Utr 13. 1869. 1 



JOUBNAL OF HOBTIOULTDBE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



331 



bofore the bod's rayB fall povforfuJly npon tbo plants. Tn bavo tho plant 

 in flower nt tho bt(?luninK of July. BtoppinK should not longer bo prao- 

 tiBed. The plants iihuuld uot be oxhibitod utnked. 



Zonal Pai-ARGONirMa Stoppino (A Ten-years 5t/h.icrr6cr).— To hnvo 

 them flower in June, tbo lust Btopping ought to have been done tho boKiu- 

 ojng of thiH month ; and for floworlng in October, the stopping may bo 

 practised np to tho middle of August. 



Flower of the Day pKLAKOONinM Sporting {A Constant Reader). — 

 It is not uncommon for the plants to have green as well as vuriogated 

 foliage, Flower of the Day being in its variegatod form a sport from a 

 groen-loaved kind, and ta that the variegated Hort will oocasionally re- 

 turn. Wo do not know the cause, but from experience expect to And all 

 abnormal forms occasionally producing tho normal, wbotbor by shoots 

 OQ tho plant, or from seed taken from it. 



Peaches not Setting— Heath Cdttinoa {Idcm\~Tha canso of the 

 Poach blosFom falling to sot we think is the attack of red spider in the 

 previous year; hut if you removed any of the old soil this spring ir. tho 

 process of top-dressing, and destroyed many of the fibres, that would be 

 soificient; to prevent tho sotting. Tho best time to put iu cuttings of 

 Heaths is when tho shoots are from 4 to 6 inches long, aud have become 

 rather Arm at the base, which may be from June up to August. The 

 earlier they are strnck the hotter thoy will stand the winter. 



Seedlino Pelargonium (J. iTou W.»irrtrr/i).— The leaf sent is unique 

 and beautiful — Ivy-loavod in shape, dark green centre, and a broad bright 

 pink border. 



PBEFKRAnLE Si/,E OF HoT- WATER PiPES (Bitteswell}. — As a good 

 medium size, we prefer 4-inch pipes for general hot-water purposes. In 

 all cases where heitt is wanted early, as in greenboueea in frost, we 

 prefer 3-inch piping, as the water is ao much sooner heated. We would 

 partly on this aci'ountgro;itly prefer for vineries fourtJ-inch pipes to two of 

 6 inches iu diamet- r, for though the first are sooner cooled, they are also 

 quicker heated, iind tho heat will be more uniform. In a 6-inch pipe the 

 lower part of the pipe will be colder than the upper part. 



CncpMBER Leaves Tdrnino Yellow {A Six-years Subscriber).— We 

 think most likely yon have too much bottom heat, and that the lower 

 part of the soil has become too dry. Pour some water down among the 

 S inches of brickbats over the pipes. We hope you have no signs of the 

 disease. A yellow leaf is nothing, compared to the curl or spot. 



HoosE Sewage for Roses (Sirs. 8tansfeld).~l\. should be mixed with 

 at least six times its bulk of water ; and bo given not oftener than once 

 a-wook, and not until the flower buds are apparent. 



Saving Wistaria sinensis Seed (T.).— We do not know of any pro- 

 cess by which you may obtain seed other than by fertilising the flowers, 

 and that may not prove successful, unless your situation be unusually 

 worm, the weather dry and hot at the time of flowering, and a warm 

 summer follow. We have had it under glass, but d(j not remember that 

 it produced seed. 



Greenhodsb Shelves Painting (Neio Cross).— The shelves ought to 

 have three coats of paint, stone colour being the most suitable. It 

 should be allowed to become thoroughly dry before placing the plants on 

 the shelves, and will not do tho plants the least harm. The painting is 

 nncGssary for tho preservation of tho wood. 



Pruning Gesnera Donkelaarii and Sinningia guttata (J. B.\— The 

 shoots of these plants should be annually removed, but not until the 

 plants are beginning to make new growths, though they may be grown on 

 jfrom the top of the old atom ; but that is apt to give the plants an un- 

 gainly appearance, which should be guarded against. 



Gloxinias Ij:goy {ldem).—Bj pegging down the long shoots you will 

 obtain a better bloom than were you to remove the shoots or cut them off 

 to within a few eyes of the soil ; but they will, if cut oS", start again 

 vigorously, they being encouraged with a gentle increase of heat and a 

 moist atmosphere, keeping them near the glass and shading from bright 

 sun. 



