82 



JOUUNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ July 30, 1868. 



brickwork we think is not removable without a proper understanding to ! 

 that e fleet. 



Destroying Ants {A, Q.).—ln another column you will see a notice of 

 a compound Mr. Abbey has uacd for the destruction of insect pests. A 

 solution of 2ozs. to the ptJilInn of water is instant death to evary ant it 

 touches, and poured into the nest it will destroy the colony. If you 

 sprinkle guano over their haunts it will drive the ants away. 



Saving and Sowing Fuchsia Seed {H. B.).~The berries should be 

 left on the plant until they are quite black, and readily part from it. then 

 with the fingers squeeze them in a basin of water until the seeds are 

 separated from the pulp. They will then sink to the bottom ; next drain 

 off the water and pulp, and set the basin on its side in a dry place, so as 

 to dry the seeds. When dry wrap them up in paper, and keep them until 

 spring. They may be sown at the beginning of March, or if now ripe we 

 would sow forthwith. Sow in pots or pans, well drained, and filled to 

 within a quarter of bh inch of the rim with a compost of two-thirds sandy 

 fibrous loam, one-third leaf mould, and about one-sixth silver sand. The 

 compost should be sifted. Place the soil rt-maining in the sieve over the 

 crocks to the depth of an inch, and on it the sifted soil. Level the surface 

 by pressing it with the bottom of a small flower-pot. scatter the seeds 

 rather thinly and evenly, and cover them lightly to a depth about equal 

 to the thickness of the seed; give a gentle watering, and place the puts 

 in a house where there is a temperature of from 55 to 60 at night, and 

 from 70* to 80" by day, keeping the soil moist, and near the glass. When 

 the plants appear afl"ord plenty of light and air, and by degi-ees harden 

 them off. The pot or pnn nmy be placed in a hotbed, and the seedlings 

 forwarded there until they are of suflicient size to be put singly in small 

 pots. This should be done as soon as tbev can well be handled, and after 

 potting they must be returned to the hotbed, and kept there until they 

 become again established ; then harden them ofl", and remove to an airy 

 position in the greenhouse. A shelf near the glass is the most suitable 

 place. 



Sunflower Seed Savikg (B. B.).— Cut the heads as soon as the seeds 

 are ripe. Lay them on a floor in a dry, airy building for ten days or a 

 fortnight, and then beat them with a stick, and the seeds will fall out. In 

 a windy day winnow them, placing a sheet or cloth on the floor or ground. 

 The seeds being thus freed of husks and dust shoula he stored in bags 

 in a dry place. The heads should be gathered in a dry day. 



Syringing Ferns (A. B. 5.).— Wo are in the habit of syringing our 

 Ferns in the evening, and we do not find their foliage damaged. The 

 specimen sent appears scorched, probably owing to the syringing being 

 heav^-, and the house being closed at night ; there will, consequently, be 

 more or less condensed moisture on the fronds in the morning, and the \ 

 sun's rays falling upon them in that state will account for the brownno^s I 

 of the specimen. Do not give more than a gentle sprinkling, keep the I 

 atmosphere moist by sprinkling the paths, walls, and othrr surfaces with ' 

 water morning and evening, and give a little air at nigiit, but not in ex- ' 

 CQssive quantity so as to creat« a current. A temperature of from 70 to 

 75' at night is much too warm for the kinds of Ferns you name. 

 Admit air more freely so as to reduce the temperature. Spongj- peat is 

 not pood for Ferns. That most suitable is of a brownish coIour,'and full 

 of fibres and of particles of sand. If upon wetting the peat does not when 

 squeezed form a ball of mud, nor give ofl" very black water, it will grow 

 Ferns well, and almost all plants needing peat soil. Ficus repens is a 

 stove climber. , 



Site for Hardy Fernery f TF. O. B.).— We have found a north aspect 

 most suitable. The plants are less liable to injury from cold in winter, j 

 as the house does not become hot in the day and very cold at night. ' 

 Extremes of heat and cold, nr sudden changes of temperature, are not 

 beneficial to the growth of Ferns. The house, though with a north aspect, 

 wDl need shade in summer. We have not noticed any tardiness of growth ■ 

 in the case of Ferns in a north aspect. 1 



Portugal Quince [H. S.).— The Portugal Quince is the finest, but not 

 ao productive nor so hardy as the Apple-shaped. The tree bears when of \ 

 comparatively small size, and a good trep two or three years grafted will 

 bear the second or third year after planting. A Quince tree or two would 

 be desirable in a selection, but whether it is worth while growing one 

 must be determined by the taste of the proprietor. 



