JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ February 17, lt-70. 



Destroying Daisy Roots (.4 Young Subscriber).— Ley made from wood 

 ashes would not kill Daisies, and would improve the growth of the grass 

 as well as that of the Daisies. We kuowof no remedv but grubbing them 

 up by the roots with a knife. This may seem a troublesome process, but 

 women and boys may be advantageously employed ia carrying it out. 



Fountain BasinIU. C.).— We cannot advise you farther than to write 

 to one or other of those advertising in our columns. State what you 

 require, and ask for an estimate. 



Destboyino Crickets (a. U.).— Procure a not of phosphorus paste, 

 spread it like butter on thin slices of bread, and put it at night near their 

 haunts, removing it in the morning. It will poison them. 



Echsyebia metallica (C. N. it.).— When young plants are put out 

 they attain a height of from 9 inches to a foot in one season, and they 

 may be used as a second or third line in a border, or as an edging to beds 

 or borders with higher-growing plants in the centre or at the back. For 

 small beds it makes a good centre. 



Eendle's Ground Vineries (Idem).— Wo are unable to famish the 

 information you require. Write to Mr. Eendle, and state what informa- 

 tion you wish. 



Moss on Bowling Green (J. 31.).— We advise giving the grass a top- 

 dressing of rotten manure now, and by raking it well the lawn will not be 

 injured for playing upon, as the dressing would disappear with the erst 

 rams, the rough of the manure being raked off. At the same time we 

 would give a good dressing of ground bones, aud with good rolling the 

 lawn may be used a short time aftr-rwards. By encoura "iog the "rowth 

 of the grass the manures will destroy the moss". 



Tigeieia coNcnirLORA Treatment (A. B ).— It is a bulbous plant, 

 and usually flowers at the beginning of July, earlier or later according 

 to the season and period of planting. Tho bulhs should be potted now, 

 placing three or so in a 6-inch pot, in a compost of light turfy loam two 

 parts, and one part leaf soil, with a free admixture of sand. Place them 

 in a house or pit from which frost is excluded, and continue them there, 

 keeping the soil moist until Mav, when thev may be planted out, with 

 the balls entire, in beds or borders of good rich soil, light rather than 

 heavy, and well watered in dry weather. Take them up in autnmn, and 

 either pot tho bulbs and keep them drv, or store them in a place f'-om 

 which frost is excluded, potting again in Februarv or March, and forward- 

 ing in a pit or house before planting out. 



Propagation of Herbs (/. B. Serbs).— Sage is propagated from seed 

 sown early in April, in lines 1 foot apart, and the" seedlings so thinned 

 that they stand at that distance ; also bv slips which are taken on" the 

 oldrlants about the same time, put in up to the leaves, aud well watered 

 in dry weather until established. They are usually planted in beds 

 4 feet wide with 1-foot alleys between, an interval of 1 foot being allowed 

 between the plants. Fennel seed should be sown at the end of March, 

 in rows 2 feet apart, and the plants thinned cut to 1 foot from each other 

 in the rows. It may also be propagated by division of the plant. This 

 may be done at the beginning of March, every division havin» a crown 

 and portion of root ; plant in lines 2 feet apart, and 18 inches from division 

 to division. Chamomile should bo propagated by dividing the roots early 

 in April, or when it begins to grow, putting in the rooted divisions in 

 little groups about 1 foot apart overv way, in 4-feet beds. Light well- 

 drained, not very rich soil, is most suitable. Thnrr.e mav be sown at the 

 end of March or beginning of April, aud when 'the seedlings are large 

 enough thin iuem out to 9 inches apart. Propagation is also effected in 

 the same way as described for Sage. Mint is increased bv taking off the 

 shoots m spnng, when from 8 to 6 inches long, and with" roots to them, 

 planting them a foot apart, in light, rather moist soil, and watering 

 until they aiv established. Pot Marjoram is sown early in April, in lines 

 1 foot apart, and thinned-out when large enough to the same distance in 

 the rows; or divide the roots in April, and plant out 1 foot apart, water- 

 ing in dry weather. Rather light soil is best. Sow Winter Savarn, or 

 pat in slips, in April, and treat it the same as Sage and Thyme. Laven- 

 der is sown early in April, and treated like Sage i or take off slips and put 

 them in like those of Sage. Pennyroyal should have the roots divided 

 early in Apr,], aud lie planted about 1 foot apart in light soil, in a rather 

 moist situation. All they require the first vear is to be kept clear of 

 weeds, to be watered until well rooted, and 'throughout the summer if 

 it is dry and hot. 



