April 19, 1S77. ] 



JOUKMitj OP aORTlCUtiTORB iND COTTAGE GiRDENER. 



ronica Andersonii variegata, and Sedum Sieboldi variesatam. Yoa may have 

 of coarse Oleander, Orange, and Jlyrtle, which with " pot Roses, PelargoninmB, 

 HeliotropeB, Cinerarias, Primulas, and Fuchsias" would do well, also Chrys- 

 anthemums, all of which, except Facheias, would be outdoors in summer; 

 and you may also have Cyclamen persicum, Calceolarias, Spiraea japonic*, 

 Dentzia gracilis, Lily of the Valley, with bulbous plants suoh as Hyacintha, 

 Tulips, &o. Begonias are fine plants for greenhouse decoration in summer. 

 The temperature of a greenhouse in winter from fire heat ought to be 45° to 40^. 

 The Vinea will afford ample shade for the plants, planting the VineH 2 feet 

 from the ends, and one in the centre of the front. Foster's Seedling is a good 

 white Grape for a greenhouse, and the best black i3 Black Hamburgh, or if 

 you desire two kinds you may add Trentham Black. 



TiLLANDSiA AEGENTEA {A. T.). — The plant showing for flower and not advan- 

 cing, we can only conclude that the tempeniture is too low or that the roots 

 are destroyed by overwatering. Afford a night temperature of 65^ to 60", and 

 70"= to 75° day, with a rise to 85^ or 90" from sun heat, keeping moderately 

 moist. If the soil be sodden or the roots decayed, repot, removing all the old 

 soU, draining well, and employing a compost of turfy loam and half a part of 

 sandy peat, with a fourth in equal proportions of pieces of charcoal and silver 

 sand. Sprinkle lightly overhead twice daily, encouraging growth by a brisk 

 moist heat, exposing the plant fully to the light. 



AsTEBS Failing (Jjn/tr).— It is not too late to raise Asters. Seed sown 

 now in a cold frfime kept close until the seedlings appear, and then air 

 a'mitted frefly, will produce sturdy plants by the end of May or early Jane. 

 If they are then planted in good soil, and duly attended to with water, they 

 will flower finely in August onward. We do not know where you can procure 

 planta. 



Azalea Growisg before Flowering (A Coru^tant Eeader).—li arises 

 from the imperfect ripening of the wood, the pliints being in the same con- 

 dition as an over-vigorous fruit tree, the flowers being caat. We know of no 

 remedy other than to restrict the roots more, potting firmly, employing 

 plenty of sand, and encouraging growth after flowering by a moist brisk heat, 

 shading from bright sun, and after the growth is complete admitting light 

 and au freely, keepini^ in a cool airy house after the buds are set. The growth 

 is too free — the wood not thoroughly ripened. 



Ridge CucniiBERS Failing (W. E. C.).— The description you give coin- 

 cides with that of the disease which is so mysterious and fatal in its effects. 

 We should advise your employing good fresh loam in place of the vegetable 

 soil for covering the manure in the trenches, and changing the seed— that is, 

 do not employ seed saved from plants in your own ground. We have not 

 snfferad from the diseaBe. The only precautions taken against it are good 

 fresh soil and a change of seed annually. 



LiLV OF THE Valley Culture {Qtorge Oray). — The ground should he 

 well dug and enriched with leaf soil or well-decayed manure, choosing an 

 open situation or one only partially shaded; avoid, however, a hot and dry 

 situation. Plant in clusters of half a dozen crowns, the crowns about an 

 inch apart, the clusters 9 inches apart every way, planting so that the crowns 

 are just covered with soU, and in planting press the soil gently around each 

 crown. If yon intend to take up the roots for flowering in pots, plant a 

 dozen crowns in a cluster an inch apart, allowing the clumps a foot distance 

 apart every way. Water freely in dry weather, keeping clear of weeds, and 

 mulch over the plants in autumn with short manure or leaf soil about an 

 inch deep. The foUowing autumn the clumps may be taken up, potted, 

 forced, or placed in a greenhouse for early flowering. 



