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JOUKNAL OF HOETICULTCKE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB. 



[ May 19, 1970. 



3 will damp 

 t that each 

 the finger 



watertoshow itself at the drainage. It ought to be given before the 

 foliage flags. Mr. Keane'B " In-door Gardening" contains instructions 

 for plant cultivation ; itinay be bad post free from our utfi.ee for twen.y 

 stamps. 



Red-leading Peas IQ. <?.).— Proceed thus :-Place the Pens in a plat- 

 or wide saucer, and use just as much water and no more 

 them ; if more be given pour it all off. All that is wanted 

 Pea shall be slightly damped. Then, with a small spoon i 

 and thumb, sprinkle them over with the red-lead powder. Stir all up 

 with a stick, and add a pinch more if nccessnry until every Pea is 

 coloured. Very little red lead will do for a pint or a quart. You may do 

 the same with Lettuce and Cabbage seed, but it is well to lead no more 

 than you wish to sow at a time. 



Forcing Strawberries (Hem).— We have not done much in forcing 

 Dr. Hortr and Mr. Radclyffe strawberries, but we have no doub„ that it 

 treated as several times detailed lately, they will coma in well by the 

 1st of May. Would some correspondent toll us how they suit for earlier 

 forcing? "Agoodlotof well-formed, guod-siz-d henaes will depend on 

 culture, care, and thinning the fruit. Taken all in all, except in experi- 

 enced hands, hardly any Strawberry is so easily managed as Keens ; but, 

 as Btated above, we have no doubt the varieties you name would come m 

 well by the 1st of May, only as to their forcing qualitos we do not speak 

 from experience One of our correspondents has done well with Dr. 

 Hogg in the beginning of April. Your last question, " W ill they do fanly 

 in a Melon frame ?" is more puzzling, becauso we aro in doubt as to what 

 von mean by " Melon frame." Is it a frame with a hotbed of dung uu ier- 

 neath, and growing Melons as well as Strawberries > We can only say 

 that the same heat that would suit the Melon would not suit tuo Str; 

 berries, unless just when the fruit was swelling and ripening, 

 then, as ripening comes on, extra care must be gi 

 vent the fruit damping and rotting. Three time; 

 had arow of Strav.br rrv plants at the buck of a Cucumber pit heated by 

 hot water, and we thus gained time, as they swelled fast, and, fully ex- 

 posed to light, were firm and well coloured; but evei with the help o» a 

 little air at night we lost twontv or thirty fine fruit in five lights, m each 

 of the three lots, from damping. The pit was boated by hot water. In 

 the moist atmosphere of a Melon bed, heated by dung, we should have ex- 

 pected more to damp as they ripened, unless tho atmosphere was kept dry 

 by hot linings against the wooden frame. Tho berries were set and swelling 

 before the plants were removed to the pit. To have taken plants there 

 at once, or into the heat of a Melon frame, or even when they 

 Showing bloom, or in bloom, would only be labour thrown away, 

 flowers would not set in such a warm, close, moist atmosphc-= 

 only plans to combine the two— Strawberries and Melons, 

 above, to take the plants to the pit after the fruit 

 means of air, a comparatively low temperature s « 



The 



The 

 Id be, as 

 to keep, by 

 the frame until the 

 Strawberries were set, and then introduce the Melons. The difficulty of 

 treating the Strawberry in dung-hotbed fashion, except in such cases 

 those referred to at page 343, is, except in a very n 

 the plants so far dislike bottom beat— that is, plant 

 the pots, that even if the root: 



