JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ January 25. 1877. 



after they have been forced ; the young growths, if they are not 

 killed, certainly sufier material injury by that violent exposure. 



FLOWER GARDEN, 



We are now about making preparations to propagate such 

 bedding plants as are best propagated in the spring, or of which 

 there is not sufficient stock. We prefer a heated pit to ordinary 

 box lights. The temperature of the pit is kept at about 55'^, and 

 a bed is made up of any fermenting material that can be ob- 

 tained, some cocoa-nut fibre refuse being placed over the surface 

 of the bed, in which to plunge the pots. It is difficult iu our 

 district to obtain healthy cuttings in the autumn, and they do 

 not improve much in health during the winter. The beat treat- 

 ment is to place the plants in heat about Christmas to promote 

 growth, and as soon as cuttings can be obtained they may be 

 taken off and propagated, and with a little care a fine healthy 

 stock can be obtained; red spider, thripa, and green fly must 

 not effect a lodgment upon them. Ageratums, Heliotropes, and 

 indeed all free-growing plants make the most healthy stock if 

 propagated in spring. All sorts of Pelargoniums ought to be 

 propagated in autumn. 



In the florist department there is always plenty of work after 

 this time. Auriculas, if the weather is open, may be surface- 

 dressed after some of the old surface soil has been removed. 

 The plants must be freely ventilated when the weather is mild. 

 In fine open weather the lights should be removed. It is a sub- 

 ject of some anxiety as to how Auriculas will flower next season, 

 as they have not had the usual resting period. The soil has 

 scarcely ever been frozen in the pots. CarnatioES and Picotees 

 are in a similar plight ; the growth is suggestive of March more 

 than of January. We keep the pots clear of weeds, water with 

 caution, and air freely. 



Tulips are fairly out of the ground, and growing apace. They 

 must be protected in some way from severe frost, and should 

 the weather be fine for a few days, stirring the surface of the 

 beds will be of much advantage of them. Pinks require similar 

 treatment. If the surface of the ground is just stirred it dries 

 rapidly.— J. Douglas. 



TBADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 



James Veitch & Sons, Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, S.W. — 

 Catalogue of Garde7i and Flower SeedSj Horticultural hn-ple- 

 7ttents, KniveSy d-c. 



B. S. Williams, Victoria and Paradise Nurseries, Upper Hollo- 

 way, London, N. — Catalogue of Flower^ Vegetable^ a7id Agri- 

 cultural Seeds, Garden lyyiplements, d-c. 



Thomas Bnnyard & Sons, Maidstone. — Descriptive Catalogue 

 of Vegetable, Flower, and Agricultural Seeds. 



Edmund Philip Dixon, 59, Queen Street, Hull. — Descriptive 

 Catalogues of Vegetable and Flower Seeds. 



Hooper & Co., Covent Garden, London. — Illustrated Cata- 

 logue of Seeds and Garden Hequisites. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 

 *,* All correspondence should be directed either to " The 

 Editors," or to "The Publisher." Letters addressed to 

 Mr. Johnson or Dr. Hogg often remain unopened unavoid- 

 ably. We request that no one will write privately to any 

 of our correspondents, as doing so aubjeots them to un- 

 justifiable trouble and expense. 



Books (P. J. 0. H.).— Loudon's " Hortua Britannicus." 



Epiphtllums and Pereskia {A. B. G.).— They are closely allied to the 

 CactnseH. The f^enera were formerly combined. Any floriBt who adyertiseB 

 ia our Journal coald supply you. 



Abnott'b Stoves.—" West Riding " wisheB to know where these, suitable 

 for a plant house, can be purchased. 



Amateur's Wheelbarrow {R. K.). — Write to the Bev. J. "W. Hathwaite, 

 Backwell, Bristol. 



Strawberry and Hop Planting {N. J. M.).— Strawberries may be 

 planted whenever the soil is in a suitable condition. If planted from the 

 present time onward to the spring, little if any good fruit would be had this 

 year unless the plants were very strong and a year old. Hops will answer 

 perfectly well in the ordinary soil of a good garden. They may be raised 

 from seed sown in Maich, but the usual mtthod is to plant " sets," consisting 

 of that upper portion of the roots which all good cultivators cut off at this 

 season of the year. The culture of this plant is bo simple that it will suffice 

 for all ornamental purposes to plant it in good soil, training the growth upon 

 poles or such other supports as fancy may suggest, keeping the foliage quite 

 clean, and removing the growth after it decays by cutting it off close to the 

 ground. 



Melons Diseased {Eijrc Court).— The specks upon the fruit when ap- 

 proaching ripening are a consequence of too much moisture both at the 

 roots and in the atmosphere, the latter bein^ not only must but close. 

 Keep dry when ripening, and avoid too rich soil ; nothing answers so well for 

 Melons as strong loam, the top 3 or 4 inches of a pasture, laid up until (he 

 turf is dead, though we have frequently used it fiesh. Chop up rather line 

 and tread firmly in the bod, firm soil inducing short-jointed fruitful growth. 



PROPAGATiNa Begonias [E. W. B.).— All the Begonias may be propagated 

 by cuttings, which is best done in early April — cuttings of 2 or 3 inches 

 length inserted in saudy soil and placed iu a hotbed, keeping close, moist, 

 and shaded until rooted. If bulbous kinda, cuttings may be taken of the 

 yotmg shoots whea they can be obtained and struck in gentle beat. They 



will grow-on and form bulbs. Plants are also readily raised from seed, which 

 may be sown in Mar.-h in a hotbed. The large-leaved variegated section may 

 he raised from leaves, pegging them upon the surface of a pot and keeping 

 moist ; young plauts will arise from the midribs of the leaves, which should 

 be detached and potted-off singly. 



