March 4, 1SC9. J '' 



JOUiRNAL OF irOBTICXJLTUUE AND COTTAGE GABDENER, 



167 



Wiiy tliroa(,'h the outer bark. If fie bark Bccma much hjilc-hoiind, you 

 uiiKlitrtraw tbo yo'ini ot a ahiirp kuifu hi long shtillow ^ilU^i, doing little 

 more thnn iK>uoliaiiop (,ho outer biirk— not K'^i"K so (iefi> ns tho wocj. 

 Home nice ytiuug trees had the btcma paintod with oil iind t;ir, iind wo 

 (eared the result; but on mwIdDg Hhallnw loiiKitudinal hlit^^, tbo bark 

 expanded on each fiidc, pivinp free spare for tbo new wood nud b:irk, and 

 thongh these jiroluburancei w(re anything bnt ornamental for several 

 years, the trcvBret.»Ic but little appearance of the mouipulation now, and 

 nro quite healthy. 



FRriT Trees Uos&i' (J. M. P.).— It is not too late to duht fruit trees 

 and bnyhea »vilh quicklime Id free them from moss— indeed, it may ha 

 done at any seas-ou, o\eept when the trees are in blossom. They shotild 

 Immediately before applying the lime bo made quite wet by eyrlngln;^, as 

 the lime tiiou ndhores to the btems and shoots. 



Daphne ON'EonnM [Jvl'.fi].- Wc do not think mannro water of any sort' 

 and such as is given to other plants, would bcnetit this It ia mneh 

 bencllled, howevtr, by a limestone soil, and especially by the peat over- 

 lying limestone. 



LoMAHiA oiEBA (C. C.).— It wouId succeed admirably on the stem of n 

 Dicksonia Antarctica, Boil being placed iu the centre of the fltem, which 

 should be hollowed out eo as to receive it; or a small jitunt may bo 

 placed on the Diok&oula, aud i<, will root down the stem, that being kept 

 moist. Tho whito Ki.'unedya is in ulmoat every nuraevyman's catalogue. 

 Wc do not recognise t'ae naruc of tho plant ty the leaf sent ; flowers as 

 well as foliage are necessary for identification. 



Ztgopetalubi Mackavi Cci.TDHE {Lauisc P.).— The plant, we should 

 think, needu lOiHittiug aud to bo cncouraiifed by a brisk heat and moist 

 atmosphei-e, so a> to make a good growth ; this being secured, t!ie growths 

 tiught to be well matured bj keeping the plant drier and udmitting air 

 freely; but this ought not to takt- place uutil the pseudo-bulbt! are lull- 

 sized aud the growth complete. At no time should the plant be kept so 

 dry as to cause tho bulbs to shrivol. The cool Orchids geoerally rtMiuiro 

 similar treatment, and those that are pot-bound ought to be repotted. 

 Yon will End the cootentb of each number of The Joornal oi' Hobti- 

 CDLTDRE on tho la&t pago but one. 



FoRcrNo White Lilacs {ld?v}).—T!he Lilac you see in the shops is the 

 white Lil:!C, and it is brought into flower at this season by taking up 

 plants th!>t are well set with flower buds, and, after pottiog, forcing them 

 in a hothouse. They flower in about six weeks. Tho temperature may 

 range from 55"^ to 60' at aight, and from 65'- to 70'' by dny, with a rise 

 from sun heat. 



ONCIDrtTM OHISPDU, TfirCHOPILIA SUAVIS, AND CtEtOOVNE CKISTATA 



Treatment {0. C I>.).— These are all what are known as cool Orchids, 

 which succeed admirably in a honse having a temperature of 45" in 

 winter, and ona of from 55' to 6 ." at night in summer, with a rise from 

 son heat to 85" orSD"^. In winte.- they ought to be kept dry and cool, bnt 

 the psou'Io-bulbs should not bo allowed to shrivel. If rbey aro likely to 

 do so, a gentle sprinkling overhead will keep them plump, \ ut it must 

 not be so frequently given, nor in snch quantity as to excite gi'owth, or 

 cause the decay of tha roots ;ind bulbs. In summer, or otter they bef:iu 

 to grow, the plants should have a plentiful supply of moisture, aud the 

 baskets be dipped in a vessel of wjiter of the same temperature as that 

 in which the plants ar^ crowing, so as to thoroughly moisten the material ; 

