Jnaunry 25, 1868. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOBTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



71 



seen the eyes eaten out of their atanJartl Ivoses and young fruit 

 trees, or who have seen the shoots and leaves of their young 

 Vines eaten, either do not linow the cause, or, if they are ac- 

 quainted with the beetle, do not know it as the parent of the 

 ringer. These are the reasons why I thinlc a good paper on 

 these destructive weevils would be so useful. 



It appears to me that what gardeners want, is a cheap liquid 

 to kill the grubs in the soil, without being injurious to the 

 plants. The grubs are now in a young state in warm houses 

 feeding on the roots or stems ; later in the season they will bo 

 found out of doors. If plants could now be watered with some 

 liquid such as I have indicated, the mischief would bo pre- 

 vented. As these insects particularly affect peat soil, such 

 liquid must not contain lime, which not only destroys peat, 

 Ijut is injurious to most plants which grow in peat. As soon 

 as I have an opportunity I shall try Fowler's insecticide, to see 

 if it will kill the grubs in soil. Some time ago, as a prelimi- 

 -nary trial, I soaked a Camellia and an Azalea by letting the 

 pot stand in a vessel of this preparation for some minutes, and 

 the plants appear quite uuiujared ; so if it will kill the grubs 

 when surrounded by soil it may answer the purpose. 



If the above few remarks direct attention to these injurious 

 insects my object will have been gained. — J. E. Pearson, 

 Cliilirell. 



PROTECTING TREES FROM RABBITS. 



In your number for December 2Cth " Monticola. " is at a 

 loss to account for rabbits, and he might have added hares, 

 always attacking plants newly put out. Surely he himself 

 supplies the solution when he says, " No rabbit will touch 

 gi'owiug trees if it can find a prostrate one at which to nibble." 

 The check to growth given by planting-out is no doubt the 

 same in kind, though less in degree, as that which follows cut- 

 ting-down. He will probably find mixing grease with gas tar 

 for smearing the stems a good plan ; it prevents the tar from 

 cracking and peeling off. In the Duke of Sutherland's planta- 

 tions at Trentham I used to see three or four small sticks 

 dipped in tar set close round the young trees, and we have 

 tried the same with good effect. It appears that the rabbit, 

 like the rat, with which the Germans generally couple it, avoids 

 soiling its fur with tar, or perhaps it dislikes the smell. By 

 this plan all injury to the plant, by smearing its stem, is 

 avoided. — J. P. 0. 



PORTRAITS OF PLANTS, FLOWERS, AND 

 FRUITS. 



Cattleya amethtstoglossa (Amethyst-lipped Cattleya). — 

 Nat. ord., Orohidacea?. 1,'inn., Gynandria Monandria. Native 

 of Brazil. Lips reddish purple, and petals and sepals spotted 

 with the same colour on a white ground. — {Dot. Mag., t. 5C8.3.) 



Cotyledon \-elutina (Velvety-leaved Cotyledon). — }iat. ord., 

 Crassnlacea;. Linn., Decandria Pentagynia. Native of South 

 Africa. Flowers pale green at the base with yellow above, and 

 the limbs edged with crimson. — [Ibid., t. oGHl.) 



ViTis planicaclis (Flat-stemmed Vine). — Wat. ortZ., Vitaceae. 

 X,inn., Tetrandria Monogynia. Native of the Sikkim Himalaya. 

 —(Ibid., t. 5G85.) 



CoBUBGiA TRicHEOiiA (Tricolorcd Coburgia). — Kat. ord., 

 Amaryllidacea;. Linn., Ilexandria Monogynia. Native of the 

 rocks of the Peruvian Andes. Flowers scarlet outside, pink 

 inside, and limbs of corolla purple. — (Ihid., t. 568G.) 



Ophelia alata (Winged Ophelia), 0. angdstifolia (Nar- 

 row-leaved 0.), 0. PANicuLATA (Paniclcd 0.). — Nat. ord., Gen- 

 tianacea;. Linn., Pentandria Monogynia. Natives of the 

 colder regions of the Himalaya. O. alata has greenish yellow 

 flowers spotted with purple. O. angiistifolia, flowers purple 

 spotted with blue ; and 0. panicuhila, flowers white with semi- 

 lunar purple band in the middle of each lobe. — [Ibid., I. 5G87.) 



Begonias J'citdiii s.-ail rns,rjlora. — " Both these species are, 

 it will be observed, dwarf herbaceous plants ; and even if it 

 should prove that, whilst enduring the cold, they require some 

 slight protection against the vicissitudes of our variable climate, 

 we must welcome them as amongst the most valuable and im- 

 portant of recent acquisitions, since they are not only remark- 

 able for the size and beauty of their blossoms, but also for the 

 facility with which they may be cultivated. Both are natives 

 of the Andes of Peru, and grow at an elevation of from 12,000 to 

 12,500 feet. 



