300 



JOUENAL OF HOETICULTUKE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ October 17. 1867. 



planting and transplanting render much water altogether un- 

 necessary, unless the soil ig very dry indeed. 



OBNAMENT.U. DEPARTMENT. 



Calceolaria Ciitliitris. — We have alluded to the difficulty of 

 obtaining good cuttings plentifully this season, owing to the 

 abundance of flowering-stems. The short flowerless side shoots 

 are what we prefer, from li to 2J and even 3 inches in length. 

 We have had little trouble with them ever since, as detailed 

 years ago, we inserted the cuttings late, in a cold frame or pit, 

 and never let them have the least lire heat applied. We | 

 generally give each cutting about IJ inch room, and then ' 

 transplant in turf-pits in March and onwards. We are quite 

 satisfied, if the cuttings keep alive, though they do not make a ! 

 root until after the new year. The less they havegi-own, the less 

 will they suffer from the changeable weather in winter. We 

 have several times let them have six weeks of darkness in severe 

 weather, and when gradually exposed they looked as fresh as 

 if they had had only one night's darkness. In all such cases 

 the inside temperature, though just above or but little below 

 freezing, must be cool, no heat enough to encourage elongation 

 in the darkness. 



In making the cuttings, we merely cut away any ragged part 

 from the heel at the bottom, remove the lower leaves, and 

 shorten the larger ones at the top, to lessen a little the trans- 

 piring surface. The pit we generally use is too deep for our 

 purpose, as we do not wish the Calceolarias to be much more 

 than 1 foot from the glass. Were the pit shallow we should 

 merely secure drainage, and fresh sandy soil for the cuttings. 

 As it is, we place from one to two barrowloads of long dry litter 

 in each light, well shaken, firmly trodden, and covered with 



2 to a inches of rough rotten dung, or leaf mould. This is also 

 well broken, trodden, and mixed with a little quicklime to kill 

 any worms that may be present. On this are placed the ridd- 

 lings of the sandy loam, obtained from the sides of the high- 

 way, and then the same finely sifted to the depth of 24 or 



3 inches above the leaf mould. This levelled and beaten is 

 covered with a sprinliliug of sand, road drift sand accumulated 

 by rain floods we like best. The litter acts as a capital drainage 

 and security against damp, and, therefore, the drier it is the 

 better, as heat is not wanted. In a common day a stick in- 

 serted in the bed will give no sense of heat to the hand, but in 

 a cold morning it will feel just a little warm. In a dry spring 

 the cuttings will receive watering, and in some cases it is 

 advisable to make holes so as to let the water sink into the 

 litter. 



To protect the back wall of this pit, we fasten straw against 

 it 2 to 3 inches thick, the front wall plate is just above the 

 ground level, and the ground close to the wall plate is covered 

 with litter all the winter for the width of 2 or 3 feet. The frost 

 once got into this pit, killing everything for a foot next the 

 front wall, though it is covered up with earth and gravel, and 

 hence the litter generally lies there all the winter. In fine days 

 plenty of air is given, and a heap of litter is always kept in 

 readiness to throw over the glass in severe weather. We would 

 impress on those who may choose to adopt this plan, not to be- 

 come anxious if the cuttings do not strike quickly. If ours keep 

 green and healthy, that is all we care about. Numbers most 

 likely will show roots before Christmas ; but we would be as 

 well pleased if none rooted until the turn of the sun about the 

 new year. Then with such thick planting the cuttings will be 

 close enough together before we can remove them under the 

 protection of hurdles, &c., whence they are raised and taken to 

 the flower-beds, without ever being in a pot, and generally after 

 receiving from one to two or three waterings. 



Window Plants. — These in good condition must still be made 

 the most of; but all Scarlet Pelargoniums, Fuchsias, &c., past 

 their best may now be removed to a spare room or a di-y cellar. 

 They require little light when in a dormant state, and little 

 water, provided there is just a little moisture in the soil. When 

 set on the damp flags of a cellar, they will generally have 

 enough of moisture before they begin to grow afresh in the 

 spring. All young and cut-back Pelargoniums of the florist 

 and fancy kinds mast have the necessary light, and be moved 

 from the windows in cold nights. Even if the pots are rather 

 small it will be better to remove a little of the surface soil, and 

 replace it with fresh, and richer, instead of fresh potting into 

 larger pots now, deferring that operation until February or March. 

 Such fresh earth should be given so early that the roots should 

 be reaching the sides of the pots before the short, dark days 

 come. Everything should be done by sponging and washing to 

 insure cleanliness. 



