Jane 2, 1870. ) 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



dinms, Ferns, and plants generally, but the bedding plants will 

 be our chief work for some time. We know that many think 

 we are much behind, but we shall see whether there is so much 

 gain in early planting two months hence, fl'e muBt often 

 consult circumstanoes and position. There is nothing lost by 

 a little extra preparation. — R. F. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS 

 In the Suburbs of Loudon for the week ending May 31st. 



25.— Foggy ; clear and fine ; clear and cold at night. 



26.— Foggy ; very fine ; clear and fine. 



27.— Foggy; overcast; clear and fine, starlight. 



28.— Very fine ; foggy, bat fine ; fine, cloudy. 



29. — Very fine; exceedingly fine ; overcast. 



30.— Overcast, strong wind ; overcast ; cloudy. 



SI.— Overcast ; cloudy; heavy clouds. 



TRADE CATALOGUE RECEIVED. 



J. Linden, Jardin Royal de Zoologie et d'Horticulture, Brussels.- 

 Svpplement et Extrait des Catalogues generaux. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



GS* Being published in time for tra7^smission by the Thursday morning 

 mails, The Journal of Horticulture should, with but few ex- 

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

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

 IjookstaU, and b}i paying their subscriptions in advance their copies 

 will be regularly supplied. If country booksellers cannot obtain 

 the Journal in time, we shaft be obliged by tJteir communicating 

 the fact to our Publisher. 



*#* 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, &-c, 171, Fleet 

 Street, London, E.C. 

 We also request that correspondents will not mix up on the 

 same sheet questions relating to Gardening and those on 

 Poultry and Bee subjects, if they expect to get them an- 

 swered promptly and conveniently, but write them on 

 separate communications. Also never to send more than 

 two or three questions at once. 

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

 week. 

 Books (A. T.). — We do not know of such a periodical. (T. Clougk).— 

 Gray's " Supplement to the Pharmacopoeia." {Poplar).— Keane's " In-door 

 Gardening " will suit you. It may be had free by post from our office if you 

 enclose twenty postage stamps with your address. (Orient), — There is a 

 volume by Mr. Porter, *' The Tropical Agriculturist," or some such title. 

 Vines Mildewed (TV. G. Bittrrivell).— Apply flowers of sulphur im- 

 mediately, dusting over all the leaves thoroughly, or the whole of your 

 Vines will be attacked, and the crop destroyed. 



Nectarine Tree Unfruitful (Eastbourne).— There is little doubt as 

 the tree is "very much shaded by the Vines," that want of light is the 

 cause of the blossom not setting. Cannot you train the Vines so as to 

 admit more light to the Nectarine'.' 



Stephanotis floribcnda Fruiting (Goddess).— It Is not rare for this 

 plant to fruit. It is not a seed-pod but a fruit. We cannot say that it is 

 edible, we think not. The fruit will, no doubt, have seeds, and they will 

 be ripe when the fruit is, when they may be separated from the pulp by 

 washing with water, and when clean placed in the sun to dry. You may 

 sow them when dried. A strong heat is necessary, and light sandy peat 

 soil. 



Temperature for Brazilian Ferns (K. L. J.).— Ferns from Brazil 

 will in summer require a temperature of 60 3 to 65 1 at night, 70 3 by day 

 without sun, and 75 to B0 C and 85 J with sun and moderate ventilation ; 

 in winter 55 : to GO 3 at night, and in very cold weather the temperature 

 may fall to 50 at night without injury to the plants. Let it be 60 3 to 

 65^ by day from fire heat, and 70 r to 75 : from sun, with moderate ventilation. 

 Ripe Melons and Cutting Them (T. S.t.— The best time to cut a 

 ripe Melon is as soon in the day as the moisture of the night is dissipated 

 by the sun's heat, and that will be in the early p^rt of the forenoon. The 



fruit is ripe as soon as the footstalk begins to separate from the fruit, 

 evidenced by the cracking around it next the fruit. The flavour of the 

 Melon is best about three days after the fruit is cut, or after the cracking 

 of the footstalk takes place. The fruit, after being ripe, is best kept in a 

 dry, light room, but not exposed to sun. The flavour of the fruit would 

 not be improved by cutting away the leaves immediately over it. 



Cucumeer Fruit not Swelling (Hastrack).— The fruit not swelling 

 is, we think, due to a deficiency of bottom heat, and an excessive amount 

 of moisture in the atmosphere, which causes the fruits to go off at the 

 ends. Perhaps all would go on well if you were to give a few degrees more 

 heat, seeing that the soil is in a healthy state as to moisture, and admit 

 air early in the day, closing with a considerable amount of sun heat. 

 No soil is better than rather light loam from rotted turves, chopped up 

 rather small. We use nothing else, but for winter work we add about one- 

 third sandy fibrous peat, and we have generally more fruit than we need. 



Larch Trees Infested with Aphis (That, Nicol).—We think the 

 "white bug" on the Larch trees is an aphis, probably the Aphis laricis. 

 It is very destructive to the young growths of Larch, and hinders the 

 growth considerably. The liquor of the tobacco manufacturer, diluted 

 with Bis times its volume of water, will destroy it, the liquid being syringed 

 on the trees. Gisburst and Clarke's Compounds, at the rate of 2 ozs. to 

 the gallon, would also free the trees of this pest. The solution of either 

 of those should be syringed over the trees on a calm evening. 



