Soptembor 21,1868. 1 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



231 



Tacaonia Van-Volxkmi not Plowkring (DovekoIci').—Yo'nT plnnt is 

 uot old eiunitrh to flower. It will no doubt do ho next Boason if you now 

 ki-ep it dry at the root^, and expnsp it fully to lii,'ht to Hecuro the ripening' 

 of the wood. The suit Hhoiihi nnt ho kept so dry, liowovcr, ti.'* to cnuHo 

 Iho wood to Hhrivol. littoro ^'n>\vth eommoncos cut tho wide nhoots hack 

 to within two or threo buds of the main branch, and from tho cycH or 

 buds left you may have flowering shoots. The soil should bo kopt rathor 

 dry during tho winter. Your soil is suitable, but wo should prefer two- 

 thirds loam from tnrf, one-third leaf mould, and a fret; admixture of 

 silver sand. Tho drainaRo must be etflcient. It ia well to place a layer 

 of pi'nvel on tbo shelves for tho pota to stand on. Tho points ol tho shoots 

 damp I'd' from want of air and beat. 



Ci-iMnKRS AND Snuriis Fon a Sooth-aspect Wall (7?. M. Ti. -4.).— Your 

 wall with a south aspect will suit White Jasmine, Ceanothna deutatus. 

 Wistaria sinensis, also Lonicera aureo-rcticulata. Clematis Jackmnnni, 

 C. lauuf^inosa, Kerberidopsis coralliaa, Chimouanthus ^randiflorus, Es- 

 callonia macrautha, Oarrya clliptica, and Magnolia granditlora. Of Roses, 

 Mart-cbal Niol. Gloiro do Dijon, Climbing Devonicnsis, Niphetos, Gloire 

 do Bordeaux, Celiiio Forestier, Ophirie, Solfaterre, Lamarquc, and Cloth 

 of Gold. 



Grubs Destroying Primulas (TT'. M.).— There can bo no doubt of tho 

 grubs being the cause of the mischief. It is an uausual occurrence, and 

 one for which wo cannot suggest any other remedy than to turn tho 

 plants out of tho pots, and examine tho soil and plants by taking away 

 tho former from the stems. A few good waterings with soot water would 

 make the grubs uncomfortable, and deluging the pot with limo water 

 would probably destroy them. A little sont sprinkled about tbo stem 

 would bo distasteful to them. Soot water may bo made by pouring over 

 a peck of soot thirty gallons of water, and stirring well up previous to use. 

 Ferns Infested ^\^TH Insects {E. F.). — The insects are aphides, 

 which may bo destroyed by fumigating with tobacco, by using a solu- 

 tion of 1 oz. of Clarke's Insect-destroying Compound in a gallon of water, 

 or by tobacco water, either by immersing tho plants or syringing them. 

 The Gnidias are subject to red spider, but it yields to a 2-oz. solution of 

 tho above-named compound to a gallon of water. There is no means of 

 entirely preventing attacks of insects, but they may be kept down by 

 preventive measures, as a moist atmosphere, and supplying the plants 

 witii plenty of water in the case of red spider. 



Sunday Work (faster and Servant).— Yaw. seem to have plenty; but 

 much depends on the style of gardening and the occasional help, and 

 these are matters that no one not personally conversant with the facts 

 could speak with certainty upon. As to what your employer says about 

 a greenhouse being a matter of pleasure, he is no doubt correct, as much 

 of the gardening of the present day is more a matter of luxury than of 

 absolute necessity. What wo stated formerly still holds true. The man 

 ■who entertains strong views on these subjects should uot take to a pro- 

 fession where these views are likely to be rather often crossed. Your 

 case so far difiVrs from that of our other correspondent, as your employer 

 seems to wish to have little or no watering done on Sunday, whilst you 

 contend you have so much work on the other days of tho week, that you 

 must water on that day. Well, if the work must be done, we would 

 make an effort to do extra watering on Saturday afternoon, so as to do 

 as little as possible on Sunday. We imagine this would suit servant and 

 master. 



Grapes Shanked — Figs Falling {A Subscriber, Pnrk S/rcri).— The 

 berries of the Grapes sent were shanked— that is, the stalk of the berry 

 had withered up. This is chiefly owing to two causes— first, over-crop- 

 ping ; and it this is the case, the fruit is rarely well coloured. The chief 

 cause, however, is the roots being too d^ep and in an unhealthy state. 

 If the latter, gu«d drainage and even lifting the roots may be necessary. 

 Much good is often effected by securing good drainage and covering the 

 border in winter, eo as to keep rain and snow out of tho border. The 

 roots are then encouraged to rise naturally. The Figs on your trees out 

 of doors now will do no good, as every one of the size sent will drop in 

 winter. What will stand the winter should not now be Irirger than small 

 peas. All these Figs had better be cut ofl'wilh a shari> knife, not pulled 

 off. With (ire heat they might ripen, not otherwise. Their presence in 

 Buch numbers proves that the Fig tree is fruitful, and most likely the 

 falhug of the first crop would be prevented by waterings and mulchings 

 after the end of May. If that do not answer let lis know next year. The 

 sooner this fruit is cut oft" the better the chance for next year. 



