February 13, 1873. J 



JOURNAL 0:e HOBTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



140 



culties about their furnaces may obtain relief by attending to 

 one or more of these simple matters. — K. F. 



TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 



S. Dixon A; Co., 48a, Moorgate Street, London, E.G. — Select 

 Xiist of Vegetable and Flower Seeds, d-e. 



Downie, Laird, tt Laing, StansteadPark, Forest Hill, London, 

 S.E., and 17, South Frederick Street, Edinburgh. — Descriptive 

 Catalotjue of Garden^ Flower^ and Agricultural Seeds, Imple- 

 tiicnts, d'c. 



John Harrison, Darlington. — Descriptive Catalogue of Fruit 

 Trees, Hardy Ornamental Trees, and Shrubs. — Descriptive 

 Catalogue of Jtoses and Hollyhocks. — Descriptive Catalogue of 

 Vegetable aiid Flower Seeds, Bedding Plants, dc. — Trade 

 List of ConiferSj Ornamental Trees, Shrubs, Fruit Trees, d-c. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



*,' We request that no one will writo privately to any of the 

 correspondents of the '* Journal of Horticulture, Cottage 

 Gardener, and Country Gentleman." By so doing they 

 are subjected to unjustifiable troublo and expense. All 

 commuuications should therefore be addressed solely to 

 The Editors of the Journal of Horticulture, dc, 111, Fleet 

 Street, London, E.C. 



We also request that correspondants will not mix up on the 

 same bheet questions relating to Gardening and those ou 

 Poultry and Bee subjects, if they expect to get them 

 answered promptly and couTenieutly, but write them ou 

 separate communications. Also nOYar to send mora than 

 two or three questions at once. 



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

 week. 



Gardeners' Teab-Book (Sfnex). — We are greatly obliged to you for calling 

 attention to the errors ; where there is BUuh a mass of figures it is not easy 

 to avoid them, and it is only when practical use is made of the tablei that such 

 errors are discovered. We shall see about the other matters. 



Back Nuhuers (A Constant Subtcriber). — You can have the two nambera 

 you name. 



Ivy [E. and J, P.). — We have seen the Tariety before, and have spoken of it 

 a9 the Copper-coloured Irish Ivy. 



LiNNBAK SociBTY (G. Jamet). — The entry in the almanack you mention is 

 the hour at which the Society meets. It is purely for natural history. Put 

 gold fish iu the aquarium. No Fern would grow in the water ; yuu must 

 place aquatic plants there. Write questions fur our different departments on 

 separate pnpers. 



DisEASBD Larch {R. J. S.). — The specimen sent is severely cankered, pro- 

 bably cauaed by the soil. 



Meadow Lakd Injured by too Frequent Mowing {Sussex). — Do not 

 sow "hay-seed," for it is mingled with heeds of weeds. Buy a miiture of 

 (,Tas8 seeds of seedsmen who advert ise iu our columns. Tell them the nature 

 of the eoil, and they will send you the most suitable species. Sow early in 

 the next mouth, and bush-harrow. 



Orchidb roa Sale (An Old Subtariber). — Adrertise them, stating names 

 and prices. 



Leek Seed (Inquirer). — Wg know of no other mode of selling it than 

 offering it to Eome of the wholesale seedsmen. We know nothing of the 

 wholesale price. 



Overs HA DO wing Treb (W. O. D.). — An action on the case is maintainable 

 againet the owner of a tree the branches of which injuriously overhaug a 

 neighbour's ground; but there are various circumstances to be known before 

 that course could be advised. Consult your solicitor. 



WoRMcASTS OH Lawn (Catoj-). — Water the lawn once tt-week with lime 

 water. 



Crowpoot (B. Jf.).— The Crowfoot is more likely to "smother" the Cab- 

 bages than the Cabbages to smother the Crowfoot. The roots of the latter 

 should have beeu forked out of the soil. 



Erecting a Greemhouse (Z. A.). — We cannot recommend any builder- 

 Wiite to some of those who advertise in our columns, and teU them exactly 

 what you require. 



Rainfall in Cumberland. — In the quotation of Mr. Fletcher's remarks 

 at page 1:^4 respecting the rainfall on the Stye, for "nearly 25 inches" read 

 " nearly 225 inches." 



Khamnus Franoula. — " I am anxious to pleuit some quantity of Rhamnng 

 Frangula, Berry-bearing Alder. This is said by Loudon to be preferred bj 

 raakeiK of gunpowder to all other charcoal. I have ordered it of two nursery- 

 men, but without success. It is, I believe, very common in Germany, but I 

 am (|uite at a loss where to procure plants. — J. P., of York." 



[\N'e shall be obHged by any correspondent replying to this.] 



Fig Tree Blossom (A Toung Beginner). — The blossom is insido the 

 fruit. 



Cyclamen tersiccm Failing (W. S. W.). — We are unable to account for 

 the failure of the Cyclamen; probably it has been kept too wet and cold. 

