JOURNAL OF HORTIOaLTDRB AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



is the reason of the buds not opening. The Roee, above all other plants, 

 requires abundance of air and lisht. The plant SHhould be place 1 oat of doors 

 DOW, and the leaves to be kept free from insect pests. Water when the plants 

 require it. 



Empty Entelope. — We have received one with the Bristol post mark 

 npon it. There are aleo the words *' from Somerset " written. 



Onion Plants Curled [A Suhscrihcr). — We never before saw Onions 

 similarly twisted, bat we have had a whole crop destrojed by severe spring 

 iroBts, aud the Onions were somewhat affected like yours. 



Mushroom Culture (F. Jellica). — Tour plan is good and will sncceed. 



Grapes Ulcerated {J. Mackenzie). — Gardeners call the disease " The 

 epot." It ia a gangrene, and is probably occasioned by an irregularity ia the 

 fiopply of moisture and vicissitudes of temperaturu. but especially if one of 

 the eitremes is much below the degi-ee of heat most favourable to the healthy 

 growth of the Vine. 



PoNTONiA (G. M.). — There is no genus so named. We have no doubt your 

 plant is Panlownia imperialis. 



Quassia Solution for Boses {Maria). — Boil a quaiter of a pound of 

 quassia chips in a gallon of soft wpter for ten minutes, strain and add to the 

 water a quarter of a pound of soft soap. If this ig applied to your Roses 

 just before the blooms expand they will be free from the aphis during the 

 blooming season. It will not injure the blooms, especially if used in a tepid 

 state. 



Vine Leaves Many-lobed IB. Smith). — The leaves that become exposed 

 at the top of the bou^e seem t) be lauiniated to adapt themselves to the 

 exposure. The leaves of some aquatic plants are entire wheu growing in still 

 water, but become digitato when in a stream, evidently thus lessening the 

 hold the ^ater takes of them. 



Cucumbers for Two-lioht Frame (J. J.I.— Two plants will be snflicient 

 in a space 6 feet by 6 feet. The same number of Melon plants will also be 

 eufficient. 



Spavtning Mushroom Bed (Id^m).— The spawn should be inserted in the 

 manure, and the soil to the depth of 2\ inches be placed over the surface 

 afterwards. 



Storing Potatoes (Alverstoke).—We know of no better mode of storing 

 than placing them in alternate layers with sand in a dry outhouse, taking 

 care that frost is excluded. 



To Phocuee Moss at Holloway (Tyro).— Mr. B. S. Williams, Victoria 

 and Paradi'^e Nurseries, Bolloway ; or Mr. Cutbash, Highgate Nurseries, 

 would give you the information you desire. 



Analysis of the Melon (H. C. Taylor).— 'We know of no ohemica^ 

 analysis of the Melon. Thu best detail of such analysis ia in Dr. Thomson's 

 *' Organic Chemistry— Vegetables." 



La France Rose (J. S. TTi/^on).— In the "Rose election,*' carried on in 

 oar pages daring 1875, is this return from Mr. Cartis.the Torquay rosarian:— 

 '* La France (Hybrid Tea-scent), the most deliciously-scented Roee known." 

 The majority of voters agreed in this, but Mr. Hinton said he did not detect 

 its exquisite perfume. 



Annuals foe Flqwerino in Spring IN. C). — Myosolis arvensia, sow at 

 once; Silene pendula, sow early in July ; Sapouaria calabrica, sow in August; 

 Limnanthes Douglasei, Venus's Looking-glass, and Nemophila insignis, sow 

 early in September. As you do not state the heights which you desire the 

 annuals to grow, nor the time of floweriug, we have named half a dozen of 

 dwarf growth, hardy, and varied in colour. The latest to flower ia Venus'a 

 Looking-glass. An eoiUer-fio waring bright blue dwarf annual is Verenica 



Pbeservino Plants (Idem). — Double Rockets if cut down will 

 gro-A-ing again, and will flower next year. Sweet Williams will also do so, 

 tut it is preferable to raise ycung plants by sowing need at the present time. 

