150 



JOURNAL OF HORTICCL TUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. 



^mFf.'^^TS" ^™?Tv V"^ Jfff«'-=<"» ; Mr. Bailey, Shardeloes, being 

 ?Jt « "'''''' Victoria, and Washington 



Of Apples the collections are very nnmerons, and some of tlie 



?fvon?lT ! 7" T- ^--y/'nT' '''"'""S'' "x' ^™=°° tas been nn- 

 laTOnrable to the attainment of large size by fruit Renerallv Fori four 

 dishes ot dessert kmds Mr. W. Holder. SprLgfiell, Maidslonr^ firs 

 with very good examples of Kerry P.ppin, Pennington's Seedling 

 Cox s Orange Pippm, and Summer Pearmaiu. Mr. Webb, Reading 

 IS second with Kibston Pippin, Cox's Orange, Newtown P ppin, and 

 Eed Qnarrenden, all of which are very fine. Mr. -Willraore is third 

 with Sam Young, Ked Quarrenden, IngrL's Seedling, and M Ast a 

 Chan. Dr. Cooper Slough, is fourth fand Mr. Jones, gardener to E 

 Purser, Esq,, Carshalton, takes an extra prize 



_ For Kitchen Apples Mr. C. Chaff, gardener to A. Smee, E.sn Wall- 

 ington was awarded the first prize for immense fruit of Coaicillor 



to F FuX\- f"'' ^"'^^'^/.'^^ P««/ P'-l'li^g- Mr. Geirs, gardenT; 

 to i-. ihght, Eh]., Norwood, 18 second with large specimens of Hibstcn 

 Pippm, Alexander, Gloria Mundi, and Blenheim Pippin. Mr jone, 

 gardener to E. Purser, Esq., is third; Mr. Downing, gardener to T 

 Cr"y,1onrth'^' ""^ ' ^"""^ ' <""^^<'''''- Lane, St. Mary s 



The best three dishes of Pears come from Mr. Holder, and consist 

 Bon Ch ai^n"''T,''' r "' «™«<"i' Beurrd Clairgean, and William 

 rbr-H„ p .^!",'^''T''' ^'r,""'- '^ ""■'""^ ^"1' Williams's Bon 

 Chretien, BeurrcdAmnnhs, and Duchessed'AngouIeme ; Mr Holder 

 Beading IS third. U. F. Wil.on, Esq., sends exceUent examples of 

 Louise Bonne of Jersey, Marechal de la Cour, and Glou Monean 

 grown in an orchard house and placed out of doors when there was no 

 danger from frost All three prizes for the best-ilavourcd dishes of 

 Pears went to Wilhams's Bon Chretien, the prizetakers bein» Mr 

 Douglas, Loxford Hall, Mr. 0. Goldsmith, and Mr. Willmore An 

 cxfra prize was given to Mr. Elliot, Sydenham Hill, for the same'kind 



Ihe heaviest dish or Pears comes from Mr. Samuel, gardener to 

 T Lucas, Esq., Betchworth, and is King Edward wei^ini 7 lbs 

 14 ozs. Mr. Kabbitt, gardener to Lord St° John, Mellbbouru'e Pari ' 

 Ca'tXc r V'w-r Calebasse; and Mr. O. Goldsmith third with 

 Oatillac G F. Wilson, Esq., exhibits remarkably fine fruit of Tri- 

 omphe de Jodoigne from an orchard house, and ripened out of doors 



lor Vines m pots Messrs. Lane & Son take first for fine examples 

 trtj 'f'"'f fp ^T!"' L<"'LBri']«« R<«"J, has a similar award 

 tl bf ? /T'",' ^r"'' ^T"- ?""• '^"'^ exhibitors also take prizes 

 for beautiful collections of pot fruit trees. Extra prizes are awarded 



t Tp^Ih F ■'t!'"' '''''''^^r"'"' ™''J'"^'^- ^- G«yett, gardener 

 to J. Pen^tt. Esq Heme Hill, receives one for seven fine bunches of 

 Alicante Grape close together on a portion of a branch. Mr Webb 

 Eea<Ung, has another for Nuts and Plums; Mr. Bailey, Shardeloes' 

 for a very large finely-netted Melon, called Monarch ; Mr. Cair gar-' 

 dener to P. L. Hinds Esq., Byfleet, for two Granadillas, two {r'J"o{ 

 the Papaw and ^Jater Lemons (Passitlora lanrifolia) ; Mr. Levell 

 Upper Clapton, and Mr. Sleat, Upper Norwood, for well-g^own Cucum^ 

 M?i ^^ejisrs. Lee also exhibited among misceUaneous subjects their 

 JUadieslield Court Grape. ■• 



[ August 27, 1868. 