CcLTURE OF Mackaya BELLA (A. W. B.).—lt is a pretty shrub of slender 

 growth requiring an intermediate temperature ; though it will succeed in an 

 ordinary greenhouse, it does best in a cool stove. During growth it requires 

 to be abundantly supplied with water, not, however, making the soil sodden, 

 and maintaining a moist well-ventilated atmosphere, affording a light posi- 

 tion. A compost of turfy loam, leaf soil, and sandy peat in equal proportions, 

 with a sixth part of silver sand and good drainage, will grow it well. The 

 flowers are terminal, therefore the shoots must not be stopped, but cut-in 

 after flowering, repotting when young shoots are an inch long. It is rather 

 tall-growing, not flowering freely if dwarf. The soil requires to be kept 

 moist at all times. 



Arbuttjs and Butchers' Broom.—" C. 3/." wishes to bo informed where 

 male planta of these can be obtained. 



T. C. AXLEUTT, Esq., Lyddou Houee, Leeds, would he very much obliged 

 to any Vine-growers who would forward to him during the nest few weeks a 

 few perfect flowers from any shy-settiag Vine. Flowers of Canon Hall 

 Muscat and Trentham Black would be welcome. He would be glad also to 

 receive flowers from individual Vines which have proved very free setters. 



Pruning Young Trained Fruit Trees (A Constant Header). — As a rule 

 they require to be cut-back to about two-thirds of their length, but if the 

 trees have been but recently planted they will not break so freely, and it may 

 be desirable to cat the young growths bick to half their length. 



JcBXA SPECTABILIS OR CoQUiTO PALM {J. P.).— This is a very handsome 

 Palm, and will thrive in a greenhouse temperature. Sow the seeds in a com- 

 poat of two parts of loam, one part of peat, and a little silver aand to keep it 

 open; place a little moss over the surface of the soil, do not allow the soil to 

 become dry, and the pot ought to be placed in a temperature of 60" to 65^ 



Vine Shoots Curled (J. Mackenzie). — It is not easy to determine why a 

 few Vinea should be unBatisfactory when the remainder in the same house 

 are flourishing so well. There are indications that the wood of last year 

 WM not thoroughly matured, and we suspect that that is the source of the 

 evil of which you complain. The roots are also probably inactive, which may 

 arise from a too wet or too dry state of the border. Vines in inside borders 

 frequently suffer from not being sufficiently watered, and the growth becomes 

 curled and stunted. If the soil at all approaches dryness, especially at 

 Bome distance below 'he surface, apply tepid weak liquid manure copiously, 

 and preserve a genial atmosphere. 



HosE-iN-HosE Polyanthus (Jnguircr).— The seed ought to be sown at 

 once or any time before the end of the month. If sown now the plants will 

 flower next spring. 



Training Iw (11. B. fl".).— Ivy requires to be trained through the meshes 

 of galvanised iron net. It will not attach itself to wire as it will to paling 

 or a walL 



Alpinb Plants [T. B ).— All the planta yon name may be included in a 

 collection of alpine and herbaceous plants; not knowing your object we can- 

 not add others. Salt spread over the surface of the ground at the rate of 

 twenty bushels per acre la beneficial to moat garden crops. 



I^AKES or Plants {A. W. B.}.— We cannot name plants lunless we see 



their flowera, nor Ferns that have no mores. (IT. TT.).— Very fine specimens 

 of Habrothamnus elegans. (T. K, £.).— 1, Justieia sp. ; 2, Apparently a va- 

 riegated Sedum refloxum, but the specimen is insufficient. yRvh.). — 1, Aga- 

 tbrea capensis; 2, Pyrethrum fruticosum or canariense. (S. G. 0.). — Iris 

 Xiphion. (TF. C.),— c, Berberis aristata; a, Euonymus japonicus variegatua. 

 (F. X).— Albium sp. (0, 0.).— 1, Asplenium bulbiferum ; 2, Selaginella sp. 

 (M. C.).— Soilla campanulata. (CotLs/ant JicadtT).— 7, Cytisufl candicana. 

 We cannot name the rest. \Ban Oitscr).— 1, Helleborus foetidus ; S, Prunua 

 virginiana (?). Other specimens quite insufficient. (N. F. H.). — Celsia 

 Arcturus. {H. S. K.).—l, An Epimedium ; 2, Pulmonaria augustifoUa. (P. P.). 

 — Specimen insufficient. Ton send only leaves. (Subscrifjer). ^Cynoglossum 

 omphalodes. (J\f. C.).— 3Tie Heath is a florist's variety, and we do not re- 

 cognise its leaf. [Young Ponica).—!, Sparmannia africaua; 8, Primula ver- 

 ticillata. (J. .l/arfc^oa;).— Ribes aureum. (B. G.).— Amelanchier Botryapium. 