Thrips on Melons (rr/wiK-s-).— The best means of destroying thrips on 

 Melon plants is to fumigate them, when the foliage is dry," with tobacco, 

 filling the house with smoke. Shade from bright sun, give a thorough 

 syringing on the evening following the fumigation, and repeat the fumi- 

 gation next evening if necessary. It may be necessary to repeat the fumi- 

 gation at intervals, taking care to have the foliage drv.aud to deliver the 

 smoke cool. 



LiLiuM AURATUM Stem Eroken OFF (TT. D.).— The bulb should not be 

 disturbed, but left in the soil and pot. It would not do to take up the bulb 

 and store it away in a dry place until winter. It will, no doubt, make a 

 good growth next year, and early. You could hardly expect it to flower 

 this year, as the flowering portion of the stem was broken off. 



Sedum californicum Propagation (ir. D.).— The plant used as an 

 edging to some of the beds in Hyde Park, we think from your description, 

 is Sedum (Sempervivum ) califomicum. It forms large dense green 

 rosettes tipped with reddish brown. It is increased by division, which 

 may be performed early in autumn or spring ; it is also raised from seeds 

 when these are procurable. They may be sown now in light, sandy, open 

 soil. It is a free grower and of easy culture. Any of the principal nm-sery- 

 men could supply you. 



Mistletoe Sowing iDe Foix). — We would sow the seed at once, 

 making incisions in the under sides of the branches of the trees you 

 name similar to those made for budding, and insert a seed in each incision 

 between the bark and wood. Being on the under sides of the branches 

 the seed would not be so sonn discovered by birds, and placed in the in- 

 cision it would not be so liable to be displaced, as if it were merely placed 

 on the branch, which, however, is quite sufflcieut. lu addition to Poplar 

 and Elm we may name Lime, Apple, Thorn, and Crab, as .'suitable for the 

 growth of the Mistletoe. 



Planting an Orchard House (T. B.).— Yonr plan will answer very 

 well. The height of the house will do for standards, but they will need 

 root-pruning. The front row will do well for pots. If you aimed at the 

 least trouble we would plant the front and train the trees on a trellis the 

 same as the back. 



Strawberry Plants (W. J5.).— We cannot recommend nurserymen. 

 Any who advertise in our columns could supply the varieties you name. 



Grapes Marked [An Old Subscriber).— The box was smashed, as well 

 as the berries, by the post-office punches. 



Seedling Pansy (C. Stiiart).~YouT Pansy may look well in a mass, but 

 the flower is deficient in form and substance. It appears to be a eeecUing 

 from one named Magpie, whose only recommendation is the contrast of 

 colour, the flower being of very bad form. 



Rating Garden Structures (S. Walters).~rhe appeal we alluded to 

 is to the Quarter Sessions ; and if the decision there is adverse, and yon 

 were advised to do so, you might have the case brought before the Judges 

 in London. A subscription should be raised among the gardeners in- 

 terested to have one case thus fully decided, and by which the other 

 cases would be ruled. It is perfectlyrseless to occupy any space in our 

 columns with mere outcry. 



Pelargoniums (fl. TV'.).— What are intended to be shown as Pelar- 

 goniums, are not as you suppose any of the genera of the family Gera- 

 niacere, but species or varieties of species belonging to the genus Pelar- 

 gonium ; and the Zonal Pelargoniums mentioned in the show schedules 

 are varieties of either Pelargonium zouale or inquinans, and their hybrids. 

 In the class of Variegated Pelargoniums, any plant may be shown that 

 belongs to the genus Pelargonium and which has variegated leaves. 

 Paxtou's " Botanical Dictionary " is published at 258. 



FiiuiTS FROM France {CenfHrion}.— The Pears called Marie Louise do 

 Jersey and Windsor de Jersey are merely the ordinary sorts known by 

 that name, and the affix " de Jersey" indicates that the possessor ob- 

 tained them from that island. Columbia is an American Pear which in 

 some seasons is of good quality in this country, but not alwavs so. 

 Chasselas Rouce Royale is the same as Chasstiis de Falloux, of Hogg's 

 " Fruit Manual." The Apples, Calville Rouge and Calville Rouge d'Hiver, 

 are synonymous. It is only of second-rate quality. Of Duchesse de 

 Brabant we have no experience. 



Black Soil {A Constant neader).—X little of the soil sent would be 

 useful for Fern culture in a house, hut not much of it, for it seems as 

 sent, and also when wetted and dried again, to become so hard. If we are 

 not mistaken, it would act much like pieces of grit or sandstone, but it is 

 not easy judging from such small quantities. 



