Aogast 6, 1868. ] 



JOOBNAL OP HOBTIOULTOBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



101 



top and 1 inch doep to hold nix. bands, or 9 inchca by 1 inch to hold twolvo 

 hands; aaladin^r punnotH, 5 inchos by 2 iachoH. A Half Sieve et>ntain8 

 8.4 imperiftt {^uUona, nnd avoritgos \2\ inrliusi in dianictor and R inches in 

 depth. A Sii'i'e contains 7 imperial gftHonrf. Diameter. 15 inchoB ; depth, 

 S inchos. A sieve of Peas ia oqnal t(» 1 bushel; a. sieve nf Cnrnints to 

 20 qnarte. A Bunhcl .StViu-, U)\ imperial gallons. Diamctt^r at top, 

 17^ iuchef^ ; at bottom, 17 inrbes ; depth. 11} inchon. A EwthrlJiaskft oiiKht 

 when heaped to contain an imperial bushel. Dianu^ter at top, 14 in<'hes ; 

 Ht bottom, 10 inches; depth, ITiucliea. Walnuts, Nuts, Applo.'^, and Pota- 

 toes are suld by this measvire. A bushel of the last-named cleansed 

 weighs 56 lbs,, but 4 lbs. additional if they aro not washed. A 2'altle is 

 a long taperinf^ basket that holds rather over a pint and a half. A pottle 

 of Strawberries should hold half a Rallon, but never holds more than 

 1 quart ; a pottle of Mushrooms should woich 1 Ih. A Hand applies to 

 hunches of Kndishes, which contain from twelve to thirty or more, ac- 

 cording to the season. .) Bvndle contains from six to twenty heads 

 of Broccoli, Celery, &c, ; Sea-kale, twolvo to eiKhtoen heads; Kbubarb, 

 twenty to thirty stems according to size ; and of Asparagus, from liJi) to 

 125. A Bunch is applied to herbs, Ac, and varies much in size according 

 (0 season. A bimch of Turnips is twenty to twenty-five; of Carrots, 

 thirty-six to forty ; of Greens as many as can bo tied together by the 

 roots. Grapes are put up in 9 lb. and 4-lb. punnets ; new Potatoes by the 

 London grower in 2-Ib. punnets. Apples and Pears are put up in bushels, 

 siovoB, or half-sieves. /( Hundredvnrihf of Kentish Filberts is 104 lbs. 

 Weights are always 16 ozs. to the pound. Being often made of osier or 

 deal shavings the measures vary triflin^ly in Kize.— (/fo;;/;'ft Year-book for 

 JH68.) Your other question nhall he attended to in a week or two. 



Gourds (/T. C).— The cultivation of Gourds does not differ from that 

 "f the Vegetable Marrow. All they require ia to bo sown in heat, to be 

 grown in pots, and planted out at the end of May in good rich soil over a 

 slight hotbed, making choice of a warm situation, sheltered from winds. 

 The varieties you name may be edible, but we have no experience of 

 them in that way. 



Sowing Carnation Seed (Idem). —The present is not a good time for 

 sowing Carnation seed. It ia best sown in April. Seed sown now will 

 hardly furnish plants sufficiently strong for blooming next year. 



Thrips ok Cineraria Leaves (A. S. .4.).— At first we thought your 

 Cineraria leaves were scorched, or rather scalded, by hot vapour, the 

 result of not giving air early enough, but on closer inspection we found 

 traces of where we think thrips had been, though no insects. In that 

 '•ase yon must smoke and shade, as well as give air early. 



ViXE Leaves Shading Grapes {Idem). — Never mind the Vine leaves 

 shading the bunches, at least, cut away no large leaves, but if the shade 

 is very dense thin out the laterals and some smaller leaves. The thick- 

 ness of a leaf will benefit the branches rather than otherwise. 



