466 



JOURNAL OF HORTICUIiTUKE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ December 17, 1868. 



Gross Shoots of Roses (C. W., Boston). — "It is difficult to say with- 

 out seeing the trees wbat should be done with gross shoots as thick as a 

 walkinR stick. If a tree were perfect in its wood without the gross Ehoot, 

 I should cut it out altogether. If the form of the tree wanted perfecting 

 where the gross shoot is, I should leave it in. If the wood of the tree is 

 generally bad, I should either cut the whole of the old wood away, and 

 cut the groBS shoot to four or fix eyes, so as to form a new head ; or I 

 would take a first series of flowers from the old wood, and then at once 

 remove it. When I grew standards I practised both plans with success. 

 It is a good plan where you have a gross sboot on a tree with inftrjor or 

 decaying wood to cut the whole away in March, and form a new head 

 from the gross shoot.— W. F. Radclttfe." 



Rose Fukoi and Grubs— Protkcttng and Pruning (Q. Q.1.— "Ihave 

 never used Gishurst Compound. I cannot say whether it would prevent 

 mildew ; but, from what I have read, I think it would be useful in sub- 

 duing insects. The best cure for Rose grubs in spring is to catch and 

 kill them. My Manctti-stocked Roses bear such crops of buds that I 

 never trouble myself about them. They save me the trouble of removing 

 superfluous buds. If you were to dissolve aloes and wash the dor- 

 mant buds, I think the KoFe grub would not touch them. I have bought 

 acme as an experiment, and intend in February to syringe my Peach and 

 Nectarine trees with it. I never knew any creature that was fond of 

 aloes. A gentleman had a monkey that gnawed his own tail. In vain 

 did he try to stop this sad failing, till at last he tried aloes with complete 

 Snccess. Pug never repeated his offence after the first taste of this 

 nauseous dmg. The winter buds that will not develope may be taken off, 

 Or left on till pruning time. The wood and bark of my Roses are so hard 

 and well ripened that I see no need of defending them further than 1 

 llBve already stated. The Tea Roses and Tea-scented are defended ad- 

 ditionally with fern and Asparagus haulm, or straw. You have not, 

 probably, 1853 Rose trees imy present stock), to defend. If you have only 

 a few trees and the materials, it would be safe to wrap loosely above the 

 ground line, and tie with bast the whole of the Rose plants^protection. 

 We get a killing winter about once in six or seven years ; ordinarily 

 Hybrid Perpetuals, if the wood and skin are ripe, do not need such pro- 

 tection. As a rule, whether a Rose on a Briar is for a pole, wall, or 

 standard, it is best on removal to prune closely in the following spring. 

 Gloire de Dijon, which is a Tea-scented Rose, need not be pruned so 

 <doaely as a Hybrid Perpetual. Try 12 inches. Never prune Roses closely 

 at the time of planting, nor till the buds swell.— W. F. Radclyffe." 



Apkicot Casting its Fruit (F. 2.).— We think the cause of the fruit 

 dropping soon after setting is the boards not afiording sufficient pro- 

 tection. You would proliahly succeed if yoii were to protect the tree at 

 night with canvas or with woollen netting, until the tree is well furnished 

 with leaves. In frosty nights and even frosty days the canvas may remain 

 over the tree. Boards do not absorb and give out so much heat as a 

 brick wall, and to that cause we attribute the falling of the fruit. 



Filbert Culture (An Old Subscriber).— The "Garden Manual" con* 

 tains full particulars on Filbert culture. It may be bad post free from 

 our office if you send twenty postage stamps with your address. 



Composition fob Wounds on Trees (Idem). — We find nothing better 

 than white lead paint, adding a little lamp black to render it less con- 

 spicuous. The edges of the wound where the branch is sawn off should 

 be pared smooth with a knife, and the wound well coated with the paint. 

 American Blight on Fruit Trees (Tdem). — Nothing equals paraffin 

 oil for the destruction of American blight. It should be applied with a 

 brush, rubbing it well into the parts affected, and it may be applied to 

 every part ol the tree. It will free the trees of moss, but for destroying 

 this we recommend dusting the stem and shoots whilst wet with fresh- 

 alaked lime, making them quite white. Gishurst Compound will not 

 destroy the buds of fruit trees unless used after they have begun to swell 

 or are too strong. 



Grass Verges (T. J.). — We think you will find that the grass verges 

 will become firm and close if you keep them well rolled, and allow them 

 to grow for a year or two without cutting ^\ith the edging-knife. Unless 

 the situation is away from the shade of trees or buildings, it is badly 

 adapted for the growth of grass. We would not put down edging tiles, as 

 a live edging is always preferable. Have you tried Box edging ? 



