August 27, 18B8. 1 



JOURNAL OF HORTIOOLTUBE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



155 



Bheep or cow dnng. Our borders are narrow, honoe we are obliged to 

 employ good rich soil, othorwifio we would omplov the turf without nny 

 admixtiire of dung. Sandy poat will grow Cucumbers, and is better with- 

 out manure. 



Propaoatino Cvrr.AMEN'3 (M. M. ).— Tho Cyclamen is propncntod from 

 Becd, and the seedlinj-a Ilowor in two or throo voarH from tho time of 

 Bowing, but the varieties of C. persicum flower under liberal treatment 

 in fifteen or oighteon months. 



The "Modern Peach PRCNEn" (ff.i^.).—" I have received great benefit 

 from Mr. Bnhaut's 'Poach Pruue-r.' It is an admirable work, and I 

 recommend it to all gardeners and amateurs. — W. F. Uadclyffe." 



Definitions ISnh-(criher).—Pcrt-7iniah are plants whicli Mvc' for several 

 years. Biennials aro phmts which are produced from f*i_-ed one year, 

 bloom and perfect their seod and die tho next ye;ir. 7V(''«ii lal moans 

 lasting throe years. Bicolor is two-coloured, and Tricolor is three- 

 colourod. Iferhaceous plants aro poreuu'als, tho stems of which die 

 annually. Zonal refers to n continuous beltof a diflcreut colour from the 

 rest of a leaf's surface. 



Shei'ton Mat.let HoRTicnLTURAL Snow {E. Woollen). — Tho word 

 " sorts" should never bo used in a schodule; "varieties" or "species" 

 should bo employed, just as the Committee may intend. Under the 

 narno of " sorts " threo varieties of Liliums and of Ericas, we think, were 

 admissible. 



RoTTLERA AND Baloghia (F. G.\— You Bpelt tho uames wrongly. 

 R. japonica is a synonym of Crotou japoiiicum, ami is ([iiite uninteresting 

 to the gardener, and so is Baloghia lucida, a Norfolk Island tree. You 

 will find them described in botanical works. 



TRownniDfiE HoRxicoLTCRAt, Show {S. W. JT-l.— If, as you state, an 

 exhibitor showed only eiglit distinct species in Class 41, for which the 

 schedule requires ** nine distinct species," his collection ought to have 

 been disqualified. As Rule 3 specifies that " subjects for competition can 

 on no account be received after 10 o'clock A.M.," and the same exhibilor 

 camo *' about eleven o'clock, and put up his plants while the Judges were 

 in tho other tents," he ought not to have been allowed to exhibit. If the 

 Committee informed the Judges of these facts they would, probably, 

 reverse their decision ; but we see that Rule 4 seems to reserve to the 

 Committee a power not to disqualify an infringer of Rule 3. 



Grapes not Colouring (J. Coniar?/).— In the case of such fine Vines 

 and Grapes we can assign no cause for the want of colour in your Black 

 Hamburghs. except the number of large bunches; a few less most likely 

 would have made a difference. 



Potatoes Sproutinp iN''mo). — You will find the subject of your in- 

 quiry is treated on by " Upwards and Onwards " in this week's num- 

 ber, also in page 74. 



Seedling Melon (G. Mos€dal€).—Thc fruit was rather above the 

 average quality of yellow-fleshed Melons, but not sui)erior to many 

 already well known. 



Pelargoniums {H. L. B.).—We presume you wish for the large-flowered 

 or Show varieties, of which the followingarogood : — Golden Hue, Charles 

 Turner, Conqueror, Selina, \Villi:ira Hoyle, Nabob, Pericles, The High 

 Admiral, Mary Hoyle, Elegans, Progress, and Artist. They are only to be 

 had in perfection in a greenhouse. We presume your plants or cuttings 

 are well established in pots, which are full of roots ; in that case they 

 should be repotted at tho commencement of September, and be placed 

 in a cold frame, affording full exposure day and night. Tilt the lights at 

 hack, using them ouly for protection from heavy rains and frost. If the 

 cuttinps have not been stopped, tliis mu5t be attended to, cutting them 

 back to three eyes. Early in October remove the plants to the greenhouse, 

 placing them on a shelf near the glass. Give them plenty of air, and no 

 more heat than is sufficient to keep them safe from frost. Avoid damp 

 and watering in winter, only keep the plants gently moving. They may 

 be shifted in December into pots a size lar^^er, and in February they may 

 be stopped, and at the beginning of March have their last shift into 

 6, 7, or 8-inch pots, according to their vigour. 