Vine Mildewed (7(/fm).— What you have done for vour Vines is all 

 proper aud ought to have lessened the tendency to mi'ldew. We would 

 advise dusting the parts with flowers of sulphur, diiubing the open parts 

 of the wall with sulphur find soft-soap, and giving a good watering to the 

 roots. We fear the roots want more help than they have received. 



Training Vines 'Hrt//-pfn/).— Having successfully treated your Vines 

 as advised on the 9th of Januai-y, we would now nip out the points of the 

 shoots that have reached the top of the wall, so as to throw back more 

 vigour to the stem nearer home. For this purpose encourage laterals 

 there for a couple of mouths, merely nipping out their points. This will 

 do more to strengthen the stem than allowing the Vine to run along the 

 bick wall, but you may let some laterals prow there. The reason of this 

 will be more obvious if you attend to what is said about cutting back 

 these Vine shoots after the wood is ripened in the autumn. Recollect 

 that taking much fruit from these Vines next year will paralyse them for 

 the future. You did quite right with the Peach tree. Alice Maud is a good 

 Strawberry for a pot and for your house, and so is President and Prince 

 of Wales ; the former is generally fruitful. 



Cost of Erecting a Vinery (B. 3/.).— We cannot enter on the sub- 

 ject of estimates, as there is such a difl'erence in the mode of doing work. 

 We have allowed others to state how cheaply they erected fixed glass 

 roofs by using large squares and no rafters. Tradesmen advertise in our 

 pages how cheaply they can send out sashes complete. Given a wall, 

 a lean-to about 12 feet wide may be put up for something like lOs. per 

 foot run, but it will be useful rather than ornamental; the rafter sash- 

 bars fixed, and the glass from 18 to '20 inches from bar to bar. A span- 

 roof 20 feet wide will be a useful house. If the wall is to be built, the 

 span-roof will be the cheaper, as glass costs less than brick, and then 

 you would only need a low wall all round, say 2^ feet, and glass SA feet. 

 Iron piping will cost from 23. Gd. per yard, and the boiler for such a house 

 would be from £5 to £Q. You can have good glass cut for 2d. per foot, 

 and the prices of wood in battens, or in rafter pieces to receive the glass, 

 from 3^ to 4^ inches in depth, can easily he ascertained. 



Cutting Down an Indiardbeer Plant (C. T. 0.|.— Yon may cut down 

 your one-stemmed Indiarubber plant to 1, 2, or 3 feet, according to the 

 space you have, and then you may have several shoots or branches in- 

 stead of one. Before you do so, let the soil in the pot become as dry as 

 the plant will endure without much flagging, aud if you tie a string 

 tighter and tighter every day for a week, before you cut off the head, there 

 will be less bleeding. Sear the cut part with a hot iron, and put damp 

 white lead on it. 



Constructing an Orchard House (A Constant Header).— To meet the 

 most of your requirements obtain from our office Pearson on " Orchard 

 Houses." wbich you can have for nineteen postage stamps. Such a 

 house, if 16 feet wide, would be best if a span running north and south, 

 with sides facing east and west, but as on the east side you have a wall 

 8 feet high, you might put your house against it. In this case a hipped 

 and a sloping roof would be best for the width— say a short hipped-roof 

 at the wall, 5 feet in length, forming a ridge-board 13 feet from the floor. 

 This, with a front of 6 feet, part glass and part wood or brick, would give 

 you a front rafter of about 13 feet. But for your wall, a span-roof would 

 bo Iie,t,sayl2 feet high in the centre, 6 feet high at the sides, and having 

 a double ridge board so as to have a swing ventilator between. Then, 

 in the first place, you should have a fixed roof, and the wood should be 

 4,^ by 1.^ inches, and from 16 to 20 inches apart. In the span-roof, the 

 roof would be so much shorter that 8-inch-deep rafter sash-bars would 

 do. In either of these cases there would be no aaehes. The size of the 

 squares of glass might be 16 inches by 12, or 20 by 13. Have the floor 

 level i£ convenient, but there is no great objection to a sloping floor and 

 a sloping roof, but the level floor will always be most easily managed. As 

 you can easilv go up, there is little use in sinking the earth or floor. 

 What you gain in warmth you lose in damp. A heating apparatus will 

 he an advantage if you contemplate flowers as well as fruit. A good iron 

 or brick Amott's stove would, however, keep out frost; if you want 

 much more you had better have a flue or hot water. The most pleasing 



