130 



JOUBNAL OF HOBTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE QAEDENER. ( Pebruaiy 13, 1869. 



half of the cold water if boiling water is added. Bnt a little 

 practice will soon enable a tjro to regulate the heat to a nicety. 

 The little tank or cistern for the water being all surrounded by 

 wood, the heat will remain a long time uniform, if it do not 

 escape too freely from the iron plate which covers it; and 

 nothing is better for equalising the heat and setting the cutting 

 pots in than clean-washed sand, to the depth of a few inches 

 in proportion to that of the pots, as there is no necessity 

 for setting these in the sand to their full depth. If desired, a 

 small pipe may rise above the sand to let out warm vapour, 

 but as being simpler, we should prefer to obtain that by keep- 

 ing the sand moist when wanted. The cover for this case we 

 would have of glass in one sheet. The simplest plan would be 

 to have a sheet of stout glass without a frame, with a few pins 

 in the wood to keep it in its place. The next simplest would 

 be to have the glass in a wooden frame, so as to be moved with 

 ease, and so that you could turn the square under-side upper- 

 most whenever desirable, so as to avoid thus easily all trouble 

 from the droppings of condensed moisture. A cloth covering 

 would be advisable over the glass in cold nights. The size of 

 these boxes may be just what is most suitable, but from 13 to 

 24 inches square would be very useful, and rather than have a 

 large one we would recommend two — one heated as above ; one 

 either slightly heated, or a mere glass-covered box, in which the 

 cuttings should be placed when struck, and gradually hardened- 

 off to the general temperature of the room. 



For such small cases, small square boxes of zinc are best 

 for cuttings, say 3 inches square, and 2} to 3 inches deep. 

 For such a purpose zinc is better than earthenware, as every 

 plant we have tried likes it; but small common pDts do very 

 well, but without rims, as even the little spaces between the 

 pots will be useful for setting a small fresh-potted plant. Now, 

 for inserting the cuttings there is no quicker mode of propa- 

 gating most things than placing them in shallow vessels, as 

 saucers, in pure sand alone, and keeping that sand moist and 

 warm. The only objection to the mode is that the cuttings 

 when rooted will not thrive long in the sand alone, but must 

 be moved as soon as well rooted, and they thus often experi- 

 ence a check similar to that received by cuttings struck and 

 plants grown in water. To suit most of our readers who would 

 use these cases, we would recommend a compost of about equal 

 parts of fresh gritty loam, sand, and sweet leaf mould for a 

 layer at the bottom of a suitably-drained vessel, and then a 

 layer of sand on the surface, which kept damp prevents the 

 base of the cutting from being dried up, whilst any excess of 

 dampwill be parted with freely. The great advantage of this 

 plan is, that when the cuttings are rooted tbey will thrive in 

 the compost and wait patiently a longer time until you harden 

 them, and find it convenient to repot them singly, or two or 

 three round the sides of a pot. 



In taking the cuttings a little judgment is necessary. We 

 all know how in such things as Calceolarias, Verbenas, &c., it 

 is possible to make two plants of every joint, provided there 

 is a bud on each side, and this plan may be followed when 

 there is the desire to make the most of any one plant, and 

 after some experience has been gained. In general practice, 

 however, it is best to have at least two joints for a cutting, one 

 to be cut across at, and the leaves removed, to go into the sur- 

 face sand, and one to stand above with the leaves full or a 

 little curtailed, according to the means at command for check- 

 ing perspiration from the cutting. Whenever it can be done 

 the cuttings will always succeed best if short and slipped off 

 as side shoots from the older stem. The little bit firmer at 

 the base is a great security against damping. When the 

 vessels used are more than from 2 J to 3 inches in depth, from 

 a third to more at the bottom should be filled with drainage, 

 the finest next the top. We like fresh moss for drainage, but 

 not for cuttings, as the roots become interlaced in it, and are 

 apt to be broken when many cuttings are struck in one vessel. 



In all small eases we recommend the use of little pots or 

 vessels, with the cuttings inserted all roimd close to the sides 

 of the vessel, instead of larger vessels with the cuttings all over. 

 The cuttings will thus thrive and strike, partly, no doubt, as 

 stated in the " Science and Practice of Gardening," because 

 there air will have better access to them without drying them ; 

 but chiefly, we believe, because the sides of the vessel act as a 

 resisting medium to the swelling of the base of the cutting, and 

 thus roots are sooner protruded. 