Ivy on Trees (Quercus). — Ivy growing on trees is very injurious, and 

 entirely prevents the production of fine timber. It may be desirable for 

 clothing the tnmks and branches of old trees; but for those of the size 

 you name (10 inches in diameter), no time should be lost in removing it. 

 It is no protection to the bark, and may be as safely removed now as in 

 ^ring. 



Aphelandra Leopoldi Leggy (Aphelandra^.— Your plant may be cut 

 down in February, and should be placed in a mild bottom heat and moist 

 top heat, and when it has made shoots a few inches long, repot. You may 

 cut every shoot back to within two eyes of the base, making cuttings of 

 the tops of the shoots. These cuttings will strike freely in sandy peat, 

 plunging the pots in a brisk bottom heat, and covering with a bell-glass. 



Ferns Disfigured (C. P.). — We cannot detect any insects or traces of 

 their attacks on the fronds of the Ferns that you sent us. The "red 

 mst " is neither more nor less than the spores of the Ferns, which at 

 this season are shed, the spore-cases bursting, and the dust or spores 

 being distributed over the fronds, giving them a brownish appearance, 

 which, tboDgh a disfigurement, is natural, and shows health. Its being 

 noticed last year on one plant only, and now on the whole, is a conse- 

 qnence of the increased age of the plants ; all are probably this year 

 fruiting. You may free them of the " red rust" by sponging the fronds 

 with clean water, or gently syringing Ihem, but we should prefer to leave 

 them as they are, for we enjoy the haivest of Ferns quite as much as the 

 spring. 



Cineraria Leaves Curling {A Constant Eeadtr). — The leaves are, no 

 doubt, curling from the attacks of green fly or other insects. Your only 

 remedy will be to fumipate the plants with tobacco, shutting the frame 

 np cloFely when the foliage of the plants is dry. Then fill the frame with 

 smoke so that a plant cannot be seen from the outside. To keep in the 

 smoke, the lights may be covered with mats. A calm night should be 

 chosen. 



Sulphuring Hot- water Pipes (Idem). — The hot-water pipes in a 

 Cucumber house may be coated with sulphur and it will do no harm ; the 

 fumes will act as a preventive of red spider. Sulphur may be placed in 

 the evaporation troughs without injuriously affecting the plants. 



Planting Borders (F.)-— You do not state what you wish to plant — 

 trees, shrubs, or what. If you state what yoi wish information about, 

 we shall be glad to assist you. 



Camellia Culture (C. B.). — We think your young plants cast their 

 buds from undue excitement. The buds, you say, were very small, and 

 no doubt were not set until a late period. For flowering at Christmas 

 the plants should be introduced into heat about the middle or end of 

 March. Syringe them every evening and morning, and keep the atmo- 

 sphere moist. A vinery at work is very suitable, as the temperature vrill 

 be brisk, the atmosphere moist, and the shade of the Vines agreeable. 

 If you have no vinery the temperature should be from 50"^ to 55"^ at night, 

 and 65'^ by day, with a rise from sun heat. In this temperature the 

 plants will push freely, and ebouUl have every encoiu-agement by mois- 

 ture, copious waterings, and slight shade from bright sun. Any pruning 

 required should be performed before the plants are introduced into the 

 house, the old plants being cut-in rather closely, but the young plants 

 should only have the straggling shoots shortened, so as to form plants of 

 compact growth. If any potting be required it ought to be done, but the 

 old plants, if cut back, ought not to be putted until they have broken, 

 and made shoots a few inches long; then repot shading from sun for a 

 time until the plants have recovered from the potting. They should be 

 kept in heat until the growth is complete and the buds formed, then give 

 more air and harden them off, and the buds will be well formed. The 

 plants should be kept in a cool airy house after the buds are set, and if 

 partially shaded from powerful sun all the better, but avoid too great 

 shade, which is apt to make the foliage sickly-looking. You may shake 

 the plants out of the peat and pot them in turfy sandy loam. To bring 

 them into bloom at Christmas the house should have a temperature from 

 fire heat of 45^ or 50^. Azaleas in 4-inch pots should be shifted in spring, 

 when they begin to grow, into pots 6 inches in diameter, giving them the 

 same treatment as the Camellias, but peat soil. 



