Novomber 26, 1866. | 



JOURNAL OF HOBTIOOLTDBK AND COTTAGE GAUDENEB. 



409 



should be applied ; and after planting, and the leaves begin to 

 appear, the soil between the rows should be trodden or malleted 

 so as to be tolerably firm, and then the mere surface kept 

 scratched or stirred to prevent gapes and cracks. Making the 

 soil firm where naturally loose, we imagine to be of great im- 

 portance. This was tirst brought to our notice by a seeming 

 accident, but just one of those little things that often teach us 

 a useful lesson. All efforts to grow the plant in the well- 

 stirred, pulverised border of a kitchen garden seemed next to 

 futile, but some of the roots found their way into a hard old 

 gravel walk, and there they did well, far excelling those with 

 which so much trouble had been taken. 



Put Roses established in pots, Deutzias, &c., in a mild heat. 

 We do not notice that anytliinghas gone wrong with us par- 

 ticularly, except a batch of cuttings of the brown Coleus, which 

 we left too long in a cold pit, and which are now likely to die. 

 We are sorry for this, as we shall be forced to give room for 

 some old plants that otherwise we would have thrown away, 

 but we must keep them for cuttings in spring. We have seen 

 several times lately, that this plant may be kept in a tem- 

 perature of from 40' to 43', bat we fear the times of such low 

 temperatures must be short indeed. It would be safer at from 

 50' to 1(0°, as a general rule, with a fall only for short periods in 

 cold weather. 



Calceolaria cuttinrif: in the cold pit are looking well, though 

 not yet beginning to root. AH the care, after pricking them out, 

 which they have had, was slightly syringing them over about 

 eleven o'clock in a bright sunny day, and shutting down the 

 glasses. During mild nights left a little air on all night, in 

 cold nights shut up closely, and in the very coldest sprinkled a 

 little litter over the glass. In a dull muggy day left a little air 

 at the top of the sashes all day, say a quarter of an inch of an 

 opening. The object is to prevent the little cuttings being ex- 

 tended much upwards before, or even after, they root down- 

 wards. In dull, damp weather they have hardly been looked 

 . at for a week together, except for giving or taking away the 

 little air afforded. Of course it would be bad policy to give 

 air when the sun shines. The close, damp atmosphere then 

 keeps the tops from flagging, and we prefer that the leaf of a 

 cutting should never droop, instead of having to make it rise 

 again after it has fallen. Unlike some other things, a little 

 damp, and even cold if not at or below freezing point, will do 

 little or no harm to a Calceolaria. 



Through a little carelessness we have lost an old favourite of 

 ours — Calceolaria amplexicaulis, but we must have it again, as 

 its creamy yellow is extremely rich. We mention it for stating 

 that it is the only Calceolaria we have tried that will not do 

 with such rough treatment as we give the other kinds in a cold 

 pit. After being struck it is better kept a little drier and 

 warmer, not hot, in a house. To have this fine old sort 

 splendid early in summer as well as late in autumn, the first 

 shoots should not be stopped or shortened in the spring. 



Turfing. — On making alterations we have had a considerable 

 amount of this to do, though for certain reasons, as respects 

 time, &c., some of the work was not done in the very best way. 

 When old beds and groups are to be turfed, they must be well 

 beaten, as well as levelled to the requisite sweep ; but even then 

 it will often happen that such places will not suit in a year or 

 two with the turf spaces left between them. In many cases it 

 is best in every way, where such beds are tolerably close to- 

 gether, to take off the intermediate spaces of turf, turn up the 

 ground, level, and beat the whole, and then the turf will keep 

 its uniform sweep for a long time. 



What we wrote lately about autumn planting applies equally 

 to autumn turfing. What is done now will rarely give any 

 more trouble in watering, filling up cracks, shading, ite. ; and 

 there is another great advantage where turf must be carted 

 from a distance, that thin turf, say from half to three-quarters 

 of an inch in thickness, will be as ample now as turf 1 inch or 

 1( inch in thickness in March and April. Where much turf is 

 to be laid the men's knees should be kept off the damp ground. 