We must conclude at present with a few words to the inex- 

 perienced. Bear in mind that success in such a mode of pro- 

 pagation greatly depends on never, or as little as possible, 

 aUowing the cutting to feel that it has been parted from its 



mother plant. Keep it growing under an extra stimulus, and 

 all will be well. Never, therefore, let a cutting wither or flag 

 before inserting it. After watering with warm water put it in 

 its place as soon as possible. Give it then water enough to 

 keep it moist. Never shade during the day, unless when the 

 sun would cause the leaves to flag. If the slight dewing of the 

 foliage would arrest that, prefer the dewing to shading. Shade, 

 however, with a thin cloth or paper rather than allow the 

 foliage to droop, but remove the shade instantly when not 

 wanted. The less shade, if the cuttings stand without it, the 

 sooner will they root, and be robust and strong. The more 

 heat and the more shade, the more will the tops be encouraged 

 to lengthen weakly, even if the rooting proceeds slowly. The 

 apparent growth in such circumstances is like the drawing-out 

 of a wire, making it longer with the same weight of material. 

 The less quick extension by the other mode will be accompanied 

 by quicker rooting and robust growth. In such a case as sup- 

 posed no air will be needed for a couple of days or so ; but 

 after that a very little should be given at night and taken away 

 in the morning, as the confined atmosphere will arrest perspi- 

 ration during the day. When the cuttings are growing a little 

 air will be wanted as they can stand it, and then when well 

 rooted they should gradually have it freely in the same place, 

 or be removed to another place to harden to the temperature of 

 the room. — E. F. 



CO\TiNT GARDEN MARKET.— February IT. 



We had a little revival of trade in the early part of last week ; but all 

 has affiiin relapsed iato dullno.ss, and we have only to notice that a large 

 quantity of produce sent to Saturday's market remains unsold. Good 

 sound Potatoes have slightly advanced. 



FRUIT. 



s. a. 



Apples }^^ sieve 1 6 i 



Apricots doz. 



Cherries lb. 



Chestnuts bush. 10 



Currants v; sieve 



Black '.'... do. 



FiRS doz. 



Filberts lb. 9 



Cobs lb. 1 



Gooseberries ..quart 



Grapes, Hothouse.. lb. 6 



Lemons lUO 4 



Melons each 



Nectarines doz. 



Oranges 100 



Peaches doz. 



Peai-a (dessert) .. doz. 



8. d. s. 

 2 0to5 

 

 2 

 

 



d 











6 



Fine Apples lb. 6 



8 

 



Plums ^ sieve 



Quinces doz. 



Raspberries lb. 



Strawberries oz. 3 



Walnuts bush. 10 . 16 



do 100 10 2 6 



VEGETABLES. 



Artichokes doz. 3 



Asparut,'ns 100 5 



Beans. Kidney . . hd. 2 



Beet, Ked doz. 2 



Broccoli bundle 1 



Brns. Sprouts ij sieve 3 



Cabbage doz. 1 



Capsicums 100 



d. 8. 

 to6 

 8 



Carrots bunch 



Cauliflower doz. 



Celery bundle 



Cucumbers each 



Endive doz. 



Fennel bunch 



Garlic lb. 



Herbs bunch 



Horseradish ..bundle 3 



d. s. 



2 



1 



2 



6 



S 



9 



I Leeks bnnch 4 to § 



; Lettuce score 



I Mushrooms pottle 



' Mustd.& Cress,punnet 



I Onions bushel 



6 I P.arsley sieve 



I Parsnips doz. 



I Peas quart 



8 I Potatoes bushel 



Kidney do. 



I Radishes doz.bunches 



j Rhubarb bundle 



Sea-kale basket 



Shallots lb. 



Spinach bushel 



Tomatoes doz. 



I Turnips bnnch 



8 

 2 







1 

 8 

 6 

 3 



2 

 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



•«* We request that no one will write privately to the depart- 

 mental writers of the " Journal of Horticulture, Cottage 

 Gardener, and Country Gentleman." By so doing they 

 are subjected to unjustifiable trouble and expense. AU 

 communications should therefore be addressed soMi/ to 

 The Editors of the Journal of Uorticnlture,iiic., 171, Fleet 

 Street, London, E.G. 



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

 week. 



V.\EJOUS (Inquirer). — M. Jamin's volume has not been translated into 

 English. We do not remember the advertisement you allude to, but any 

 small-meshed wire netting might be cut and bent to answer the purpose. 

 The different kinds of Apple stocks are now undergoing investigation. 



WlKEWoEM IN Vine Bordees (Vine-QroKcr . — We do not know of any 

 application that will destroy wireworm ; but sprinkling the border with 

 soot will drive it away, and the soot is a manure of the best description. 

 By placing a number of potatoes or pieces of carrot io the border, cover- 

 ing them with soil, and examining them frequently, you will be enabled 

 to destroy vast numbers of wireworms. We have not suffered from wire- 

 worm attacking the r.iots of Vines, and cannot say whettier it will attack 

 them or no, but we think not. 



Polyanthuses {H. H. — L. D.).— There ia no florists' flower with whioh 

 less has been done of late years than the Polyanthus, and the varieties 

 which used to win prizes "when we wore young," areslill the best to ba 