Bulbs to make an early display cannot be too soon potted, or 



put into glasses. Those who cannot place the pots on a hard 

 surface out of doors, and cover with some inches of ashes, leaf 

 mould, &c., may easily manage to set the pots in a cellar, dark 

 closet, itc, and only bring them to the light after rooting well, 

 and the tops are pushing freely. After that the more light the 

 plants have, the more robust and better-coloured will they be. 



These bulbous plants will excel all others in attraction in the 

 windows during the winter and spring months. When many 

 are to be planted out of doors, and the ground cannot be ready 

 for some weeks to come, it is a good plan to set the bulbs on 

 leaf mould a few inches apart, cover with the same, and lilt 

 with balls at the final planting time. — E. F. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— October 10. 



We hiive again to report large arrivals from abroad, inclading the 

 Dutch Hamburgh Grapes, and Chaninontel Pears from the Channel 

 Islauils. Other varieties of Pears of liome growth continue good and 

 plentiful; Apples not so much so, and good samples are commanding a 

 better price. We have received advice of the Newtown Pippin being a 

 failure again this year in America, which is nluch to be regretted. Potato 

 trade amounts to a fair average. 



Apples i sieve 



Apricots doz 



Cherries lb. 



Chestnuts bush. 



8. d. B. d I 



Currents ^ sieve U 



Black do. 



Figs doz. 



Filberts lb. 1 



Cobs lb, 1 n 



Gooseberries ..quart 



Grapes, Hothouse, .lb. 1 6 



Otol 6 



I 



I 







' 







I 



, 



' 







4 



Melons each 



Nectarines doz. 



6to3 

 



Lemons 100 8 12 



Oranges 100 8 



Peaches doz. 8 



Pears (de.<?3ert) ..doz. 2 



Pine Apples lb. 4 



Plums i sieve 4 



Quinces doz. 



Kaspbemt^s lb. 



Strawberries lb. 



Walnuts bush. 10 



do per 100 1 1 



Artichokea each 



Asparagus bundle 



Beans, Kidney, 4 sieve 



ScarletRun.i sieve 



Beet, Red doz. 



Broccoli bundle 



Brus. Sprouts ^ sieve 



Cabbage doz. 



Capsicums 100 



Carrots bunch 



Cauliflower doz. 



Celery bundle 



Cucumbers each 



pickling .... doz. 



Endive dox. 



Fennel bunch 



Garlic lb. 



Herbs bunch 



Horseradish . . bundle 



VKGETABLES. 



8. d. 8. d 



StoO 6 Leeks bunch 



Lettuce .... per score 



:-J fi Mushrooms .... pottle 



2 G 3 Mustd.& Cress, punnet 



2 3 Onions perbushel 



1 G Parsley per sieve 



2 6 ' Parsnips doz. 



1 6 Pt-as per quart 



3 Potatoes bushel 



8 Kidney do. 



4 Radishes doz. bunches 



2 Rhubarb bundle 



8 Savoys doz. 



Sea-Kale basltet 



Shallots lb. 



Spinach bushel 



Tomatoes. . . . per doz. 



Turnips bunch 



4 Vegetable MaiTows,dz. 



d 



StoO 

 

 



a 





 

 9 

 

 

 



d 







1 6 



S 



TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 



Jabez J. Cbater, Gonville Nurseries, Cambridge. — General 

 Descriptive Catalogue. 



E. Verdier, fils aine, 3, Rue Dimois, Gare d'lvry, Paris. — 

 Hosiers Nouveaux — Catalogue of Gladioli, Piconies, and New 

 Roses. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



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

 mental writers of the "Journal of Horticulture, Cottage 

 Gardener, and Country Gentleman." By so doing they 

 are subjected to unjustifiable trouble and expense. All 

 communications should therefore be addressed solely to 

 The Editors of the Journal of Horticultv/re, d^c, 171, Fleet 

 Street, London^ E.G. 



Monstrous Peach. — We have seen a Snlway Peach grown by Mr. 

 Richard Smith, of Worcester. It weighed 19 ozs. 1^ drachms, and mea- 

 sured 13^ inches in circumference. It was grown in a nine-inch pot in a 

 cool house. There were only three produced by the tree, and two fell off; 

 so this, like the cuckoo nestling, had all the nourishment to himself. 



Preserving Walncts {M. S.).— Put the Walnuts in alternate layers 

 with damp sand in a stone jar kept in a very eld cellar. No one can 

 identify a Pelargonium from a single faded blossom, and one bruised 

 leaf. 



Placing Bedding Plants in SACCEB3(ir. W. T.). — Nothing is so in- 

 jurious to the majority of plants as placing the pots in saucers or feeders, 

 more especially at this season of the year. You cannot keep the plants 

 too dry if only the foliage is kept fresh. It is better to allow the plants 

 on the lowest shelves to suffer from drip in watering the plants on the 

 shelves above them than to set the pots in saucers. 



