May 10, 1877. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



forcing is a low pit capable of being heated to 55° daring cold 

 nights without overheatiug the pipea. The plants should be 

 near tbe glass, as light and air are all-important. Strict at- 

 tention must be given to keeping them entirely free from green 

 fly, as after the plants are placed in the show house they ought 

 not to be fumigated, as tbe smoke scatters the petals of Pelar- 

 goniums and destroys the sweetness of the Roses and Pinks. 



FLORIST FLOWERS. 



Tulips have bent their heads to the keen frosts where not 

 protected; but where the usual thading material has been pro- 

 vided they suffered nothing from that cause. The colour is 

 showing on the petals, and without the canvas covering at night 

 and shade by day the purity of the flowers would be marred 

 very much, for this morning (5th inst.) everything is frozen stiff. 

 The thermometer has fallen to 25'^, or 7" of frost. Carnations 

 are still under the protection of glass lights ; not that a frost like 

 this when the plants are dry will do any harm, but the con- 

 tinued east wind does them no good. It will be necessary to 

 place them out very soon, as the spindles have come in contact 

 with the glass. So far the plants have made excellent progress, 

 and they are quite free from insect pests, and this is a great 

 point, as green fly is a pest indeed. Pinks move slowly, but the 

 ground is frequently surface-stirred with the hoe, aud this keeps 

 the plants in excellent health. The leather-coatt^d grab has 

 destroyed a few plants, but on the first trace of them we watched 

 at night with a light and found the nocturnal marauders feeding. 



Auriculas are now behind the north wall, but had we known 

 what the weather would have been they would not have been 

 placed there so early ; still, many trusses are yet opeuing, and 

 many plants that were shown at the Crystal Palace are still in 

 bloom. As the blooms die-off the seed pod is pinched-off with 

 the fingers. It is dangerous to break the stalk off, as then it be- 

 comes a mass of decay which cannot be removed sometimes 

 without the loss of the plant. Do not let the plants be placed 

 too closely together, and admit all the air possible, removing the 

 lights altogether when the air is still daring the day. After 

 such cold nights as we have the days are very warm. We shall 

 begin potting in a few days, and for this purpose there is no 

 better material than turfy loam four parts, one part of decayed 

 manure, one of leaf soil, and a little sand added to loosen the 

 particles if they are adhesive. — J. Dodglas. 



TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 



William Rumsey, Joyning's Nurseries, Waltham Cross, N. — 

 Catalogue of Select Bedding Plants and Flower Seeds. 



Dick Radclyffe & Co., 129, High Holborn, London. — Catalogue 

 of Seeds, Plants, and Horticultural Decorations. 



Dicksona & Sons, 1, Waterloo Place, Edinburgh. — Catalogue 

 of Florists' Flowers. 



Thomas Bunyard & Sons, 48, Week Street, Maidstone, Kent. 

 — Select List of Bedding Plants, Hoses in Pots, Climbers, <(-c. 



William Ball, King's Road, ChelaQat.—Illustrated Catalogue 

 of New and Mare Plants. 



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 nuopeued unavoid- 

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

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

 justifiable trouble and expense. 



Correspondents should not mix up on the same sheet qaea- 

 tions relating to Gardening aud those on Poultry and Bee 

 Bubjecta, and should never send more than two or three 

 questions at onca. All articles intended for insertion should 

 be written on one side of the paper only. We cannot 

 reply to questions through the post. 



Show PiNSiErf iA. S. F.).— The foUowiag are good in the three clagees:— 

 Self*: Arab, Mrs. Koisjht, Captain Elder, and Goldeo Queen. Yellow Ground >< : 

 Bobert Pollock, William Campbell, Mra. Buaaell, and Uobertson Manro. 

 White Grounds : DucbeBS, Belina, Sunny Park Beauty, and Misa Bessy 

 M'ABlan. 



Design foe a Small Flower Garden {A R€ad':r of the Jour 7vil).—A. 

 large central oval vrith chains of Rmall circles at each end and a triangular 

 bed in each comer woald look well np^jn yoar piece of ground 6 yards by 16 ; 

 far bettor In fact than a more elaborate design, especially if the plantinp ie 

 well done and the colours tastefully and well balauced. We cannot undertake 

 to prepare deaignfl, bat will criticise any you may send us. 