Peach House (B. A. P.).— II you had given us a rough section of vour 

 house, with the height in front and other particulars, we would have 

 been better nble to advise you. For Peaches and Nectarines, your best 

 plan would bo to cover the back wall, and have a low trellis in front. 

 You may plant three trees at tho back, and the same in front. For the 

 back, plant oue Noblesse and one Bellegarde Peach, aud one Violette 

 Hutive Nectarine ; in front, one I'itmastou Orange Nectarine, one Elragc 

 Nectarine, and one Walburton Admirable Peach. Two trees back and 

 front woul i be enough ultimately, but bv close pruning and root pruning 

 at times these would till tho house sooner. You could also, if disposed, 

 have four 'X mes on the roof, as that would enable a good amount of light 

 to reach the back wall-say, Black Hamburgh, Black Muscat of Alexan- 

 dria (Muscat Hamburgh), Bucklaud Sweetwaisr, and Koval Muscadine. 

 The floor of the house might be tilled at first with fruiting' plants in pots. 

 Limestone fob Eookwobk in Stove Fet.nebt (IT T P H B ) — 

 Limestone is not the best of material for rockwork, but it is not inimical 

 to the growth of Ferns : indeed many kinds ln-uriate in vegetable mould 

 in the chinks. We prefer sand or freestone, but almost any kind of stone 

 answers well. We recommend you to make the rockwork massive and 

 thoroughly rooklike by joiuting and lacing with cement. No ffowering 

 climbers would succeed in a fernery, as the Ferns rtquire more moisture 

 and shade than is good for flowering plants. Roses are out of the ques- 

 tion. Lygodium scandcin is a good and elegant climbing Fern suitable 

 for training up pillars ; but if the place where vou require the climbers is 

 not used as a fernery the case is different, and vou may have Roses or 

 other plants if the temperature is that of a greenhouse. Three Roses are 

 Isabella dray, liloirc do I'ijon, and Mar. ehal Niel, all Tea-scented Of 

 plants have Luculia gratissima, Habrothamnus cleans and PlumbT'o 

 cipensis. = • *o 



Seeds Sowing (Ren. E. W. S.B.)-Borage, sow where it is to remain in 

 an open situation, in rather light good soil, early in April. Thin oat to 

 1 foot apart. Sunjlou-er, sow in an open situation in lines 2 feet apart, 

 and thin the plants out to 1 foot 6 inches from each other in the row 

 Light rich soil is most suitable. Early in April is the time to sow San- 



flower seed. Cliilian Beet, sow in April where it is to remain, and thin 

 out to 1 foot apart. ArunJo, sow in a pan or pot of sandy loam and leaf 

 soil, place in a frame with a gentle heat, and shade so as to keep tho soil 

 moist without having to give much water. When up remove the seed- 

 lings to a greenhouse, and ultimately remove them to a cold frame, 

 potting off the seedlings when large enough, and continue thorn in the 

 frame until the potting is recovered : tiiea harden them off. It is a Grass, 

 and not hardy except in warm sheltered situations ; therefore protect 

 the plant3 in winter in a cold frame or cool house, and plant oat early in 

 summer. 



Celery Bolting (Q.) — Celery certiinly requires a considerable 

 amount of moisture when growing, but we do not like wet ground for it, 

 as it cannot be kept long without rotting in such soils. The bolting, or 

 running, we should say, was not due to too rich soil, but the reverse, and 

 the ground we should tnink wholly unsuited to Celery cultivation. Run- 

 ning is a resalt of a check given the plants during the season of growth 

 — for instance, sowing in heat, then starving the plants for a time, allow- 

 ing them to become large before pricking-off, transplanting without good 

 balls, want of water in dry weather, &c. Poor soil encourages it ; rich 

 soil and plonty of manure are necessary for fine, nutty, well-grown 

 Celery. 