p'e esof not,'°'?r "'""'j ^'"^""= '"Pf""' may consist of turf 1 



oeaf mould ^ fiftb ""J ""u "^'"'? ^^'''^ '^'^-f-^l^. one barrowload 

 oi lear mould, a filth of old cow dung, and if the loim ;<. =(,.«„„« 



harrowful of sand. Mix all these i^gr^d ents weU Tog her and 

 put the compost in the bed, making it above the surrounding level to 



rmTde°some'l°T '^ .k' '^°^ "'"1''"^" grow fine Zodo'd-enW 

 i made some beds in this way several years ago, and the plants are 

 finer than those growing in peat as regards theiJ foliage those in fte 

 peat, however, are more profuse-bloomin" ° ' '^ 



cafnot brhad" '^^V'Vi^^'T T''' ""^ »ismtable, even where peat 

 cannot bo bad A light sandy loam may bo improved by a Uberal 

 dressing of turf cut into smaU pieces, and leaf mo[.ld™LchL ■' feet 

 deep aud mixing the tarf and leaf mould with the siil. He^L^sojl 

 Zlt.TdZir.t^: '- «''°'l°^-'^ons by adding sh^^-l 



obL°inntL''"r/'^';''^"™'' *■"=""='" ■■> ^'^^ <»■ '""•Jo'''', where peat is 

 found if n'."i T' ? ''."'"""•^ "^ '"•™"°' "f «"' «P«»^<=. I have 

 the ho „„° i'^*° '° dig a good-sized hole, placing a little peat at 

 ireh l^T'.r „7'™°?d'>^.g tho b.allwith peit soilT covering it en- 

 be haktb. I '"?°" '°7'"' ^^' °'^'""''-y ^"l- ^Vhen no peat can 

 be had the compost named as a substitute for peat may be einloved 



mira'bf I IT""^ ""^ \^''' i"' f'" P'^°'- ^his pla^n ansTsTd^ 

 mirably. I have many fine bushes which cannot bo distinguished 



upTar'd';:f J° ir'trf °"^ "' ^'"''' "''' ''"^^ ^"^ •'-° « «^- ^'^ 

 tban'bitllT'T^? choosing a situation select one which is moist rather 

 he better Tl,f''rr" '^"^TV'^ '''"' '^ '^ •^'^t"-^" " -i" h" ^U 

 trees am 'on^if^""," T!! '"= "P"""' "°* '^V'"^ *° '""e drip of 

 ons artb» f ""^} °J """'■ '°°^^' »^ ^^'^o" ai-e quite as injnri- 



ZlC f "•'' f ""/'i" hunches. It is also desirable to secure 

 nos hI! 7, 7""'- ""^ that Rhododendrons are fender, but in bleak 

 positions the leaves are so battered one against the other as to be 



theTnttToWr' 'f-'^^'^i^Y''' '" -itableplacesthe plants have 

 them f= .1 ^ T y "^ *'"" '"^"'='' •■'^'^y f™'" huiWing-- than near 

 plants "' ^^^^^ ''°"'™'' "^ "^ """'^ '''™ ^^'"^ '^««' the 



ORNAMENTAL AND FLOWERING SHRUBS. 



(Concluded from page 113.) 