Applying Guano to Vines {A Man that Wishes to Learn). — You may 

 give the border a light sprinkling with guano, and at the rate of 1 lb. to 

 20 square yards, appl>ingit now, if outside, in moist weather, or, if inside, 

 it should be followed by a good watering. The application may be re- 

 peated in a month. Two ounced of guano to the gallon of water may he 

 ^ven as a liquid manure in place of the dressing of guano to the surface. 

 and is more immediate in its effects ; but we prefer top-dressings and 

 waterings with water only, to waterings with liquid manure, and especially 

 for Vines. 



IUbbit Fooiy (Rabbit-keeper).— Yon may now sow Parsley, Swede Tur- 

 ntps, Chicory, and Lettuce ; but the flrat and third would, perhaps, be the 

 best for the position under trees. Swedish Turnips are, however, most 

 asefol. 



BiGNONiA BADICAN9 FLOWERING (A Sulscriber).—The seedlings will 

 not, perhaps, flower until the third season, or even the fourth; but when 

 once they flower they may be expected to do so annually — at least old 

 plants do so as freely as other climbers. 



Repotting Camellias (The Master's Gardener). — The best time to re- 



pot Camolllas is in spring, just when tbey are beginning to make new 

 growths. They should be placed in heat, ho an to secure a good growth, 

 and tho tomperaturt; you name will be Huit>Lblo,routinulug them there until 

 the growths are couiplete, then keep cool ttiid oxpoHo more fully to light. 

 Whilst growing they Hhould have a f-light Hbade from bright sun, and a 

 moist atmosphere must be secured to them. Admit air moderately. Tho 

 soil you name will answer vory well. The Palms you have treated aright, 

 but could you not give them an increase of heat, so as to enable them the 

 sooner to recover from the check conscciuent on the journey ? That 

 Recommended for Camellias will answer well. 



.Compost for Manpevilla sdavbolenh and Kennedyab {T. J. H.). 

 — For tho flret, two parts turfy loam and one part sandy peat, or leaf 

 mould, with a free admixture of suiid. Tho plants should be j)ottud into 

 larger pots as often as those thoy are in become filled with roots, keeping 

 them well supplied with water through the summer, and training near 

 the glass ; but in winter keep drior, but not sr) iniicli so as to cause the 

 fi»liago and shoots to flag or shrivel. The Ki-nnodyas should havo a com- 

 post of two parts sandy poat, and one part light fibrous loam, with a free 

 admixture of silver sand. They should havo a good supply of air, and 

 ho tniiued near the glass. 



Rhododendrons after Flowering (E. O. ?'.).— Tho plants we appro - 

 bend are in pots, and in a greenhouse. In that case they should he well 

 supplied with water, and be top-dressed with old cow dung, continuing 

 them in a light, airy position until tho growth is completed, then harden 

 well otr, and remove out of doors to a slightly shaded situation, but only 

 from the sun between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., i)InnKing the pots to the rim in 

 coal ashes, and keeping the plants well supplied with wnter. The seed 

 vessels should be removed as soon as the flowers fall. Ketum the plants 

 in-doors in October, 



Window Plants (.f. L.). — No one not resident in your neighbourhood, 

 and uninformed as to the plants you would require, could answer yonr 

 query. Ask one or two of the nurserymen nearest to you for how mncU 

 they would contract to supply you with a succession of plants. 



Auricula Seedling (J. F., Falkirk). — You committed a very common 

 error — viz., sending blooms in cotton wool, for it absorbs every particle 

 of moisture, and consequently the flowers arrive shrivelled up ; but as 

 f ■ir as can be made out, No. 331, green edge, is a promising flower of good 

 characteristics. 



Melons, Cucumbers, Hotbeds (H. P.).— If you will purchase the 

 fourteenth volume of this Journal, you will find in it full directions on 

 all the subjects yon name. 



Kew Gardens (J Country Cojwin).— We totally difl'er from yon; and, 

 moreover, we know the extra labours at present involved in making 

 alterations for an entrance from the new railway station. 



Vines Injured by Flue Bursting {In a Fix). — The Vines will be 

 severely injured, but we do not think their fruiting next year will be pre- 

 vented. Wo should maintain a moist atmosphere and brisk boat, so aa 

 to encourage new growth, taking a fresh shoot from tho base of each 

 shoot, and train these shoots in place of those destroyed, cutting away the 

 scorched shoots when tho fresh ones are a few inches long. 