oderate degree, 

 U-established in 



suffer, but the reverse, there is a 



danger of too much strength being thrown into the foliage, and too little 

 into the flower trusses. In dull weather in April it would require care 

 to keep the bloom airy and dry enough to set well. With a frame appro- 

 priated to Strawberries alone, and to bring them in by the 1st of May, the 

 beBt plan would be to have a mild sweet hotbed mside covered with dry 

 asheB, and on these to Bet tiles or boaids for tho plants— say in the first 

 week of March— keeping the hot inside at from 4; t > 50 , and raising it 

 gradually to 55°, and never highor, but rathei lower, at night until the 

 flowers open and set, with a rise of from 10 to 15 3 in sunshine, with air 

 early given. A lining may be banked up against the frames to keep the 

 atmosphere drier and warmer, and with air it will assist first the sotting 

 and then the swelling. Without some artificial heat, unless in excep- 

 tionally warm seasons, a mere glass frame will not enable you to gather 

 ripe Strawberries on the 1st of May. We have at present in the front of 

 an orchard house a fine-looking row of strawberry pi. nts in pots stand- 

 ing on the ground, the flower-Btalks tall and strong, the blooms large, 

 and just beginning to set, and we hope freely ; but thev will not do so 

 without air in front to pass over them, and if we had kept such plants in 

 an unbeated frame they would not have been much more forward. We 

 may not have bit exactly on what you want, but these remarks will meet 

 the case of several other inquirers. Many aro disappointed because m 

 their unheatcd orchard houses, glass cases, and frames they do not get 

 snch things as Strawberries more forward. All such structures without 

 artificial heat should be looked upon rather as protectors than as for- 

 warders, though there will bo considerable forwarding, too, m a bright 

 spring and summer, and when the plants have arrived at that state that 

 we can safely shut in a good amount of sun heat. With mere glaES it is 

 hardly possible to gain more than two or three weeks by the middle of 

 May. In dull, sunless weather tho gain will bo much less. As the sum- 

 mer goes on the gain in time becomes much greater ; in fact, an orchard 

 house and a frame can be so managed as considerably to accelerate and 

 considerably to retard what is grown underneath them. If we could 

 command a nice Plum house, and Plums were not wanted early, we should 

 like to treat them so as to bring them on when all the stone fruit out of 

 doors were gathered. 



Pinks and Pkrpetual Carnations in a Melon Frame (Idem).— To 

 have their flowers in winter and spring much the same remarks apply as 

 to the Strawberries. They will not succeed with much bottom heat, and 

 in dull weather they are apt to suffer from damp when in bloom. With 

 plants potted now, and well grown all tho summer, so as to be early 

 ripened and rested, many in a frame without artificial heat would show 

 bloom early, as the white and rose dwarf Pinks, Anne Boleyn Pink, and 

 brown, scarlet, and pink Cloves. We have had perpetual Carnations 

 succeeding tolerably well in a cool house in winter. Most of the tribe 

 may be rendered winter flowering by growing them well in summer and 

 preventing blooming at that season ; they will show bloom late in 

 autumn, when they can be placed under protection for winter gathering. 

 This is a better plan than forcing. Perpetual Carnations bloom well in 

 the same way, and the heat of a common greenhouse will cause the flowers 

 to expand without damping. In a frame with little or no heat inside, the 

 flowers would open all the better with a lining round the outside to keep 

 the wood dry and warm. Very dry ashes inside, and careful watering, 

 would also help ; but for forcing those, after merely starting them : - ■ 



For the best half dozen perpetusla, to suit your purpose, you could not 

 do better than rely on the judgment of those gentlemen who advertise 

 in our pages. 



Stone Fruit in Scotland (H. F. C.).-It is quite true tli at the largo 

 crops of Poaches, &c, which vou bad at Tours were promoted by tho ca!- 

 oareoul formation of the soil; and it is also probably true that your young 

 Peach trees in England were benefited by the application of gypsum, 

 hut climate has a still greater influence. Chalk or lime applied to tho 

 soil might influence the success of Peach trees in your Scottish garden, 

 but to have fruit from them without a glazed protection is hopeless. 



Primrose-coloured Rose (H. .(. B.).— Most probably the Rose yon 

 inquire about is Rosa snlphnrea o lerata, sometimes known by the name 

 of Crystalline, and which is seldom found now. It is one of the original 

 Tea Roes, very sweet-scented, long and full in tho petal, and beautiful 

 in the tud, but rather loose in the petals when fully expanded. It is the 

 parent, we believe, of many Tea Roses, and deserves a more extended 

 cultivation ; though, as it is very tender, it requires the protection of a 

 wall. When planted out in a cool conservatory it is still one of the most 

 beautiful cliaibers we know, and the scent is more decidedly a true tea 

 scent than that of anv other Ruse with which we are acquainted. Ids 

 petals are long and shell-shaped ; colour, primrose fading to light prim- 

 rose ; wood rambling and long-jointed, but it is a very profuse bloomer. 



Pelargonium Leaves Withering (Unwise),— We think the cause oi 

 the leaves withering is the plants not being in a very healthy state when 

 potted, and that they have been watered too much afterwards; con- 

 sequents tho routs have decayed, or it may he that the plants hive 

 been kept very dry, and then the p ttiing, w to subsequent heavy watering, 

 has caused the roots to decay. We cannot account for it in any other 

 way. The little round pods on the stem of iho Hyacmtn are seed- 

 vessels, which vou can leave en tho plant until ripe, and then sow tucm 

 -that is, if yo'u wish to raise plants. It will not injure the »ulb to let 

 the seed ripen, and we fear that neither the bulb nor the offset will be of 

 much value to you for anvthing but out-door planting. The bulbs are of 

 no use tho second year for pots or glasses. They ought not to be taken 

 up until the leaves turn yellow. 



