182 



JUUliXAIi 01 ,H0UXIGUi;i5:U^K AND, COTTAGE GABDENEK.. 



[ March 11, 1369. 



ersome of each ses. The horriea should not be d/ieil, b]at pown at once 

 ia a oompoHt of two-thinli^ lontn and one-third leaf riitnild. I'hrj- may be 

 placed iQ a mild hotbed, bnt rtill j-uccf^ed in a j,TLLahousc. When the 

 HoedliD^a appear, and ha e -rrowu a little, the male pl«Dt3 ninv bf dis- 

 tinffuished from tbe female, but onlyby tho.^e cc-aversnutwith 'liom. You 

 will have to wpit until they are of a u'v.ze fa for flow( rins ftnd prodncinpr 

 bftiries c-e you will bu able to distiu^niish tho nvilc fium the female 

 plants. Tho berry-bearing plnnts nre, of courtfe, tho female plants. If 

 placed near them, the male "ill fertilise tbo femalo naturally, but to make 

 »aroit is well to do so artifielnlly. With good treatment the plants will 

 jirodnce berries the tfcond year, bnt they vary considerably in this 

 respect,. They t^'encrally have berriw3 by tho third year. 



Okkamental Bket (G. p.).— Most lihely the present Heason will bring 

 OQt new variotieg. We have scon a good variety of Nuttiu^'ii l>wavf 

 Dork that Incited v-ry well- Dell'a Crimson is also good, perhaps of 

 more npricht growth than tho pre oding. Dicksoa's Improved Black- 

 leaved ia also said to be go.xl. The requiremonts of Ihfl ilower garden 

 will probably cause further improvement in thi;-, plant, but you may rely 

 «Q Ibotio named, when true, being all highly ornamental. We recommend 

 you :o sow tho seed in fine sandy fioil in the middle oi April, and to 

 transplant ia luoiat weather in May. 



CTTTTrwas OF Sea-kai.e {/(Zchi).— The crowns of cH pUnts pnt in now, 

 may, under favourable circumatancea, furnish tuloruldy good heads nest 

 year, but it will be better to allow them one year longer. Any quantity 

 of plants cnn be obtained by cutting the vuotg into leugtbs of about 

 a inches ench, and planting them not too deeplv in a bed of tino soli, 

 from v.hieh they cnn be removed when wanted." Manv growers cut off 

 the whole head "f the plant every year after they have forced, in oidtr 

 to form a more compact crown or cluster of hoada, bnt unless the plants 

 nre iu a heuUhy vigorou9 state they o^-'caeionallv succumb when thQ« 

 troatod. 



Mel<:ij Marrow (I'itial.- We think thfii tho 60ft you BpeaU of is a 

 variety of tbe old, long, Vegetable Marrow, which some yoiirs ago was 

 thought to bo superseded by toe CuBtard Marrow, but the latter wa? 

 fonnd BO improvement. We expect that as a MaiTow it will be most 

 reli9hf.d when gfltnered young smd coolitd ia the usnal way., During the 

 last fiommer Vogetflble Marrows were (me of the most useful vegetables 

 wo had, and floniished better than most othe:- tenants of the kitchen 

 garden. 



^Plaiitctg Potatoes Close to \ Wall (Idem),— Thi'' may be done 

 with a good chance of snocees, provided they do not interfero with the 

 treoB and other things planted thf re. Usually Dwarf JiiJucy Beans are 

 planted in such a position when any porti-m of a south wall ia at liberty, 

 and they como into bearing before thoee planted in the open ground. 

 Potatoes are also earlier; but do not risk the well-bein^cf Peach and 

 other troes for this crop, unless you have special reasons. 



Ikse'TT on ViJTE \S. MUiing).~\t ia not the Vine Weevil, but one nearlv 

 allied to it, Corcnlio piclpes. The warfare vou have adopled Is the only 

 mode of overroming it— bflnd-pieking at night. If a sheet ia spread at 

 uight beneath tho Vine, and the rods ore ehaken, many of the Weevils 

 may he at once secured. 



Habdy Rhododkndrons f.5uit0— The following are si:£ «pkndid varie- 

 tiefl— viz., Mrs. John Glutton, white; AtrosanguiDeuni, dark scarlet; 

 Joseph Whitworth, purple lake; Lady Eleanor Cathcart, silmon rose; 

 John Waterer, crimson; and Doliootissimum, white, tinged with pink. 

 Miciiu-l Waterer, a new variety, is n!=o a splendid crimson ; and if vou 

 wiah for more variety you would do well to add some of the lilac, blush, 

 and rose-coloured sorts. 



AncuBA JAPONICA ( Subscriber). —It is curious t'jat a communication in 

 oar Joujmal to-day has answered anticlpatorily allyoor queries. 



POISSETTIA FOR Tablit DECORATION (rn^iffrt).— We proEumo that your 

 plants are old. »nd on that account, from the close pruning necc-ssatv, 

 thoT grow tall and straggling. You shouM have vnnng plants; from 

 cuttings or eyes of the ripened wood of last yearput in early this year. 