Glazing a Peach Wall (A Constant Reader).— iiuch a wall would look 

 well covered with upright sashes 6 feet from the wall, and then a small 

 span roof resting on the wall on one side, and on the plate above the 

 sashes on the other. Where room is an object, we would make a lean-to 

 house, with a height in front of from 8A to 44 feet, have ventilators in the 

 front wall and along the apex, if not through the back wall. The trees 

 on tho back wall will thrive well, and there is all tho enclosed space for 

 general purposes, say H feet from the back wall. 



IIeating a Small Greenhouse (.4 Subscriber).— For such a small 

 house, on the score of economy, we would prefer a flue to a boiler, and 

 one of the best modes of having the flue would bo to have it below the 

 floor, so that the tilo covering would form part of the flue. For clean- 

 liness, however, the hot water would be best, and a saddle boiler of a 

 small size, say 20 inches by 14, by 14, costing about 50*., would suit you. 

 You would need about 90 feet of 4-inch piping. We are in doubt as to 

 your second (juestion, as we do not know whether the word is pointing or 

 painting. For pointing a wall, the best lime should be obtained, and this, 

 bright clean sand, and a little fine-sifted coal ashes beaten into a mortar 

 with as little water as possible. This will stand well. For painting 

 we would use anticorrosion paint of tho colour that pleases you best, 

 and before using it the wall should be well scrubbed and then whitened 

 thinly with quicklime wash, which will destroy all green spots, and that 

 should, after standing a few days, be roughly scrubbed ofi" again before 

 applying the paint. From such a general house as referred to, you may 

 have plenty of Grapes, say from the end of August, and yet keep all your 

 plants in winter. 



Early Pear— Evergreen Screen (J. i'.).— The Little Muscat is the 

 very early yellow Pear you refer to. It could be obtained for you by any 

 nurseryman. To cover your south wooden fence we would plant Irish 

 Ivy and Cotoneaster Simmonsii. 



Newtngton's Glass Screens (It. J. S.).— Write to Messrs. Rivers, 

 Nurseries, Sawbridgeworth. 

 Ice Store (TT. K.}.~-li you enclose four postage stamps with your 



address, and order No. 348 of onr Journal, you will In that seo a plan 

 which we thinlc will suit you. 



Flower-bed Planting (J. C.).— Y'our central Rhododendron bed will 

 spoil tbo effect ol the other beds round it when grouped. The best plaa 

 to adopt with it would ho to plant (Hadiolus amongst the Rhododendrons, 

 and then surround tho bed with a belt of a white variegated Pelargonium, 

 as Alma, Bijou, <kc. Then your two small circles might bu yellow Calceo- 

 laria, bordered with blue Lobelia. As ynu wish chiefly to have Pelargo- 

 niums, we would fill two of tbo long beds crosswise with a dwarf scarlet 

 Pelargonium, as Tom Thumb or Little David, and belt with Golden 

 Chain ; and two others wo woubl lill with Mrs. Pollock or Cloth of Gold, 

 or some of Mr. Wills's best bicolors and bronzes, and edge with Verbena 

 Maonetti ; or, if a Pelargonium should be preferred, then use Harry Hie- 

 over, a little £carlet variety, but tho Verbena would have the best effect. 

 Interior of Conservatory (.4.). — In such a position, opening into a 

 drawing-room, we would have no stages at all, but eight or ten ornamental 

 vases or watertight baskets, in which wo would set flowering plants, and 

 replace with fresh as they faded. The vases could be draped with dwarf 

 climbers phintod out, leaving a hole in the centre to receive the plant, to 

 be moved when the beauty waned, and all covered with a green carpeting 

 of moss. No seeds reached us, but tho bit of loaf and a small piece of a 

 yellow flower lead us to think that you have Cassia corymhosa, a very 

 useful plant for a cool stove or greenhouse, and even for the open air 

 from the end of May to the middle of October, 



Pelargoniums, Double White and Yellow (H. TT.).— There is not a 

 double white Pelargonium proper, but there is a neat semi-double Pelar- 

 gonium, kno^ra under tho name of Album plenum. There is also another 

 in the same section, but much larger, with crimson and rose flowers. 

 The above are very interesting varieties, and thero is no doubt a fine race 

 of double-flowering varieties of this section will be produced from them. 

