JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



Camellia Leaves Blistered (IF. T.). — The leaf sent is blistered 

 owing to its being wet, and no air having been given when the sun 

 was shining powerfully. Shade the homo from bright sun, or brush the 

 glass over with a thin size of milk and whiting on the inside of the house ; 

 and though a moist atmosphere is needed for the plants to make good 

 growth, they must hive plenty of air, especially during the early part of 

 the day. It is conducive to health and vigorous growth, and to a great 

 extent prevonts scorching. 



Arum Dracunculus Treatment (E. B. B.).~ It is not unusual for 

 dried roots that are obtained from seedsmen not to grow very freely for 

 a time. Keep it in a cold frame with the soil moist until it begins to 

 grow, and then water more freely. You cannot give it too much air, and 

 a position shaded from tha midday sun is best. A light sandy lonm with 

 free drainage is most suitable. If the soil is poor add a little leaf soil or 

 old cow dung. But why grow it in a pot ? It is hardy in all well-drained 

 soils, but does best in a sandy soil, and in a situation sheltered from cold 

 winds, and with a slight shade in the hottest part of the day during the 

 summer months. 



Ericas Blooming from April to September (C. S.).— Cavondishii, 

 Fairrieana, Massoni major, gemmifera elegans, picturata, Holfordiana, 

 vontricosa Bothwelliana, ventricosa alba, Sprengeli, tricolor dulciflora, 

 vestita rosea elegans, and tortiliflora. 



Pimelea spectabilis Culture (Idem). — It will now be in flower, at 

 least it is so with us. When the floweriug is over, cut away the flower 

 stems to within a few inches of their base ; or if the plant is struggling 

 you may cut it rather closely in, leaving, however, enough of last year's 

 growth to produce new shoots. Place it in a cold pit or frame, and keep 

 it rather dry, but do not allow the soil to become so dry as to affect the 

 wood, but keep it moist, and give air freely for a fortnight or so ; then 

 keep it rather closer, but still give air, and when the plant has made 

 shoots a few inches long repot in a compost of thveo parts sandy peat and 

 one part light fibrous loam, with a free admixture of silver sand. A sixth 

 part of charcoal not larger than a pea may be added with advantage. 

 Good drainage is necessary. In potting remove no more of the old soil 

 than will come away freely, and keep the collar well up. Water sparingly 

 until the roots are working freely in tho fresh soil, and then be careful 

 not to overwater, but preserve the soil in a moist condition, and keep the 

 plant rather close and shaded until it is again established ; then admit air 

 freely. Keep near the glass during the winter, afford plenty of air, and 

 give no more water than enough to keep the soil moist. 



Aradcaria imbricata Propagation (A Constant Reader).— It is suc- 

 cessfully propagated only by seed, which may be sown in spring, or now, 

 in sandy soil in pans placed in a cold frame. Water must be given, so as 

 to keep the soil moist, and when the seedlings appear admit air freely, 

 keeping them in winter in a cold frame in a sheltered situation, and in 

 the following spring prick them off in store pots, and forward them in a 

 frame with the same treatment as before, and the succeeding year they 

 may be planted out in tho open ground. 



Dividing Eucharis amazonica (O. B.).— We think it best done now, 

 bnt be careful not to injure the roots, preserving as much as you can to 

 each division. We would not carry the division to the extreme. It will 

 be some time again before vou will have such a flue plant as you describe. 

 It would be well to plunge 'the pots in a mild hotbed until tho plants are 

 growing freely and have made good roots. A compost of two parts loam 

 from turf, one part leaf soil, and ono part sandy poat, with a free admix- 

 ture of sand, will grow it well. Old cow dung may bo substituted for the 

 leaf soil advantageously. The Begonias may also be divided now, and 

 treated in the same way, giving them, however, more moisture, with 

 slight shade from bright sun. Tho same kind of compost is suitable. 



Budding Plums tldem).— In budding Plum stocks it is best to insert 

 the buds in the mnin stem, and near the ground. They may, however, 

 be budded on the si.lo shoots if you have any near the ground, but in no 

 case on long stems like standard Roses. 



Hvacinths and Tulip3 after Flowebing (IT. 8 .).— You do not say 

 whether your plants are in pots or in the open ground, but we prosume 

 they have been grown in pots. If so, continue them in a cold pit or frame 

 a few days longer, or until the end of May, then place them out of doors 

 in a sheltered sunny position, giving them only enough water to keep the 

 foliage fresh ■. when it basins to turn yellow lay the pots on their sides, 

 and when it is quite yellow shake the bulbs out of the pots, and store 

 them on shelves in a coil, dry, airy place. They may bo planted in the 

 flower borders next November, where they will bloom well in the follow- 

 ing spring, or you may use them again for pots, but generally they do 

 not flower well in pots the second year. 



