March 19, 1868. ] 



JOURNAL OF IIORTICULTUKE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



229 



potfal of vrniov at each watering. Tho soil mnst ha very well drninod. 

 You should not cut oir any of the stoma, hut lot ftll grow. Wo iniapino 

 tho plfiiit is a hirgo one, if not, half tliequtuitity will suffloo ; nnd, if newly 

 planted, every other day will bo sufficient watering until the rootd are 

 worlung frooly in the border. 



VujLA coRNi'TA NOT FLOWERING (5. S.).— We fear you have not the 

 Iruf viirioty. It is so very free-blooming that wo could hardly credit itn 

 not bionnnnp, h»d we not had similar instances. In one case wo had it 

 from Hccd, and tho plants produced hut few flowers for a your or two; 

 but aftiT they were proiKxgated hycultingsor division of the old tlowcrlesa 

 plants we hud an abundant bloom. Having the true variety, you cannot 

 j:row it without having a mass of bloom; but wo find that sometimes it 

 does not flower very frcoly, particularly after a period of drought. Old 

 plants do well for early summer-flowering, but for summer and autumn 

 young plants from cuttings iu autumn or division in spring are best. We 

 would advise your trying plants from cuttings or division. If your soil 

 is light, water well during dry weather. Phaceha tanacotifolia mp.y be 

 had of most nurserymen. 



Strawberry Forcing {iidlnnd Q»is).— In ordinary seasons the Straw- 

 berries would ripen in tlio frames by the second week in Jmie. If to Le 

 "fruited in a Strawbcn-y house we would movo them into it in thn first 

 week in May. 



McsHRooiis (TT. S.). — We should judge by your description that tho 

 Mushrooms from the lawn are wholesome. Owing to tho snow during 

 tho severest frost, wo would not be surprised if Mushrooms came early 

 out of doors this season. We should have been surer of tho Mushrooms 

 iiad you sent us a specimen. 



Setting the Blossom of Orchard Housf. Plum Trees (C. P.) — In 

 weather in which plenty of air can be admitted, we do not consider it ne- 

 cessary to use a camel-hair brush for either Plums or Peaches in our 

 orchard house. As you have used it to tho latter, all well, and if the 

 weather is dull and sultry use a fan, or a thin flat board waved back- 

 wards and forwards among the trees ; but with abundance of air, a fair 

 amount of sunshine, and a gentle breeze, even this may be dispensed with. 

 Temporary Protection for Bedding Plants {IV. R. C.).— In ordi- 

 nary weather your old drugget will be suflicient to protect the bedding 

 plants in the box 9 feet by 6 feet, and 18 inches deep. In severe weather 

 a little more may be required. The worst of the drugget is, that in a 

 very cold or^vcry wet day your plants would receive little light with the 

 drugget on." We would prefer calico strained tightly. We have used 

 calico, glazed when bought ; we have used it rendered more transparent 

 with oil and driers ; but the result of our experience is, that it is best to 

 nse a cheap thin calico, unbleached, fix it on a pole at each end, and 

 stretch it tightly by strings back and front. This we leave on night and 

 day, until within a week or two of planting-out time. In your 9-feet 

 length you would, in addition to the two ends, require three rods at equal 

 distances crosswise in the centre, to keep the calico from drooping down 

 to the plants. Your drugget would bo useful in March, at any rate over 

 the calico at night. 3^ yards, 2 yards wide, would do for your place. We 

 will cover our cutting l)eds for some time yet with mats. In fact, for all 

 hotbeds wo generally cover until June. 



Potato Sets {Thunderbolt).— Dryins the sets, but not so as to shrivel 

 them, is a very good plan. If the place where they are gi-own is warm 

 enough to induce them to sprout, all the better. Do not rub ofl' the 

 sprouts, hut plant with the sprouts upwards. Such treatment promotes 

 the early ripening of the crop, which is the best mode of avoiding the 

 disease. 



AucuEA Berries Gathering and Sowing (F. J.).— The proper time 

 to gather Aucuba berries is when they part freely from the plant after 

 having become quite red, and remained in that state on the plant for some 

 weeks. They may remain on the plant for ornament until they begin to 

 ahrivel, when they will either fall or may be removed. Now is a good 

 time to gather and sow the berries. Sow in light soil, and place the pot 

 or pan in the gi-eenhouse or in a mild hotbed. The vase, from what we 

 have seen of it, is very strong ; it is sold by Messrs. Hunt & Pickering, of 

 Leicester. 



