October 29, 1868. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOBTlCULTUliE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



327 



Cellini^ Newtown Pippin, Northern Spy, Orange Pippin, and Mannington'e 

 Peannain. Pears : Citron des Cnrraes, Comto de Lamy, Albcrtiue, 

 Duchesse d'AngoiiU'rao, Willium'^'sBou Chretien, Thompson's, Bergiimotte 

 d'Esperon, and Jostphine de Mulines. One-half of one west uspoct— 

 Plums: Green Guro, Kirkc's, Jefftirson, Coe's Golden Drop, Guthrit-'H 

 Late Green, Coo'fl Lato Red, and Reino Claude de Eiivay. The other half, 

 and the whole of the other west ii?pect may bo covered with Pearg : 

 Beurre Diol, Beurrr de Rnneo. Drown Benrre, Beurre Boao, Gnnsel's Ber- 

 Kamot, Crasanne, Knight's Monnrch, Marie Louitie, Forello, Flemish 

 Beauty, GIoii Mori;Gau, Passe Colnmr, Winter Nelis, British Queen, Van 

 Mons L6on Leclerc. and Ne Plus Jleuris. If we have named too many you 

 may omit some of the kinds that come in nearly topothcr. niul where too 

 few are piven you may have duplicates of those whicli host meet your 

 requirements. As your walls have buttrt-sses at every IB foet, we would 

 make that the distance between the trees. The requirements of the 

 iamily must be taken into consideration with respect t(i the number of 

 trees of the different sorts. The trees against the walls should have 

 borders of a widtli equal to the height of the wall, nud there should be a 

 walk in front of the border. On tlie opposite side of the walk to that on 

 which the wall is situated, we would have a border feet wide, and alonj^ 

 the centre have a row of pyramid Apple trees on the Paradise stock. 

 Pear trees on the Quince, and Cherry trees on tlio Mahalob. Tho trees 

 can be kept very compact and so as not to shade more tlian tho border. 

 The centre walk is to have borders on each side for herbaceous idnnts, 

 with espaliers at tho back. The pyramids may be planted G feet apart, 

 or 9 feet apart with a Gooseberry bush between each, and for the lirst 

 three years yon may have a row of Strawberries on both sides of the 

 Jjorders at 15 inches from the edge. 



Culture of Hoya carnosa (Subscriber). — This plant is very accom- 

 Jnodating, it will succeed in a stove, vinery, or greenhouse, but best in a 

 warm greenhouse or cool stove. From this time until April the plant 

 should be kept dry at the roots, recei\ingno water except when necessary 

 to keep tho lenves from flagging, which they must not bo allowed to do. 

 Tho best time to repot is when the plant begins to grow. Drain the pot 

 well one-third its depth, and employ a compost of &audy loam from turf 

 cut about 1 inch thick, two-thirds, and one-third equal parts of fibrous 

 peat, pieces of cbarcnnl, and grit, or crocks from the size of a pea up to 

 that of a hazel nut, with a free admixture of silver sand. Water sparingly 

 lor a time, but maintain a moist atmosphere, and when the plant is 

 growing freely give liberal supplies of water, but avoid saturating the 

 soil. A light and airy situation is necessary. You may take ofi" a shoot 

 in spring, cut it below a joint, trim off two or three of the lowest leaves, 

 and insert it in a pot well drained and filled with open sandy soil. It will 

 root in a few weeks if kept moist and in a gentle heat. 



Propagating the Ice Plant (I'Icjii), — It is an annual and not de- 

 sirably continued by cuttings. It is best raised from seed, for seedlings 

 grow the best and with one-half the trouble— indeed, we are not aware 

 that the plant can be perpetuated by cuttings beyond a year. 



Propagating Acccbas by Cuttings (R. S.). — The best time to put in 

 Aucuba cuttings is as soon as the growth is complete, and the wood has 

 become firm. They should bo inserted in light sandy soil in a cold frame, 

 and the soil made firm about them. A gentle watering should he given, 

 and the lights kept on during the day and ofi" at night, but in dull weather 

 they may remain off day and night. Let the cuttings have the benefit of 

 slight showers, but protect them from heavy drenching rains. Shade 

 from bright sun should also be afforded. When cold frosty weather sets 

 in the lights will be useful for protection, and in addition a covering of 

 mats should be given in very severe periods. The lights must be tilted, 

 BO as to let the cuttings have air, and the latter should bo fully ex- 

 posed in mild periods. The cuttings may be struck out of doors in a 

 sheltered shady situation, but they will be longer in taking root, and their 

 growth will be slow. From the end of August to October the shoots will 

 be in ft good state for making cuttings, but they may be put in up to 

 the middle of November, and in that case many will not root until the 

 following autumn. 