BniooM BoBDEB iP. F. S.).— Discard the scarlet Geranium, replacing it 

 with some good pink kind, such as Master Christine or Mrs. Miles, and the 

 effect will be perfect. If it is inconvenient to do this and the scarlet kind 

 is retained, we would prefer seeing it placed behind the grey-leaved Cineraria 

 rather than suffer it to go next the yellow Calceolaria. 



PoLLEM OF AucrcA (S. B.).— The male Aucuba is now so common you may 

 ancceed in obtaining pollen if you make your wants known among your 

 Mends or to the nearest nurseryman. 



AspARAors FOR ExuiBiTioN (C R., Birmingham). —A. fine dish of Aspara- 

 gus would not only he adinidsiblo in a coUectiOQ of vegetables in August, 

 bat would ta an acquitdtioo. 



KosES IN Greenhouse (Mrs. L.). — We can only conclude that the Roses 

 not fluwering are in a more shaded position than that of the others, the wood 

 not being sufficiently ripened. They are not more unsuitable than the others 

 for greenhouse culture. Allow them to grow, and prune moderately. 



ExHrBiTiNQ Roses [T. H. S.).— A gentleman's gardener who is allowed 

 to sell Roses becomes a dealer, and as such he would be objected to if ex- 

 hibiting in the amateur classes. A grower cultivating lor pro&t is not an 

 amateur. 



PoLVANTHDS Flowers (R. K. P.). — Nouo of the flowers sent are qnito 

 perfect accordiog to the florists' standard, for the yellow centre of two of the 

 flowers slightly runs iato the body colour, and the lacing is not sharply 

 defined; and of the remaining two, while the flowers are correct in the clear- 

 ness of the lacing, the segments are a trifle too much pointed, and the 

 yellow of the lacing ia not cjuite so duop as that of the centre. Still they are 

 superior to nine-tenths of the Polyanthuses which are exhibited in London, 

 and you need not hesitate to exhibit them if yon have an inclination to do so 

 — that is, assuming the foliage ia good, the flower stem stout, and supports 

 the flowers in an upright position. We congratulate you on your strain, and 

 advice you to continue selecting and improving. The body colour of the 

 flowers is very rich and good. 



Blood Orange {C D. J. r.).— The Blood Orange is merely a sport from 

 the common Orange originated by seed, in the same way as a Ribston Pippin 

 is from the Apple, or a Green Gage from the Plum. 



Vine Shoots Scalded {Surbiton).~The shoots are scalded by the sun's 

 rays falling powerfully upon the Bhoots whilst wet. Mrs. Pince aud Lady 

 Downe's are more liable to scald than many others. The only remedy is to 

 discontinue the syringing, and admit air earlier, keeping-up a good atmo- 

 spheric moisture by frequent sprinklings. 



Blue Glass for Vineries (A Novice). — ^We have no experience of blue 

 glass particularly, hut we have seen glass of various colours usud in a con- 

 servatory, aud in no iostance with any apparent advantage over other parts 

 of the house glazed with British sheet of thirds quality. In this country we 

 have no need of blue lights; better Grapes we believe are grown in England 

 under colourless thau in America under blue glass. 



Vines Over-luxuriant (J. K.). — Ventilate more freely, yot jadicionsly. 