Mushrooms not Swelling (J". B. Boyd). — The chief reason why the 

 Mushrooms do not swell is the excessive heat. Wo do not think the 

 watering over the hay would be so injurious. A light covering of hay, 

 and that frequently just sprinkled with water, would be so far in their 

 favour that the beds would be kept cooler. If you think the beds are 

 rather wet remove all the hay covering, brush the bed lit^htly with a hair 

 brash, and suspend a few inches above the bed a mat or cloth, and this 

 and the walls, &c., sprinkle or rather dew with water to produce a colder 

 atmosphere by evaporation. We think that then your pin-head Mush- 

 rooms will become larger and grow. Much heat for many things is as 

 prejudicial as too much cold; indeed, we have had good Mushrooms from 

 beds slightly frosted. 



Heating a Small Plant Stote {X. Y. L.).— We presume the fire- 

 place is to be in your small house, and if not well sunk you may have a 

 difficulty with back draught at times. The flue wo should think quite 

 sufficient for such a small house, and more especially if you confined 

 your attention to Cactuses and otlier succulents. Your hot-water cistern 

 would be useful if you also grow softwooded stove plants ; but a small 



house confined to aucrulents alone would be more uniqae and lotoroBt- 

 ing. Yon do not aay how the cintorn is to be taoftted. A sqaaro iron 

 stove, with a pnn of water set on the top, and a pipe-chimney into tho 

 open air, would be the simplest mode of heating such a houso for huc 

 culents. 



Select Rohes fPenomVnxfR)—"! have not cultivated Marie Baumann, 

 Marie Kady, and Monsieur Noinan ; but I mean to buy the first and tljifd* 

 and also Franvois Treyve. Tho last is much recommended to me. With 

 regard to Madame Charles Wood, Olivier Dulhomme, and Beauty of Wal- 

 tham, I mav say that Madame C. Wood is a fine large platitude; Olivier 

 Delhomme did not grow well with me ; and Beauty of Waltham waa not so 

 good as Lady Suffield. As regards La France, it is distinct and pretty. 

 It has. however, a long limp neck and reflexed petals. It is a free and 

 quick bloomer. I recommend in all rtspectB Prince de Portia (or Poroia).. 

 Its colour is a fine vermilion red. The growth and foliage ia good. Au- 

 toine Ducher is also a flue Rose, of strong growth, and with fine foliage. 

 In the line of rose colour I think well of Mdlle. Jeanne Manx, and tho 

 new Rose Madame Alice Dureau. They promise well, but I must aeo 

 more of them before I can give them a certificate. I merely call attention 

 to these last two Roses. I never saw better growth, health, and foliago 

 than in Jeanne Marix.- W. F. Radclvffe." 



Grapes Marked (.-In Old Subscriber).— Thf. berries are what gardonert* 

 cull "rusted." They usually consider it to be caused by handling the 

 berries, or rubbing of the hand against them in tho process of thinning^ 

 We do not think those are the causes, but exposure, especially when moiat 

 and in a high temperature, to sudden cold draughts of air. 



Tobacco Growing (O. .4.).—!, Removing tho flowers will tend to Ln- 

 crease the size of the leaf, but it is seldom if ever practised. 3. The 

 round thick leaves are the best and strongest, but the others are good- 

 3, The best plan of drying is that you namo, only we think it well to dry 

 the leaves as vour gardener does, then damp them, placing in layers in a 

 box, and under pressure for a time until they warm, then take them out 

 and shake them out to cool, placing them on shelves to dry. and when 

 dry store them away in boxes or tubs. 4, The temperature is imraatoruvl^ 

 only keep the tobacco dry. 5, Of the use of the flowers picked off wo 

 are not aware. 6, Tho growing of tobacco for fumigating purposes i8 

 lawful, only you must hot grow more than a certain number of planta, 

 and it may be given away the same as any other article. 



Water Impregnated with Iron (D. R C). — The water although 

 coming a distance will not be injuriously affected by the iron pipos. If 

 it does dissolve any of the oxide of iron, exposure in the cistern wUl free 

 it from the impurity. We use water from closed iron tanks, and have no 

 bad results. Putting lime in the cistern is not desirable. 



Salvia argentea Seed Sowing {Idem).— The seed should be aown 

 next March ia a hotbed. By pricking off the seedlings when large onouga 

 to handle, and growing them in heat, you will have at the end of May 

 plants suitable for planting out then. They should be weU hardoned-off 

 prior to doing so. 



