ISi 



JOUBNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ March 7, 1867. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



••• We request that 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 UurticulUire, t^c, 171, Fleet 

 Street, London, E.G. 



We also request that correspondenta will not mix up on the 

 same sheet questions relating to Gardening and those ou 

 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 (S. B. C. r.).— For the Irtd you mention no Itooks would be more 

 suitable tban "Th(3 Gtu'den Manual." "In-door Gurdenintr," and "Out- 

 door Gardening." You can have tho wliolo free liy post from our office 

 if you enclose sixty postage stamps Tvith vour direction. (A Lover of 

 Xtfturt').— Whoever told you that a knowledge of botanyivould prevent 

 your becoming a good girdener advised you ignorantlv. Books to suit 

 you are "Heufrey's Elementary Course of Botany," published by Van 

 Tooret. price about Hs. we believe. " British Ferns " you c^in have from 

 our office free by post if you enclose forty-six postage stamps with your 

 address. 



OvEKHANGiNG Tbf.eb (Neighbour). ~Ka no notice id token of your re- 

 quest to have the bniuches of the worthless trees removed, lut your so- 

 hcitor write to the proprietor, and warn him that unless the lopping, &c., 

 is done forthwith you will sue him for damages in the County Court 



Variegated Llliek of the Valley (S. S.).— Those you allude to were 

 exhibited by Mr. Salter, YersaiUea Kursory, William Street, Hammer- 

 siuith. 



Green Turf fok CAiinLLiAS.— '■ In reply to ' H. E.,' he will obsei-ve in 

 reading mv article tliat in potting my Camellias I finish off with a sur- 

 face of half an inch of finely sifted loam. I find this a sufficient check for 

 the weeds, but if any should appear 'H. E.' will find that one weeding 

 will be sufficient. — Robert Fleming." 



Hays's Patent Constant Stove (£:.).— "We think that vou must not 

 have employed properly prepared charcoal. AVe have one in an entrance 

 liaU, and have no tube. There is a slight smoke when first lighted, and 

 a smell of burnt peat throughout the day, but we do not object to the 

 •mell. If we did we should have a small tube from tho valve into a 

 cliimney or the outside air. The great drnwbacit to this stove at pre- 

 sent is the difficulty of obtaining a supply of good peat charcoal. We 

 ai-e informed the demand has exceeded tho means of supply and wiU be 

 remedied. 



Various fC).— Mepsrs. Byvoet, Overvcen, Hanrlem. and E. H. Krelnge 

 and Son, Unarlem, are very extensive de:iler,s in bulbs. Anv florist could 

 supply you with Campanula pyramidalis to flower this year. No one 

 could state marks whereby to distinguish Hyacinths of the same colour 

 iind form v/hich have been mixed. 



Potatoes (Gramma, k). — You can procure your namesake Potatoes 

 from Mr. Frederick Gill, Dorset Nurseries, hlandford. Ho can also 

 supply two other e:ccellent Potatoes— Red Robins, gi-eat croppers, round, 

 and rich ; and Salmon Kidueys, which I am now eating— they are excel- 

 lent. Thci^e and Grammars are always good up to digging time. 

 Addison says, 'No one is ever thanked for advice." I will, however, 

 advise "Grammars" to purchase all three. The best novelty in every 

 respect 16 tho reniform Yorkshire Hero, derived from the 'Lapstoue 

 and Asbkaf. It is second early, a great cropper, very hardy against 

 spring frost, and as good as the Ashleaf. I have had it three seasons.— 

 W. F. Radclvffe. 



Peat Charcoal (jT. jlf.).- Our correspondent wishes to know how to 

 make peat charcoal. "T. M." has niado a trial. l)ut with a waste of 

 four-Mths of the peat. It is so tenacious of combustion when once 

 jgnited that " T. II." found nearly all of it consumed before being tho- 

 roughly charred. Should it he dried before being charred? " T. M." 

 tried it ]ust as taken out of tho ground and very wet. 



