218 



joubnaij of horticulture and cottage gardener. 



[ March 21, 1867. 



Garden with North Aspect (E. Watt9).—We presume by trees yon 

 mean ebrubs, and of these Box, grcon nnd variepated Hollies, Portugal I 

 and common Laurels, common and Irish Yew, Aucubn, and any of the 

 commoner shrubs would thrivf. Of flowers vnu must grow such bulbs 

 and plants us Snowdrops, Crocus, Hepnticas," Primroses, and Polyanthus 

 for early bloom, nnd in summer depend on Sweet WilUamp, the common 

 sorts of KoHCS. Pinks, Pansics. and such old-fashioned perennials. If 

 the place is much shaded by high buildings your best plan will be to have 

 shrubs and gi-ass. 



Camellias, Azalkas, and Rhododendrons not Flowering- (A Gar- 

 lUner not in fault). — You will do well to pot the Camellias and Azaleas now 

 if theyrcquire it, placing them aftcrwcrds in a vinery at«'orlt, as you pro- 

 pose, and keeping them there until the pi-owth is made, when a lighter 

 and more airy structure will be more suitable for them. After the gx'owth 

 is made they cannot have too light and airy a situation. The Khododen- 

 drons, gi*eenhouse kinds we presiune. ought not to be placed in heat, but 

 have a lipht situation in a cool house, with plenty of moisture when 

 znaking their growth, and copious supplies of water at the root. 



Preventing Attacks of Inpfcts (Rebecca Laiic). — The remedy you 

 name, and now going the round of the papers, is in a gi-eat measure ob- 

 noxious to insects, especially caterpillars. It will not destroy theii- eggs, 

 and does no more than cause catei-pillars to fall from the trees when the 

 solution is syringed over them. Our experience of it is but limited, but 

 so far as we have tried it, it does not meet our expectations. The best 

 vinegar should be used, diluted with nine times its volume of rain water. 



Eriostemon Smithh Culture fH'cr/onO.— Shift the plant at once 

 into a nine-inch pot, taking away all the old drainage and loose soil, and 

 if the baU be very firm loosen the sides a Httle. Drain well, using a com- 

 post of turfy sandy peat two-thirds, and one-third turfy sandy loam, with 

 one-sixth of silver sand added. Pot with the collar rather high. Afford 

 a light and airy situation in a cool house, from which frost is merely ex- 

 cluded. Tie down the shoots, and stop any irreirular growths to secure 

 a compact plant. Water carefully after potting, but copiously, when the 

 roots are working in the fresh soil. In June, if the plant has "grown well, 

 shift it into an 11-inch pot, and place it in a cold pit or cool airy house, 

 stopping nnd tying out the shoots until the end of June or middle of 

 July. Afford plenty of air. and keep the plant near the glass. In winter 

 keep it near the glass and give abundance of air, with protection from 

 frost, being careful not to ovcrwater, and avoiding a damp, close at- 

 mosphere. 



El2Eocarpus reticdlatus (rdc7H).— Its treatment is the same as that 

 of Eriostemons, only it is a taller-growing plant, and does not bloom 

 nntil it has attained a- considerable size. We have bloomed it when 

 5 feet high, and in its third year. 



Large Camellias ID.C.).— The best vessel that we have tried for 

 large Camellias are tubs made of oak. which last sufficiently long ; but if 

 pots large enough can be had nothing is better. The same remarks 

 apply to Orange trees. We have not tried slate tubs, and do not think 

 them desirable. 



Salt for Asparagcs-beds (S,).— The quantity of salt you name is 

 excessive to be put on the beds at once. We advise the salt to be applied 

 at twice — that is, when the beds arc dressed in spring give them a dress- 

 ing of l^lb. of salt per square yard, or 24 lbs. for your bed, 30 feet by 

 5 feet, and you may repeat the application at the end of the cutting, or 

 about the middle of June ; 1 lb. per yard will be ample. The weeds will 

 easily be kept under. 



Sifting Soil for Pelargoniums (A Sith!*cr}her).— The soil used for 

 potting Pelargoniums should not be sifted but chopped and made some- 

 i what fine with a spade, and in potting the soil should be made somewhat 

 firm. No riddling is required, as the plants grow much better when the 

 soil is used rather rough, and then it is not yo apt to become sodden and 

 BOOT. A little tine soil may be used for surfacing the pots. 



Grafting Sycamore (ff. E. Briseoc). — We have no experience of graft* 

 ing the Sycamore with the Platanus occidentalis, nor do we perceive 

 what would be gained by doing so, even if it were successful, as neither 

 it nor Platanus orieutalis is sufficiently hardy to bear our climate in ex- 

 posed aituations. 



