Febrnary 18, 1869. 1 



JOURNAL OP HOBTICULTUUE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



181 



had. A few persons (among thorn Mr. Wigfiins, of Isleworth)^ aro on- 

 deftvonriin? lo rniae now oueB, and flijnros of two of his soedlincs apponrod 

 in the " Floral Mitf?a/.ine " last year. *' Good Gracious " wo know uotliiuf? 

 of now, nor did wo think a ffreat doal of it when poor Beaton waH so 

 onraptorod with it. Tbo beat growers do not core to part with thoir boat 

 eeed. 



GRAFTmo Vines (R. M. IT., Sheffield).— TIioto is no advantage in graft- 

 ing Mrs. Pince's IJlack Ifamhurgh on the Black Lombardy, except obtain- 

 ing a good variety in place of ono that is later and rciiiiires a higher 

 temperature. It is impossible to foretell the effect on tbo fruit oi graft- 

 ing ft Vino. We shall bo obliged by a report of yonr experiments and tho 

 results. 



CHEDDAn Pink (T. J. IF.).— We do not know where you can obtain 

 seeds of this fDiauthua ca;3ius). Messrs. Backhouse, of York, wo know 

 have plants of it. 



Ross's Early I^otatoes (A Lover of Pofatoen). — Wo cannot tell where 

 yon can obtain thorn . Any dealer who has a stock of tho most ai>proved 

 varieties would find it compensatory to advertise them and their prices. 



Putty (J. D.). — As it may be bought for about 10s, per cwt., it i^ not 

 worth tho time required for making and spoiling. Wo cannot enter into 

 details of paint-makiug. 



Deals— ToRP Edging (A. S.).—Tho red deal is tho wood of Finns 

 sylvestris, or Scotch Fir. Tbo white doali? the wood of Abies excelsa, or 

 Norway Spruce. There is no special height for a tiurf verge j it looks 

 best if sloping to a feather-odge next the gravel. 



Thorn Dying (C. Elliii).~'li is impossible to say without more in- 

 formation why the Thorn died. It is quite certain that budding tho 

 double varieties upon it did not kill it, for it is the common and success- 

 ful mode of propagating thera. Judging from the roots wo should say 

 that tho soil is too dry. The Syringa (we presume yon mean a Phila- 

 delphns), having at one time produced fragrant flowers, but now scentless 

 flowers, is curions, if true. There is one species which never has fragrant 

 flowers, Philadelphus inodorus. 



CAiTELLiAa (J. 7v.).— We cannot say who grows thom most extensively. 

 Any of the leading nurserymen who advertise in our columns could 

 supply what you need. 



Allotment FARsriNO (C. E, Prichard),— If yon enclose fivo postage 

 Stamps with your address, and order " Allotment Farming for the Many," 

 WO will send you a little work on the subject. 



Salt and Lime as a Manure (J. W. C.).— Salt has not the slightest 

 power to fix the ammonia in farmyard manure ; nor is it of any more use 

 to mix it with the manure than to apply them separately to the land. If 

 the lime is put on to destroy slugs lot it remain on tho surface ; if to im- 

 prove the staple, plough it in. If you enclose five postaiie stamps with 

 your address, and order " Manures." you will have a little book sent by 

 post which will afford you much information. 



Evergreen Trees for Shelter to Orchard (Deodar). — Tho belt 

 should not be less than six rows deep, the first row Holly and Yew al- 

 ternately, the next row Pinus nustriaea and Hemlock Spruce, the third 

 row the same as tho first, and so on to tbo back. The rows should be 

 4 feet apart, and allow the same distance from plant to plant in tbo rows, 

 planting them in quincunx order. If the situation is much exposed you 

 should have double the numl)er of Pinus austriaca, having the first or 

 outside line Yew and Holly, the second line Austrian Pine, the third 

 Austrian Pine, alternately with Hemlock Spruce, the fourth Austrian 

 Pine, the fifth Austrian Pine and Hemlock Spruce, and the sixth Austrian 

 Pine and Yew, all 4 feet apart. 



BtTLBS Grown in Pots and Glasses (F. i.)— The bulbs grown in 

 pots and glasses this year will not be suitable for the same pur^joso next 

 year, hut if planted out in tho flower borders they will do tolerably well, 

 and are very useful nud depirable in such positions. They may be planted 

 in the border when danger from frost is past. 



