344 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



bloSBOm that we aro told suffered in warm places, and farther 

 south, was here not far enough advanced to show the parts of 

 fructification. We hope such frosts will soon be over. We 

 do not notice that Pears or Plums have suffered to any material 

 extent as jut. 



OBNAMENTAL DEPARTMENT. 



Very busy, but chiefly a repetition of the work of previous 

 weeks, the sun and parching weather keeping us behind in 

 much necessary potting, &c. Sowed a good many annual seeds 

 in the open ground and under a little protection, to be raised 

 in patches if wanted. Many failures in annuals take place 

 from want of moisture after germination, potching the surface 

 with waterings then, and leaving the plants too thickly when 

 they come up. In such a season as this, hardy annuals sown 

 now will often beat those sown a month or more ago. When 

 the ground is dryish it is well to draw little drills with a 

 pointed stick, run the spout of a small wateriDg-pot along the 

 drill, shortly afterwards sow the seeds, and then eover with a 

 little light soil. We generally add a little soot, which marks 

 the place and keeps the birds away. Sufficient moisture is thus 

 secured, and the dry covering keeps the seeds warm. — R. F. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS 

 la the Sabarbs of London for the week ending May 10th. 



4. — Cloudy and cold ; fine ; overcast at night. 

 5. — Fine but cloudy; very fine ; clear and fine. 

 6. — Cloudy ; fine ; clear and fine, cold wind. 

 7.— Very fine ; overcast, fine ; clear and very frosty. 

 8. — Densely overcast, cold wind ; overcast ; clear and frosty. 

 9.— Foggy and overcast ; fine, slight fog ; densely overcast. 

 10.— Overcast j very fine; clear and fine. 



TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 



B. S. 'Williams, Victoria and Paradise Nurseries, Upper Holloway, 

 London, N. — Catalogue of Orchids, Ferns, Palms, and General Stove 

 and Greenhouse Plants, &c. 



J. Carter, Donnett, & Beale, 237, and 238, High Holborn, London, 

 W.C. — Carter's List of Bedding and of her Plants for 1870. 



Thomas Sampson, Preston Road Nursery, and Houndstone, Yeovil. 

 — Catalogue of Bedding Plants. 



Joseph Westley, Floral Nurseries, Blisworth.— Descriptive Catalogue 

 of Bedding Plants. 



Thomas Bunyard & Sons, Maidstone and Ashford, Kent. — Catalogue 

 of Bedding -out Plants, Greenhouse Plants, &c. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



«5* Being "published in time, for transmission by the Thursday morning 

 mails, The Journal of Hobtictjlttjbe should, vyith but few ex- 

 ceptions, be delivered on tlie same day in all parts of tlie country. 

 If there is any delay, let our readers apply to the nearest railway 

 bookstall, and by paying their subscriptions in advance their copies 

 unit be regularly supplied. If country booTcsellers cannot obtain 

 the Journal in time, we shall be obliged by tlicir communicating 

 the fact to our Publislier. 



*** We request that no one will write privately to any of the 

 correspondents of the " Journal of Horticulture, Cottage 

 Gardener, and Country Gentleman." By bo doing they 

 are subjected to unjustifiable trouble and expense. All 

 communications should therefore be addressed solely to 

 ■ The Editors of the Journal of Horticulture, o0c. t 171, Fleet 

 Street, London, E.C. 

 N.B. — Many questions must remain unanswered until next 

 week. 

 Horticultural Directory.— In answer to manv subscribers to the 

 " Horticultural Directory," we have to state that the publication has 

 been delayed in consequence of the vast number of changes and ad- 

 ditions which were necessary to be made. The work is now so far ad- 

 vanced that it will be in the hands of the booksellers in the course of 

 next week. 

 Garden Plan (A Subscriber, Warwick).— We never undertake the 



planting of flower beds, we only criticise the planting proposed. Ha 

 must be a rash gardener who ventures to arrange beds in a place he 



Pansieb (X. Y. Z.). — We cannot recommend dealers. If you refer to 

 onr advertising columns you will see those who make special mention of 

 them. Any well-known florist could supply named varieties. 



Seedling Cinebariab {J. T., Mwsgwynne). — Your seedlings are very 

 pretty. No. 4 is the best in form, indeed the only good-formed flower. 

 The others are deficient in the outline. There are hundreds of seedlings 

 as good, and many better. 



Syringing Robe Trees (Amateur).— It is not too early to syringe Rosea 

 out of doors. Do it early in the day, and then the leaves will be dry 

 before night. When the wind i3 north or north-oast, it is safeBt not to 

 syringe late in the day. A little water over the leaves of all kinds of 

 plants this dry weather would do good, if put on early enough in the day 

 for the plants to dry before night.— W. F. Radclyffe. 



Seedling Pelargoniums (Leonemus). — The truss is good, the deep 

 scarlet of the pips very bright, and the leaf large ; but we can give no 

 opinion about the plant, for the habit of that is most important. (M. C). 

 — There is^no special merit in the leaves you sent ; many like them, and 

 better. 