 Culture of EHoroDESDnoNs.— ,S'o,7.-The Rhododendron, and 

 all shrubs requiring peat soil, succeed weU in an open soil, porous so 

 as to absorb water freely, and yet permit of its speedily passin" off 

 when the quantity is excessive. It is essential that the subsoil shSnld 

 be weU drained, and it it is naturally of a loose open nature all the 

 Setter ; for the idea that some have of treating the Rhododendron aa 

 a bog plant IB wholly erroneous, because where there is a bo" there is 

 stagnant water, and in such the Rhododendron wiU not thrive The 

 plant, though fiounshiug in a moist soU, does not succeed in one 

 where water remains in the snbsoil, for the roots sneedily perish in 

 stagnant moisture. The soU most suitable is a fibrous brown peat 

 containing a large proportion of particles of white sand. Avoid the 

 nse of black peat from low ground, which, when wetted, either be- 

 comes a soapy mass, or when squeezed in tho hand gives out inky- 

 Jooking water ; any soil, except chalk, is better than it. In chalky 

 soils the Rhododendron does not grow well— indeed, they are the wors't 

 ot all. Some loams, and generaUy those overlying a yellow clay sub- 

 soU, will gi-ow the Rhododendron well, especially when the loam is of 

 a friable nature, stagnant water being carried oii' by draina-e Light 

 nch sandy soils are not altogether unsuitable, as they may be imnroved 

 by the addition of turf and leaf mould. ^ 



In making the beds or borders, where the aoU is a peat of a suitable 

 nature, nothmg further will be required than to trench it • but if the 

 SOU 18 unsuitable the bed should be dug out to a depth of not less 

 than 18 inches and not exceeding 2 feet, and the subsoil should be 

 loosened to an equal depth. If the latter is wet a drain should pass 

 under the bed or border to take away superfluous water, and this drain 

 Should not be less than 3 feet from the surface, but it will be better if 

 4 feet deep. The pit thus formed is to be fiUed with peat, chopped 

 np rather roughly for tho bottom, and finer towards the top, making it 

 from b to 9 inches above the surrounding ground level, but do not 

 raise the bed high m the centre unless water can be given abundantly 

 in summer, as with the bed raised the plants will be more liable to 

 BOfler from the want of a proper supply of moisture in dry periods 



r>oj,a;,afw„.-ihia 19 effected by seeds, layers, cnttings, and graft- 

 ami' nl3""""? ''"'', '^"•<' '' " '^'^'""' "'■ ohtainiug new varieties, 

 sowJ ri "^° '?.\^<=':'"«1 '-^ quantity for shrubberies. Seed may be 

 sown m Apri either in pans or boxes, in a cold frame, or in a bed of 



fillet.'""', ""■r';!,'^'''P-, ^'^^ 1"'°^ '''■""''i he well drained and 

 hi ed to withm .a little of the rim with sandy peat, a little very fine 



Zj,r'^ ? r"^ "■} 'H" '°P- ^^<= ^'"•^''<='' 'Should be made even and 

 smooth and be watered, and the seeds scattered evenly over it and 



m„,J,''T'^ ""■■ ST' ^^"^ ™y lightly with silver sand. They 

 may also be sown in Febraary or March ; in that case the pans should 

 be placed m a frame on a gentle hotbed, and shading from the sun wiU 

 lender watenng less necessary than would otherwise be the case. All 



tTouble'orf ^^ f "? ^^'"""^ " ™^y fi"^ '-■=• '^'"1 to save the 

 flZlt ?! f"'9,n™t.™tenDgs a little moss may be placed on the sur- 

 face of the soil, taking care to remove it when vegetation commences. 

 lJil^ '? T? ,'" ^P'" P'^'^'= *'"' ^""'^ pans in a cold frame, 



„Z,-« r/°? ^^'df "";" ^^^ '^^^'^i^S" appear, when air- must be 

 admitted freely. When they are large enough to handle prick them 

 out d inches apart m a frame, in abed prepared as for sowing, and 

 keep them close and shaded till they are established ; then give air 

 gradually and harden them weU off. If sown in heat they must be 

 well hardened-off previous to their being pricked-out. The soil ia 

 which they are growing should always be kept moist, but avoid satn- 

 ratmg it. Whilst giving abundance of air protect from heavy rain, 

 shade from powerful sun, and shelter from frost by a mat over the 

 sashes bmally, plant out in the open ground when the plants meet 

 n the bed placmg them in lines a foot apart, and at 6 iiches plant 

 II om plant m the row. 



Layering may be performed in autumn or spring. It requires care, 

 so as not to break the shoots, and is at the best a slow ilndesirable 

 process. Plants which have plenty of branches near the ground 

 should be chosen, aud the branches must be of sufficient length to bo 

 bent down and pegged about 2 inches below the surface. The shoots 

 ougnt to be securely pegged down, and to facilitate the emission of roots 

 copious suppUes of water should be given in dry weather. Some make 

 a cut in the shoot or branch layered ; others merely layer it aud peg 

 It in the soil. I think it desirable to make a cut about midway along 

 the branch, and on the under side of the part laid in the soil. The 

 branches should be made secure above ground, if necessaiy, by staking 

 and tying ttem up. In the autumn following the layering the layers 

 should be examined by turning the soil aside, and if rooted they 

 should be cut off immediately below the roots, taken up with as much 

 soil as possible, and replanted. If the branches ai-e not rooted thej 

 must remain another year. 



Propagation by cuttings is seldom practised, and is not, in my 

 opinion, equal to grafting. Cuttings of the current year's wood should 

 be taken off when the growth is complete and the wood is becoming 

 brown. Cut them off close to the previous year's wood, and trim off 



