March 26, 1868. 1 



JOUBNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



243 



VEGETADLES. 



Artichokes <loz. 



Aspara^ins U'fl 



Boans.Kidni'y ....100 



Beet, Hod do/.. 



Broccoli bunrllo 



Bras. Sprouts ^ fcicvo 



Cabbaf40 doz. 



Capsicums 100 



Carrots bunch 



Caoliflower diiz. 



Celery bundle 



Cucumbers each 



Endive Aoz. 



Fennel buuch 



Garlic lb. 



Herbs bunch 



Horseradish . . bundle 



B. d. 8. d 

 3 0to4 

 7 20 







2 



li 



2 



1 

 



G 



3 



1 (■) 

 1 



1 

 3 

 8 

 8 



2 6 



1 (•> 



2 

 1 (i 

 



8 



« 



2 



2 i; 











n 



Leeks bunch 



Lettuce per score 



Mushrooms pottle 



Mustd.A Cress, puuuet 

 OuiiMis.... perbu?*hel 



Parsley per sieve 



Parsnips doz. 



Potatoes bushel 



Kidney do. 



Radishes doz. bunches 

 Uhulijirb ...... bundle 



Savoys doz. 



Soa-Uale basket 



Shallots lb. 



Spinach bushel 



Tomatoes per doz. 



Turnips bunch 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



••* Wo request that no one will write privatel.y to the depart- 

 mental writers of the "Jonrnal of Horticulture, Cottage 

 Gardener, and Country Gentleman." By so doing they 

 are subjected to unjustifiable trouble and expense. All 

 communications should therefore be addi*essed solely to 

 The Editors of the Journal of Horticulture, c£'C., 171, Fleet 

 Street, London, E.G. 

 We also request that correspondents will not mix upon the 

 same sheet questions relating to Gardening:; and those on 

 Poultry and Bee subjects, if they expect to get them an- 

 swered promptly and conveniently, but write them on 

 separate communications. Also never to send more than 

 two or three questions at once, 

 N.B. — Many questions must remain unanswered until nest 

 week. 

 Books (A. C. A.). — If you enclose 5s. Ad. in postage stamps with yonr 

 address and order "The Fern Manual." and 7^- in postage stamps and 

 order Paul's " Rose Garden,"' you will have them sent to you free by post. 

 (F. G.). — A snpplenicut to the " Cottage Gardener's Dictionaiy" will be 

 published this .-rprinf,', aud will afford the information sought. 



Flower Gapden Plan liT. J.). — We cannot undertake the planting ; 



all that we ever can do is to point out any errors in the planting intended. 



Botanical Arrakgement of Pinus (Rfadir). — Consult Gordon's 



" Pinetum," or any botanical work which includes the Coniferie. We 



cannot find space for mere botanical details. 



Garden Engines (Jf. ilf. H.).— Nothing new: Anyone of those men- 

 tioned iu oui- advertisement columns is good, and you can suit yourself 

 as to price. Any maker will send you a catalogue if you apply for one. 



Artificial Manure tor Potatoes {H. C).— Apply supei-pliosphato 

 of lime and sulphate of magnesia, 4cwt. of the former mixed with ii cwt. 

 of the latter. Sow the mixture over the surface, just_before digging, at 

 planting time. 



LoQUAT Thees in Xew Zealand (C, Torquny). — The old gardener 

 was not so far wrong as ho might have been. The botanical name is 

 Eriobotrya jiiponica. The tree is well Itnowu, and it is not surprising 

 that it ripens its fruit in New Zealand, for it has fruited in Euglaud with 

 very slight protection. 



Polyanthus (T. Mellon).~Snch variations are very common, and 

 render the variety of no value as a. florists' flower. 



Nepeta nkpetos. — " L. C. F." and other correspondents ask if it grows 

 tall, aud where it can be had. We shall be obliged by information about 

 it, for we do not know it by the name of nepetos. 



Double White Hepatica. — " li. F. W." wishes to know where the 

 double White Hepatica and Xepeta nepetos can be purchased. 



Hartley's Rolled Glass (C. B. S.). — The plants will do very well 

 tmder a roof so glazed. Whoever advised you to oil or to paint it knew 

 nothing about what he ventured to advise upon. 



Pelargonilhi Leaf (Mrs. N.).—li is pretty, but many are more beauti- 

 ful. You can enclose a leaf to any of the principal florists who adver- 

 tise in onr columns, and ask their opinion. 