Propagating Manftti Rose Stocks (A Subscriber).— Tho readiest 

 mode of propagating the Mnnetti Rose is by cuttings. In making cuttings 

 take one-year-old shoots, and cut them into lengths of about- 1 foot, 

 cutting ripht across immediately below a bud, and not in a sloping direc- 

 tion. The top should he cut just above a bud. and with a sloping cut. 

 Takeout all the eyes or buds except two at the top. In planting it is 

 well to form a ridge, and, dividing it in the ceuti'c, put in the cuttings, 

 burying them so as to leave each but one bud above the soil. The cuttings 

 may be put in 6 inches apart, and -2 feet row from row. Each row should 

 represent a ridge about 8 inches high, with the cutting along the centre. 

 The end of October or beginning of November is the best time to put in 

 the cuttings, and by July or August in the following year they will be fit 

 for budding. The soil must then be levelled down from the cuttings, 

 and the bud inserted from 4 to 6 inches from the bottom. The stocks 

 should be budded directly they are uncovered, as tho bai-k then opens 

 freely. The Manetti Rose may be distinguished by its vigorous, erect 

 habit and red spiny appearance, otherwise it is not unlike some other 

 Roses. Once known it is ever afterwards readily distinguished. It is 

 not often that suckers cannot be distinguished from the Rose. 



Guernsey Lilies (E. G.).— It is quite natural for the flowers to appear 

 before tho loaves; but these are generally produced at the same time as, 

 or soon after tho flowers. You will woonhavo foliage. Tho leaves of the 

 plant sent appear to belong to one of tho Jasmines, but we cannot tell 

 tho name without flowers in addition to foliage. Afford the plant a rest 

 by keeping it dry in winter, and expose it fully to light and air so as to 

 well ripen tho wood, 



Pf.ar Leaves Blighted (S.).— The leaves sent aro destroyed by the 

 black fungus, the appearance of which in attributable to the roots haying 

 penetrated into bad, undrained Hoil. There is no remedy but efficient 

 drainage, and encouraging the production of roots near the surface by 

 top-dressings of rich compost. 



Galvanised Iron Wire {A. H. JT.).— The cost of calvanised wires may 

 be ascertained from any respectable ironmonger. The proper thickness 

 is that of good stout twino or straw, and tho wires may be stretched 

 tight by common thumbscrews, the uprights, of course, being first fixed 

 firmly. 



Frdit-treb Espaliers {Id4;m). — The most profitable way of growing 

 espalier trees is the good old-fashioned horizontal. If you are fond ot 

 variety you may try all the various forms of diagonals, obliques, and 

 vertical cordon training ; they aro very pretty. We would not advise 

 you, however, looking at the profitable side of the question, to experiment 

 too largely at first before having proved the methods yourself. 



Books (Hnrtus). — Dr. Herbert's notes on various bulbous roots aro in 

 the Royal Horticultural Society's " Trunsactions ;" in the Appendix to 

 Curtis's ** Botanical Magazine;" and in the "Botanical Register." Ho 

 also published in one volume, in 1H37, a work entitled " Amaryllidfe.' 

 your bookseller ought to obtain it for you. 



Size of the Cockscomb Strawberry (Reader).— "Tke Cockscomb 

 Strawberry measured here in tho presence of Dr. Parry Hodges, Vicar of 

 Lyme Regis, and Major Digby, was exactly 12 inches. The tape had the 

 inches marked on it. Dr. Hodges wrote to me for confirmation ; as I 

 suppose the people of Lyme did not believe it. Before this I measured 

 one, and it was 9J inches. The Rev. Mr. Hosegood and his wife, both of 

 this parish, called and much admired tho StrawbeiTies. I told them of 

 the 12-inch Cockscomb. ' That,' said Mrs. Hosegood, * I never can believe I' 

 So I called my right-hand man, Stephen, and told him to look for the 

 biggest Cockscomb left. He found one, and measured it in her presence. 