 Primulas are also best when raised from seed annually, although we have had 

 old plants flower freely a second year. Try them ; but sow seed also without 

 delay. 



Raising Begonias and Gloxinias from Seed (West Groi'c).— To raise 

 plants succeFsfuHy from seed it is desirable that the pots or pans in which 

 the seed ia snwn be placed in a hotbed, sowing in March; and though the seed 

 would no doubt germioate a*: this senson in a cold close frame, the plants 

 would not a'tain strength snfHcient to form bulbs before winter, especially aa 

 you have no artificially heated structure. Sow in a hotbed next spring. 



Scented Petunia (WemK— Some Petunias are odoriferous, hut not as a 

 mle, the odour of some nut being remarkable, and often not agreeable. 



Aerial Boots on Vines (White Rosc).-'lt is chiefly due to the roots of 

 the Vine being in a cold and probably wet border unfavourable to their 

 healthy action, at^rial roots being usually emitted from the stem of the Vine 

 through it being in a warmer and more congenial medium. The at-rial roots 

 will do no harm to the Vine. They will shrivel when the roots in the border 

 are euflicieutly active to meet the reqturements of the foliage ; the aerial roots 

 may then be cut away close to whence they proceed. The " surplus water 

 irom the tank running into the ground clnse to the Dutch Sweetwater" is 

 enflBcient to accnutt for the " rootlets at the jointe." The wat^^ should be 

 conveyed clear of the border by a proper overflow pipe without delay. 



Double Tellow Pbimbose (Idem). — A double pale yellow or sulphur 

 Primrose is not uncommon — about equal in that respect with the double 

 white. 



Heating Greenhouse (T. R.). — We should not heat the honee with a 

 flue, but have a boiler and i-inch hot-water pipea, which, thouj^h costing 

 rather more at the commencement, is a more safe, certain, and serviceable 

 mode cf heating. Ton nill reqture two 4-incb pipes along the front of the 

 bouse and at one end, having the boiler in a shed at the back. A flow am! 

 return pipe along the front and one end will be safflcient to maintain in nil 

 weathers a greenbonse temperature, aud as wt; presume you are an amateur 

 we shi'Uld have a bollt^r that would c.ntinue at work Rcveral hours without 

 requiring attention, of which several are advertised. W cannot recommend 

 any in particular, but you will probably have your reqmi ents met by con- 

 sulting our advertising columnB. The main thing is to e a boiler fully 

 equal to its work, as when the work is above the capability o. I- tboiler much 

 trouble and waste results. 



Destrotino Mealy Bug (A liegulat Su'^Ncrifccrl.— Dissolve a uarter of 

 ft pound of foft eoap in a gallon of water, and add thereto a wine-^ fcelulof 

 parafllu oil, and ase with a sponge, waabiog yoor plant thoroaghlj. cyriog- 



Name of Fruit (Qeorge E. Crict).— London Pippin. 



Names of Plants (Student, Hadlow).—\, Aspleninm Adiantnm nigrum > 

 2, Stachys sylvatica; 8, Melampyrum prntense; 4, Hypericum humifasum- 

 lO. C. H.I— Cirrbiea viridipurpurea. <A. F. Gorfirarrfi.— Helletiorus fwtidus- 

 (J. Doirn).— Prunus lusitanica, Portugal Laurel; a fine specimen. (A. F. B.)- 

 —The specimen is Gioriosa superba. We are sorry we cannot tell you what 

 theFlordel Fuego is. (J/mer).— PLdemonium caruleum. {T. J. fl.l.— It is 

 an Achiments, and no one could name the species or variety from single 

 flowers. {H.). — It is either an Allium or an Ornithogalum, but the speci- 

 men is too fragmentary to determine. 



POULTEY, BEE, AND PIGEON OHEONIOLE. 



WATERFOWL AND TURKEYS. 