Camellia Buds Dropping (Idem). — The cause of the bnds dropping is 

 a deficient supply of sap, arising from defective root action. This may 

 be occasioned by unsuitable soil, or the soil being kept too wet, so that 

 the roots perish after active growth ceases, A deficient supply of mois- 

 tare, both in the atmosphere and at the roots, will also cause the buds to 

 fall. The moss over the potsherds would not injure the roots, nor cause 

 the buds to fall. The plants are nnhenUhy. Tlie buds generally fall 

 from plants which make weak stunted growth, and have small, thin, pale- 

 coloured leaves. 



Select Zonal Pelargoniums (f(ffm).— Chieftain, scarlet; Lord Derby, 

 scarlet, very bright ; Clipper, scarlet ; Sir Fitzroy Kellj-, scarlet ; Princess 

 Dagmar, rose, upper petals half white ; Queen of Roses, rose; Prince of 

 Wales, salmon ; Seraph, orange salmon ; Madame Day, salmon and 

 orange, shaded pale flesh at the edges, centre white ; Duchess of Suther- 

 land, rosy purple ; Constant Nivelet. bright carmine ; and White Perfec- 

 tion. If you wish for double-flowering liinds, Gloire do Nancy, cerise 

 crimson, and Madame Lemoine, rose. 



Propagating Stachts lanata and Dactylis glomerata by Division 

 (F. J.). — The most suitable time to divide these plants is in the end of 

 Uarch or beginning of April, or when they are beginning to grow. 

 Stachys lanata, however, is best raised from cuttings put in in August 

 in a shady situation, moving them to their final quarters in spring with a 

 ball of earth to each. Dactylis glomerata, wo presume, is the variegated 

 kind, and that will do well divided and planted in May, care being taken 

 to water freely in dry weather. 



Planting Roses (Idem). — The holes should be 2 feet wide, and 18 inches 

 or 2 feet deep, and should be filled with good rich soil, adding about one- 

 foui'th of cow dang or rotten manure. Good garden soil will answer. 



Temperature for Bedding Plants (Idem). — Yon need not light a 

 fire until the temperature fall to 40^, and that temperature from fire heat 

 should not be exceeded. A gentle fire, however, in dull periods, to cuuse a 

 circulation of air and to dry up damp, will be advantageous, air being ad- 

 mitted. 



Potting Zonal Pelaegokic^is (Idcvi). — Old plants taken up now and 

 potted will be better for early blooming than cuttings of this autumn, 

 bnt they are not so free or fine in foliage, though freer-blooming. 



Placing Pelargoniums in Smaller Pots tidem). — The advantages of 

 disrooting and placing in, smaller puts are, that tho plants form fresh 



fibres, and can be enpplicd with fresh food in loss compasR than were 

 Ihey loft in the old pots and shifted into larger ones ; but the chief object 

 nf the proceeding is to keen them in vigornus health and good bloom 

 without increasing tho size of pot. By disro.iting. the plants are put into 

 smaller pots than those ia which they have bloomed, and arc uUimalely 

 replaced in tho old si/.o of pot for again flowering. It is a great saving of 

 space, and a good mode of cultivation. 



PoiNSETTiA pulcherrima Losino ITS Leavp,.^ (A Youjig Gardener). — 

 Your plant may have cast its leaves from their being infested with 

 insects, or from a deficiency of moisture at tho root. Without a specimen 

 we cannot advise, but wc see nothing in your treatment likely to cause 

 the leaves to fall off. 



Books (Idf-m). — The " Garden Manual," Keane's " In-door Gardening,'* 

 and ''Cottage Gardeners' Dictionary." will suit you. They can all be 

 had from our office, free by post, tho first and second for U. 8d. each, and 

 the third for Is. 2d. 



Preventing Club in Cabbaoeworts (C. R.). — Common salt, at the 

 rate of 1 ton per acre, which should be applied to the surface and raked 

 iu when the ground is being prepared for the crop, is in most cases a pre- 

 ventive of the club in Turnips and Cabbages. Two cwt. nitrate soda will 

 also be found a useful application. Your ground being full of insects, we 

 would give a dressing of lime in March at tho rate of one hundred 

 bushels per acre, and on putting in every crop a dressing of 2 cwt. of 

 nitrate of soda per acre, with enough soot tomakethesurface quite black, 

 pointing-in these applications with a fork- With the view of preventing 

 club in all the Cabbage tribe, the roots and stems, previous to planting, 

 may be dipped iu soot, brought to the consistency of paint with water, 

 adding to every gallon 1 lb. of saltpetre. Tho seed beds ought to be fre- 

 quently examined, aad plants exhibiting the symptoms of club should l>e 

 drawn, the excrescence opeued", and the maggot destroyed ; then plant 

 them in nursery beds by themselves. The plants will be known by their 

 lagging behind the others and flagging under sun. 



