102 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ January 30, IB68. 



of the readers of the Journal have tried the above for the heating of hot- 

 houses, and with ^vhat success. 



POINSETTIA PULCIIERBIMA CULTURE (S. B.).— It IS a StoVC plnut. It 



may now be cut down, ond cuttinss of the shoots form excellent fimall 

 plants for floweriuRin autumn and v.inter. Cuttings with two juiuts are 

 quite long enough. They should be inserted in "sand in a hotbed, and 

 have a brisk heat. The old plant, when it has made fresh shoots an inch 

 oj two lonp. should be repotted. Afford the plants a lisht and airy situa- 

 tion near the glass, so as to have them strong and dwarf. 



Vine Managehtent (A Novicc).~'ntQ Vines with phoots from 4 to 6 feet 

 long, which we presume is the length they are up the rafters, should be 

 shoi-tened to two-thirds their length; but if but recently planted you 

 should cut them down, so that they may just reach the hottom of the 

 rafters. When they begin growing rub off all but two of the uppermost 

 shoots, and v.-hen these are a ftiw inches long select the better and rub 

 the other off. That left you may train up the rafter about 15 inches, not 

 9 inches, from the glass, and let it grow to the top of the houf^e without 

 stopping, then take out its point above a joint. The laterals may be 

 stopped on the second leiif half way up the rod from the bottom, and at 

 the first leaf at the upper part of tiic rod. Tliey may bo allowed to make 

 shoots a foot loug, and then be stopped, removing them by degi-ees in 

 autumn. Do not have any side shoots at the upri-ht part of the glass. 

 You will not have any side permanent shoots until the second year, un- 

 less you have left the Vines to some extent up the rafter, then you will 

 leave a shoot as near the bottom of the rafter as possible, another 

 9 inches higher up the cane on the opposite side, and so on, leaving the 

 shoots 9 inches apart, but on opposite sides of the rafter, consequently 

 the spurs will be 9 inches apart on the cane, and 18 inches from each 

 other on each side. 



Charcoal (Idem). — The sample of cliarcoal enclosed to us is the i-ight 

 kind for garden ijui'poses, especially for plants in pots, and is v.hat we 

 recommend. 



Shrubs and Plants For. a Small Town Garden {Stepnei/). — For a 

 emoky town garden the following will succeed ; two of each will be quite 

 sufficient for the (>pace you name: — Aucuba japonica maculata, Minorca 

 Box, Berberis Bai-winii, Gold and Silver-edged Hollies, Eerberis aqui- 

 folium, Ruscus racemosus, and Skimmia japonica. Of plants that re- 

 quire peat soil, plant Khododendrons Blandyonum superbum, Gem. John 

 Waterer, Lefevreanum, Victoria, macnlatum purpureum, coriaceum, 

 and Everestianum, one of each; A2alea hirsuta and A. amcena. Erica 

 vnJgai-is Hammondi, aurea, Alporti, tenuifolia aliia, and elata; Kalmia 

 glauca and K. latifolia. Vaccinium ovatum, and Ledum latifohum. Of 

 deciduous shrubs, plant liibes sangnineum, white and yellow varieties, 

 and Lilacs. Hepaticas do well ; also Snowdrops, Primroses, Crocus, Nar- 

 cissus, Tulips, Hyacinths, herbaceous and tree Pseonies, Polemonlum 



cierulcum, and its variegated variety. Columbine, Papaver bractcatum, 

 Phlox vcrna, and the herbaceous varieties; Pyrethrums, Pinks, Clove 

 Carnations, Pulmonaria officinalis, Saxifraga umbrosa crenata. S. palmata, 

 Scilla sibirica, Spiraia filipendula plena, Viola coniuta, Trollius enropiEus, 

 Lytbrum roscum superbnm, Lilium aurautiacum, L. c.indidum, L. mar- 

 tagon, Hcllcborus nigcr, Erauthis byemalis, Draba aizudes, and Dielytra 

 spectabilis. 



Strawberries— Roses (.4 Novtcc).—li you refer to oui- last volume y»u 

 will find the information you seek. 



Painting Cucumber, Frames fS. L. H.).~By painting the inside white 

 more light is reflected upon the plants, and by painting the outside white 

 less heat is absorbed, so that the woodwoz-kxs lesshable to be warped. 