Seedling Panstes (Brambridge).— They are good border flowers, bnt 

 not equal to the florists' flowers exhibited. If you enclose five postage 

 stamps with your direction, and order " Florists' Flowers," it will be sent 

 from our office post free. It contains what you ask for, and more which 

 you ought to know. 



Robe Leaves Scolloped by a Bee (S. C. O.). — It is done by the leaf- 

 cntter bee, Apis centuncnlaris. You will find a drawing and description 

 of the insect in our volume i., page 83. The insect lines its nest with the 

 pieces of the leaves. 



Maltese-cross Flower-bed (Centurion).— Yon could not do better 

 than send yoor plan and statement of wishes to the nurseryman you 

 name, and state what price you would like to give. 



Peach Tree in Greenhouse not Fruiting (F. W.).— We think the 

 Peach tree has not a due amount of light, so that the wood does not ripen 

 thoroughly. We advise you to syringe the tree well so as to keep down 

 insects, to give plenty of air, and next spring to thin the blossoms. 

 Allow no climbers on the roof, nor other plants, to shade the tree. 



Planting Potatoes (Idem).— We prefer the manure put on in the 

 previous autumn, and dug in. If that is not done we would spread it on 

 the ground, and dig in evenly. The distance you name is not too much 

 for good-sized sets of President Lincoln. 



Grafts Failing (.4 Reader of the Journal).— We do not think yoa will 

 succeed in grafting Apricots and Peaches. It is rarely that they succeed 

 when grafted, and if they do there is a serious amount of gumming, the 

 junction or union being effected very tardily. Bndding is the beBt for 

 those subjects, and indeed the only successful mode of propagation. The 

 Rose grafts failed through the scions being taken off tuo long before they 

 were worked. Grafting Rose stocks out-of-doors is not a successful 

 practice. The stocks ought to be established in pots, or potted when 

 grafted, and the pots placed in a house with a gentle heat, bottom heat 

 being necessary. The grafting is best performed early in February, the 

 cuttings or scions being taken off the plants as required. A bottom heat 

 of 65 J to 70 3 is required, with a top heat of 50" to 80, and a ri3e from sun. 

 — G.A. 



DENDROBIXXir FORMOSUM GIGANTETTM NOT FLOWERING (Ducfanng).— It 



ought to do well in an intermediate house ; but yours is perhaps too cool. 

 Could you not give it additional heat when making its growths, and ripen 

 them well off in a dry atmosphere, but with plenty of air ? It certainly 

 requires more heat than many of the Dendrobiums ; but as it grows freely, 

 all we think you require is a little additional heat to secure thorough 

 ripening, and then we have no doubt it would flower freely. 



Covering a Confined Space with Glass (A. 8.),— We have no doubt 

 that the space would be best covered with glass, and as it receives no sun 

 the most suitable plants are Ferns ; indeed, it would make a first-rate cool 

 fernery, in which you could grow most of the greenhouse kinds, and the 

 better of the hardy exotic and British Ferns, both of which require in con- 

 fined smoky places a glass roof to do well. It would also be suitable for 

 Borne of the variegated greenhouse plants, but we should use it entirely 

 as a fernery, which we think would give the greatest satisfaction. It 

 would not be suitable for flowering plants. 



Pomegranate not Flowering ( ).— The cause of the plant not 



flowering we should think is its not having sufficient warmth. We advise 

 yon to train the shoots as near the glass as you can, and to give it the 

 lightest and warmest position in the orchard house. Keep the shoots 

 moderately thin to expose them fully to light and air. Water freely but 

 not excessively up to August, and then only give water enough to keep 

 the leaves from flagging. In winter keep it dry. The main point is to 

 have the wood well ripened, and when that is effected the plants flower 

 and fruit freely. We think a heated house necessary for their flowering 

 and fruiting in Yorkshire. 



Pear Tree Leaves Blistered (Somerset).— The blistering is occasioned! 

 by the rupturing of the sap vessels owing to cold. The only remedy is to 

 protect the trees with canvas, but doing so will not bring to health the 

 leaves at present affected. Your best plan will be to pick off the worst 

 leaves, and syringe the trees with a solution of Boft soap, 1 oz. to the 

 gallon, in the evening, but not when there is likelihood of frost, and every 

 other evening with rain water. The trees will give perfect leaves when 

 the weather becomes wanner. Blistered leaves on Pears are very common 

 this year — occasioned by the recent warm weather causing rapid vegeta- 

 tion, and cold weather and easterly winds afterwards setting in. 



Auricula Culture (T. H. S.).— The best kind of soil is three parts 

 loam, neither heavy nor light, from turf six to twelve months old, chopped 

 up and made fine, one part cow dung a year old, and one part silver sand. 

 Repottiug is beat done after the plants have flowered. Water should be 

 given so as to keep the soil moist, but none to be given nntil it is required, 

 and then without wetting the foliage. We do not know of any mode of 

 quickening the growth except by keeping them close, and that is attended 

 with weak growth and numerous other evils. Slow progressive growth is 

 best. 



Handsome Gourds (A Constant Header).— Custard Striped (small fruit), 

 Grand Mogul, and Turk's Cap are three fine ornamental Gourds ; and other 



