December 10, 1868. ] 



JOURNAL OP HOllTICULTURE AND OOTTAQE GABDENEK. 



447 



thcRO pairs' nltomutely with purplo Verbena nod whito or vftneRftted- 

 jeavofi Poliir(,'oniiinis. Hiinninn would look well in your outsido oircloa. 

 Other bi'ilK lis you proposo, but a fuw i^ood Pubirgoniuiuy, &c., mij^lit p'o 

 in tho contro of tho lou^' bods. 



ViNK AND Via TiiKK PRUNING (T. J. iWiTTOTi).— Wo Can Jiardly toll yoH 

 how to prune your Vines without knowing more abont thom. If oh, tho 

 spur Hystom tho yido .shouts may bo cut buck to ono or two buds, and tho 

 leader to IH iiuOu'S or 2 foct ; and as tho leaves have ffillcn tho prun-uk' 

 cannot be douo ton soon. Your Fiti tree with fivo bninohos IS int-lics 

 loDff wo would not prune at all, but as soon as prowth commeuccs out tho 

 terminal luid of each shoot in two, and that will causo tho fruit, if there 

 la fruit, to set bettor, and you will afterwards have plenty of young 

 shoots to choose from. 



SoLANDM cAPBK^ASTnoM iTilem).—lt requires more heat than n common 

 groouhouso— say average of C(F to 55''. The low temperature is iigaiust it. 



Greenhodse Failure (Tfjnmamm). — Wo never before heard of n new 

 house that seemed to ruin everything that went into it ! Wo have no 

 doubt that either tho glass is very bad, or the ventilation ia very deficient. 

 Exaniino tho glass for scars, and if y m find any daub them with paint, 

 and that will stop burning. We should care nothinff for a blaze of lif,'ht 

 if tho glass woro good. If the sun is rather strong it is easy to dull tho 

 glass a little with size water. The practice with tbia one house may not 

 be quite right. The syringing such plants, and especially Pelargoniums, 

 is almost sure to causo spot and decay. 



Earliest Cucumber (.4 Young Beg inner). —Tho earliest and best Cu- 

 cumber for winter is the Lord Kenyon or sion House Improved, a amooth- 

 skinnod one, growin;^' from 8 to 12 inches long Among smooth white- 

 spined Cucumbers, Volunteer is good, and ranges from 8 to 18 inches. 

 TeleKraph is a little longer, bat requires raoro heat than the above two. 

 CuthiU's Black Spine is also a good Cucumber, averagiuK about a foot in 

 length, but will not come so soon as the above. Mr. Cox, of Kimpton 

 Hoo, used to do wonders with the Volunteer. We have seen from three 

 to fivo Cucumbers at a joint. 



Gishurst Compound (iJ. 2. S.\— After this is dissolved in water expo- 

 snre to the air does nut destroy its effectiveness or weaken it, if not kept 

 exposed for a lonp time. Tho dissolving first is useful when you syringe 

 trees in leaf, otherwise not. 



Trees in Pots (D(yugal AfcDou{ial).—'Dn not pnt into the pots more 

 than from 1 to IJ inch of drainage, but sprinkle some moss over it and a 

 little soot ; but then we like to watpr moderately, and have always been 

 rather scarce of water. In placing the pots partly in the gi'ound, we allow 

 the bottom of the pot to rest on the soil. The plan you propose of allow- 

 ing the bottom of tho pot to rest on two bricks, with an open space for 

 free drainage between them, in good ; but we have found no use for it, as 

 tho water in all our pots passes quite fast enough away, and we rather 

 like the roots to run a little out during the summer. In two years we 

 have hardly had two pots waterlogged, and these we lifted, and picked 

 the hard soil from tho hole in the bottom of the pot, and that made all 

 right. One of our objections to plunging pots in sawdust is, that after a 

 time the sawdust clogs up the drainage hole completely. If you have 

 plenty of water we have no objection to your proposed plan, but we do 

 not find any stagnation of water without it. 



Mulching — Loam Defined (M<;m). — Mulching is the placing rotten 

 dang and rich soil over the snrfuce of the pot as the soil ^inks and you 

 wiah to give more strength. You will soon be surprised where the mulch- 

 ing goes. The mulching and the fresh surfacing is tho secret of keeping 

 trees in pots bearing for years without fresh potting. A good loamy soil 

 is ono that is neither too sandy nor too clayey^one that when moderately 

 moist will squeeze tight in your hand and retain tho traces of your fingers, 

 and yet when dryish will crumble into pieces. If very sandy it will not 

 be cohesive enough. It there is too much clay it will be too close. If at 

 all in doubt ask a neighbouring gardener to look at some kinds of loam 

 for you. Sandy loam, such as you will find at most roadsides, is the best 

 for plants. Turfy loam is loam taken from the green sward of a pasture, 

 or the sides of roads and Innes, taken off thin— from 1 to 2 or 3 inches 

 in thickness, and allowed to decompose for a few months after being piled 

 in a heap. When broken up for use such loam will be found full of 

 decayed vegetable fibre, and hence its use for nourishment and keeping 

 the staple open. When we advised covering your trees in summer and 

 winter with a net we meant common fishing net, and the only use of the 

 net is for keeping birds from the buds and fruit. The frigi domo, to 

 whic^ you allude, is for protection against frost. Of course, if you can 

 manage the birds you will not need the netting. 