Grafting a Vine (3/. H. F.). — We have no knowledge of the effects 

 consequent on gi-afting a Muscat of Alexandria on a Trentham Black* 

 and the results from Vine-grafting have been so anomalous that we 

 cannot venture to express an opinion. Can you not plant a Muscat by 

 the side of the Trentham Black, and graft too ? You would then be able 

 to add to our knowledge, and yet lose no time 



The Genus Cedrus. — *' If your con-espondent, Mr. Kent, will consult 

 the ' Natural History Review ' 'for 1S62. page 11, he wiU find the question 

 of the specific difference of Cedrus atlantica, Libaui, and deodara fully 

 treated by Dr. Hooker. To decide whether they are distinct species or 

 not would be to solve the slightly knotty question of ' What is a species ?* 

 Until this is done they appear to have as much right to be called distinct 

 species as a vast number of other ti-ees and iilants. — A, O. W." 



IiiiPEBiAL Blue Pansy. — '• What are the merits of this Pansy as a bed- 

 ding plant ? It was sent out last year by Messrs. Downie, Laird, & Laing ; 

 shortly afterwards I had a single plant of it, and the few flowei-s that 

 escaped the propagating knife wert; really very fine, of a dark blue, yet 

 not so dark as to bo confounded with purple. How does it succeed 

 when gi'own in soil not specially prepared lor it, and what are its bloom- 

 ing capabilities? Would the result of a cro:-s between it and Viola cor- 

 nuta be likely to combine something of the profuse-flowering habit of 

 that plant, with the greater breadth and substance of petal of the Pansy ? 

 — Ayrshike Gardener."' 



Fruit Trees Under-potted (2/. Frji). — Fruit trees thrust into pots 

 which just hold them, leaving no space "unfilled, and which trees cannot 

 be repotted, may have a i*iin of zinc 2 or 3 inches deep inserted inside 

 the pot, to hold some top-dressing. We fear that the drawings you kindly 

 offer would not be decorative! 



Names of Fruits (Scv. Mr. M'CalmonV. — Your Apple is Pearson's 

 Plate. [W. Crowder). — The small Apple is Sam Young, the larger and 

 gi-eener we do not know. Probably it is a local variety, and the name by 

 which you say it is known may be the con"ect oue. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS in the Suburbs of London or tlie week endin? January 28th. 



POULTRY, BEE, and HOUSEHOLD CHRONICLE 



SEPARATE PRIZES FOR LIGHT AND DARK 

 BltUiMAS. 



Messes. WorthingtoD, Pares, and Crowley have appealed to 

 secretaries of poultry shows, advocating justice to the Light 

 Brahmas. There cannot be a doubt that a more definite 

 arrangement in the prize list is necessary for the awarding of 

 extra prizes between these two varieties of one class. To 

 ignore the existence of the qualities of the Light over the Dark, 

 or vice rersli, is indeed one of the greatest errors that could be 

 made in the arrangements of a poultry show, which to be useful 

 and carry out the object intended, should place as far as pos- 

 sible all varieties and classes on an equal footing, more especi- 

 ally in a class that is advancing in the good opinion of poultry 

 fanciers generally, and which is acknowledged to be one of 

 the best descriptions of poultry extant. This is aptly illus- 

 trated by the great increase of fresh exhibitors at the principal 

 shows. The correctness, of Mr. Tares' remarks as to there 

 being well-filled classes of the Lights is fully proved, as in 

 many shows they exceed in number of entries the Dark. To 

 remedy this evil it is necessary there should be no invidious 

 distinctions ; let the prize list be so arranged as to prevent any 

 preponderance of one class of a variety over another. 



I have always promoted an equality in the prize lists. If a 

 Cup is offered for one variety, either Light or Dark, well 



enough ;" but if a silver cup is offered for the best pen in two 

 or three distinct classes or varieties, then nine times out of ten 

 it will open the doors to a serious, long chapter of complaints, 

 whereas, if confined to one variety, it cannot be otherwise than 

 satisfactory to every one. I am fully alive to the great difficulty 

 committees have in offering silver cups for every variety, but I 

 am confident it would be far preferable to omit cup prizes 

 altogether than couple the varieties. 



I hope these remarks may lead to some other secretaries 

 advancing their opinions, for the purpose of obtaining an 

 equality in prize lists generally. — Philip Wakken. 



FOUR-TOED HOUDANS. 



Allow me to enter my protest against those who would im- 

 prove on Nature. Mr. Schroder would do so in robbing Houdans 

 of their fifth claw. Why ? That they may be less liable to 

 foot disease. I believe I have kept them longer, and have more 

 at the present time, than any one in England. I have no 

 foot disease ; I have never had any. I believe the fifth claw 

 has no more to do with foot disease than the thunder has with 

 hatching Swans' eggs. Let us keep the birds as they have 

 come to us, and as they are described by the painstaking and 

 intelligent M. Jacque in his book as they have been known in 

 France " time immemorial." In these days of criticism and 

 hard competition we should rather try to get up to the standard 

 by breeding good birds than to lower it to admit those of 

 doubtful purity. To do away with the acknowledged attributes 