 It was exactly 10 inches. ' Now,' said she, ' I can believe ! ' I gave it to 

 her, and she sent it to her sister, the wife of the Rector of Stowford, 

 Launoeston, Cornwall, Mrs. WooUocombe.—W. F. Radclyffe." 



Rose Marechal NinL in a Pot (L. G. A'oy).— "My Marechal Niels 

 are much the same as yours— luxuriant but flowerless. They will not 

 bloom abundantly till they attain age. I have had a bloom or two per 

 plant, but the gross shoots are blind. Do not cut your plant. It will 

 bloom next year. Merely cut off in the spring the tops of the shoots to a 

 good eye or hard wood, and then it will break and bloom. It is too late 

 to practise this on such a Rose during the present season. It is a Tea- 

 scented Noisette {by family, but not by character), and the members of 

 this family do not like much cutting. They require at times thinning 

 out, the tops of their shoots, when blind, taken off, and the firm side wood 

 shortened a little. All useless spray may be removed at any time.— 

 W. F. Radclyffe." 



Insects {T. M. N.).—"The Savoy leaf was covered with Cabbage aphis' 

 Duet with lime or tobacco powder, afterwards wash the plants with the 

 garden en^rine. The insects will probably for the most part disappear 

 now that the rain has come. (A'. B. i»/.).— They are slimy grubs, the larvje 

 of the Pear Sawfly, Selandria :ethiops. Dust the trees with the powder 

 of fresh-slaked lime. {A Comtant SuhsrriheT).—'The dead cateriiillar sent 

 is that of one of the Smerinthi, probably the Eyed or Lime Hawk Moth, 

 — W. 



Names of Fruit (J. 'Doufjlas). — Your Peach is Bellegarde. {A. S.H.) 

 —Apphs: I and l', Old English Codlin : 3, Kerry Pippin; 4. Feam's 

 Pippin ; 5. Court-Pendu-Plat ; (5, Apparently Golden Knob ; 7, Probably 

 Court of Wick ; 8, Alfriston. 



Names of Plants (X. Y. Z., JB/yf't)-— W'e cannot imdertake to name 

 florists' flowers. Those you sent bad dropped all their petals, with the 

 exception of the Fuchsia. [T. M. N.).~Ii was impossible to determine 

 the name of the withered scrap sent, especially a'* it was not accompanied 

 with a flower. (An Old Subscriber, Houmh>iri —The two specimens sent 

 are Oxalises, but too withered for us to identify the species. (A. B.). — 

 1, Undetermined, apparently a Pentstemon ; li. Plumbago capcnsis ; 

 5, Cistus incanus. The Begonias were too much crushed to be deter- 

 mined with certaintv. No. 4 is probably B. suaveolens ; 6, B. lucida. {A. 

 Constant Subscriber, Worcester).—!, Polypodium (PhymatodeE) Billar- 

 dierii ; 2, D.ivallia pyxidata ; 3, Trichom'anes radicans ; 4, Mesembry- 

 anthemum imbricans ; 5. M. spectabile ; 6, Pilea muscosa ; 7. Begonia 

 fuchsioides; 8, Gasteria verrucosa; 9, Nerium oleander fl. pi. ; 10, Cypri- 

 pedium insigne ; 11, Kalosanthes coccinea. (P. B. L., Hcssle).— Scolo- 

 pendrium vulgare, forked variety ; Polypodium (Phymatodes) vulgaris 

 Athyrium Filix-foemina. (G. ConiH^s^y)— Mirabilis jalapa. [G.H.F. W), 

 1. Brunsvigia Josephina? ; 2, Rhamnus libauotica ; 3, Spiriea Fortunei. 

 (North Norfolk].— Sa^gon^xria. officinalis. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS in the Suburbs of London for the week ending August 25th. 