 and give wate.- two or tliree times a-weok in additinu to sprinkliof? over- 

 head twice or thrice a-day, maintaining a moist atmoi^phere by frt^'queu'ly 

 sprinkling the walls, paths, &c. .^ Tnoderato amount of air should bo 

 given, with Ehade from bright sni . i hen tho growth is completed more 

 air should be givr-n and less shade, ,iill continuing the moisture to secure 

 the fall feeding of the pseudo-bulbt;, and when these are plump aud fine 

 gradually diecontinuo the watering and nprinkling, so as to cease al- 

 together by the time dull weather sets in. Keep cool and dry during the 

 the winter. 



Melons (TV. S. TA.—Qrcen-fi.cuhed: Beechwood, Heckfield Hybrid, 

 Meredith's Hybrid Oa^hmere. Scarlet-jieshcd : Scarlet Gem, Mounsden's 



Moreton Hall, nnd f^^nccn Emnm, ticph nearly while, all of good size and 

 lino flavour. The hiindnitmcst Mrlt-u of all in Qunen Anns'a Fockflt Melon, 

 btit its appearance is its only rocommendattun, and It is very small. * 



PRopAdATiKCi AucniAs [C. S. J?.).— You may put in cuttings of tho rip© 

 bhoots now. and they will strike root freely ; but If tho ahoots tiVii young 

 and sappy thny ought not to be put in until tbey iiro firm at the baae, 

 Thi^ is beFt dune in August. Gralting maybe performed now, the earlier 

 the bj-tter. or at the end of Au^u^t ov beginning of St^ptemhcr, placing 

 tlir. plrints in a cold frame, and keeping them clo^e uud uhuded until Ibo. ., 

 grafts have taken. ■' 



ToKAV KiioNTiGNAN GuAPE (r</«m).— It 18 doubtful whether this is not' 

 on old vnriety of Grape newly named. Mr. Rlvons describes it in his laitt 

 fruit catalogue us having berries round, medium-sized, jnioy, with a rich 

 Muscat flavour ; a great bnaror, and early ; cod vinery or w.-Ul ; and from 

 what we know of it, wo think it identical with tho White Frontignan, of 

 which there are two sorts, the one very closely resuinbliug C'haflflolas 

 Mnpque, aud, like it, subject to urack; whilnt tho other is not so liable lo 

 crack, but is much given to shank, aod cornea in two or three weeks 

 curlier. Both are very desirable Grapes. 



Evergreens anh Hosks tor SouTn-WEST Aspect (7?. ^.).— The' Ex- 

 mouUi variety of Magu.ilia grandiflora, if the aituatioa is warm, and 

 Escr.llonia macrajitha. If the situation is exposed, CratiCgus pyracantha 

 and Cotoneaster microphvlla. Koses : Climbing Devooiensis and Gloiro 

 de Pijon, both Tei-seented ; or if you wi-h for one with more colour, Sir 

 Joseph Paxtou, of the Bourbon class, would probably suit yon. 



Mi:lon for Odtdoor Culture {A. P.).— Achai>csnorrichcr is tho 

 nanu; given to a green-fleshed variety, which may be grpwn with tho 

 same treatment as is given to ridge Cucumbc-s. Its flavour is nnt bad, 

 but we cannot recommend ridiio Melons- There is also a red-flcshod 

 variety, called the American Ridge Melon. Seed may be had through any 

 secdfcman advertising in our columns. 



VARioustF. 7.).— You may grow the (/ifarfDa/trio-s in pots plunged in tho 

 open ground, using rich so'il for potting, and pots 12 inches in diameter. 

 Tho tubers ought to be placed in heat at once, so as to have them for- 

 ward and well Lardened off by pUnting-ont time. Only one plant of 

 Mrs. Pollock or of Zonal Pclarfloniums, hhaixH be in a pyt; 6-lnch pots 

 nnswer very well for the tirst, aud H-iuch pots for the latter. Tho boat 

 blue Lobelia for bedding purposes is tho Crystal I'alace varietyof Lolxjiia 

 erinus speciosa. 