Annuals for Late Blooming (M. C. r.).— Centranthus macroaiphon, 

 Alyssum maritimum. Erysimum Peroffskianum, *Dianthus chinensis, 

 Gilia aehiIk*;efolia, Hibiscus africanus. (lypsophila elegans, Godetia rosea 

 alba. Double Ciarkia integi*ipetela, C. pulchemma, 'Prince's Feather, 

 ♦Love-lies-Bleeding, White Rocket and Crimson Candytuft, Centaurea 

 cyanus minor, Bartonia aurea, *Calliopsis cardaminiiolia, 'C. atrosan- 

 guinea, "C. Burridj^i. Campanula pentagonia, Cuuvolvulus minor, *Sapo- 

 naria calabrica and its white variety, Eschscholtzia crocoa, and E. tenni- 

 folia, Godetia Lindleyana.Obeliscaria puleherrima, *(En(ithera Lamarck- 

 iana, *Nasturtinm Tom Thumb scarlet, *crimson, *spotted, and "yellow 

 varieties ; Virginian Stock, *Tagetes signata pumila, and *Senecio elegans 

 in variety. Those marked with an asterisk (*) 'should be sown in April, 

 and the others not until the end of May or early in Jime. ^lignonette 

 should not be omitted. We know of no flowers that are to be depended 

 on for blooming from October to December except Chrysanthemums. 



Hardy Pf.rennials {Ifjiiorama). — We regi-et having mislaidyour letter. 

 We are making inquiry, and will answer y^ur questions fully shortly. 



Ferns Losing their Fronds <Maidrn Hair). — We consider a house 

 moist enouch for the growth of Ferns whtn there are evaporation-troughs 

 and the walls and every available surface are sprinkled with water twice 

 daily. We do not consider syringing overhead essential or necessary, 

 but, on the contrary, it is destructive to the beauty of many kinds, and 

 also to the young fronds. If you were to sprinkle the walls, paths, &c., 

 with water twice daily, and not syringe the plants overhead, but afford 

 enough water at the root, and yet not so much as to satm-ate the soil, 

 giving also a fair but not an excessive amount of air, and slight shade 

 from bright sun, we have no donbt that the plants would thrive. We 

 fear you keep them in too high a temperature during the winter, at 

 which season they require a period of rest. A temperalure of from 50' 

 to 55^ is sufficiact for the stove kinds, and one of from •15'' to 50*^ for the 

 gi*eenhouse sorts, increasing the temperatm'e in spring, when, after a 

 season of rest of not less than three months, they will start into growth 

 with increased ^igour. Remove the pots from the pans of water at once, 

 and place in the coolest and most shady part of the house. If they re- 

 quire potting now is the best time to perform that operation. 



Vine Leaves Browned (C. S.). — Wo never saw more healthy Vine 

 leaves — the bronzed and brown ttains on the loaves were caused by 

 bright sunshine, the rays concentrated by lenses formed Iby dew dropg, 

 perhaps. The rust on the berries might he caused by sudden transitions 

 of heat. The very small berries indicate that the bunches ought to have 

 been thinned long .=ince. Freer ventilation, with canvas over the open- 

 ing to prevent violent cun-ents. is x^robably desh-able. 



Error. — At page 193, column 2, line 4 from the top, for "sundried" 

 read *' sandy." 



Plant Case (In-door Gardener). — Some plants can be perfectly well 

 grown in small cases. We have one with Ferns and Cyp^ruses, and the 

 surface of the soil covered with Selaginella denticulata. Small plants 

 of Azalea indict and Hyacinths remain as long in bloom in such a case 

 as they will in a greenhouse. We have had them all the winter in a 

 sitting-room fire-heated. 



Names of Plants (Mr. Gough). — Your Orchid was so completely 

 crushed that we could not I'ecognise it. Send a flower or two in a box, 

 {,VcZ/(V).— Adiantum diaphanum; 2, A. cuneatum : 3, insutficient. (James 

 Broun . — Nemntanthus longipes. J E. W. . — Hardcnbergia Comp- 

 toniana. [W. HH^K-f/).— Edwardsia grandiflora. (T'/if7«).— Cyanotis vittata, 

 commonly called Tradcscantia zebrina ; Picea pectinata. {F. E. W.). — 

 We cannot tell the name of your plant from the leaves. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS in .the Suburbs of Londou for the ^Veek ending March 19th. 



POULTRY. BEE, and HOUSEHOLD CHRONICLE. 



COMBS AND HOCKS OF DARK BRAHMA 



POOTRAS. 



Excellent articles have been written by " Nemo " and others, 

 explaining the writers' ideas as to wbat Dark Brahmas should 

 be, and, to a certain extent, what they should not be ; but the 

 subject is far from exhausted. It is useless, I fear, looking out 

 for a bird perfect in every respect ; two points, however, on 

 which Brahma-fanciers are not agreed — combs and hocks, I 

 wish to say a few words about. Take two cocks, perfect in 

 every way, except that one has a faulty comb and the other 

 vultm'e hocks, both objectionable, but neither disqualifying for 



exhibition — I would prefer the bird with the vulture hocks, 

 though I would not condemn altogether a comb slightly twisted 

 and not quite evenly serrated. I would, however, insist on its 

 being triple, not too high, and firmly fixed on the head. At 

 the same time I admire a perfect pea-comb as much as, if not 

 more than, any other point in a pure Brabma, and I consider 

 it a point too much neglected b}- Brahma-breeders. As to 

 vulture hocks, however, there cannot, in my opinion, be a 

 doubt that they are too much cried down. 1 would infinitely 

 prefer breeding from a cock with such hoelts and heavily- 

 feathered legs to breeding from a nearly bare-legged bird, 

 though he had the most faultless comb a Brahma was ever 

 favoured with. Surely heavily-feathered legs are a great beauty, 

 and yet one of the first professional judges in England told me 

 that most judges look with great suspicion on legs heavily 



