362 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ May 19, 1870. 



frost, having no covering, that with the exception of some 

 foreright shoots we have not touched Peach and Apricot treeB 

 on walls. As the weather is now beooming milder, we shall 

 most likely go over our trees in the beginning of the week. 

 The shoots greatly protect the young fruit, and as yet in our 

 cold place have done no harm. 



ORNAMENTAL DEPARTMENT. 



The rainB enabled us to mow, which it was next to impossible 

 to do, owing to the hardness and dryness of the ground. We 

 just kept the lawn green by switcLing off the Daisies with the 

 long-handled knife, as several times referred to. We have also 

 begun, and will try to finish, cutting the sides of walks for the 

 season. This one cutting in spring makes all straight, and 

 renders clipping with the shears more easy all the summer. It 

 is much easier to use the edging iron after a good rain. 



We have managed to complete much potting. We hear of 

 planting out in flower beds. We shall shortly begin to prepare 

 the beds, but we shall not be in any hurry with final planting. 

 This night, the 13th, is the first that we have left the bulk fully 

 exposed. The showers expected will do good. As most of the 

 plants are turned out into soil, are growing freely, and will lift 

 well with balls, we feel no necessity for hurrying, and we can 

 protect them if necessary much more easily where they are, 

 than if in beds. The frequent moving involves labour, but 

 then we save in watering, and the plants get forward and 

 bloom early, matters of importance when the family seldom 

 leave home. Calceolarias are showing bloom freely, and will 

 never suffer, at least to any appreciable extent, from the mov- 

 ing. This temporary bedding-out would not do for nurserymen, 

 but it suits well where the plants are not to be carried far to 

 the flower garden. — R. F. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS 

 In the Suburba of London for the week ending May 17th. 



Sat. .. 

 Son. . 

 Mon. . 



Tues. 



Mean. 



EAEOMETE3. 



Max. 



S9.577 

 29 521) 

 29.6(18 

 29.91.-, 

 29 no:*. 

 S0.14H 

 C0.1IM 



29 !s:' 

 293-9 

 29. Dun 

 29 9(13 



29.851 29.471 



11- — Overcast, fine ; slight rain; heavy rain. 



12.— Cloudy ; boisterous ; clear and fine. 



13- — Stormy; exceedingly boisterons ; clear at night. 



14.— Overcast, stormy; fine ; very fine. 



15.— Cloudy; fine, heavy clouds; slight rain. 



16.— Plight rain ; cloudy; clear at night. 



17.— Very fine ; exceedingly fine ; cloudy but fine. 



Oyster Plant (Beckcnham). — Wo cannot help you. You must wait 

 until the Glasgow nurseryman advertises. The roots of Salsafy have the 

 flavour of oysters. It is a kitchen-garden plant. We cannot name plants 

 from leaves only. 



Rose not Expanding Fdlly (Mm. iV.).— I wish the lady had stated the 

 name of tho Rose sent. It was quite in a state of decay. It looked like 

 Caroline do Sansal or La Tour de Crouy. The former is not in all situa- 

 tions a free bloomer ; the latter rarely expands well. Tho reason why the 

 bloom sent did not open, is its being malformed at the centre, something 

 like Roses that have green centres. I recommend the lady to procure 

 Marquise do Mortemart. — W. F. Radclvffe. 



Arsewc and Soda for Weed-destroying (Dorsetshire). — Provided 

 the waUte are firm enough not to admit of the poultry scratching after 

 grit, you n^ednot fear any injury befalling them. Sir. Record has fre- 

 quently seen both bantams and pigoons picking up grain thrown on the 

 walks within half an hour after the application of tho poisonous liquid, 

 and they were not injured. As an extra precaution for dogs and other 

 animals, it would be as well to first clear tbe walks of anything enticing 

 to them by a good sweeping ; but from anything tbey or poultry, pheasants, 

 &c., may pick up which has found its way on to the walks after tho appli- 

 cation of the mixture, Mr. Record says they will receive no harm. 



Emigration (Philip) — We never venture to advise an intending emi- 

 grant whereto seek a new home — we dare not accept such a responsibility. 

 We adviso you — wo advise all intending to emigrate — to enclose three 

 postage stamps to Messrs. Clowes & Sons, 11, Charing Cross, London, W., 

 and request to be spnt to the proper direction by post, which it will bo 

 free, " Information for Emigrants to the British Colonies, issued by H. M. 

 Emigratl.n Commissioners." It is full of trustworthy information. 