Chrysanthemums after Flowering (Hem).— The obi plants that 

 flowered last autumn will be useful for flowering in the borders. Stickers 

 should have been taken from them in March or April, but you may now 

 remove the strongest of those not more than 6 inches long, pot them 

 singly in 4-inch pots, and place them in a cold frame or warm situation, 

 shading them from sun, and keeping them close until they have recovered 

 from tho potting, then thevmav be placed out of doors in an open position. 

 The point of each shoot BhouW bo taken out at 6 or 8 inches from tho soil 

 when the plants are again established; when they have broken shift 

 into 7-inch pots, and by the middle of July they should have their blooming 

 pots, 9 or 11 inches in diameter according to their strength, and the size 

 of the plants you wish. The shoots should be tied down, and stopped 

 when they have grown G inches, which, as you have begun late, will be 

 sufflcient. In taking suckers select such only as are well rooted. A 

 compost of two parts fibrous loam, with one part of leaf soil or well-rotted 

 manure, will grow them well. Good drainage is necessary. The old 

 roots may be planted in the border, and if it is sheltered, thoy will flower 

 finely in autumn. 



Russian Violets to Flower at Christmas (Idem.).— Runners should 

 have been put in at the beginnine of this month either in small pots, or, 

 what is preferable, in beds in the "open ground. Let the soil be light and 

 enriched with leaf soil. Plant about a foot apart, shading and keeping 

 moist by frequent sprinklings of water if the weather should prove dry. 

 An'east or partially shaded border is best ; water freely in dry weather, and 

 by the beginning 6f October you willhave good plants. They may betaken 

 np with balls, aud planted in a cold frame in a warm dry sunuy situation, 

 or be placed in 6-inch pots aud set in a similar position, giving air when- 

 ever the weather is mild, but protecting from heavy rains and frost— from 

 the latter by a covering of mats. A few plants placed in a greenhouse 

 on a shelf, airy and cool, will give you flowers at Christmas, the tempera- 



ture from fire heat being 41', and the pots introduced about the second 

 week in November. They succeed, however, much bettor in frames when 

 planted out than when grown in pots, and are not one-half so troublesome. 

 We do not know a plant named Petura. 



Apple Trees not Breaking Low (T. R.).— Your maiden trees not 

 having buds low enough for cordons will not give yon any, unless you 

 head them to where you require the shoots. It would be well to do it 

 now, for if you lot them grow this year it is likely they will not break 

 well next season. It weakens fruit trees to let them start into growth 

 before heading-back, and it makes the growth late, so that there is a 

 danger of its not becoming well ripened. It may bo practised, however, 

 on trees that have the leaves about half developed. It is very desirable 

 to syringe Peach trees against walls from the time of .the fruit setting to 

 its changing colour for ripening. It keeps down insects, promotes free 

 growth, and contributes to the swelling and perfection of tho f.-uit. 

 Your failures may be duo to other causes. 



Vine Leaves Dotted (J. .5 , Oturmty).— The little dots on tho back of 

 the leaf about which you are concerned are generally the result of 

 rather too moist an atmosphere in which tho leaf canuot perspire freely. 

 A drier and a more airy atmosphere are the best remedies _; at present, in 

 your case, the appearances are so mild as to he comparatively harmless. 

 Larger warts are generally tho cousequenco of tho roots growing in a 

 damp rich border, and of their absorbing moro crude material than can 

 be carried off by evaporation in a moist atmosphere Wo think that in 

 your case a little moro air would prevent tho warts extending. 



Blotched and Scalded Leaves of Vines (67. M.).— The Vines yon 

 spoke of last year (and wo supposed ths scalding and burning were owing 

 to want of airl, but we can each hold our respective opinions and still will 

 agree, though in this wo differ. The loavos now sent, besides being 

 blotched and scalded, have their footstalks likewise burnt and dried up. 