Mushroom Growt:ng (St. Edmund).— The "small place" would give you 

 very little room for a bed, as you would not be able to have a walk alongside 

 the bed without taking up too much of the space. Either the coach-house 

 or stable would annwer well, and preferably the former, as it is the freest 

 from diaught. No drainage is necessary ; the bed may be made upon the 

 hard floor. 



Productive Cccumber (/(ftmi.— Growing upon tan in frames and wishing 

 to have a frefh one every day, there is none better than one of the Sion 

 House type. Munro's Duke of Edinburgh is the best we have grown. Tele- 

 graph is a very good variety, better for huuses than frames. The former will, 

 we feel certain, satisfy you as to quality and quantity. 



Pruning Newxt-planted Fruit Trees {M.). — The trees doabtless made 

 a large quantity of fibrous roots last year, and will be in a condition both to 

 mature fruit and make plenty of growth. "We would not prune severely this 

 year ; cut hack the poiiits only of the young wood. 



Ferns and other Plants Diseased ( G. McA.).—Thej have been attacked 

 by thrips and red spider. You must fumigate with tobacco smoke to destroy 

 the first, and syringe the leaves freely for the spider. As the leaves are much 

 affected it will be necessary to fumigate three or four times at intervals of 

 three days. 



Jointing Hot-water Pipes (D. H. IF.).— Tour plan of using iron filings 

 and old rope is the best. If too much iron filings are used in proportion to 

 the rope the joints are apt to crack. We have seen good joints made with 

 gntta percha rings made to fit tightly into the socket. Bed lead has also 

 been used with i 



Orange Grafting (A Constant Reader). — The operation should he per' 

 formed within 6 inches of the ground. In such a way trees will be produced 

 having clean stems from i to 8 feet in height. The plants should he kept in 

 a close frame or pit until the union has fairly taken place ; and if the stock is 

 slightly stimulated at the same time, by being plunged in a moderate bottom 

 heat, the union will be more speedily accomphshed. Any of the ordinary 

 methods of grafting may be emplojed, the great object to be kept in view 

 being to have the scion and stock of nearly the same size. No clay is used, 

 but a little fine moss is placed over the point of union, and many only secure 

 the scion to the stock with two or three rounds of soft woollen yam. 



Melons for Early Crop (Q. D., BeaumaiirU). — Yon wish for four 

 varieties. Bead's Scarlet-fiesh, Cox's Golden Gem, Eastnor Castle, and 

 Meredith's Hybrid Cashmere are good and free setters. 



TROpiEOLUMS (A. F. B.).— We think your Trop.reolum is T. tuberosum, and 

 not T. speciosum. If you will send ua a spray with flowers in the summer we 

 will gladly give you the information you require. 



Ferns Unhealthy (Stoke-on-Trent).— Vve do not think the large frond 

 yon have sent has been eaten by a caterpillar, bat we rather attribute its 

 decay to a cioee damp atmospheie, and the dripping of condensed moisture 

 from the roof of the house. The frond has further been infested with thrips. 

 Sponge the plant with strung soapy water, and provide a more genial tem- 

 perature — a Jess stagnant aimoephere. Adiantnm farleyense frequently 

 loses some of its interior fronds, their decay being accelerated by a low 

 temperature. Kemove all the decaying parts, top-dress the plant with fresh 

 compost, water carefully, and raise the temperature of the house if below 

 60*^ at night. 



Insects on Vines [A. B.).— They are the thrips, and may be destroyed 

 by fumigating with tobacco two nights following, and each morning, after 

 the night's fumigating, syringing with water at 120- with S ozs. of soft soap 

 and a pint of tobacco water in each gallon. Bepeat the application at the 

 end of three weeks. 

 Names of Plants (G. P.). — We cannot name from leaves only. 



POULTKY, BEE, AlTD PIGEON OHRONIOLE. 



LES BASSES-COURS D'ANGLETERRE. 



Chapter XII.— BIBURY, FAIEFOKD. 



It certainly was bitterly cold that drive from Cirenceeter to 

 Bibury, along rongh country roads and over bills with no pro- 

 tection, in one of the coldest winds we ever felt. We missed 

 onr south country hedges, for those built-up walls of loose 

 stones looked so cold and cheerless, but when we came to 

 Bibury it seemed a fair oiisis in the midst of a wilderness. 

 Directly we passed the home of Mr. Button's " coUaborateur" 

 with the monthly roses still blooming fresh and bright upon its 

 walls the scone changed, and it seemed as if a *' morceau" of a 

 continental village had been bodily dug-up and planted in the 

 middle of those dreary expanses of arable lands. The hill for a 

 background was there with picturesque cottages nestling in neat 

 gardens at its feet ; the villrtge mill, the flowing river with its 

 colony of domesticated waterfowl, the village church, the village 

 emporium, the bright village inn ; all were there. 



AVell, we passed them all, and we came to the vicarage. This 

 was in November. It is now January I We have in pet un- 

 scratched borders snowdrops, anemones, and aconites bloom- 

 ing to-day. We hope Mr. Dutton has, but we tremble for the 

 chance in those borders opposite the porch, for in them were 

 Black Bed Game hens and Black Red Game pullets dusting, 

 bathiug, scratching regardless of bulbs, and perfectly indifferent 

 to the nets stretched over them. We clapped our hands while 

 the servant was answering the bell, and iu a moment the fowls 

 were up and scudded away amidst the thick shrubs, leaving 

 behind only the faint recollection of some twenty or thirty birds 

 well colooied, well sbapeu, and in hard feather. 



I 