Heath and Epaoris Treatment {Anxious to Learn). — Heaths require 

 a Somewhat more airy and drier atmosphere than Epacrises, and they aro 

 loss accommodating than the latter, which may be grown tolerably well 

 in a mixed collection of greenhouse plants ; they are likewise more easily 

 kept in order, and bear cutting well, which Heaths do not. Epacrises 

 should bo cut down after Howering, but Heaths should nnt, and beyond 

 these differences Heaths and Epacrises succeed well together, and there 

 is no material difference between the two as regards soil, temperature, or 

 general treatment. 



Iron versus Wood for Training Apple Trees (Idem). — We do not 

 think either objectionable, only wood is not so neat and durable as gal- 

 vanised iron wire. Wood is somewhat cheaper as regards first cost, but 

 dearer in the end. Apple trees succeed well trained to either wood or 

 iron, but the latter should be galvanised or well painted. 



Celery, Tomatoes, and Lobelias in a Greenhouse (H. Sandoicn). 

 — You may raise plants in a gi'eenhouse, sowing the seeds early in March, 

 and placing them in the warmest jiart of the house until the seedlings 

 appear, and then in a position near the glass so that they may not be 

 drawn-up weakly. You may set the seed-pans on the flue if it be never 

 more than warm, but they must be placed near the glass as soon as tho 

 plants are up. otherwise tbo latter will be drawn-up and worthless. Admit 

 air moderately. The temperature need not exceed 50° at night, and may 

 be from 10 to 15^ higher in the day, and higher with sun and abundance 

 of air. 



Watering Strawberries tn Pots (Wem).— The plants should be kept 

 well supplied with water, and manure water given at every alternate 

 watering, but it must not be strong, 1 a?., of guano to the fiaUon of water 

 is quite strong enough, and the drainings of the dunghill should be 

 diluted with six times the volume of water. 



Veronica Seed Sowing (/(/cm).— You do not state what the variety is. 

 If one of the half-hardy or greenhouse kinds, it should be sown in March 

 in a hotbed, or in the greenhouse : whilst the hardy kinds may be sown 

 out of doors in the first week in April. 



Potting Lycopodiums (Idem).— The best time to reiiot them is in the 

 middle of March, keeping them close and moist until they have recovered, 



Passiploras not Flowering {W. O.).— We think your Passifloras will 

 flower this year, if yon now thin-out the shoots, and shorten those which 

 aro well ripened to within a few joints of their base, leaving a sufficient 

 number of Bhoots fur the extension of the plants. Their not flowering is, 



perhaps, owing to their having too much border-room. They flower boat 

 when the roots are contined. Keep them dry in winter. The pruning 

 should bo performed much in tho same manner as Vino pruning, some 

 of tho shoots being cnt-in as spurs, and others left as rtnin, shortening 

 the latter bo as to remove the unripe wood, and loaving them of various 

 lengths. PasBiflora Impt-ratrico Eugiiiio succeods in a conservatory 

 where tho temperature is not often lower tlmn r>0 at night, though it 

 may full to 40^ at night in severe periods. It will bo likely to meet your 

 roquiroraonts. 



Lapageria rosea Hardiness (W. 0.\~Vic have before hoard of tho 

 Lapageria getting frozen, and succeeding afterwards, but we are not 

 furnitihed with any further data to warrant the conclusion that it is hardy. 

 Wo should be obliged for information on tbo subject. 



EuCHAnis amazonica (A SuhscriJier of Mnvy Ye.nrn Standing). — Tho 

 ftdiage is, no doubt, decaying from tho cold and damp of the greenhouse, 

 which is much too cold for it. It ought to have a light airy position in 

 tho stove, or a houso having a temporaturo of not less than JJD' at night, 

 not giving moro water than enough to keep the folingo frum flagging. 

 Tbo plant ought to bo kept under rather than overpottod, and we would 

 not divide it. Our correspondent has a very fine plant, but cannot get it 

 to flower. Will any of our correspondents favour us with a successfal 

 mode of treatment to insure flowering? 



Hyacinths with Two and Three Spikes {Idem).— It is not imusual 

 for Hyacinths to throw up two spikes, and especially the largo bulbs. 

 No doubt the late hot dry season would be favourable to the maturation 

 of the growth, and to that, iu a measure, the throwing-up of double spikes 

 may bo attributed. It is more than usually common tliis stjaeon. The 

 only way to escape double spikes is to select medium-sized bulbs, firmi 

 close, and heavy for their size, avoiding those that are large, not finUt 

 have the scales open or loose, and aro light. 