POULTRY, BEE, AND PIGEON OHEONIOLE. 



THE CHICKENS. 



It seems but yesterday that we were writing of the hopes 

 and fears for the great shows of the past season ; but bo quickly 

 does the time go on and the seasons succeed each other that we 

 find once more upon our table notes and letters from distant 

 poultry yards, and we read that the tidings are various and 

 ■varied. We suppose that it will always be so, and that it will 

 never be our lot to chronicle a chicken geason either uniformly 

 fortunate or the reverse. We know that the general opinion is 

 that the times have been good this season, and doubtless iu 

 places this has been the case; but we have before us notes 

 telling of dire failures, and how those who in last season came 

 well out of the skirmish this time have been very unlucky. 

 It is almost impossible consequently to speak with accuracy, 

 yet letters are continually demanding that something must 

 be said. 



Large yards as usual have many chickens. The hens to lay, 

 the hens to sit, the hens to nurse in such establishments are 

 numerous, and it is not surprising that those who breed on the 

 large scale which Mrs. Acton Tindal, Mr. Sidgwick, Mr. Ling- 

 wood, and others do, should have at all times a fair supply. 

 Others, however, who farm their poultry on a more limited 

 scale, who keep but one or two breeds, and are dependant upon 

 their own stock hens, or upon the kindness of neighbours' or 

 farmers' wives for their broody hens, with them often comes 

 the real pinch aud difficulty. There seems, too, to have been 

 no exception this year to the old trial, for hens to incubate have 

 been this season almost scarcer than ever, and eggs have been 

 kept stored up, till age made them useless, in the hope of a 

 broody hen turning up. Eggs have, however, been plentiful. 

 Two-year-old hens in many yards laid in December and January 

 with the freedom and regularity of pullets ; but many failed 

 in being fertile. We know of one breeder who has thrown away 

 114 out of lie Coloured Dorkings eggs for being germless. On 

 the other hand, in the very next pen, where there were some 

 Cochins, not one egg has failed to be fertile, such is the glorious 

 uncertainty of bretding. We can only once more repeat advice 

 so frequently given— that a two-yeir-old cock must never be 

 relied upon in the very early year. There are of course ex- 

 ceptions, but as a rule for January and February chickens 

 cockerels must be used. We have letters, unsolicited, before 

 us from Mr. T. C. Burnell and Mr. Darby endorsing thoroughly 

 this view. To return, however, to the most general impres- 

 sion, which we can cull from many letters, we find that there 

 are on the whole a fair propottion of chickens of most varieties, 

 and that so far there is no prospect of the dearth of early birds 

 such as WB found in the past two seasons. 



Dorkings seem to be plentiful. Mr. Cresswell wrote to us 

 before leaving for Staley, saying his chickens were many and 

 fairly early. Mr. Burnell, too, we learn has had his usual luck 

 in breeding, and will, we dare venture to prophesy, meet his 

 annual rewards wherever he shows. We understand, too, that 

 Lady Gwydyr and Mrs. Acton Tindal have a good supply of 

 Cochin chickens ; and in Brahmas Mr. Horace Lingwood seems 

 to have found lime in the intervals of club correspondence to 

 get, as his custom is, some good broods together ; while in Light 

 Brahmas, as long ago as the Aquarium Show Mr. Breeze told 

 us that he had many chickens early hatched and doing well. 

 Game, French, and Hamburghs seem on the whole to have 

 hatched moderately well, the French being in many cases per- 

 haps the scarcest, several fanciers writing us word that the 

 broods have been very small. Spanish chickens we do not 

 think are plentiful, but we have had no especial news withm 

 the past month. Of Polands we gather from the accounts that 

 White-crested Blacks are the most numerous. Mr. Norwood 

 tells us he has over fifty chickens doing well ; while Mr. Darby 

 has hatched some good broods also. Lady Dartmouth we behove 

 has had very good all-round lack in her large establishment. 

 Of the Variety class breeds we have not heard much, Leghorns 

 being perhaps as plentiful as any of them, and Malays and 

 Silkies rather scarce. 



We have heard, on the other hand, of dismal failures m many 

 yards, and those well established. A well- known Cochin ex- 



