March 24, 1870. J 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



i few 



the shoots to them and also the roofs. la winter, or when growth 

 ceases, the plant does not require such copious supplies of water.but 

 even thon the compost should be moist. When it is planted out in a 

 a border, this Bhould be well drained, and rough peat used for tho roots to 

 grow in ; a narrow and rather deep border is best, and it is well to have 

 the roots confined rather than allow them an unlimited space. When 

 growing and flowering, the plants cannot have too much water if the 

 drainage is good. 



Peach Tree Pruning (X.).— The spurs being unfruitful, and tho long 

 shoots also destitute of bloom budB, we think you will be doing well to 

 cut them back to one or two eyes, the lowest next the main Bhoots or 

 branches. You will thus, no doubt, secure more vigorous shoots, and by 

 pinching in summer cause the formation of fruit buds. This, we thnak, is 

 the best method you can adopt under the circumstances. 



Bods of Peach Trees Falling (C. Z.).— The wood seems dried and 

 partly shrivelled. The shrivelling-up and falling of tbo buds we think is 

 due to two causes—your keeping your trees " growing as late as possible 

 in the autumn," instead of ripening the wood and getting the trees into 

 a state of rest, and most likely using too stroug a dose of the insecticide 

 in December. We can only surmise. 



Pears Falling (Manpir/yrum).— Manure the surface of tho soil for about 

 2 yards over the roots of the trees, and kscp it mulched and well watered 

 throughout the summer. 



Forced Strawberries for Covent Garden Market {A Constant 

 Header).— The best Strawberry for the purpose to bo ripe at this time of 

 the year is Sir Harry. 



Apples and Pears (Cenlurion\— We cannot furnish descriptions of 

 Winter Peach and Nelson's Glory Apples. The Winter Crasanne Pear is 

 a large turbinate-shaped fruit, sometimes good, and more frequently of 

 inferior quality. It is ripe in January. Columbia is an American Pear, 

 of a large size," and pyramidal in shape. It is a good Pear, but not remark- 

 able for any great merit. It ripens in November. Duchesse d'Hiver is 

 very much of tho size and shape of Easter Benrre, keeps till March and 

 April, and is better adapted for kitchen than for dessert use. 



Pear Trees in Pots (B. F. Foy).— Yon must not take the Pear trees 

 out of the pots after the fruit is set, to plant them for the purpose of 

 raising and potting them again. You may make the hole in the bottom 

 of the pot larger, and place some good compost below the pot before 

 plunging it in the grass plot. The Tacsouia in a 4-inch pot should bo 

 shifted several times into loam and heath soil, with a little rotten dung, 

 until you have it in a 15 or 18-inch pot. In such a pot it will blooi 

 sooner than if planted out in a border. Next year you may h 

 flowers. 



Plum Blossoms Defective (ff. Rawson).— We think that the partial 

 absence of petals, and other defects in the flowers, arise from an insufficient 

 supply of nourishment. Give tepid and weak liquid manure once a-week. 

 Protecting Cordon Apple Trees (fttarii). — We do not know from 

 what you wish to protect the trees, but we think you require a wire fence 

 to confine the balls and players to the croquet ground. Any dealer in 

 wirework would be able to Bupply you. Write to a wire-netting manu- 

 facturer and ask for particulars. 



Fruit Trees Recently Planted (Spring).— The Teach and Nectarine 

 trees planted under glass ought to be pinned at once, before they begin 

 to grow, and those planted against walls should also bo pruned and nailed 

 forthwith. For a schedule of the Royal Horticultural Society's Show at 

 Oxford, write to Mr. Richards, Assistant Secretary, Royal Horticultural 

 Society, South Kensington, London, W. 



Hot-water Pipes (C. S. TV.).— Mr. Truss. Friar Street, Blackfriars Road, 

 London, manufactures iron pipes somewhat like those you require. 



Small Propagating Case and its Management (A. M. Sharp).— Mr. 