Pea Supports (J. F. C). — The plan you refer to is thi3. We have 

 had the following in use without repair for several years, and can strongly 



TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 



John & Charles Lee, Royal Vineyard Nursery, Hammersmith. — ■ 

 Spring Plant Catalogue. 



E. G. Henderson <fc Son, Wellington "Road, St. John's Wood, 

 London. N.W. — Spring Catalogue of Plants for the Stove and Green- 

 house, including Orchids, Ferns, Bedding, Soft-wooded, and New 

 Plants. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



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

 correspondents 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 Horticulture, d'C. t 171, Fleet 

 Street, London, E.C. 



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

 week. 

 Entomological Society (J. D.).— Communications should be directed 



to 12, Bedford Row, London, W.C. 

 MO3HP.00M3 {E. Gilbert).— Your Mushrooms are remarkably fiiae. We 



have often had occasion to remark the wonderful size to which your 



"buttons'' are produced. They have the appearance of being a variety 



different from that which ia usually cultivated. 

 Ornamental Colewort (P. B.).— We think it would be very effective 



for garnishing disheB. The best mode of sending specimens of plants by 



post is to put them in a small tin box between films of damp moss. The 



specimen sent was Prunos sinensis flore-pleno. 



recommend them. The only alteration we find desirable is that, instead 

 of having the supporters fixed upright, as in these sketches, they should 

 — lean inwards, and their tops touch in this 



manner y\. We paid sixpence for each hurdle 

 of unplaned deal, and had it painted over with 

 coal-tar. To prevent confusion in the draw- 

 ing, we have only shown one of the hurdles 

 as pierced with hole3, and with string passed 

 through them ; but, in practice, both are 

 strung alike. Each hurdle is 5 feet long, and 

 8 feet wide between the two bars ; for tall-grow- 

 ing Peas the width might be more. The up- 

 right ends are made of deal, and are 4 feet 

 long and 2 inches square. Eight inches of the 

 lower ends are charred and pointed, because 

 they have to be fixed in the ground. The side 

 bars aro 2 inches wide, and 1 inch thick, also 

 of deal, sunk into the uprights, and then nailed. 

 The Peas are sown in double rows, with a 

 space of 9 inches between the rows. Tho 

 hurdles are strung with stout wetted string, 

 because when dry it becomes tighter, and 

 rain does not slacken it afterwards. A hurdle 

 is put outBide of each row of Peas, and is made 

 steadier by being tied to the one next to it, 

 and the whole made firmer by being united 

 to those opposite, by pieces of wood about 1 foot long, tied as shown in 

 No. 2. The plant yon sent is Forsythia viridissima. 



Forced Strawberries (J. 8.) —It should have been 53. per lb,, which 

 is the wholesale price as nearly as can be ascertained. 



Perennials to Flower Early in Spring (E. T. H.).— The following 

 are good for planting in autumn after the beds or borders are cleared, 

 and they ought to be in every mixed flower border. Alyssum saxatilo and 

 its variety compactum, Arabia alpina and its variegated form, A mollis, 

 Aubrietia deltoidea graudiflora, Cheiranthus longifolius, C. Marshalli, 

 Draba aizoides, Erinus alpinus. Ficaria ranunculoides and its double 

 variety, also the double white ; Phlox verna, P. Nelsoni, P. procumbens, 

 Pulmonaria mollis, P. officinalis, Silene acaulis, Trollius europasus, 

 T. asiaticus, Viola cornuta, V. lutea ; Violets, singlo and double Russian, 

 single white, and Neapolitan; Polyanthus single and double ; Primroses, 

 double yellow, double white, single yellow, double lilac, double crimson, 

 and double purple or red ; Hepatica, double blue, single and double pink, 

 single blue, single white ; and Daisies, double crimson, pink, white, and 

 double German in variety. That called Bellis perennis aucuba?folia, with 

 gold-marked leaves and crimson flowers, is very handsome. 



Vine Leaves Scorched (A Constant Reader). — The leaves have the ap- 

 pearance of being scorched, probably through the sun's rays striking 

 powerfully on them whilst wet. We are confirmed in our opinion by the 

 scorching being all on one Vine at the east end of the house. It might 

 have been prevented had air been given sufficiently early to dissipate the 

 moisture on tho loaves before the suu shone strongly. Give air earlier 

 and a little at night— not much, but a little has a great effect in prevent- 

 ing scalded berries and scorched leaves; besides, it will be otherwise of 

 advantage now tbe Grapes are ripening. 