We have often thought of late that exhibitors of Dacks, Geese, 

 and Turkeys are badly used by the poultry journala. They 

 generally come off in a very meagre way in the reports of shows; 

 and although at the chief exhibitions we have especially tried 

 to make our notes on the Waterfowl more fall than usually is 

 the case, still we feel they have not had the share of criticism 

 which they frequently deserved. We will try to make amends 

 for the future, as we hope will others of our correspondents in 

 this department. 



The custom of weighing Ducks, Geese, and Turkeys when 

 awarding the prizes still exists. There are things to be said for 

 and against the pl.an. Of the latter the following have always 

 seemed to us to require consideration. When a class of Turkeys, 

 for instance, is to be judged by weight the adjudicator generally 

 walks along the class aud ticks upon a piece of paper the numhers 

 of those pens which he wa'jts to be weighed. Very often thia 

 process takes place while the judge is at work over some other 

 part of the show, aud the birds are weighed by a committeeman 

 or some attendant. At such a time we believe mistakes are 

 made, some perhaps wilfully, and some by accident ; the former 

 when anyone engaged in the operation is interested for himself 

 or some friend, and so could purposely manage that a certain 

 pen should weigh a little over or a little under the just weight; 

 the latter when from hurry or want of interest in the matter 

 the attendants at the scales are not quite accurate in the weights 

 they record. Both of these cases we are assured can take place 

 and do take place. We consider, then, that the judge should 

 himself see weighed the three pens which are said to bo the 

 heaviest, for the sake of accuracy, nnd also cause to be weighed 

 for his own satisfaction some other pen or two of those he 

 marked, that he may test the weights at his own discretion 

 iPithont spending the time in seeing all weighed which he could 

 often more profiubly use in judging some other class. The 

 greatest drawback, however, to weighing these birds is the 

 opportunity it aiJordsvery frequently to an exhibitor who brings 

 his birds with him to stutf them up to the moment of judging. 

 This most assuredly puts other exhibitors at a disadvantage. 

 Birds lose weight in their journeys, aud often refuse to feed 

 heartily wheu they reach a show, partly from excitement and 

 fatigue, and partly from the unaccustomed food. Now, he who 

 can cram his birds with heavy food on the very morning of the 

 show has a most unjust pull over distant exhibitors, and for 

 this reason above all other reasons should committees of ex- 

 hibitions forbid the entrance of attendants with the large breeds 

 of Ducks, Geese, or Turkeys until the awards are made ; and 

 they should be as particular about enforcing the delivery of 

 such specimens on the night before the show, and not allow 

 them to come in after a hearty breakfast on the same day as the 

 judging, so that birds attended and without attendants may be 

 placed upon the same footing. Were Dorkings, Cochins, or 

 Brahmas judged by weight we should recommend a similar 

 mode of proceeding. We are afraid from what we hear that 

 there is a great tendency among one or two unprincipled ex- 

 hibitors to show adult birds in chicken classes, in Turkeys we 

 mean most especially, where possibly a judge may often make 

 an unintentional mistake. In such classes, consequently, we are 

 asked by one or two influential Turkey exhibitors to beg the 

 judges to take most especial regard to the heads aud legs of the 

 would-be poults. We remember last year at the Crystal Palace 

 hearing grave charges against certain birds, and if we remember 

 rightly called attention to the same in our report in these 



While we are on the subject of our edible feathered friends of 

 Cbristmastide we cannot but call attention to the sad loss which 

 Mrs. Wykes experienced at the last Hirmingbam Show. We 

 only heard of it the other day, and since then have had an 

 opportunity of seeing the whole correspondence on all sides, and 

 the various reports of the gentlemen who "viewed the body " 

 and reported upon it. Vague rumours cortaiidy did reach us 

 of foul play at the Show mentioned iu the said class, but until 

 we saw last week the printed circular of ,i"20 reward to anyiuie 

 who would give information concerning the death of the bird 

 in pen 1376 we had uo idea of the facts concerning ita decease. 