Plant to Hang Down the Sides of a Fountain (L. M. X).— You do 

 not say whether the sides of the fountain-basin are constantly wet, for if 

 not no aquatic would grow beyond the water, and, indeed, we have little 

 hope of its doing so, but vou can try Lysimachia thyrsiflora and Cyperus 

 glomeratus alternately all around. It will be necessary to put in soil for 

 planting in— about 6 inches deep of equal parts strong loam and peat, or 

 bog soil, putting in the plants about a foot apart, and covering the whole 

 surface with an inch or two of gravel ; but why have plants in the upper 

 basin? Your chance of getting anything to grow down the sides is 

 extremely small. For the lower basin Calla or Ilichardia sethiopica will 

 answer, the pots being in the water in summer, and removed to a green- 

 house ; or the Calla may be planted if there is a foot of water, and it is then 

 hardy. You will need soil in this basin as well as in the upper one. Yoa 

 may have besides the Calla, Aponogeton diatachyon, but clear of the drip 

 of the upper basin, and Stratiotes aloides. All the culture needed is to 

 keep the basin well supplied with water. 



Cyclamen Treatment (Flora).— We advise you to turn the Cyclamens 

 out now in an east border, or other place shaded from the direct midday 

 sun, and leave them there until thev begin to grow in autumn, then take 

 them up and place them in pots sufficiently large to hold them without 

 cramping, using two parts light loam, one part leaf soil, and a free ad- 

 mixture of sharp sand. Place them iu a cold frame, and keep them well 

 aired, but protected from heavy rains and frost, and when the weather 

 becomes frostv remove to a light airy position in a greenhouse. If the pots 

 are filled with roots shift into others a size larger, and you may use equal 

 parts loam, sandy peat, old cow dung, or well rotted manure, with a 

 fourth part charcoal in pieces, from the size of a pea to that of a hazel 

 nut, and one-sixth of silver sand. This will grow them well, good drainage 

 being given. Water when required, but avoid making the soil sodden. 

 We think you will have next year good foliage and bloom. 



Mrs. Pollock Pelargonium Changing Colour (R. H.K.).— The cause 

 of the leaves becoming green is, no doubt, their not having a sufficiency 

 of light, and being kept at too great a distance from the glass. If you 

 were to place them in a fram», and shade them for a few hours during 

 the hottest part of the day when the sun is very bright, you would, we 

 think, soon see a difference. Lycopodium on 12-inch pots will to a cer- 

 tainty injure the Camellias and Azaleas growing in them. The surface 

 ought to be free of moss, and every plant but that intended to occupy 

 it. Musk in a pot of Tacsonia is even worse than the Lycopodium. 

 Remove all such obstructions, for no plant will do well when another 

 is monopolising a portion of the root nutriment. 



Cutting Asparagus (R. H.).— The cutting of the heads may be con- 

 tinued up to the 20th of June, but it is essentialthat some of the heads be 

 allowed to grow— say two or three from each crown at the end of May or 

 beginning of June, confining the cutting to those that appear from the 

 crown after the two or three shoots to each have been secured. The 

 cutting in that case may be continued up to midsummer, but if no shoots 

 have been allowed to rise, all being cut, the cutting should cease alter 

 June 12th. 



Pea for Present Sowing on Light Soil (Idem).— For present sow- 

 ing we do not know of a better from 4 to 6 feet in height than Improved 

 Green Marrow ; the best Pea to sow now is Ne Plus Ultra, but it grows 

 7 feet high. A dwarfer kind is Hair's Dwarf Man 

 class Pea for present sowing, and it attains a height 

 light soil it is useless sowing late Peas, unless 

 2 feet wide, and a spit deep, putting in about 3 

 then point it in at the bottom of the trench, put 

 then another layer of manure, forking it 

 with soil, and sow the Peas ' 



oth, also a first- 



3 to 4 feet. On 



nch be taken out 



4 inches of manure ; 



about half the soil, 



ind then make level 



11, watering well if the soil 



edUngs up soon. It is a far better plan 



and Phlox Drummondi (Idem).- 



good heart for thesu plants, therefore ; 



d then point it in with 



at all dry, so as to bring th 

 than soaking the seed. 



Manuring for Stocks, A 

 It is essential that the soil be 

 liberal dressing of manure should be given, 

 fork, making the soil fine. 



Watering Strawberries (Idem).— The weather being dry it 

 necessary that Strawberries should be well watered, 

 every second day. Begin watering whenthe fl 

 continue it as long as there are fruits 



Pansies (Centurion).— Show 



AulllIlL'. 



a good Boaking 

 at its best, and 

 n . Dribblings are ot do use. 

 „. leties :— Self s, Cloth of Gold, Royal 

 White, Maid of Bath, Dreadnought, Alexander Tait, and Vesta, fellow 

 GroundB :— Refinement, William Austen, William Deans, George Wilson, 

 Carlos, and Alexander Whamond. White Grounds :— MiBB K. Cochrane, 

 Mrs. Laird, Princess of Wales, Alice Downie, Lady Lucy DundaB, ana 

 Miss Newton. Fancies .-—Black Prince, McKeith, Striped Queen, Mrs. K. 

 Haig, Eole. Prince Napoleon, Miss Berry, Imp- ratrice Kng. me, Princess 

 Mathilde, Mulatta. and Diament. We cannot depart from our rule not to 

 recommend dealers. 



Diseased Leaves of Peacheb (E. 21. if.).— What do you mean by 

 " diseased leaves ? " The diseases to which they are liable are many. 



