stephenson, Rembrandt, Othello, 

 Dr. Andiy, James Veitcb, and Imp6ratrice Eugenie. 



OncHARD-nousEs (.Y. y. ^.).— Pearson on "The Orchard-House " will 

 suit you. It can be had free by post from our office if you enclose twenty 

 postage stamps with your address. 



DiANTHUSEs ANDMuLEPiNKs{I.arf)/.-imfl<'cur).— Mostof the Dianthuses 

 will flower in tho year in which their seeds are sown, if this is done early 

 iu March and a liotbed is afl'orded. Mule Pinlts do not flower in the 

 same year. Good Diauthuses for a border to a Kose-bed are the double 

 Diantiius sinensis laciniatus and D. sinensis rubro-striatus. 



Viola cornuta (Idem). — Tho stock you now obtain by dividing the old 

 plants will make a line display next J^ear, blooming throughout the 

 season, and the seed you sow in spring in the open air will make good 

 plants by autumn, but they will not bloom until late. Cuttings and 

 divisions are better. Viola cornuta in a bod need.s no edging, but you 

 may have an edging of Oxalis tropsoloides, or Cerastium tomentosum. 



Golden Balm Propagation (Idcv:). — The easiest and best plan is t» 

 take up a few old plants and winter them in a cold pit or cool greenhbase. 

 They will give an abundance of cuttings in ?pring, and these if inserted 

 in a hctbed will make fine plants in a short time. 



Verbena venosa (Iiffm).— Cuttings of Verbena venosa strike moEt 

 readily. It is easily wintered in a house from which frost is exclnded, 

 and cuttings taken oflF in spring, as with ether Verbenas, make good 

 plants for doweriug the same year. We would put in a stock of cuttingB 

 now in a hotbed, or take up a few of the smallest of the old plants, place 

 them in heat for a short time, and winter them in a cool airy house. 

 Whether you strike cuttings or winter old plants, you will obtain a good . 

 supply of cuttings in spring. Seed sown iu a hotbed early in March will 

 give plants that flower by July and onward. It is a good plant, but some 

 improved varieties have been obtained by crossing with Verbena Maonetti. 

 Shrubby Calceolarias frou Seed (Idem).— To have them flower 

 finely, seed should he sown in August and the plants be iiotted off before 

 autumn and wintered in a cool greenhouse ou a shelf near the glass. 

 They will, however, flower the same year, if seed be sown in a hotbed in 

 spring, and the i>lants be grown on, hardened off, and planted out iu 

 June. They flower in autumn. 



Calceolarias and Verbenas Ceasing Bloobung (Nnv Forc$t).—We 

 should attribute the short duration of tho blooming of the Calceolanas 

 and Verbenas to tho dryness of the gi-oimd. Had you given the soil a 

 few good soakings of water diu'ing the late dry weathei", wo think they 

 would have continued to bloom until frost. 



Siberian LaktvSPUR CultuPvE (P. J. N.). — We think your double Del- 

 phinium graudiflorum would succeed if you were to plant it with the 

 crown slightly elevated above tho suvroundiug groTind-level, and to 

 mulch around it witli some half-decayed leaf mould. It is the continual 

 variation'^ of our climate that render plants of this kind difficult to 

 winter. Look well after snails and slugs which eat the crowns. 



Lobelia cardinalis Culture (Idem). — Strew soot over the crowns, 

 and cover with some half-decayed leaves, or take up tho pl.ints and 

 winter in a cold frame. It thrives in a good, rich, moist, well-drained 

 soil, with an abundant supply of water in summer, but requires a dry- 

 soil in winter. 



WooDLicE IN MusHROoai-BEDS (A Gardener). — We do not know of any- 

 thing put on a ^lushroom-bed that will drive woodiice away or destroy 

 'them. Try a boiled Potato wrapped in a little hay and plac&d at the 

 bottom of a small flowev-pot. A number of these traps laid on their 

 sides on the bed at night, near the haunts of the woodiice, will catch a 

 large number. Examine the traps every morning, and destroy the wood- 

 lice. 



Thrips and Scale in Fern-case IC.A.J.). — Your best means of de- 

 stroying the tbi-ips is to afibrd the plants all the ventilation you can s* 

 a'3 to get tho fronds dry (and a few hours will be suflicient for this pur- 

 pose, for a dry atmosphere is not good , for the plants^, and then, closing 

 the case, fill it with tobacco smoke, so fuU that a plant ciinnot be seen 

 through tho glass. Tho fronds will not be discolov.red or iEJui'ed if 

 they are dry and the smoke is cool. Repeat the fumigation the next 

 night but one, and twice a-week for a mouth. The iseale you may over- 

 come by picking it oil' with the point of a knife whilst it is soft, but if 

 brown and hard take it ofi' with the hand and put it in the fire. This is 

 a rather troublesome mode ui destroying scale, but a coitain one. You 

 may wash the stems of the fronds with a piece of sponge dipped in a 

 solution of Gishurst compound, at the rate of 4 ozs. to the gallon of soft 

 water. The scale, however, is best removed from the stems aud midribs 

 of the fronds with the point nf a knife. Soft soap and Gishui'st applied 

 to the fronds will tm-n them black and injure them. 



Moveable House for Half-uabdy Ferns (K. M. II.). — You could very 

 easily have a house constructed of the size you name, and that would b© 

 moveable at will wth very little trouble. You might have it iu six pieces 

 — viz., two sides of roof, two sides, one end, aud a door. We would have 

 the sides G feet high and 7 feet long. A piece of timber along the bottom, 

 and another 3 feet from the ground, with end pieces G feet long morticed 

 to the timber at bottom, and tho side pieces at 3 feet from tho ground, 

 would give you a frame 3 feet by 7 feet, which you could cover with tbree- 

 quarter-iuch toiigued-and-grooved hoarding, having the boards fixed 

 vertically. Upon the two end pieces a top plate might be fixed, and you 

 could fill-in between the end pieces with sash-bars, morticing them into 

 the top and middle plate of wood, aud you have the sides. The middle 

 rail should have the sash-bars let in flush with the boarding, and the 

 boarding not coming to within half an inch of the top of the plate will 

 foi-m a rebate for tho glass. The top nlate and end pieces must have a 

 rebate put on to receive the glass. The end may be formed in a similar 

 manner, provision being made for a three-feet doorway iu the centre. 

 The top lights may also he in two lights, one for each side, and the 

 whole may bo put together with screws. We tbiuk iron sides too ex- 

 pensive aud hcavv. The door will be sulJicient ventilation. You could 

 heat the house etiiciently with one of Riddell's small boiler-stoves inside. 

 Roses Losing their Leaves {Subscriber).— Wc think your plants were 

 injured by the severity of last winter's frost, nuJ though they have 

 bloomed, their tissues were probably damaged by the frost, and their 

 blooming has been too great an efi'ort in their eufeeljled condition. We 

 have some affected in a similar mauuer, but we have hopes of their ulti- 

 mately recovering. We shall pruue them in clasely in November, and see 

 v.hat their appearance is in Fcbruai-y. If the v/ood still keep fresh and 

 the eyes aro good, we shall give them another chance, but if not promis- 

 ing we shall be iu time to replace them. 