Pelargonium fernrrfolia odorata (Peach Bine).— We never before 

 heard oi such a variety, and as it is named in defiance of all Latmny, 

 and tho description coincides with that of some of the old Cape scented- 

 leaved species, we should not purchase it. 



Rhododendrons not Thriving (Mrs. O'Conor B— .).— We think the 

 CUUBO of the Rhododendrons nut tl riving in the bog is want ..-. drainage, 

 and deficiency of silicious matter. Your only remedy will be to drain the 

 bog and to those in the pleasure ground we would add sand liberally. 

 Allow the plants plenty of room. This may cause them to grow mora 

 stiff and sot bloom buds. Though Rhododendrons delight in moisture, or 

 soil that is retentive of water, they do not thrivo well with water resting 

 in the subsoil. 



Aphelexis Propagation (Kent).— Take cuttings of the side shoots- 

 the small are best— when they are firm or ripe, but not hard, 

 smooth below a joint, and insi-rt th-in round tht 

 with creeks, then to within an inch of the rim — 



— » ™ — *i * -'- ~«" ~* I."'" °'ze, and nil 



_. Pare them 

 dos of a pot half filled 

 h of the rim with fine sandy peat, and 

 to the rim with silver sand. Place tho pot in one of larger size, and fill 

 the interval between the sides of tho two with crocks to within an 

 the rim, and tho top may be of silver t 

 level. Cover with a bell-glass resting 

 place in a house a few degri 



about six 

 , gradually harden off, and 



._. The rims of both should be 

 >n the sn,nd between the pots, and 

 er than th it whonco the cuttings 

 were <aken.~shadin!i from bright sun, and keeping regularly moist, but 

 being careful not to overwater. They will be well rooted 

 weeks; then remove the bell-glass by degr< 



pot off in small pots. 



Value of Peat (Mrm).-We could not give any estimate of thevalne 

 of peat so much depends on the scarcity and distance the reat has to 

 be conveyed. We have paid 16s. per load for it, and paid carnage, also 

 10s. per load for it, tho peat being had for fetching. Consult some gar- 

 dener in vuur locality. 



Evergreen for Covering Iron Fence (Hem).— The best evergreen 

 would be Betberis Darwinii j the dark-leaved Laurustinus would from its 

 hardiness also answer. It is, however, not a good time of year to plant 

 evergreens. Plant at the end of September or early in October, during 

 mild moist weather. 



Puttv (T. H. DnM).— Putty is n compound of boiled Unseed oil and 

 whiting, but as it may bo bought in London at half-a-guinea per hundred- 

 weight it is scarcely worth while to make it. One hundredweight is 

 enough for puttying aboat 300 square feet of glass. Old putty may be 

 softened by applying to it rags dipped in a saturated solution of caustic 

 potash, leaving them on for twelve hours ; or by rubbing a hot iron along 

 the puttv. If the gardener dues make putty, the whiting should be well 

 dried, and then pounded and sifted till it becomes a fine powder, and is 

 quite lree from grit. Tho whiting, a little warm, should be gradually 

 added to the oil, and well-mixed by means of a piece of stick, or a spatula. 

 When it is sufficiently stiff, it should be well worked with the hand on a 

 table, and afterwards beaten on a Btone with a wooden mallet ; tiU it 

 becomes a soft, smooth, tenacious mass. A ball of putty, when left some 

 dayB, becomes somewhat hard, but may be easily softened by beating. 



The Archimedean Lawn Mower (J. Albert Porch) -We sent your 

 inquiry to a good authority and he replies :-" We have used tue Archi- 

 medean lawn mower and like it for its simplicity of construction and 

 great power. It will cut a far heavier sward of grass than any other 

 mower, and very quickly and easily. Ribbing the grass is a 'an" more 

 or less belonging to all mowing machines ; the Archimedean does so a 

 little There is a slight objection, no doubt, to the scattering of the grass 

 near 'flower-beds when it is long, but we did not find it so, as we cut it 

 over frequently. A 14-inch machine is very easily worked by one person. 

 We have not used a 16-inch one.— B." 



Cheap Greenhouse (Half-pay).- We can give few details concerning 

 the greenhouse advertised for £5, other than have appeared in our 

 columns. We have no doubt the advertiser would answer your questions, 

 and we would be obliged to any of our readers who have tried it to do so. 

 Secondly, we presume it is easily and efficiently ventilated but in such 

 a small house as 12 feet by 8 feet, wo would greatly s.mpUfy ventilation. 

 »n opening at each endat the apex of the roof, and one 



Ld Ske the Sfr'awberry they are aFthe better MaliUre^yheatTso as wTth the means of opening the door less or more n. , a hot day won a «o 

 toPreTent the damp air in bad weather having it too much its own way. ' for general purposes. Such a house won'd answer for pot Vines, rot 