Loam Becoming Hard (Idem).~There is nothing in tidal water that 

 would injure the loam. Tho soil is deficient of sand, and is naturally too 

 tenacious. You may improve it by adding sand and Umy rubbish 

 liberally. 

 Name of Fruit (S. .4.).— We cannot identify your Apple. 

 Names of Plants {Joseph].— V/e cannot undertake to name tho vario- 

 tiea of florists' flowers. They are too numerous and too nearly ato. 

 [A. i?.).— Campanula bctoniciefolia, Hedysarum coronarium. [A. 8.1^.). 

 — Ceratopetalumgummiferum, ^schynanthus species. (Jaar).— Lathyrus 

 svlvestris (narrow-leaved). {A Cottager, r/i ir;iA).—Tanaoetum vulgar© 

 (Common Tansy\ (T. H. C. D.).— Eryngium alpinnm. {Es»er).—Pten3 

 serrulata. (M. T. F,).-l, Retinospora pi.ifera ; 2, Laatrea Hlii-mas' 

 4, SelagiuellaMartensii. (J.MurmyJ.— PotentUla tormentiUa. (H. Wrtgkt). 

 — Dipsacus fullonum. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS in the Suburbs of London for the week ending Augnat 4fch. 



BAROUETEB. 



Max. 



29.681 

 80.012 

 30.068 

 B0.270 

 30.106 

 80,011 

 29.977 



Min. 



29.608 

 29.919 

 30.038 

 30,195 

 30.056 

 29.924 

 29.878 



30.018 29 919 80.57 



THEBiaOUETEB. 



67 

 80 



79 



S3 

 85 



41 



56 

 59 

 60 

 56 



1 ft. dp. 3 ft. dp. 



65 

 70 

 72 

 71 

 70 



67 

 65 

 65 

 67 

 67 

 67 

 67 



69.85 1 66.43 



s.w. 



N.E. 



S. 

 N.E. 

 S.E. 

 S.E. 



Rain In 



incbea. 



.00 

 .00 

 .00 

 .00 

 .00 

 .00 

 .00 



Qenebai. Beuaksb. 



Overcast ; dull and cloudy ; cloudy, fine at nlgbt. 



Clear and fine ; verj- fine ; cloudy, very dull. 



Fine ; rery fine; dark and cloudy at night. 



Very tine ; clear and fine; densely clouded. 



Clear and fine ; very fine, cold wind ; cloudy. 



Very fine ; clear and fine; very fine at niRht. 



Hazy ; vei-y fine, hot and dry ; clear and fine at night. 



POULTHY, BEE, and HOUSEHOLD CHRONICLE. 



GAME FOWLS FOR EXHIBITION.— No. 2. 



Game fowls that run too high in flesh on their walks when 

 about to be exhibited ehould be taken up and penned for a 

 week or two, and their diet reduced to one moderate meal of 

 corn a-day, with a certaia proportion of green food. This also 

 accustoms them to penning before exhibition, as well as to 

 handling, and renders them tamer and quieter. Care, how- 

 ever, should be taken that the two hens are not quarrelsome, 

 also that the cock's sickle feathers do not get broken while in 

 the pen. 



Birds that are in proper condition and not too fleshy on 



their walks, do not require any dieting, and need only ba 

 penned for a short time to accustom them to being so, to tamo 

 them a little, and to see that the hens agree well. 



Just before putting the fowls up for exhibition some give 

 them a " sherry or port sop," pretty strong, with their last feed,, 

 or some toast steeped in strong ale, which is not a bad plan 

 before sending them on a long journey to shows. Some give 

 a proportion of hard peas with the feeds of corn for months 

 before exhibiting them, and some always feed them in this way. 



Game fowls on lonely countrv walks sometimes become too 

 shy of people for exhibition, the hens being too timid and 

 frightened ; but Game cocks being of a bold disposition soon 

 get over this. For this reason lonely walks are, perhaps, bad 

 for exhibition birds, though otherwise good ui almost aU 

 respects. 