Glass Enclosure for Vine (C. R.)-— The frame is after the fashion 

 of the cylinder vinery invented by Dr. Newington, but unlike that in the 

 glass not touching the ground. The permanent cap will make the frame 

 a vinery, and then the Vine will require syringing and water ; whereas, 

 if tho cap is removed as soon as danger from spring frosts is over, say 

 the first week in .Tune, the Grapes will ripen well without further care. 

 The Canary and the Exquisite Peaches, like nearly all the yellow-fleshed 

 Peaches, require a hot snmmer like the last, otherwise their flavour is 

 flat and insipid as a rule; except to ornament the dessert they are not fit 

 for general cultivation. When crossed with our green-fleshed Peaches 

 they produce seedlings not so high in colour, hut of a superior and more 

 vinous flavour. 



Azaleas Losing theiu Leaves (St. DennU).— It is usual for Azaleas 

 to lose their old leaves at this season, but we cannot explain the cause of 

 the fresh leaves withering. Why syringe the plants overhead at this 

 season 7 and why have the temperature 45'^ or 50^ at night, and 60' or 65- 

 by day '.' We can only account for the leaves withering from their being 

 injured, it may be by an escape of smoke from a flue, fumes from 

 sulphur becoming ignited, or over-fumigation with tobacco or something 

 prejudicial to plants. Neglecting to give water would cause the leaves to 

 fall, and the youug foliage may also wither from its being attacked by 

 thrips. Wc cannot, however, from description assit-'U any positive causa 

 lor the leaves falling and withering. The temperature for Azaleas and 

 Camellias at this time of year should be 40'^ at night from fire heat, and 

 45" by day. There will be times when this temperature, from sun beat, 

 will be exceeded, but this is an advantage, as it aflords an opportunity for 

 giving air, and when the temperature from natural boat is suflicicnt to 

 maintain the temperature fire heat should be dispensed with. The 

 Camellia buds will in a great measure fall. The cnuse is imperfect root 

 action resulting from improper soil, imperfect drainage, or tho want of 

 water at an oarUer period. 



Repotting Azaleas and Camellias (fiuhscriber).—Yoxi do not say 

 whether vour plants are small or large. If lar«othoy will not require to 

 bo potted oftener than uvory other year, but if young growing plants and 

 vigorous they should be potted every year. The beat signs of a plant 

 rt-quiriug repotting are its filling tho pot with roots, and soon becoming 

 dry after watering, or often retiuiring water. Tho host compost for the 

 Camellia is turf taken about an inch thick, not more, from a pasture 

 whore the soil is a good, rich, saudv loam. This should be used frosh, 

 tr;iriog it in rather small pieces with the hand, and in potting make it 

 firm, finishing oil" with a littlo fine soil. Failing that, a compost of two 

 parts sandy tibrous peat, and ono part fibrous loam, with a free admixture 

 of silver sand, answers very well both for Camellias and Azaleas, adding, if 

 it can l>o obtained, a eiiith part of old dry cow dung. Good drainage must 

 be provided. 



Compost for Vauikgatbd PET.ARGONirMS (Idem).— Two parts loam 

 from rotted turves, and one part old dry cow dung, or woll-rottcd manure, 

 will grow them well, adding sand liberally. The plants, if for the summer 

 and autumn decoration of tho greenhouse, should be potted in March, 

 and in May or June ; young plants being frequently repotted from time to 

 time as the pots become filled with roots. 



Protecting XIanunculuses (Au .■ima{nir).~Tho Turban RannncnluBCS 

 will not sustain any harm novv that you huvo top-dref sed them with short 

 manure, only we think you have put it on too thickly. An inch in thick- 

 ness would iiavo been sufficient, and we should have preferred it had it 

 not been very rotten. We think leaves about throo parts decomposed a 

 better mulching than rotten manure. In very Si^vere weather you may 

 place a thin covering of dry fern or short dry litter over tho beds, taking 

 care to remove it when tho frost is past. Double Anemones planted at 

 tho same time as the Ranunculuses may havo a top-dressing of leaf 

 mould or short manure, which will be all the protection they will need. 

 The Ranunculuses were not planted too soon. You will have a better 

 bloom by early than late plahting. 