Camellia Jacksoni Flower-buds not ExpANnreo (C. M. Major).^ 

 The probable cause is a defective root-action, just when Ibe buds have 

 reached the size at which they ought fully to expand. The buds were 

 highly developed probably early in the season, and were then moved into 

 a cc-bier place for b'ooming. If so the buds would be kept long in a 

 dormant state from the check given to the supply of sap ; this ciufies the 

 outer petals to wither, and now that growth of wood and leaver his com- 

 mencL'd. the supplv is still defective. Do not hasten the CamelUa so 

 much next year, and when moved into a cooler place for bloommg, tajo 

 care that the roots are kept Wiiim, and water with lepid water until tho 

 flowers have fully opened. 



Insect in Feen Case (A'. M. A.) —We do not know of any red insect 

 that infests Ferns. It will not be necessary to take the plants out and 

 put them in fresh soil. We think if you were to fumigate the plants 

 with tobacco smoke, filling the c:ise with smoke, tho insects would be 

 destroyed or disappenr. 



Grub in Turf '2V.).— Without seeing a specimen wo cannot decide its 

 namo. Probably it is the larva of the Daddy-long-legs. Tlpula oleracea. 

 A thorough soaking of the cricket grounds with lime and gas ammoniacal 

 water will destroy them, and should be appUed now. 



Names of Plants {M. Pt'{)lor).—^^e cannot name plants from their 

 eaves only (A. J. C".).~Spirmauuia africaua. {iV. T, C.).— 1, Ptsrifl 

 emii)innata; 2. Pterisleptophylla. (Cflaffiro.— Daphne laurejla. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS in the Suburbs of Londoa for the week euding March 3nd. 



Wed... 

 Thors. 

 Fri.... 

 Sat. . . . 

 Snn... 

 Hon.. . 

 Tues, . 



Mean 



G^KF-TliL REMaEK3. 



Overcast; densely overcast ; heavy rain, brlBk wind. 

 '. Fine, cold wind ; overcast ; boisteroas and overcast. 

 Fine cloudy ; densely overcast ; clear and fine. 

 Clear and verv fine ; cloudy ; very fine and o'ear. 

 Clear and fine ; very fine ; enow and hail ; rain. 

 Cloudy, bnt fine ; stormy, heavy rain, boisterous. 

 Stormy and boisterous ; very fine ; rain ; clear and tine. 



PaULTRY, BdS,, AND PIGEON CHRONICLE. 



COLOUR OF THE AYLESBURY DUCKS BILL. 



I Mni?T demur to part of yonr reply, wherein you say, " In 

 well-bred epeoimens it should not he a bright yellow, it should 

 be a flesh colour, or a French white." Will you admit that 

 Mrs. Seamons's or Mr. Fowler's are well bred ? I think you 

 must. I have hid .several from Mr. Fowler, and I maintain 

 that tha bills will lose the flesh colour, and become yellow in 

 three months after leaving Aylesbury. There is no bog water 

 in my place; through it is a running stream, and there ate 

 large pond3 with clay banks, in which the Ducks thra.st their 



bills for food, and being thus in a state of nature, their bais 

 possess the natural colour. It is said that the ^; '^•'«."«;»l£f 

 Avlesburv wears ofi the cuticle, and so renders the biUs flest- 

 coloured." Be that as it may, it is evident they are acted on m 

 some way so as to remove the cuticle. , . .„ , ,.„„„ m_„ 

 I have several times won with Mr. Fowlei's Ducklings. Two 

 shows were held in Dablin r.bont two years ago ; at the bniL 

 won with Mr. Fowler's Dackliogs when tUeir bills were pinkisb. 

 at the second, about three months afterwards, I exhibiUd the 

 samo Daeklings. Mr. Jones, of Falham, was J"'3s«- He re- 

 jected them because their bills were too dark although ad- 

 mitted the heaviest birds in the show. I «»"P''''"*'f '"^"J; 

 and his reply was so nearly like yours that I ^;0"W '.tapst 

 fancy he wrote it. I told hira then I would take care the Lillfl 