 Tho plants should be kept in comparatively small pcl3 and near the 

 glass, .jjlowing Ihe least possible distance from it for gr wing, and ad- 

 mitting air freely S' as to have them dwarf and compact, stopping the 

 Rhoots, but not after May. Six-inch pots are large enough for plants in 

 the first or second yenr. If larger plants are wanted, tho shoots mav bo 

 tied down and formed into a sort of glote not exceeding 1 fact in height, 

 which is, perhap-', the only plan of keeping old plants dv.arf. 



JcDAS Tree Propagation ili. S.).— It ia increased by seed sown ift a 

 ffentle hotbed in spring, and when tho seedlings are strong enough they 

 ahonld be hardened-off, and pricked-out in a sheltered situation- The 

 varieties are increased by grafting on the comm'-n Judis Tree {Cercis 

 aili'iuriBtram) in March, when the sap is beginning to rise in the stocks. 



Growing Gloxinias for Greenhouse fT. H. £/".).— Yon may. with the 

 assiswnce of a hotbed, grow these plan -a for grccnhouso decoration. 

 They should he plftc«-d in the hot' cd not later than the beginning of 

 A|»ril, better during this month, be continued tlierc until the close of 

 May or beginning of June, and then bet-lac^din the lightest and warmest 

 port of thf^ house, keoping the sashes on that part closer than those else- 

 ^rtierc. The plnnts should bo well supplied with v,-ater when in active 

 growth and in full foliage. When coming into flc-wer a slight shad.' from 

 powerful 8UU is deairable. 



GY:UNOOIt.\xnriLAncnEANA ANDrEHU^■IANA ARC'YROrHTLLA TOK GrEEX- 



nonsB (Jdcm).— These caunot bo grown except in a stove, and to grow 

 them well they require more heat than most Ferris. They would not 

 sacceed in a sitting-room under a bell-glass, or in a greenhouse. 



Painting GaEENHorsE (Jtlrwi) —We have no CiperieLCC of white oxide 

 oS zinc paint, and caunot say whether it would or would not injure the 

 plants. You m-iy, howev.r, paint the hon^e with white-lead paint without 

 injury to the plants, if yon give a little air at night aL.l do not use spirits 

 of turpentine for mixing the paint, bnt the prepared driejs, v,hioh answer 

 quite as well as turpentine ; only tho latter, when all the plants are taken 

 out of the house, is destructive to mealybug and .scale if tlie honst- is 

 ehnt up closely. 



XiYCOPODicMs poR GREENHonsE (/d'';jt\— The kicids named are cijl- 

 tivatabla in a greenhouse if afforded a warm and rather close moist 

 position, with shade from bright sun. Selaginella Willdsnovii is a fine 

 Iiycopod snitrtble for greenhouse cuUurc. 



Pzrry Tree Bare of BRANcnss (T. A'.).— Your tree-wc wdtad ntunc 



welt in, and cut off the long central branch at iU base, depending on the 

 lower branches for shoots to tr:n'n In its iilace. Thfyw()uld, no doubt, 

 iToducA shoots plentifully if the vigour of the tree were thrown into them, 

 by stopping closely iu summer tUe shoots on the upper part, and allowing 

 those ou the weak parts to grow. We do not see tho object of ringing 

 the central branch, unleai it 1)3 to produce shoota lower down, which wo 

 fear it will fail to rto. 



Sea-eale pLANTmo (An OUl 3uhacrib€r).-^V^e pr?9nme your soil ianot 

 wet ; if it is so, tu.it will accouut for the plants being planted as oin 

 hillocks, which is a gcod practice on wet soils, and if yours ia so we 

 would not alter them. If it ia rather dry, no water lodging iu tho subsoil, 

 fill in the spaces between the rows with rich sandy soil, and nearly level 

 with the crowns. The ashes, if placed in ridges between the rows of 

 plants in summer, will be out of the way, but better remove them al- 

 together whou cleared-off the plants. 



. Pruning OnANiiE Trees (W.-tti).- Now is thfi proper time to prune 

 Orange trees, thinning out the woak, uselorn, and dead wood, and shortoa- 

 ing straggling sho.ita. 



Potatoes for Worhino Man's Oaudek (A VTorkinfr Wnn).— Perhaps 

 you do not cave for many of the very early Polatoof*, but you will need 

 some. Myatt's Prolific anil Rivers's Royal Asbleit are excellent for a first 

 ir'»p; Lap?(toue for second early, Milky \V'hite, and Dalmahov, all of 

 which would bo off in time for Savoys and Broccoli, and the Celery may 

 follow the Early Ashleafs. Tho seeds of tho Celery should be sown at 

 once, immediately under tho wall, and at the drieet part, covering in 

 frortty nights with any old cai vas or other material that can be had. 

 \vhen large enough to handle f^e plants sbould be pricked-off into the 

 dampest part of the border, and the ground should be rich. Miinchoster 

 ■Red Solid Celery will suit you. A good white id tncTmparable Dwart 

 White. You may sow the olhcrs in any part o( the border except the wet 

 part, find at tho end of the preaent month or beginning of April. Drum- 

 head Savoy, Dwarf Curled Borecole, Elletspn's 5Iammoth Broccoli, and 

 Dilcock's Bride are good. The Looka should be sown at once. Masscl- 

 bur^'h Leek is a Cue sort. 