Pine Apples in a Small House (IT. J/. S.).— You will not have room 

 in your 3-feet border for more than one row of fruiting plants, and for 

 the* length of houso you name six plants will be sufficient. In the other 

 bed you may have a row of succession plants and one row of suckers. 

 Fruiting plants might be put iu each bed; but if of any size you could 

 not have succes«ion plants in the same bed. and if the fruiters are 

 small only nursing plants could be placed between them in the bed. 



MoNTSERRAT AND Black JAMAICA PiNE Apples {Tajfuj.—The truo 

 Black Jamaica is the same as the variety also Itnown as the Montserrat, 

 and some still call it Mootserrat to distinguish it from the Brown An- 

 tigua, or New Black Jamaica. The Black Jamaica is thus described: — 

 *' Leaves Ion?, narrow, dark green, tinged with brown, slightly mealy; 

 spines small, thinly set ; flowers purjile ; fruit oval, dark brownish yellow ; 

 pips middle size, flattened in the centre ; flesh very firm, pale yellow, 

 rich, juicy, and highly flavoured. It swells well in wiuter, and is one of 

 the best sorts for winter fruiting, being good at all seasons ; but it is a 

 slow grower."' The description of the Brown Antigua or New Black 

 Jamaica is : — " Leaves l^ng, narrow, light green mottled with dark green ; 

 spines small; fruit pyi.nnidal, very slightly mealy, dark orange; pips 

 middle-sized, prominent ; flesh pale yellow, sweet, rich, and highly fla- 

 voured. It does not swell its fruit in winter nearly so well as the Black 

 Jamaica, and is best for summer fruiting." Some call the Black Janinic;i 

 the MoutseiTat, and the Brown Antigua or New Black Jamaica the Black 

 Jamaica, and others cjll the New Black Jamaica the Montserrat. The 



variety with the flat pips is the Montserrat, or Black Jamaica, and tho 

 variety with prominent pips aud pyramidal fruit is the Now Black 

 Jamaica. Tho '* Cottage Gardener's l5ictiouary " can be had free by post 

 from our ofllce for Ss. Sd. 



Araucaria imbkicata (Wcm).— This makes new (frowths every year; 

 if recently removed It may remain inactive for a season, but as a rule a 

 progressive annual growth is made. 



PniTNiNO Tea-scented Hoses fG. H. ^L).—To have blooms at the end 

 of June from plants grown under glass, these should at once bo pruned. 

 Allow thom a few days' rest, aud then briug them on very slowly at first, 

 giving an abundance of air. 



Treatment of Cyclamens after Flowertng (Ciirolu-).—Th(i plants 

 having been kept under glass should be gradually hardcned-ott', and in 

 May or early in Juno tlioy may be placed out uf diiors in an open situa- 

 tion, but shaded from the midday sun. Tlie pots should be plunged to 

 the rim, and a thin covering of cocoa-nut refuse or leaf mould scattered 

 over thcni, so as just to cover tho rrown. There they may remain until 

 September without water; then pot them, and remove thom to a cold 

 frame, and to a greenhouse before severe frost. Do not dry them oQ" and 

 store them away. It is their destruction. 



Holly not Producing Berries (L. ii.).— Wo are umiUe to accotmt 

 for your large Holly not producing berries. We think digging a trench 

 all round the tree at a distance from the stem' of half its height, and 

 deep enough to reach the roots, which should all be cut, would promote 

 the production of fibres and give you better ripened wood, and the 

 flowers would probably set. The trench should be filled level, the old soil 

 being returned. Now is a good time to do the work. The grafting of a 

 shoot from a berry-bearing tree would not cause the tree to produce 

 berries, but the graft would no doubt do so. You may graft when the 

 large tree is beginning to grow, early in April being a good time. 



Thinning Fruit Blossoms {E. A. S.).— As your trees are very full of 

 blossoms we would advise you to thin these out before they expand. 

 Ilemove the smallest flowers, or rather those likely to be the" smallest, 

 judging from the small size of the buds. There is no fear of your re- 

 moving those that would sot, and if you do leave some that may not set. 

 you will yet have more than enough. It is likely if yon leave all the 

 blossoms that they will not set, or. if they do, the tree will be so weakened 

 that the fruit wiU fall shortly after setting. Thinning the blossoms is 

 a, very desirable practice when the trees are wenk, and the blossoms ex- 

 ceedingly numerous ; otherwise for trees that are vigorous and not exces- 

 sively furnished with bloom, it is not necessary. 