 No beating or rolling will ever make amends for not properly 

 levelling the ground at first. — K. F. 



TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 



W. EoUisson & Sons, Tooting, London, S.W. — Descriptive 

 Catalogue of Hardy and Orchard Hou-^e Fruits. 



Andre Leroy, Angers. — Descriptive Catalogue of Fruit and 

 Ornaviental Trees, Sliruhi, dc. 



Louis Van Houtte, Ghent, Belgium. — General Catalogue. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— November 25. 



There has been scarcely Jiny alteration worth qnollnR. Supplies ar» 

 amplf. Great complaints arn niado of tbo qoality ol tho bulk of th« 

 I'otutoos coming in now. There are largo arrivals of thoae both by rail 

 and 8oa. 



FRUIT. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



*«• We request that no one will write privately to the depart- 

 mental writers of the "Journal of Horticulture, Cottage 

 Gardener, and Country Gentleman." By so doing they 

 are subjected to unjustifiable trouble and expense. All 

 oommnnications should therefore be addressed nolely to 

 The Editors of the Journal of Horticulture, dc, 171, Fleet 

 Street, London, B.C. 

 We also request that correspondents will not mix np on the 

 same sheet questions relating to Gardening and those on 

 Poultry and Bee subjects, if they expect to get them an- 

 swered promptly and conveniently, but write them on 

 separate communications. Also never to send more than 

 two or three questions at once. 

 N.B. — Many questions must remain unanswered until next 

 week. 

 Meladon. — "J. £"." wishes to know tho botanical name of a plant so- 

 called, havinR " roots the same as the Ranunculus, and flowers between 

 those of Anemone and Ranunculus, but larger." 



PiCKERrNG's Seedung {W.B. C.).— The Apples have not come to our 

 notice. 



Chktsanthemcms {Mrt. Robart»).—Yo-a will see the names of the prin- 

 cipal growers in our advertisement columns. 



Sale of Fruit and Flowers (.4. B. C).— Write to Messrs. Webber 

 and Co., Central Avenue, Covent Garden Market. 



SoROHijM TATAHIC0M (.S'orijhiim).— It is worthlcss. and can only ripen 

 here in very hot summers. Mr. HuUett, who persuaded purchasers that it 

 is a novelty, is now awaitiuR trial ou a charge of forgery. 



Esperione Grape (One Fond of Vine Cii/(urc).— It is a good Grape for 

 ripening on an open wall. Berries quite round, dark purple, juicy, and 

 sweet, yet briskly flavoured. 



What Constitutes Mancees (i?o»elud).— The best answer we can 

 give is the following extract from .Johnson's " Science and Practice of 

 Gardening." You can have tho volume free by post from our office if 

 you enclose forty postage stamps with your address.^ " Manures are 

 derived from animals, vegetables, and minerals ; they directly assist the 

 growth of plants— firstly, l>v entering into their composition; secondly, 

 by absorbing and retaining moisture from the atmosphere ; thirdly, by 

 absorbing the gases of the atmosphere : and, fourthly, by stimulating tho 

 vascular system of the plants. Manures approximately assist vegetation, 

 firstlv, by killing predatorv vermin and weeds ; secondly, by promoting 

 the decomposition of stnlibom organic remains in the soil ; thirdly, by 

 protecting plants from violent changes of temperature." 



Protection for Frame (Idfm).~Th6 best materials for covering a 

 two-light frame are Archangel mats, employing one thicknesa'for a slight 

 frost. Two thicknesses, and 6 inches in thi(^kness of dry straw, will be 

 required in very severe weather. You cannot have a charcoal fire or 

 lamp in so small a compartment with safety, and you may ward off frost 

 by putting the mats and straw over the lights, the sides ot the frame 

 beiug protected by a.shes placed against them all round. 



List op Roses (.W. /!««■).—" William Grifiiths and Gloire de Vitry are 

 both show Roses, vigorous, and generally good. William Griffiths is the, 

 type of shape and of fair size. It has but one fault, in very hot weather 

 it does not always retain its colour. I always consider this Rose, 

 Madame Vidot, Madame Rivers, Guinnoiseau, and Comtease Cecile de 