Climbebs for Arches (Sunny).— No plant grows so fast as the Vir- 

 ginian Creeper, and it is very hardy. It should have rich soil with which 

 majiure and leaf mould has been liberally mixed, and tho ground should 

 be trenched or deeply dug. If you wish for something evergreen nothing 

 would serve you so well as Ivy, the Irish, both grcon and variegated, and 

 Roegner's Ivy, would soon cover an arch, and would have a fine efi"ect. 

 Fast-growing climbers for arches and trellises are: — Caprifolium peri- 

 clymennm and its varieties, Dutch Evergreen, Early Cream ; C. Donglasii, 

 C. affinis, C. sempervirens Brownii, and floribnndum ; C. Shepherdi ; 

 Aristolochia aipho ; Clematis vitalba, C. viticella flore-pleno, C. viticella 

 major, C. fiorida, C. montana major, C. fliimmula, and Jasminum nudi- 

 florum. Ayshiro Roses— Alice Gray, Dundee Rambler, Myrrh-scented, 

 Queen of the Belgians, Ruga, and Thoresbyana ; Bonrsault — Amadls, 

 Blush, Elegans, Gracilis, Inormis; Evergreen— Rampant, Myrianthes, 

 Donna Maria, Carnea grandiflora.and Princess Louise, 



Select Coleuses [R. Boh-i/vJi).— Without knowing whether they are 

 to be grown in pots or planted out it is impossible to give a satisfactory- 

 answer. Presuming tho former to be your intention, Queen Victoria, 

 Albert Victor, and Princess Beatrice would probably suit you, but all the 

 new golden kinds raised at Chiswick are very beautiful, and selection 

 from them is a matter of taste. Of other kinds you may havo C. Bauaei, 

 C. Saundersii. and C. Scottii. 



SguARE Yard (i'r;7?oramus).— When a square yard is mentioned, we 

 conclude that it is a space containing 9 square feet. 



Names of Plants {./. J.).— 3,TropiEohmi azureuro. (Georgiana Nunn), 

 — Callistomon specio&us, sometimes known as Metrosideros spociosus, a 

 native of Western Anotralia. It requires greenhouse treatment, and a 

 compost of fibry peat and silver sand. (C. R.).— Cha?rophyllum sylvestre. 

 (S. C'.).— Doodiacaudata. {J. B.).—\, Amelanchier canadensis ; 2,Cerasn8, 

 species quite uncertain, the specimen not in flower. (J'. S. E.).—l and 2, 

 V«rieties of Lastrea ailatata ; 3, Aspleuium auritum. (-Emmal.— 1, As- 

 plenium flaccidum ; 2, Selaginella, probably Kraussiana, usually known 

 as S. hortonsis ; 3, Selaginella Martensii. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS in the Suburbs of London for the week ending May 11th. 



Wed... 5 

 Thurs. 6 

 Fri. ... 7 

 Sat. ... 8 

 Sun. . . 9 

 Mon.. . 10 

 Tuea. . 11 



Mean 



daeoueteb. 



Max. 



29-8^6 

 29.250 

 29.228 

 29.53G 

 29.f39 

 29 528 

 29 886 



29.562 



Min. 



29.579 

 29.082 

 29.112 

 29.260 

 29-583 

 29.431 

 29.628 



29-3S3 C2.14 



THBRMOUETER. 



59 

 63 



66 

 58 

 60 

 68 

 GL 



39 

 53 

 42 

 42 

 51 

 47 

 87 



44.00 



1 ft. dp. 



51 

 53 

 54 

 54 

 53 

 55 

 55 



a ft. dp. 



49 

 49 

 50 

 50 

 50 

 51 

 51 



E. 

 S.E. 

 S.W. 



S. 



E. 



S. 



N. 



Rain in 

 inches. 



.02 

 .06 

 ,02 

 .06 

 .28 

 .00 

 .00 



General Remarks. 



Cloudy, cold wind ; fine, but overcast ; densely overcast. 

 Densely overcast; showery; clear and fine at night. 

 Overcast ; cloudy ; very fine and clear at night. 

 SHght rain; showery; overcast, slight rain. 

 Overcast; foggy and overcast ; heavy showers. 

 Showery ; cloudy ; clear and fine at night. 

 Densely overcast; cloudy hut hue ; densely overcast. 