Roses in a Greenhouse— Planting Flowkr-reds (A. B. A.).~l, You 

 attiould prune the Tea Roses in the greenhouse at once. We would, as 

 you propose, cut all weak shoots b,ick to one bud. but on ttronger shoots 

 leave two or three buds. You will need little more insigbt into pruning 

 Roses than this, that if you leave only a few buds you may expect each 

 bud to fm-uish a Fhont that will bear Roses. It is often better, there- 

 fore, to cut out weak growth and leave more than one bud on a good 

 ahoot. 2, \ erbcnas would do very well for your round bed, filled with 

 yellow and blue Crocus. Both will do better if the Crocuses are in rows 

 or bands so that the Verbenas can be planted in tho intermediate spaces 

 and a little rotten dung forked in before planting. 3, We suspect your 

 variegated Alyssuu. is the Variegated Arabia, as the former is not hardy. 

 we do no- plant groups, or we might do nothing else, but we criticise 

 proposed planting. Your group would look very well if your central star- 

 Uke figure were fiUed in tbo centre with pink, and the four wings with 

 purple edged all round with Alyssum. Then 5, 6, 7, 8 might be two 

 scarlet beds and two yellow ones, the first edged with Cernstium, the se- 

 eond with blue Lobeha. 1, 2, 3, may bo planted in bands of colours. 



Encouraging Field Mushrooms (2'. .S.).— You do not say whether your 

 fi«ld m which you wish to encouragr Mushrooms is in tUth or in grass. If 

 m grass your chances are most favourable, and in that case towards the 

 middle or end of April and the beginning of May we would advise in- 

 serting pieces of spawn the size of a hen's egg, say 2 feet apart, lifting 

 the turf to the depth of 1 inch or 1^ inch su as to insert it. The pru- 

 ^^x.^'ir'^ ^"^ "^."j^^, '^^ Buccesiful if you were to put a small quantity of 

 fresh fibrous toil below the spawn, replace the turf, and beat it down. 

 Ihjs wiU cause the spawned pieces to be a little higher than tho sur- 

 rounding grass, and so far save t)io spawn from being over-watered. 

 IS I^J^^ gather the Mushrooms throw tho bottoms and stalks about 



Hotbed op Fermenting Material (Jnfjuirrr).— In Vol. X.. page 277, 

 there are directions for managing such a hotbed, and any ono by attend- 

 ing to tliose directions must bo eucoesflful. However, wo will publieh a 

 few more details probably next week. 



Cucumbers (J. Batty). — Sion House In'proved is a smooth-fruited 

 variety. Kelway's Perfection is black-apined. 



Muscat Gjiwf.s Spotting and Shanking (T. Wihon). — We have no 

 doubt that in your case lifting the roots of the Musc.it Vine would effect 

 the desired cure, and we should prefer doing so to planting a young Vine, 

 though tho last mode would involve lo^st trouble. In lifting begin at 

 the extremity of the border by means of a deep trench, and work and 

 pick away the soil, saving the fibres, and tying them in mats or clotba 

 as you proceed. Then add at least a portion of fresh soil, fresh plant 

 within 9 inches and 6 inches of tho surface, and give a coaling of 

 15 inches of warm litter to set the roots going. If in tracing out the 

 roots there would he danger of injuring much the neighbouring Vines, 

 then wo would cut out the Muscat Vine, add fresh soil, and plant a 

 stout young Vine, but if there ie no such danger the older plant will ba 

 the better in every way. 



Glass for South Conservatory (T. H.). — Harllcy'a patent, any 

 rough glass, or coloured ribbed glass, will answer yonr purpose well. We 

 have seen gliisa tinted gieen answer admirably. There will he plenty of < 

 light for tho plants, and you will require no shading. 



Netting for Protecting Peach Tree Blossom (A Lady Gardener). — 

 The netting sent for our inspection, and to which you allude, was that 

 kind known as hexagon netting, which you will hud advertised in oup 

 columns. It is a very good protection, but to keep off severe frosts it re- 

 quires to be doubled. Woollen netting, with quarter-of-au-inch meshes, 

 is good. Tho netting should be removed daily during mild weather after 

 tho flowers open, but it may remain on during cold, frosty, damp days. A. 

 board G or 7 inches wide would be useful to fasten the netting to. The 

 board will do if 2 or 3 inches wide, and in that case bo ecj[ual to a 

 coping. 



Cucumbers Stopping for Trellis (W. B.). — Stop the plants at the ae- 

 cond rough leaf by taking out the point of the shoot with the end of a 

 sharp knife, and, making choice of the best of the shoots resulting from 

 tho stopping, train it to the trellis, cutting the other away. Take out tho 

 point of the shoot at 1 foot from the top of the trellis. For three lights 

 you will require three plants, or if the house or trellis is more than 6 feet 

 wide, a plant at every 2 feet along tho front of the trellis. " Thompson's 

 Gardener's Assistant " is one of the best of works on practicnl gardening. 