 What seems so wonderful to us is tint such a thing should take place in 

 a house with tho top sashes in a loan-to house open less or more night 

 and day. It is just possible that the glass may be so bad and so full of 

 little spots, that the leaves and leafstalks may be thus affected even with 

 a fair portion of air. It is also possible that the leaves aro too near tha 

 glass, and are thus caught by tho sun when moist. A foot to 15 inches is 

 a fair distance from the glass. It is also just possible that in a sunny 

 morning, with a good heat from the tire, the suu caught the leaves when 

 surrounded with moist vapour. What is another puzzle to us is your 

 statement that Pear-treo leaves out of doors last season were similarly 

 affected. We have seen something resembling it aftor a severe hailstorm, 

 and when, from waDt of proper root action, the loaves were attacked with 

 mildew. We thought there were traces of mildew on one of the Vine leaves, 

 but could not be certain. In that caso, as in scalding and burning, a free 

 current of airis of importance, and in mildew dusting with flowers of sul- 

 phur, and even washing tho stages, sholvos, and wall with a paint of sulphur 

 and soft soap. We once knew a vinery attacked as yours seems to be, and 

 that under the care of a very particular man as to air-gu 'lug, but on a sunny 

 Sunday morning, when he genorallv gave air himself, and in the middle of 

 •June, he was taken ill during the night, and before a person could be found 

 to open the house it was between nine and ten o'clock. With air on all 

 ni»ht there would not have been much harm, but tho previous evening 

 the house was shut up after well damping the stages, paths, So. The hot 

 confined vapour next morning did tho mischief. Io your case there may 

 be also something tho matter with tho roots, as the footstalks of the leaf 

 are so affected; but still we are more inclined to trace tho appearances to 

 bad spotted glass, or a confined moist atmosphere m sunshine. (I. J., 

 fluHl.-Like others referred to in our answers to-day, your Vino leaves 

 and footstalks of the leaf have been blotched and scalded. This is gene- 

 rally the result of a close moist vapour on or around the- leaves, with little 

 or no air when the sun strikes tho house You would also see that 

 something depends on the nearness of the leaves to the glass. It is 

 nothing extraordinary that one plant suffers and others escape, because 

 there is a difference in the constitutional vigour of plants as well as 

 of men. This reminds us that there is a difference in your leaves and 

 those sent by others-namely, yours are very thin, showing something as 

 vet weakly in constitution and growth. In addition, therefore, to what 

 is recommended to others, we would advise you to slightly shade this 

 Vine. Thin gauze, &c, would do. Tho cheapest and handiest shading 

 would be a quart or so of skim milk ; take a largo teaspoonful of fine 

 flour ol : whiting "mix it up in a paste mix it with milk, and then draw a 

 brush with the mixture outside the glass opposite this single \ .»M»i« 

 little way on each side. If it has much strength left in it, it will soon 

 show its gratitude for your kindness. If after such care it should show 

 the white feather next season, we would exchange it for another. 



Vine Treatment (John Leonardo-Yam border being flat and wet, 

 how can Vines thrive in it ? Could yon not raise and drain it , .' The treat- 

 ment of the Vines in respect to pruning and stooping . s right ; but instead 

 of pruning to one eye we would leave two eyes at the next v, inter pruning. 

 The stopping of the shoot, a joint beyond the ruit is right. The shoots 

 that come from tho base of tho leaves above or below the bunch after the 

 stonmng aro laterals ; take out their points at tha first joint and keep 

 then, stopped to one joint as often as they break throughout the summer. 



Primula Treatment (Hem).— For sowing the seed drain a pot ^ well; 

 fill it to within half an inch of tho rim with a compost of two parts fibrous 

 sandy loam, one part sandy poat, and one pirt silver sand. Make the 

 surface quite level, scatter the seed cv, i.iy and thinly, and cover it with 

 flnelv sifted Boil. Water gently, and plae, in a frame or house with a heat 

 Sf from 65= to 75', keeping the soil moist but not very wet. When he 

 seeulinVs appear place them near the glass, and when they have two rough 

 leaves pot off singly in 8-inch pots, and pi ice them m a cold frame, keep 

 ng them close, shaded, and moist until the plants become established* 

 then expose them fully to light and air. When the pots fill with roots 

 shift the plants into IS-inch pots, return them to the .«, a nJ f° "?° 

 Ii-hts only to afford shelter from heavy runs. When tho pots aie again 

 full of roots shift the plants into 6 inch pots using a compost of .two. part, 

 fibrous loam, one part sandy peat, one part leaf soil or old cow dun ana 

 one part charcoal in pieces from the size of a pea to that of a hazel nut 

 Drain the pots well but not excessively, and in potting let » ! >" soi ; t »» 

 about half an inch below the rim, but keep the plant well up m the centre 

 of the pot. Cover the surface with charcoal in pieces such *» were °sed 

 for potting, or with pieces of sandstone. Continue the plants n the frame 

 until the weather becomes wet aud frosty in autumn ^i^L °nd 

 them to a shelf in an airy greenhouse. Keep them near the glas», ana 

 water carefully, but not until the soil becomes dry, aud then g.vo enough 