 There is, however, no chance of there ever being any hybrids produced 

 between this section and the Zonal kinds, and none of those named in 

 your letter will be of any use for this purpose, as they are quite a distinct 

 race. There is no yellow Pelargonium that will answer the purpose yoa 

 have in \'iew. We have for many years been trying experiments with tho 

 view of producing a vellow bedding Pelargonium, but with no great 

 amount of success. This season, however, we have many shades very 

 nearly approaching to yellow, and think it is uot impossible to produce a 

 yellow in the course of another year or two. A good yellow-flowered 

 bedding Pelargonium would be one of the most useful and greatest 

 novelties that could be produced, as the permanency of tho yellow Cal- 

 ceolaria for this purpose is now so little to be depended on. 



Rendle's Tank Heating (F. J.).— The tank, 5A feet by 2^ feet, will 

 keep the frost out of a house 12 feet by 8 feet, if the water in the tank is 

 hot enough. The covering of house slates might not do in winter if laid 

 on loosely, as the steam would pass through too freely, but you could 

 mortar or cement the joint, or cover with one piece of slate. Of course, 

 made as your t;,nk is, you must depend on the heat thrown off by the 

 slato, which, therefore, must be uncovered, or rather exposed when yoa 

 want a rathor dry heat in winter. You must, therefore, have the cold 

 weather past before you can use that tank with a frame over it for pro- 

 pagating purposes, as when you set the frame on you shut in the heat, 

 and prevent its escaping freelv into tho house ; and the sides of the tank 

 being of wood, little beat will come from them. Having the boiler and 

 pipes from it to this tank, we would have a couple of pipes for the house, 

 independently of the tank, and then you could use the latter for propa- 

 gating as early as you liked. With no more heat in the house it would 

 scarcelv he safe to cover it over with your frame until March. The sizo 

 of the pots in which to winter bedding Pelargoniums must depend on tho 

 room you have for storage. We keep thousands, allowing merely 1 inch 

 each, in shallow boxes, as we conld find room in no other way. The plants 

 which you now have well rooted and established in 2^ to 3-inch pots, will 

 stand the winter well in those pots ; but if you have plenty of room, tho 

 plants will be much finer in spring if you can now transfer them to 

 4i-inch pots, and the sooner it is done the better. 



Hyacinths and Crocuses (A. Y. £.).- You may grow them in common 

 mould mixed with sand, or even in sand alone, provided you keep them 

 duly supplied with water. 



Fruit Trees for Walls {W. B. fl.).- The wall, b, in your plan will 

 have a south-east aspect, and will be suitable for Plums. On it you may- 

 have July Green Gage, Green Gage, Kirke's, Jefferson, and Coe's Golden 

 Drop. The wall, a, will have an east aspect with a northerly bearing, 

 and will he suitable for Apples : Red Astrachan, Cellini, Claygate Pear- 

 main, King of the Pippins, Cockle Pippin, and Scarlet Nonpareil will be 

 suitable, c. Will answer for Pears, of which you may have Beurr^'- Diel, 

 Marie Louise, Bergamotte Espereu, Glou Morveau, and Ne Plus Meuris. 



Apples for Orchard {Idem). —Beasert : De^-onshire Quarrenden, 

 Kerry Pippin, Margil. Court of Wick, Dowuton Pippin, and Wyken Pippin, 

 Kitchsn kinds : Lord SutBeld, Keswick Codliu, Alfriston, Dumelow's 

 Seedling, Northern Greening, and Bedfordshire Foundling. 



PicoTEE, Carnation, and Pink Pipings Failing (J. T'.).— We cannot 

 perceive anything wrong with the piping sent, only it appears to have 

 been drawn. We prefer to cut the piping with a sharp knife immediately 

 under the second or third joint, and remove the lowest pair of leaves. 

 Drawing answers well enough for Pinks, but we consider cuttmg better 

 for Carnations and Picotees. For the last two, make a slight hotbed of 

 well-sweetened dung about 2 feet high, and cover with about 6 inches of 

 sandy loam and leaf mould. The pipings should be inserted from three- 

 quarters of an inch to an inch deep, the soil made firm about them, and a 

 gentle watering given. When the foliage has dried, cover them with 

 hand-glasses or a" frame and lights. Keep them close and shaded from 

 the sun, but if any of the pipings suffer from damp a httle air must bo 

 given, aU decayed leaves being picked off. Dryness must be guarded 

 against, a gentle watering being given whenever necessary, taking cara 

 to let the foUage be div before the lijihts are ngain closed. When tho 

 pipings grow they will have rooted, and air may he gradually admitted 

 and the plants by degrees hardened ofl'. Pinks are trep.ted in the same 

 manner as the Carnation, oulv heat is not necessary, though it reiiders 

 striking more certain, hut it is desirable to cover tho pipings with a hand- 

 glass. Your pipings perish from exhaustion by the atmosphere, and the 

 •' very moist " soil is not good. It should be moist, that is all. 



Arbor-Vit.^ from Cuttings (Header).— The Aibor-Vitie may be pro- 

 pagated from cuttings, but the best plants are those from seed. The end 

 of August or beginning of September is the best time to put in the cut- 