Beoonia Leaves Dying (R. K).— Your plants have too much moisture, 

 and arc exposed too much to tlie air and cold. Place them in a slightly 

 shaded position near the glas?:, and keep them moist by frequently sprink- 

 ling with water tho paths oi* l!onr, wall, and other surfaces, but avoid 

 wettingthe foliage, aud adiuit air in moderate quantities. The plants 

 f-hould have a good supply of water, aud a brisk heat of 6'3^ at night, and 

 of from 70" to 75 ' by day, with a rise from aun heat to 8S^ or bS-* 



Oesnera refcloens (Idem). — Its proper lime of rest is after it hftfl 

 flowered, keeping it dry for at least six weeks, or longer, starting it 

 agnin in March — that ia, presuming it to have flowered in autumn, but if 

 at flowered la'cr, then the time of starting must be later in proportion. 

 Six months will he required from atirting to tho time the plants bloom, 



BocciAiNviLLEA NOT Fi.owFRiNO ( Wc?)t).— Your plant has not the 

 wood sufficiently ripened. Secure a good growth, expose it fully to light 

 in a dry good heat," and keep tho plant dry at the root, and to such an 

 extent :i3 to cfiusc* the foliage to flag, and heeji it dry w ben not growing. 



MtYENiA EEECiA CuLTDRE (Zdcm). — Thoso plants rost like all others, 

 and lose all or most of tho loavea. Thoy should be kept rather dry in 

 winter, and Bhould uow be pruned well iu. When the plants have ehwots 

 2 or 8 inches long, they ought to be fresh potted, and encouraged wich an 

 incren&o of heat and moist atiJiosphere. Any rttrag^^ling bhoots should 

 be shortened, and a light rather airy positioa afforded. The wood should 

 bf well ripened. 



Golden Yfw Gqafting on Ii:I9H Yew (A 8ubseriheT).—The grafting is 

 performed in the usual way. and that mode known as side grafting is to 

 be preferred. Tho head of tho stock should not bo entirely removed 

 until the praCtfi have taken, thoagh they may be cut off to within a few 

 inches o! the point of union in order to throw the sfip into the graft. It 

 should be done when the buds on tho stock are beginning to grow, and 

 are slightly advanced. 



Plants^ for Pillaii^ op OnANOBRt (XoHTi-cnsf ^Tor/orfc}.— Hibbertia 

 volubilis, Konnedya icophylla florlbunlja, K, MarryattaJ, Mimosa pros- 

 trata. Luculia gratissima, Pluiatago capeasis, Uhynchospermum jaa- 

 minoides, and Sollya linearis. ^ 



Cliveden Blue Pansy (M^'7).— This, if sown now, would flower in 

 autumn, but not very freely, though tUo plants would be fine for nest 

 year's spring display. Two parts of fibrousloam, one part of turfy sandy 

 peat, nud cno part of leaf nmnid, with afi-eo admixture of sharp sand, 

 and good drainage will grow Tacsouia Viin-Volxemi well. 



Mulching Fruit Trees [Am^.trnr). — The littery portion of the manure 

 should be removed now, and the small left, pointing it in neatly with a 

 fork, bnt not going .-o deep as to injure tiie roots. The mulching 

 should be repeated in STay and Ju'y, but with hhort manure or rich com- 

 port onlv. From the Vine hoMler the littery portion of the manure 

 should be removed in May, aud the short pijinted-in, giving the border a 

 ^'ooddreasing of soot. : i • ■ 



Planting Iniermedjate Stocks (ta4y Amatf-vr).— T)iej may be 

 planted out next month ; in tbp moantiihe harden them well off. 



pLAHTiNu Layfus OP Carnai IONS ANl* MuLE PiNKS f/*i^m}.— Tfais may 

 be done now, but best next month, as the ground will then be in better 

 order. The Uvora may now be detached from the parent plants, acd 

 planted out early next month. The Pansiea should he planted out at 

 once. ^ , , 



CoMPoar FOR Clterahias, Calceolauiab, anp Pelargoniums (A 

 Practical A-"iateur) — Two parl3 loam from rotted turs-es, one part peat, 

 one part loaf mould or old rotten cow dung, with a free admixture of 

 silver saud, will grow most greenhou3n plants peif r-ctly. You are wrongly 

 informed as to the sand oncauraging woro.s; but one-sixth of the 

 whole ia quite enough to add to any compo itiju of soil, aa most soila 

 contain a large pi>r-cenlage of sUicious matter. 



Raspberries from Cottinos (Wcm).— These may he raised from cut- 

 tings 10 or I'J inches long, inserted iti the ooil to one-half their length. 

 October and November are Iho best montbeto plant ficm, but they may 

 now he inEcrled, though it ia best to do sa Lefjr-.- they have begun to 



grow, 



Camellias UNHEAj.Tiri' (/f <jVn!fcwan).'-Your plants are n bad health. 

 Something unfavourable to the acti-m of the roots niu^t be present in the 

 tubs. Are they well drained, and is tho compost -suitable? Perhaps it 