 Beaton said that the best size for such a case was 84 inches long, 17 inches 

 wide, 13 inches deep in front, and 18 inches deep at back, all inside 

 measure. Such a box will hold three rows of 5 iuch pots, and six pots in 

 tt row ; or four rows of 4-inch pots, and eight pots in a row. The box 

 may be made of any size to suit. There should be a watertight space at 

 bottom, at least 3 inches deep, for hot water, with an iron plate over it to 

 give bottom heat. The pots may stand on a little sand, or be plunged in 

 it. If gas is used Borne small pipes might go through the space beneath 

 If pots arc used much of the depth could not be dispensed with, but if 

 the cuttings are struck at once in a bed of sand, as detailed in page 189, 

 3 inches of the depth might be dispensed with. Pots are very useful, 

 however, as a single pot can easily be removed To insure full success, it 

 is well to have two cases, one heated and one unheated, the latter to be 

 used in hardening off by degrees the plants that are rooting and the 

 seedlings that have been pricked off. Warmth and air can be greatly 

 regulated by the glass covering. Tho best soil for cuttings is pure sand 

 and Bandy loam. The depth would depend on the mode adopted. If 

 we struck on the top of the plate we would place on it about 1 inch of rough 

 sandy loam, chiefly pieces about the size of Peas and Beans, with little 

 bits of charcoal in it, over that 1 inch of equal parts of sand and 

 loam, and then 1 inch of sand on the surface. If puts are used, fill them 

 folly one-third with drainage, and then tbe other two-thirds much in the 

 same way as above — rough soil over the drainage, and tho finest at the 

 top. The cuttings will want watering well as soon as inserted. Let the 

 leaves become dry before putting tbe glass cover elose'y on. After that, in 

 general cases, the cuttings must never be dry until they are struck. The 

 use of sand is to keep the air from easily penetrating to the base of the 

 cutting. In dull weather a little air, if only one- eighth or one-quarter of an 

 inch, must be given to keep the cuttings from d imping. In bright 

 weather the cuttings will want sprinkling with a fine-ro,ed watering- 

 pot, or water from a fine hair brush whisked over them, or a little shading 

 given to prevent them flagging. Quick success much depends on the 

 cutting feeling as little as possible its removal from the parent plant. 

 The more light the cnttings will stand the better for them. Shading 

 should never remain longer than is necessary. 



Mushroom Bed out of Doors (Idem).— To make a Mushroom bed out 

 of doors now, a good plan is to sweeten and prepare stable manure as if 

 for a Cucumber bed. Then mark out a space 8^ feet in width, build the 

 manure firmly, so as to make it like an equilateral triangle, thus forming 

 a ridge, and giving two sideB for the bed. When spawned, if the heat is 

 suitable, an inch of droppings of horses may be beaten all over it, and 

 then, when all is safe, earthed-up and covered over with clean litter and 



mats, 4c, to keep out the wet. If there is a shed, though open, the bed 

 may bo made flat, and much will be saved in covering up. If we knew 

 exactly the position you can command, and also the material you can 

 have, we might be able to adviso you more definitely. 



Various (Tamerton).— First, as respects the Mushroom bed in the cellar 

 made on tho 1st of tho month, and which has now lost its heat— if not 

 spawned, turn the bed over and add more manure. If the bed is spawned 

 we fear the spawn is not running, or it would raise the temperature ; but 

 if the spawn is all right place 3 or 4 inches of litter over the bed, and 

 damp it to cause it to beat a little, and thus to throw heat into the bed. 

 Watch, however, in case the lied become too hot. From six to eight 

 weeks from spawning and earthing-up is a common time for gathering. 

 In a pinch we have had Mushrooms in less than four weeks, and we have 

 waited twelve weeks and then gathered abundantly. Wo presume you 

 have the Date Palm, and if so wo thiuk you will grow it in yourglasscase 

 in Devonshire. Good loam and a little rotten dung will suit it. Tbe 

 Journal can always be bad direct from the office by rost for id. per copy, 

 or 4s. id. per quarter, prepaid. 



Diluting Tobacco Juice Unexperienced).— For syringing Eoses and 

 Pelargoniums to free them of aphis, half a riut to every gallon is sufficiently 

 strong for Pelargoniums, whilst for Roses and plants with glossy leaves, 

 one pint to the" gallon will not injure the fo'iago. It is, however, so 

 variable in strength that it is difficult to say without trial what quantity 

 is sufficient to destroy the insects. We advise you to try it in weak solu- 

 tions, to which you can add if not found powerful en»ugh. 



Guano Water for Eoses and Pelargoniums {Idem). — Peruvian 

 guano, 1 oz. to the gallon, is sufficiently strong for Pelargoniums and Roses 

 in pots. It may be given fiem two or three timos a-week ; but the pots 

 must be full of roots, and tho plants in free growth. Out of doors it may 

 be used of the strength of 2 ozs. to the gallon, and onco or twice a-week 

 when the plants are in free growth, and the weather is dry. 



Culture of Roses in Pots (An Amatenr).— Roses in pots you will find 

 fully treated of in No. 304, page 240, and No. 309, page 157, vol. xii, New 

 Series. 