Culture of Maiden-hair Fern (E. M. iT.).— Your Maiden-hair Ferns 

 should have a season of rest at least once a-year, and of not less than 

 three months' duration. We do not mean that the plants are to be kept 

 dry during that time, but in November, December, and January they 

 should have no more water than is necessnrv to keep the soil moist. 

 During that period a temperature of from 5U- to 55- at night is quite 

 sufficient. We are not surprised at their gi-owing weakly, a heat of from 

 (50- to 6.5' during winter is much too warm for nine-tenth-^ of the Ferns in 

 cultivation; from 50'^ to 55^ will be quite sufficient to secure a good 

 gi-owth in spring and summer. We would advise tho cutting-off of the 

 old fronds as soon as you perceive the young fronds are making their 

 appearance, and this being done early there is no dancer of cutting the 

 rising fronds along with the old ones. When at rest the soil should be 

 kept moist, but water will not be required oftener than once a-week in 

 winter. We do not advise cutting away the old fronds immediately they 

 commence turning yellow, but between that time and the recommence- 

 ment of growth. AlFuril a position near the glass, with shade from bright 

 sun, and a moist, moderately warm, but not very close atmosi)here. 



Watering Orchids, Gloxinias, and Achimenes ( Svhscri her). —Orchids 

 should be watered overhead, and at the roots as well if the compost is 

 not kept sufliciently moist by sprinliling overhead. In a gieenhouse no 

 water will be needed in winter beyond a slisht sprinkling every morning 

 if it be necessary to employ tire heat. When Orchids begin to grow 

 water will be.necessary. for keeping the compost moist, but avoid making 

 it excessively so duilng the early stages of tho plants' annual growth, 

 otherwise the young growth is liable to die ofl'. When in full growth 

 water copiously, and the atmosphere cannot be kept too moist ; but give 

 a fair amoULt of air. When they are done growing, gradually leave oflf 

 watering. In dull periods in winter no watering at the roots nor sprink- 

 ling overhead will be necessary ; indeed, you cannot keep them too dry, 

 but do not allow the pseudo-bulbs to shrivel from excessive dryness. 

 Gloxinias and Achimenes should be kept dry in wiuter; and if the pots 

 are placed on the floor of the house, only an occasional sprinkling 

 over the pots will be required to prevent the soil becoming dust dry, in 

 which case the tubers wither, which is bad. In summer, or when grow- 

 ing, the soil should be kept moist, increasing the supply with the gi'owth. 

 When in vigorous gi-owth, and until after flowering, they should be well 

 supplied with water, the soil never becoming so dry as to aS'ect tho 

 foliage. 



Peach Trees Injured [Disgusted). — We consider that the wood of 

 your Peach trees has been destroyed by dressing or syringing with some 

 destructive composition. If the trees have not been dressed with any 

 insect-destroying composition or solution, we should, from the imma- 

 turity of the wood, ascribe the dying of portions of the shoots to gum- 

 ming, for which there is no remedy except planting in better-drained 

 aud poorer compost. We never saw wood worse ripened. Ihe partly 

 green or fresh portion above the decayed wood will not do any good. If 

 the trees are as much decayed in every part as the shoot sent, they will 

 not do any good this year, if ev.er. 



Dale's Conqueror Cucumber (H. R.).~Jt is a first-rate Cucumber, of 

 large size, very handsome, and of good flavour; very desirable for eidii- 

 bition purposes, and for use where a Cucumber is not wanted every day. 

 It does well in a frame, and may be had through auy seedsman. 



Passiflora racemosa purpurea (Walton-on-TItami'ii). — It is a green- 

 house climber, and will not thrive out of doors except in a warm situation 

 and against a south wall, protection being given iu winter. The flowers 

 are a bluish purple tinged with green. 



CLI3IBERS for North ASPECT (Idem). — Nothing would look and suc- 

 ceed so well as Ivy; KcBgner's Ivy having large distinct leaves is very 

 fine. Crataegus pyracantha, which is very b-indsomo on account of its 

 clusters or bunches of red berries iu autumn, would also succeed. 

 Roses wooldnotdo any good, Jasmiuum nudiflorum, flowering in winter 