Eight Peas fob Succession (IF. H. B.).— Sow now as soon as the 

 weather becomes mild Dickson's First and Best Early, and the crop will 

 be in use early in July, and at the same time sow Princess Royal (Mac- 

 lean's), which will Bucceed the first about the middle ol July. When 

 those sowings are above ground sow Beck's Prizetaker, and if sown on 

 the 15th of March they will be in use from the middle to the end of July. 

 A fortnight afterwards sow Veitch's Perfection, or Champion of England, 

 and every fortnight afterwards in order as follows : — Yorkshire Hero, 

 British Qaeen, General Wyndham, and Ne Pius Ultra. The last sowing 

 in this case will be on the loth of Jane, and we should sow Ne Plus Ultra 

 again at the end of June, and if the autumn be favourable you will havo 

 Peas late. We have had them in December not many miles from where 

 you write, and in a colder place. 



Peat (X Y. Z.).— The specimen enclosed is only 6t for fuel. The Fern 

 cannot be named from soimperfect and immature a frond. 



PiT3 and Frames (C. P.).— You had better write to the firm yoa men- 

 tion ; we cannot explain their meaning. 



Boilebs and Boiling. — "Allow me through the medium of The 

 Journal of Horticulture to assuro Mr. Wooineld that I had no cause 

 or wish to complain of the tenor of his articles iu the recent discussion 

 with re6pect to heating horticultural boilers. I should be sorry if any- 

 thing I said in my last conveyed this impression to him. That we 

 differed, and still do differ, in opinion on the theory of the subject is what 

 I expected ; in practice I can clearly see we should set the boilers nearly 

 in the same way, and U3e the same-sized pipes, etc. ; and though I may 

 regret that I have not in any degree converted him to my theory, yet I 

 must thank him for the courteous way in which he has expressed his own 

 opinion on the subject. — C. P. Peach." 



Gbues at the Roots of Fuchsias [Insect), — The grubs which have 

 attacked your Fuchsias (you do not state in what manner, but we suppose 

 by gnawing the roots), are evidently those cf the troublesome weevil, 

 Otiorhynchus vastator. The earth must be carefully moved from the 

 roots and sifted, the grabs destroyed, and fresh sifted earth supplied to 

 the plants.— W. 



Names of Plants (A Young Gardener, A. B.).— Sericographia Ghiea- 

 brechtii. (James Lndlow, Alderley). — Stephanophy3urn repens. (Trist- 

 ford). — 1, Cyrtomium caryotideum ; 3, an Asplenium in a condition too 

 voung to be named with certainty, possibly A. rigtdum ; 3. Polvstichum 

 anguiare. (Quintin Beed).— Both Selaginella Martensii. (J. B.).— 1, Wit- 

 senia corymbosa ; 2, Lapageria rosea; 3, Boronia Drummondi. (Liver- 

 pool Subscriber).— We cannot n ime a plant from its leaves only. (B.C.H.). 

 — Lagurus ovatus, Hare's-tail Grass. 



POULTRY, BEE, AND PIGEON CHRONICLE. 



A FASTING HEN— PAROQUETS LAYING AND 



HATCHING. 



Just now when we have been hearing so much of " fasting 

 girls," I am induced to send you an account of a fasting hen. 



About six months ago my servant informed me that two 

 hens had been missiog for thtee days. All possible inquiries 

 amongst our neighbours, and active search, were made, but in 

 vain, and we came to the conclusion the hens had been stolen. 

 At the end of a fortnight the servant's notice was attracted by 

 a few feathers which he traced to the back of the nest-boxes, 

 rjhere, wedged in between the bcxes and the back of the house, 

 he drew oat one hen partly eaten by rats, and then the second 

 in the last stage of exhaustion, almost too weak to eat, and 

 quite unable to stand. She, however, recovered wonderfully 

 soon, and is now in perfect health and one of our best layers. 

 I imagine that, frightened by a rat, they ran head first behind 

 the nests, and so wedged themselves in that they were nnable 

 to turn or retreat. 



I saw in last week's Journal an inquiry about Australian 

 Paroquets laying. Jline laid and hatched during several 

 seasons, and I believe they do so very commonly in this 

 country. — R. M., Hants. 



PENRITH POULTRY SHOW. 



THra Show was of extraordinary excellence, most of the birds being 

 of the highest character. An alteration in one respect would have 