 Y'ou will obtain the whole of the book in twelve parts at 2a. (jd. each, or in 

 ono volume 31«. 6cZ. 



Cocoa-nut Refuse with Soil for Cucumbers (Tyro\—C> coa-nut re- 

 fuse will answer well for mixing with your soil for Cucumbers, if used la 

 the proportion of one-third to two-thirds of your black garden mould. 

 The time you name will answer well for making the bed. 



Treatment of Old Bedding Pelargoniums (Excehior).— You would be 

 doing well to shake out the plants from tho large puts they are now in, and 

 pot them in fresh soil ; turfy loam two-thirds, and one-third leaf mould, 

 being a good compost. Keep the plants rather dry, yet moist, imtil the 

 roots are worlung in the fresh soil, then water more freely. Afford the 

 plants a light and airy situation, shift into larj^t-r puts in about six 

 weeks after shaking them out of tho soil, and in May remove them to a 

 frame or pit. 



Mrs. Pollock Pelargonium Culture (Jdt'm).— The plants should 

 now be shifted from 48's into 3:i-sized pots, using a compost of turfy loam 

 two-thirds, and one-third well-rotted hotbed manure. Thty should be 

 carefully watered, have a light and airy situation, and whtn tho pots 

 become full of roots must be eliifted into 13-sJzed pots. Avoid copious 

 watoriugs, and afford a position near the glass with a fair amount of air. 

 Over-potting and over- watering are very injurious. 



Grapes Rusted (r/mr/t-a).- Grapes are apt to liavc a brownish skin 

 round them if subjected to a sudden check from a gieat change of tem- 

 perature, or if sulphur has been used freely on a heating modimn when 

 tho berries are young and tender. Under such circmnstances it ia best 

 to apply the sulphur during the day, when there is a considerable amoimt 

 of air on, so tliat the sirongth of tlie fumes may pass off before the house 

 is shut up. Perhaps Hamhmghs arc most easily thus injured. 



Specimen Caladiums and Achimenes (Idem).— For good specimens 

 of Caladiums proceed thus : — Keep the rhizomes, as lately described, 

 free from cold in winter, shake them out and repot as soon aa they 

 begin to move, potting them singly in small pots, to he afterwards placed 

 singly in larger pots, or three or four plants at once in a large pot. Drain 

 well, use turfy loam and peat in equal portions, with about onc-.^ixth of 

 old rotten cowduug and silver saud, and give bottom heat until the leaves 

 come to their best. To grow good specimens of Aeuimeues, select the 

 tubers, place them singly in well-drained pans or pots, using b'ght 

 rich iEoil, and set them in a temperatm'o of from about 60'^ to 65'-'. 

 When the plants are up and from 1 to "[X inch in height, plant them in 

 soil similar to that recommended for Caladiums, iu their flowering pots, the 

 small kinds at i inch apart, the largi-r kinds at from 2 to S inches apart, 

 and plunge in a gentle bottom heat of about 75*^ or 80", and a top heat of 

 from 150"' to 65 , with a rise from sunshine. No sun must touch the leaves, 

 or those of the Caladiums either, when damp. Air should be given early, 

 for if there is conliued moist air in the place, and the sun strikes on the 

 plants, the leaves will be spotted to a certainty When hardened off, 

 fur conservatory, &c., they will not be so easily affected. Achimenea 

 for lato work may bo grown well in a cold pit after the end of May. 



Tree Fern, &c. (Diana Mihicr). — Dicksonia antarclica, ono of the hand- 

 somest of tho tree Ferns, would thrive admirably in a fernery in which 

 the temperature falls as low at night as i)8', but is usually about 4CK. 

 Excellent young plfints may be had for Ss. of any of the principal London 

 or provincial nurserymen. Adiantum trapeziforme, macrophyllum, and 

 tenerum would not flourish in tho temperature named; they require 

 a heat of from 50"^ to 55"^ at night. Adiantum Sauctie-CatharinEB is a 

 handsome Fern, introduced since the " Cottage Gardeners' Dictionary" 

 was published ; but it requires a stove temperature. It is not very ex- 

 pensive, costing from 5». to 73. Gd for a nice plant. The frond sent la 

 that of some JS'ephroIepis, but not being in fruit we are unable to say 

 which. 



Tanning Garden Netting (F. A. M.). — Boil it half an hour in a strong 

 infuBion of oak bark in water. 