Potatoes for Early and Second Crops {S. H. L. W.). — There is no 

 better Potato for an early crop than Rivers's Royal Ashleaf, though the 

 Ash-leaved Kidney is a few days earlier. Myatt's Prolific is a good early 

 Potato, more prolific than the Ashleaf, but a few days later. Lapstone 

 is the best second early Potato, but requires to be grown in light soil. 



Pears for Pyramids (F. F. S.).— Citron des Carmes, 2; Fondante 

 d'Automne, 2 ; Williams's Bon Chretien, 2 ; Comte de Lamy, 4 ; Alexandre 

 Lambre,4; Beurre de Capiaumont, 2 ; Beurre Clairgeau, 2; Bergamotta 

 Esperen, 3 ; and Louise Bonne of Jersey, 3. 



Fruit Trees for North Wall (Idem). — The Morello Cherry succeeds 

 admirably on a north wall or aspect, and Red and White Currants and 

 Gooseberries may be so grown, and desirably, for hanging late. The trees 

 may be planted during mild weather until the end of February. 



Vine Border (J. W. &'.). — We have no doubt that the border will repay 

 you for the labour. We would cover in the autumn when early forcing 

 was resorted to. For years we have been anxious to make some fresh 

 borders, and air-shafts with us have been a settled idea. The communi- 

 cating with the inside of the house is good, but even much may be done 

 by opening the air-shafts out of doors in warm days, and shutting them 

 at night. Your plan will always insure plenty of sweet, moist, fresh air 

 in the house. 



Flue Arrangements (C. B., a Young Gardener).— Your plan of obtain- 

 ing bottom heat and top heat from a flue is very good, and so is the con- 

 trivance by means of a plate and damper, for securing instant draught 

 by sending the smoke and flame up the chimney at once on lighting the 

 fire, and then sending the heated air round the flue, when the air in the 

 chimney is rarefied. Your plan, however, could only be put in operation 

 when the chimney stands over the fireplace, and, therefore, in other cases 

 where the chimney may be at the furtber end from the fireplace, the 

 plans adopted by an engineer and " R. F.," will be applicable. We agree 

 with you that much may be done by small flues. We have one, the top 

 of wliich forms part of the flooring, that answers admirably. 



Treatment of Potted Plants (T. J.).— The plants will thrive all the 

 better of having the surface soil stirred as you propose fur three-quarters 

 of an inch in depth. This stirring will keep out frost better than if the 

 surface were hard and smooth ; but plants in pots in general should be 

 protected from frost by other means as well. When leaves begin to fade 

 they may be cut off as a general rule, as, after fading begins, they take 

 more from the plant than they return to it. In some exceptional cases 

 even half of a sound leaf, however, is better than none. For your wall 

 overshadowed by trees, we could advise nothing better than the different 

 variegated Ivies, which will always look well. We have seen Cotoneaster 

 microphylla do well in a shady place, but it will not cover the wall so 

 soon as the Ivy. 



Planting out Vines from Pots (T.),— If you bad taken a heavy crop 

 from the Vines we would have said throw them away ; but as you have 

 been moderate we would plant them out, reducing the head one-third or 

 half, and spreading out the roots, instead of ha\lng them coiled round as 

 in a pot. 



Pyramidal Pear Trees Partly Dead(C. .^.).— We cannot tell without 

 more particulars what is the matter with your pyramidal Pear trees, but 

 should judge they are suffering from one of two causes— excess of moisture 

 or starvation. It the first is the cause try what draining or raising the 

 roots will do. If the second suggestion is the cause, as we suspect, fork 

 the surface soil, and cover with two or three inches of rotten dung, and 

 repeat the application in the summer. 



Firs Attacked by Rabbits (P. I. N.).—II your trees are not numerous 

 tie a small handful of straw round each. It will keep all depredators o! 

 that kind away. Daubing the stems with dung, lime, and brine will keep 

 the marauders off for a time. The most effectual safeguard is wire 

 netting, 3 feet in height. 



Mushroom Culture.— A con-espondent, " Failure," wishes "Agabicus" 

 to state the kind of structure his beds were made in. We can see nothing 

 wrong unless "Failure " had bad spawn, and used too little of it. We 

 do not know the size of his bricks, but eight of them do not seem much 

 for four large beds. He ought to have succeeded with beds spawned in 

 April; but, unless coolness could be ensured, we should be less surprised 

 at the not succeeding when spawning in June. 



Wintering Coleuses (R. J. S.^— They will be best wintered in the 

 conservatory, assigning them the warmest situation. Only a little water 

 should be given uccasionally to keep the foliage from flagging. The 

 situation should be light and airy, and free from damp or drip. In a 