*' Though presenting a certain amount of similarity in their 



aspect, the two sorts are abundantly different both as to foliage 

 and flowers, li. \'iitc)ui has thick concave leaves of an 

 obliquely ovate or roundish cordate outline, two-flowered scapes 

 8 to 10 inches high, and largo flowers of a bright cinnabar red 

 colour, one being female and rather smaller than the male. 

 IS. rosif/lora has also thick concave leaves ; but they are of a 

 more rounded outline, with much deeper basal lobes, and the 

 veins are so deeply impressed as to render the surface bullate ; 

 while the scapes, which are red, like the petioles, are three- 

 flowered ; and the largo flowers are of a clear rose colour, one 

 of tho three being female. They are thus abundantly distinct 

 as decorative plants, and out of bloom have more the aspect of 

 some broad-leaved Saxifrage, such as S. ciliata, than that with 

 which we have hitherto been famiUar amongst Begonias." — 

 (Flori.-it and Pomologist, 1868.) 



FRONTIGNAN GRAPES. 



I RECOMMEND Mr. Tillery (see page 2), to add Primavis [Early 

 White Frontiguan] , to his other Grapes, which succeed perfectly 

 well without fire heat. I also grew this year with it the Early 

 Smyrna. The last is the most musky and the best of the race 

 that I have tasted. The former is musky, the largest in berry 

 of the race, and very good. I have added three more of each, 

 and also one each of Foster's White Seedling, Farly Golden, 

 Early Silver, and Chasselas Musqui- de Sillery. The first two 

 and last three are Frontignans. I believe Foster's White Seed- 

 ling is a Muscadine or Sweetwater. I recommend persons with 

 orchard houses and cool vineries to buy some of these delicious 

 Grapes. Mine were grown in 15-inch pots with a surface dress- 

 ing of fresh-dropped cow dung, which they seemed to like. 



My little stock of Grape Vines now consists of two Black 

 Hamburghs, or rather Frankenthal, and the above Grapes. I 

 will describe, if permitted, in the autumn, the Early Golden, 

 Early Silver, and Chasselas Musqui de Sillery, for Mr. Tillery's 

 information. Foster's White Seedling and Early Smyrna I see 

 are in his list. — W. F. Eadclyfi-e, Okeford Fitzjiaine. 



CORDON TRAINING. 



The introduction of the system of training fruit trees, called 

 by the French cordon training, leads me to suppose that a few 

 outlines of description may not be unacceptable. This system 

 of training is remarkalle for simphcity, and I propose to give 

 the necessary directions in as few words as possible. 



The preparation of tho ground is so well understood, that it is 

 not necessary to say much on this point. To form the oblique- 

 cordon orchard, a trench should be dug about 2 feet wide, 

 the first spit of soil being thrown out as if for a Celery trench ; 

 the under spit should then be broken up and left with the top 

 soil, a good proportion of well decomposed manure must be 

 mixed, and the ground is ready for planting. The trench 

 should, if possible, be made about a fortnight before planting, 

 in order that the soil may be thoroughly pulverised. If there 

 is any deficiency of lime in the soil, it is as well to add lime 

 rubbish cr chalk. For horizontal double cordons a trench is 

 not necessary ; holes should be dug about 2 feet in diameter, 

 and the soil mixed with good compc-^t. Tlie double-cordon 

 trees should be from 12 to 15 feet apart ; the horizontal single 

 cordons (j to 8 feet. At this moment there are at Sawbridge- 

 worth two horizontal double-cordou Peach trees, under a 

 ground vinery, which measure 21 feet from end to end, and 

 promise, from their remarkable vigour, to be models of cordon 

 calture next year, every spur being full of strong fruit buds. 



Fiij. 1 represents a double horizontal cordon. This may be 

 made by cutting down a dwarf maiden tree to within four or 

 six buds of the base, the two topmost buds of which must be 

 selected to form the cordons. The highest on the stem are the 

 most eligible ; but the operator can, of course, select the two 

 shoots which are the most convenient for his training wire, 

 and they should be as nearly as possible opposite. When 

 sufficiently advanced in growth to be flexible, they should be 

 carefully bent down and fastened to short sticks, unless the 

 training wires are used. As the whole energies of the tree are 

 directed into these shoots, they will make rapid growth, and 

 as they advance fresh sticks and fresh tying will be necessary. 

 As any lateral or upright shoots are put iurth they must be 

 stopped at four or five leaves from their bases. The first year 

 few of these will be made, but the tree will most probably, if 

 j there is a favourable growth, be studded with fruit buds. In 