Peach Trees Losing their Leates and Fruit {A Reader). — Planting 

 Apple trees, so as to shade the Peach trees, would be wrong. They can- 

 not have too much sun, and the leaves and fruit did not fall owing to 

 want of shade, but want of moisture. Keep the trees syringed and well 

 supplied with water at tho roots, and after the fruit has set give a good 

 watering with liquid manure, and another after stoning, and that will 

 keep down red spider, which will cause tho leaves to fall. If you wish 

 for late Peaches, plant such kinds as Late Admirable, Walburton Admir- 

 able, Stirling Castle, and Harrington. 



Lawn Weedy (W. P. B.).—We advise you to persist in removing the 

 weed from this time to March in mild weather, and early in that month 

 give a good dressing of rotten manure, and rake it well in with an iron 

 rake. With the first prospect of rain in April sow of Lotus corniculatus 

 minor, 1 lb.; Trifolium minus, 4 lbs.; Trifolium repeus, 2 lbs.; Cyno- 

 surus cristatus, 4 lbs. ; and Festuca durinscula, 4 lbs. Roll well after 

 sowing if the ground is dry, but do not roll again for a month, then roll 

 twice or thrice a-week, and if not mown for six weoka after sowing all the 

 better, then mow and keep well rolled. You may give 1 cwt. of Peruvian 

 guano during wet weather in May. The quantities named are for half an 

 acre. 



Belladonna Lilies not Flowering (L. K.).— Tho bulbs from being 

 taken up before they were matured, or from being kept too long out of 

 the ground, have been weakened, and had not vigour to support the 

 bloom. You can hardly expect them to flower next year. We advise you 

 to have them potted, and keep them constantly on a shelf near the light 

 in the greenhouse, with a pan of wet sand under them. The sand ought 

 never to become dr>', not even when the plants are dormant. The bulbs 

 should be placed in small pots, and have good drainage ; good yellow 

 loam from turf, with about one-third of leaf mo«ld and one-sixlh of 

 sand intermixed, will form a good compost. Give little water until the 

 bulbs are growing freely. Keep them well supplied until the growth 

 is complete, then lessen the supply, and discontinue it altogether wheu 

 the foliage becomes yellow. Do not pot until the roots split the pots, or 

 the drainage becomes defective. 



Removing a Large Yew Tree (Idem).— The Yew may be safely re- 

 moved, care being taken to preserve a good ball, and to keep the spade 

 at a good distance from the »tem. No time should be lost in proceeding 

 with the operation. It would contribute to success if the head were 

 cat-in in spring. The Yew will push freely from the naked or thick 

 branches, even better than any other tree or shrub. 



Crushed Bones and Superphosphate of Lime from Roses (Devoni* 

 cnsix). — Half-inch bones and superphosphate are both good manures 

 fur Roses. The former should be put in near the roots for the fibres to 

 run into ; the latter may be either put in as above, or over the surface, 

 and lightly covered with soil. 



Estimate of a Few Roses (Idem). — "I do not possess Piincess Mary 

 of Cambridge. It is a very good Rose. Charles Yerdier, since Margue- 

 rite de St. Amand came out, is, in my judgment, the best light-coloured 

 Rose. Miss M. Dombrain is very fine, but subject to a tuck in the side. 

 Mr. Keynes had at Blandford beautiful trebles of the Princess Mary of 

 Cambridge and Miss M. Dombrain, also of Xavier Olibo. I am not quite 

 sure that Charles Verdier will be as free a bloomer as Marguerite de 

 St. Amand. It bloomed freely with me, but I have heard complaints 

 of its not opening. It is a very full Rose, and perhaps wanted water. Its 

 wood is the same as that of Victor Verdier. — W. F. Radclyffe." 



Heating a Small Greenhouse (Subscriber, Bandon"!. — We do not 

 think that you will be able to regulate the temperature of your house by 

 heating a boiler with a lamp. We would have more faith in a large lamp 

 with a tube and globe, an inverted funnel suspended over it, and a pipe 

 from the funnel leading into the open air. We do not know the slow- 

 cnmbustion stove to which you allude, but we will undertake to make any 

 stove a slow-combustion one, by nicely regulating the admission of air 

 by the ashpit door. If we were in your pla'^e we would have a small iron 

 stove, say SO inches in height, and 14 inches in diameter, which would 

 allow you to have a firebox 9 inches wide, without the fire tonching the 

 outside iron. This, with a plate-iron funnel going through the roof, will 

 keep your house warm. The simplest plan for the funnel is to take out 

 a square of glass, and insert a similar square of zinc or iron with a hole 

 in it for the funnel to pass through Even by using prepared charcoal 

 in H stove, we would have no faith in it without a pipe to let out the pro- 

 ducts of combustion. 