Flo'^'eeing Bougainvillea lateritia at the End of June (S. itf.)« 

 —Wo presume your plant is well ripened and has made a good growth 

 during the past vear. It will, therefore, need to be started into growth 

 early in Februarv, and forwarded in a brisk heat, securing a good growth, 

 and at the end of April place it in the full sun, keeping dry and in this 

 state for about six weeks, then byplacing.it in heat agiin it may pro- 

 bably flower at the time you wisli, but everything is dependant on the 

 present condition of the plant. 



Growing Cvclamen persicum in a Cold Pit (rftom).— The Cycla- 

 mens \vill do well in the pit as you propose, it is a move in the right 

 direction. We would not remove any of the present soil, but add to leaf 

 mould, peat, turfy loam, and rotten cow dung in equal parts, a top- 

 dressing 6 inches thick, and work it into the soil, stirring it to the depth 

 of 15 inches. If the soil is of a close nature, add 3 inches in thickness of 

 freestone, or grit, in pieces from the size of a pea up to that of a walnut, 

 mixing it well with the soil. About 3 inches of fine soil may be placed 

 over the bed for planting in, tho corms being placed with their crowns 

 about au inch below the surface. The surface of the soil should not be 

 more than (i inches from the glass for seedlings, and for established 

 plants 9 inches. The best means of i>rotecting will he a covering of 

 mats, and in very severe weather an extra covering of straw will be re- 

 quired. The lamp will not answer well. 



Packing Tree Ferns iW>lt>:hirc Curate}.— Ttgo Fema may safely be 

 brought to this country, if taken up and packed in dry material, as straw 

 or hay. 



Grafting a Vine for Fruiting the Same Season (Somerset).— It is 

 practicable to graft a Vine with a scion having eight or nine eyes instead 

 of two, but the eyes will break very irregularly, and the fruit, if any be 

 allowed to grow, will set very badly ; besides you will have a weak growth 

 and a poor prospect for another year. We would only leave two good 

 eyes, and encourage one, so as to secure a good, strong, well-ripened cane. 

 Oleander Culture (Gcrmam cm).— The 'v^a-nt should be repotted in 

 spring, employing a compost of two-thirds fibrous loam, and one-third 

 sandy peat or'leaf mould, adding sand freely. The best time to repot is 

 when the plant is beginning to grow. Good drainage should be provided, 

 and a rather small shift given for the size of the plant. In winter it 

 should be kept in a light position in the greenhouse, giving no more 

 water than is necessary to keep the foliage from flagging, which will not 

 often be the case. During the growing period give an abundant supply 

 of waiter, and keep the plant well syringed overhead, and rjither close, so 

 as to encourage it. Do not discontinue watering until the growth is 

 complete, then" gradually leave it ofl', exposing the plant fully to light and 

 air, so as to have the wood well ripened. 



Hardiness of Hydrangeas and Veronicas fW^w).— Hydrangeas are 

 hardy in sheltered situations, and so are the Veronicas; but they are 

 best treated as half-hardy, wintering them in a coM pit, and protecting 

 them from frost. 



Stocks for Fruit Trees (Julia ufi).— The best stock for the Apricot 

 is the Mussel Plum, and it answers for both Peach and Nectarine trees. 

 We aro not aware that they can be grown on the Mabaleb Cherry ; but 

 we may state that we have Plums succeeding admirably on the Cherry 

 stock, and we think the experiment worth trying. 



CocEscoiiB Strawberry (A. H. H.).— The Cockscomb Strawberry has 

 large and downy leaves like those of the British Queen, but larger, and 18 

 of better habit. The fruit is very large, ovate, and occasionally cockscomb- 

 shaped ; skin pale scarlet; seeds prominent; flesh \\hite, with a rosy 

 tinge, richly flavoured. 



Apple and Cherry Stocks (MfiTi).— The Paradise stock as commonly 

 used in this country, is raised from pips of the Apple, and planted out in 

 nursery lines as you describe. The MahaUb Cherry, or stock, is a sort of 

 Cherry of that name, of dwarf growth, and propagated by seeds, layCTB, 

 and suckers. 



Pyramid vcrsiis Busn Fruit Trees (ldcm).—'Wc consider pyramids 

 are more profitable than bushes, as more of the former can he grown in 

 or on an equal space of ground, but allowance must be mado for the 

 greater danger in pyramids of tho fruit being blown ofT; but everything 

 considered we prefer pyramids, and should plant such. If the situation 

 were exposed to wind we would plant bushes, as their fruit escape better, 

 and the trees are not so liable to be blown to one side. Pyramid Apple 

 trees on the Paradise stock may be planted 4 feet apart, and Pears on the 

 (Quince stock the same distance ; afterwards, when becoming too close 