Glazing {C. B. Cf.).— There need bo no difiiculty as to water-tightness, 

 in glazing without laps, placing glass edge to edge in one plane, provided 

 the glass is nicely cut ; but unless you infringe on the principle of a 

 patent, there will be a danger of the glass breaking by expansion and 

 contraction, unless you have means for that being done at the ends, and 

 firm puttying will hardly allow of that. The cracking and breaking is 

 the only drawback in such circumstances, imless prevented by some auch 

 simple means as Beard's Patent. 



Strawberry Culture (7?. IT.).— If you enclose fivo postage stamps 

 with your address, and order " Fruit Gardening for the Many," you will 

 have it sent post free from this oflico. It contains what you require ; and 

 you will see what Mr. Radclyffe says in oui- Journal next week. 



Taking up Crocuses and Snowdrops {P. Q.).— When Crocuses and 

 Snowdrops are used as edgings, they will be little in the way of bedding 

 plants, as the leaves will soon ripen and be removed, whilst the bulbs 

 or corms may remain. When very bulky wo have tied the leaves in 

 little bundles until they became yeUow. When beds are filled, and these 

 beds are to be fresh stirred and planted with bedding plants, the best 

 plan is to take up the bulbs with balls and plant them in a bed or turf- 

 pit, watering, shading a little for a few days, and then exposing them to 

 the sun and light until they are ripe. We have frequently allowed them 

 to remain in such a bed until the autumn, and raised and planted them 

 again in patches. If you prefer takingup the bulbs and keeping them 

 dry you may do so. Snowdrops are less likely to sufl'er from being moved 

 from the beds than Crocuses. We have seen Crocuses do well as edgings 

 and in the corners of beds for many years, merely removing the foliage 

 when ripe and withered. We would not give them manure water after 

 taking them up and replanting them. 



Wove Covering for Plant House {Yorkshire Su'b8cri.h€r).—'We have 

 never had faith enough in tifl'any, linen, or cotton, to roof with it a plant 

 house to be used in winter ; but for spring and summer such coverings are 

 very useful. We have tried tiffany, but unless tightly stretched it lets 

 the water through, and, as you say, the colour soon becomes dark and 

 disagreeable. We have tried linen for covering earth-pits, &c., but it is 

 apt to become brittle, more brittle than cotton. What we would prefer 

 would be a medium texture of unbleached cotton, as that wears well 

 and soon becomes white enough from exposure. For a permanent roof 

 we would have it stretched tightly ; and in tacking with tape, &c., we would 

 run a brush with boiled oil and a little beeswax over the tape, or just a 

 little white paint. For the covering, as a whole, provided light is to 

 be admitted, we would rather use no preparation whatever. We have 

 soaked and painted with various highly-recommended mixtures for 

 ensm-ing lasting .wear, but, on the whole, we have found the cloth 

 that had no preparation lasted as long as that which was prepared. We 

 fear that for a house at all lofty, such a covering would only last a short 

 time if left on all the year, and frequent renewals become expensive. If 

 used as sashes in the spring and summer months, and carefully dried 

 before being put away, it will last three or four times longer. The talk 

 that was made about calico houses was when glass was from fom* to six 

 times as expensive as it is now. Very tnlerablc glass in large squares can 

 now be bad from IhL per foot, and when a fixed roof is used, the wood, in 

 the shape of light rafters only, doesjnot cost much. Taking the above al- 

 together, we would advise you to make the most of your old cloth, and 

 invest in a cheap orchard house. We shall be glad if others more con- 

 versant with calico houses will state the results of their experience with 

 them. Some of our enthusiastic Tulip and Hyacinth growers out of doors, 

 may be able to give information as to how long a caUco-covered house 

 will last. 



Filbert Trees by the Side of a Stream (A Subscriber).— Although 

 it would have been better had your trees been on a dry stony bank 

 facing the south, yet as it is not so, we do not despair of your succeeding, 

 if the soil is not too stiff, as the sides of a stream arc not necessarily wet, 

 but if they are so, we hardly think you will succeed. If the soil is stiff 

 give it a good dressing of lime, burnt clay, or anything likely to loosen 

 the texture, and bo sure that all superfluous water is well drained away. 

 The mere fact of a site being once or twice overflowed with water, which 

 some plots by tho sides of streams are liable to, is not so detrimental ai? 

 stagnant water remaining lodged in tho soil all the season, the former 

 drains away with tho subsidence of the flood, and the soil of such lev-sl 

 tracts is usually porous and good, favouring the growth of many plants, 

 although not so well adapted to the P'ilbert as a dry stony bank. 



Hyacinths in Glasses after Flo'wehtng (5. A. A'.).— The leaves and 

 roots ought not to be cut ofi" after the blooming is over, but the plants 

 should be planted out in rich rather light soil iu a warm situation, and 