 Do not entirely close the top lights daring the night, and admit more air 

 very early in the morning, increaaing it gradually in advance of the increas- 

 ing temperature. Allow all the foliage possiblo to remain, but avoid over- 

 crowding as yon would a scourge. The evil of which you complain is in a 

 great measure the reftult of insoflicient ventilation. Do not let the nighfc 

 temperature exceed 60^ 



Asparagus Eaten by Grubs (An Irish Subscriber). — Perhaps the heads 

 are eatea by slugs, which may bs destroyed by sprinkling the beds with salt, 

 giving the beds an application so as to make the surface qnito white, or, 

 what answers better, nitrate of soda, applied at the rate of 1 lb. to SO square 

 yards. Paraffin oil is very powerful, and is useful as a preventive of the 

 attacks of predatory vermin. It is, however, very fatal to the foliage of 

 plants, and requires to he applied carefully. We find that a teaspoonful 

 thoroughly mixed with three gallons of water, and beEore use skimming off 

 the oil rising to the surface, is good for steeping seeds before sowing and for 

 sprinkling between the rows of plants after growth takes place to ward off 

 attacks of grubs or flies. We think it will be found at that strength a safe 

 application to apply to plants in firm full foliage. We hope during the 

 coming season to make some experiments, and will in due coarse record 

 rcanlte. We should not apply it to the Asparagus beds. 



Vines Unfruitful (Idem.).— We think the foliage is too crowded— not 

 sufficiently exposed to light and air, the wood not being thoroughly ripened. 

 Allow the shoots a distance of 13 inches to 2 feet apart, stopping them at the 

 first tendril or at the sixth leaf, and at every leaf afterwards, the laterals 

 being stopped to one leaf. Afford plenty of air when the wood is ripening, 

 with fire heat, so as to induce it to become brown and hard. You will find 

 further remarks on this subject in another column. 



Dividing Alpine Auriculas IF. J.). — Do not do so until the flowering is 

 past aud the plants have had a slight rest, say of a month or so ; then take 

 them up, separate into as many parts as the plants have crowns, securing 

 each division with a portion of root, and plant up to the base of the leaves, 

 watering until established. 



Gold Fish (/tit;?n).— Could any of our correspondents oblige us with par- 

 ticulars of their treatment ia a pond in the garden ? 



Raising of Fruit Trees (John Elliott). — la vol. xii., page 88, you will 

 find an account of " Tha Royal Pears " as raised by Mr. Huyshe. Mr. Koighi's 

 experiments on fertilisation are to be found in a small book entitled " K 

 Treatise on the Culture of the Apple and the Pear." 



Seedling Pansies {W. G.).— The two dark selfa are very good, but nono 

 of the other flowers soot combine good shape with stout petals and clearly 

 defiued colours. Some of them may be attractive for garden decoration, bat 

 they are greatly inferior to named varieties. 



Vegetables Allowed to Under-gapdeners (A., Car3ha}ton).~'ThQ 

 usual allowance of vegetables to under- gardeners consists of the surplus of 

 such as are served to the servants'-hall department of an establishmeut, aud 

 which if not used would spoil. Potatoes are, if the kitchen be served by or 

 through the garden department, allowed to under-gardeners living on the 

 premises, but when Potatoes are purchased for the family they are not 

 Hsaally allowed to under-gardeners, unless, of course, special arrangements 

 are made. It is verv unusual to allow vegetables to under-gardeuers lodging 

 off the premises. We hope shortly bo offer some remarks upon the subjeot. 



Brodi.tia Culture (Arthur T. Trcr)6).— There is a general reBorablanco in 

 all the Brodiseas, but each kind posseaaea distinct features, such as are f 3und 

 in i*izo of foliage, length of flower scape, form, size, and colour of flowers. Of 

 the two kinds you mention B. grandiflora has small loose trusses of bright 

 blue flowers with long slender footstalks borne on a scape of about a foot hight 

 and B. cougosta has much bolder compact trusses of pale blue flowers so 

 numerous as to offer a striking contrast to those of grandiflora. To these 

 you should add the bright crimson B. coccinea; under good culture it is re- 

 markably effective, the flower scapes reaching a height of 3 feet and bearing 

 large trasses of pendant tabular flowers, most of which are 1^ inch in 

 length. Wheu grown iu pots they are potted in October in soil consisting of 

 equal proportions of loam, peat, and sand, and placed in a cold frauie or pit 

 till active growth begins, when due care must be taken to afford water and 

 air, for which reason they are then usually taken to the greenhou.io, l)ut when 

 space is an object they will answer perfectly well in the pit till the llowera 

 appear. When planted iu an open border, damp low-lying places should be 