Fixing Canvas to Protect Wali. Frttit Trees (J. N. P.).— The way 

 we fix our netting for protecting fruit trees is very simple. We have 

 some larch poles sawn up into battens 2 inches square, and of such a 

 length that they will reach from the giound to the under side of the 

 coping, and ho 1 foot longer than that— namely, for a wall 12 feet high tho 

 poles aro 13 feet long. Holes are made in the ground 2 feet from the wall, 

 and the pole introduced, the upper end immediately under tho coping, 

 and the other in tho ground, making it fast by filling in with soil. The 

 poles are fixed 3 feet apart, and all on tho same slope, tho foot of the poles 

 being 2 feet from the wall at the ground. Small brass or galvanised iron 

 rings are then sewn on the netting at top, the first at the end, and others 

 at 18 inches apart along the upper edge. Galvanised hooks are driven 

 into all the poles at top, and midway between each in the wall, small 

 gas-pipo hooks being excellent. The rings are placed on the hooks, and 

 the netting or canvas let fall. Two or three rings will be required at each 

 end, and hooks in tho wall to secmo the covering to. If the covering 

 reach to within 18 inches of the ground that will be sufficient. At every 

 pole a ring should be sewn on the canvas, and a hook driven in every 

 post, and so low that when the rings are placed over the hooks the cover- 

 ing will be drawn tight. The covering will be secure against wind, and 

 be kept at such a distance by the poles as to prevent injury to the blos- 

 som. In uncovering the trees we first of all place a number of bricks 

 open tho top of the wall, one at every fi feet. After breakfast, if there 

 has been frost during the night, and, if there has been no frost, before 

 breakfast, the rings are slipped ofi'the hook along the bottom, and at the 

 ends as far as can be reached. Tliis done, we get upon tho wall, and 

 commence folding or rather rolling the covering iip, and it is placed upon 

 the wall, and bricks above it to prevent its being blown ofl". The covering 

 islet down at night, and secured to the hooks, the whole being but the 

 work of a few minutes to an active person. On frosty days the netting is 

 not taken up. 



Ants on a Lawn {Mi!^!< Harvey).~T'he best remedy is to place on it a 

 hen with a brood of partridges, putting the hen in a coop close to a bush 

 on tho lawn. A brood of pheasants, or even chickens with tho hen, near 

 the spot will do much to keep down ants. If you do not like this you 

 may sprinkle guano over their haunts, and it will drive the ants away. 

 Ajnmoniacal liquor from the gasworks will also drive them away. 



WiREwoRMS in Cucumber CoarPOHT (E. 8. y.).— Wo would advise yon 

 to scatter soot over thn compost, commencing at one end to turn it, and 

 sprinkling the soot over the compont as it is being turned. In addition 

 to this we would make tho holes 3 inches deep all over tho bed, at about 

 6 inches apart, and drop in each one-fourth of a raw Potnto. You may 

 examine these twice a-week, and you will no doubt find tho enemy, and 

 may thou destroy it. (The Potato baits will certainly keep tho wirewomia 

 from tho Cucumber plants. 



Asparagus from Seed (J. Jlf., DubUn.].~Yon may obtain as good beds 

 of Asparagus by sowing tho seed, and thinning the plants out to a proper 

 distance, as if you were to put in plants It is not necessary to trans- 

 plant the seedlings ; they will answer well left where sown for the per- 

 manent crops or beds. 



Plants for Suspended Baskets (0. C O.).— Pretty plants for sus- 

 pended baskets in a vinery are Alyssum variegatum, Nierembergia 

 gracilis, Tradescantia zebrina argentea. Khodocbitoa volubile, Thun- 

 bergia alata. Convolvulus mauritanicus, Lithospermum fruticosum, Saxi- 

 fraga sarmentosa, S. Fortunei variegata. Lobelia Gordoniana, L. speciosa, 

 L.Paxtoniana, Ivy-leaved Pelargoniums, Petunias, and Heliotropes. 

 These vriil do well for greenhouse or cool vinery. For a heated or warm 

 vinery we would have of Ferns (tho preceding being flowering plants):— 

 Acrophorua hispidus. Pteris scaborula, Platycerium alcicorne, Niphobolus 

 rupestris, Nephrolepis exaltata, N. tuberosa, Microlepia hirsuta angusta, 

 Adiantum assimilo, A. setulosum, DavalUa bullata, D. dissecta, D.canari- 

 ensis, and Drynaria pustulata, and Lycopods, as SelaginoUa denticulata 

 and S. c£BSia ; of Orchids Cymbidium aloifolium, Acropera Loddigesi, 

 Maxillaria Harrisoni, and Stauhopea oculata, tigrina, graudiflora, 

 Devoniana, and saccata. 