Prosing Standard Roses (Yeovil).— The host time to prune standard 

 Roses is the middle of February if the weather bo mild, or from that to 

 the middle of March, according to tho soason. 



Cupheas (Hem).— To keep Cupheas, they should be taken npin October 

 before frost, potted in sandy loam, with a little leaf soil, and be placed rn 

 a greenhouse from which frost is excluded. Give no more water than 

 enough to keep the foliage fresh. In spring, cuttings may be made of the 

 growing points, and inserted in sandy soil ; they strike freely in a hotbed, 

 and plants struck early in March and grown on, make good plants for 

 planting out at the end of May. 



Pelargonium Leaves Rusted (Mr. Roberts).— The leaves sent are not 

 infested, that we can discover, by any insect ; but they are rusted from 

 condensed moisture, which may have been caused by keeping the house 

 too close and moist, and not giving air before the sun's rays fall powerfully 

 upon it. It may also have been caused by watering or syringing overhead, 

 which ought not to be done. Your only remedy is to admit more air, and 

 early in the morning, so as to have tho leaves dry before the sun becomes 

 powerful. Afford the plants a light airy position. 



Pelargonium Cuttings ( West Cumberland).— You do not say what the 

 Pelargoniums are ; if they are of tho Scarlet section a little heat in 

 moderation will not injure them; if of the florists' sections they will 

 stand less heat, and will do very well in frames with a dry bottom, and 

 the glass protected with mats or sheeting at night. Be careful to have 

 tbe leaves dry before the sun shines much on them. Kiln dust, we pre- 

 sume, is that from malt-making. It has often been advertised in our 

 columns, but we forget just now the particulars. We should think it 

 would be plentiful about Ware. The "Cottage Gardeners' Dictionary 

 would suit you. You can have it from our office free by post for 7s. :d. 



Osborn's Select Red Beet.—" ' F. J. S. H.' is quite correct in think- 

 in" that I made amistake about the ' Roy il Osborne Beet.' I should have 

 mentioned that I sowed both it and Dell's Beet in the open grouud last 

 year, as well as in boxes, and none of tho seed came up. I am sure it is 

 a much safer plan to sow it in gentle heat.— Q. Q." 



Myrtle Treatment if?.).— The plants ought now to bo potted if 

 necessary, and whatever pruning is needful should bo done. A compost 

 of light fibrous loam two-thirds, and one-third leaf soil will grow them 

 well. The pots should have free drainage. All the plants require is a 

 li»ht airy position in a greenhouse, supplying tbem will with water, and 

 when the growth is complete they may be placed out of doors, say from 

 June to the end of September, when they should be returned under glass. 

 Shrubs for Planting near the Sea (0. R.).— We fear you will nst 

 succeed in growing many shrubs, if any, as your situation is so much ex- 

 posed. Double Gorse, Tamarisk, and Luurustiuus, with Finns Mugho, do 

 well with shelter. Tho Bubject iB one of which very little has been 

 written, and yet it is of great importance to those residing near the coast. 

 We should therefore bo obliged if thoso having experience of sea-side 

 gardening would communicate it. 



Orchids for a Conservatory (A Constant Reader). — Half a dozen 

 likely to succeed are Calanthe vostita, Dondrobium limbriatum, Lycaste 

 Skinneri, Odontoglossum grande, Oncidinm flcxuosnm, and Zygopetalum 

 Mackayi. They should be grown in pots tilled two-thirds of their depth 

 with crocks, the pots being largo compared with those for other plants, 

 and above tho crocks place a layer of sphagnum, and then put in a 

 mixture of equal quantities of chopped sphagnum and fibrous peat. It 

 should be made firm, and raised in the form of a cone in the centre of the 

 pot and above the rim. On this placo tho plants, covering the roots only 

 with moss. Water will be required but sparingly for a time until the 

 plants are growing freely, and then they should have an abundant supply, 

 continuing it until tho growths are fully developed, and the pseudo-bulbs 

 well swelled ; then lessen the supply, and keep tbo plants dry in winter, 

 but not so dry as to cause tho pseudo-bulbs to shrivel. Shade from bright 

 sun should be given in summer. It would be well to afford the plants the 

 extra heat vou speak of after potting in spring, which should be done 

 when they begin t o grow. The shade of tho Vines will bo sufficient for 

 the Orchids. If you placo the plants in boat in spring, they must be 

 continued there until the growth is completed, and then be removed to 

 the conservatory. 



Mushrooms Eaten by Woodlice (T. T.).— They are very troublesome 

 in MuBhroom houses. We have not found anything answer so well as 