Select Perennials for a Town Garden (Idfni).— Alyssum saxatile, 

 Ajuga alpina. Agrostemma coronaria vars., Adonis vemaUs, Alstromeria 

 aurantiaca, Iberis saxatilis, Iris reticulata, I. germanica, Lilium colchi- 

 cum, candidum, martagou, chalcedonicum, and lancifolium vars.; 

 Hepatica angulosa, H. triloba in variety. Lychnis Haageana and its, 

 variety splendens, Lvthrum roseum superbum, Mimulns roseus palhdus, 

 Pa-onia albiflora and officinalis, which are splendid for town gardens; 

 herbaceous Phloxes, Polcmonium cjeruleum, and its variety variegatum, 

 which is the finest of all hardy variegated plants. Primula acaulis, 

 double lilac, purple, crimson, white, and sulphur varieties ; P. auri- 

 cula vars., Pulmonaria officinalis, Pyrethrum vars., Salvia nemorosa, 

 Scilla sibirica, Spirica filipondula plena, Thalictrum anemonoides plenum, 

 Trollius europajus, T. napellifolius, and T. asiaticus, Tritoma Eurchelh, 

 T. uvaria and its variety glaucescens, Tussilago fai-fara variegata, 

 Vinca elegantissima, Hesperis matronalis flore-pleno. Genm coccmeum 

 prandiflorum, Fritillaria impcrialis, Galauthus nivalis and G. plicatus, 

 Erigeron grandiflorus, Draba aizoides, Dodacatheon meadia, Dielytra. 

 spectabilis"; Pinks, Carnations, and Picotces; Delphinium formosum, 

 D. Belladonna. D. alopecnroides, Convallaria majahs. Chrysanthemums, 

 Cheiranthus Marshalli, Campanula aggregata, C. puUa, C. carpatica, 

 Aubrietia deltoidea gi-andiflorn, Antirrhinums, Columbines, Anemones, 

 Arabis albida, and A. boUidifolia. 



Coleus Verschaffelti {A Subscribi'r).—ThG plants you saw at Kew 

 were in all probability this. It is extensively used there, and beds of it 

 edged with Cineraria maritima have a charming eff'ect. Coleus out of 

 doors shows Uttle, if any, yellow in the colouring of its leaves, it being 

 much better and darker-coloui-ed out-doors than iu a house. 



Lapageria rosea Culture {Idein).—Trom seed, plants flower about 

 the sixth year, and young ones now obtained will not flower to any extent 

 until they are four or five years old. Turfy peat is the most suitable 

 compost. You will find full particulars in No. 357, page 90, to which you 

 are referred for treatment. 



Blighia sapida (7f/f ml.— Eligbia or Cupania sapida (Akee-tree), is an 

 evergreen tree attaining a height of 30 feet. It is a native of Guinea, and 

 has been transplanted to the West Indies and South America. The fruit, 

 which is highly esteemed in Africa, is reddish or yellowish, about the size 

 of a hen's egg, and with an axil of a very giateful sub-acid flavour. Tha 

 flowers are white. In this country it requires a stove temperature, and a 

 compost of rich turfy loam. 



Sulphate of Ammonia (iT. .?.).— The chemist is quite right, a solution 

 of sulphate of ammonia so strong would kill tho slugs, and might be 

 used for the purpose on vacant ground, hut it would kill plants. We are 

 not aware that the paragraph you mention appeared in our Journah 



Paper Envelopes for Flower Pots (I. I. ir.).— These aro sold by 

 the Association for Promoting tho Welfare of tho BUnd, 210, Oxford 

 Street, and 127, Euston Road, London. 



Lime Water (Julia).— U you look in the "Cottage Gardeners' Dic- 

 tionary," which you refer to, you wiU find the information under the 

 head " Lime Water." 



OiLiNO Trees (B. H.).— Painting the trees with train oil, including the 

 buds, was a great mistake. We would, as you suggest, soak the buds well 

 with a solution of washerwoman's soda, and the nest day sjTingo them 

 with water. 



Fertilising Aucuba .taponica.— "F. H." would be obliged by Mr. 

 Sayers of Kockville, stating what is the utmost distance at which a male 

 Aucuba j aponica might bo placed from the female plant with a fan: chance 

 of success. 



Names of Plants (J. CI.— Your Rhododendrons are nil florists* varie- 

 ties, and we cannot undertake to name them. {S. GaUon).—'We cannot 

 undertake to name Hyacinths or any other florists' flowers. They are too 

 numerous and so slightly difTering. (Durham).-!, Justicia assnrgens ; 

 2, Da;dalacanthu3 (Erauthcmum) nervosum. (11. M. B".).— Cheilantheg 

 hirta. (J. J5.).— 1, Aphelexis humilis ; 2, Centradeuia rosea; 3, Acacia 

 argj-rophylla. {P. S. itf.).— Lonicera, probably L. biflora, but specimen too 

 young to bo certain. (TF. F. iJ.).— Narcissus jonquilla. {Improver).— 

 I, Acacia leprosa; 2, Genista canariensis ; 3, Better specimen required; 

 4, Coronilla coronata ; 5. Genetyllis tulipifera ; fi, Polygala oppositifoUa, 

 var. grandiflora. [J. T. Stnciair).— Lunaria bieilnis, Hypnum proliferum^ 

 and Liclien caninus. {T. i?.)-— Lielia autumnahs. [B. G. H.).— ^ou must 

 send a flower as well as a leaf of the Spiriea. (AVmo).— We cannot name 

 plants from mere leaves. If vour Japanese seedhngs flower, and yon 

 send us specimens of the flowers and leaves, wo will endeavour to identify 

 them. 