 With flower-buds and abundance of leaves showing, the plant must have 

 received a sudden and severe check to have cauticd nearly all the buds and 

 leaves to go off. Probably the soil is unsuitable, or the watering has been 

 given directly on the crown of the corm, causing the leaves aud buds to 

 die-off at the surface of the soil. The temperature in winter for plants ad- 

 vanced for bloom shi>uld be 45- at night, and r»0"- by day. The failure of the 

 Azalea we should attribute to the soil, which is wholly unsuitable ; and we 

 fear you water, or pour the water in watexing, on the neck or coUoi- of the 



plant, which, from being kept constantly wet, causes it to decay. The peat 

 should be taken from high ground, not from a low boggy place. 



Propagating Azaleas (M. B.). — They are increased by cuttings, taking 

 off the young shoots when 3 or 4 inches long. Cut below a juiut, remove tho 

 lower leaves from two-thirds the length of the cuttings, aud insert in pots 

 rather thickly up to the leaves, the pots being well drained, and fdled to 

 within an inch of the rim ■with sandy peat, and to the rim with silver sand. 

 Water gently, and set them in a house with a temperature of 6U^ to 65^, shad- 

 ing from sun, and keeping moist. The cuttings should be covered with a 

 hand-glasj made to lit within tho rim of the pot, or the jjot may be inserted 

 in one of larger size, filling up tho inter^'al with moss, siu-facing with silver 

 sand, on which the bell-glass is to rest. When the cuttings are rooted remove 

 them to a cooler house or greenhouse, take off the bell-glasses every night, 

 replacing in the day, aud after a fortnight of this they may be potted-off 

 singly in 3-inch pots, placed iu a framo and kept close, and shaded until 

 they aie established, thou harden them off, and remove them to the green- 

 house. 



Hyacinths after Flowering (7(ifm).— Place them in a cold frame, and 

 when the weather becomes more mild plant them out-doors with the balla 

 entire. They are not worth forcing a second year, but in the borders they 

 flower in spring, and are useful for cutting from. 



Hardy Ridgk Melon Treatment (Idem). — Sow the seeds about the 

 middle of April, place in a hotbed, and when the plants are showing tho 

 rough leaf pot off singly in 4-inch pots. When they have two rough leaves 

 take out the point of the shouts, and harden off, planting out about the middle 

 of May on hills in a worm sunny eipOBuro. Take out a hole or trench about 

 2 feet wide, and a spade deep, and place in this IH inches deep of hot ferment- 

 ing materials, and ou this the soil token from the trench 10 inches deep, 

 forming into hills slightly raised at every 3 feet, and cover with a hand-glass. 

 When the soil is warmed put out a plant on each hill, and after watering 

 gently, cover with the boll-glass. The li[,'hts will need to be tilted a few 

 inches on tho sunny side when the days are bright, closing at night. When 

 the plants are advanced so that tho shoots reaoh the sides of the hand-lights, 

 rai-e the latter by bricks placed under the corners, to allow *f the shoots 

 running outside, and after the end of June the hand-glasso3 may be removed 

 altogether. Water copiously in dry weather. Achapesnorrischer is probably 

 the best hardy ridge kind of Melon. 



Grafting Camellias and Koses (Idem). — Tho best time to graft Camel- 

 lias is September or tho early part of February, covering them, after grafting, 

 with a haud-glass. The plants should be placed on ashes on a firm bottom, 

 aud the lights should be brushed over with a thin size of whitening and 

 milk. Keep on the hghts until they begin to grow, then remove them gradu- 

 ally. Tongue- grafting is the most suitable, using grafting-wax in place of 

 clay. The present is the best time to graft Roses. The stocks, after having 

 been estabhshed in pots a-year, should be brought in-doors and grafted, using 

 the cuttings of wood of last year. It is sufticieut if the grafts have two eyei. 

 Graft about an inch above the soU, and place the worked plants in a house 

 with a temperature of 50' to 55-. Side-gi'aftiug without the tongue is most 

 suitable. Keep close and moist, and they will grow away freely. Use graft- 

 ing-was, and cotton for binding. Harden well oS when tliey have grown from 

 4 to 6 inches. 



Pruning Peach Trees in Cool Housh (H. H.). — Peach trees in a oool 

 house may now be pruned though pushing. It will not do the trees the least 

 injury, either on the score of bleeding or from the cuts. Peach trees do not 

 bleed like Vines when late-pruned. 



Bbgonias Failing (S. Z>. A.). — We should say the plants are old and 

 weak, the soil in a sour state, and the roots very unhealthy. We should give 

 them more heat, and repot them, removing most of the old soil, and the old 

 shoots if there ore any fresh ones coming from the base. The plants may 

 flower iu the early part of summer, but in April we should put in cuttings of 

 the strong young shoots, which will soon strike root in a gentle bottom heat, 

 or in a Cucumber frame; and if their growth be encomrayed throughout the 

 summer, they will make very much finer plants fur winter- flowering than the 

 old plants, which after a year's flowering ought not tube kept. The tempera- 

 ture you name is too low for their growing aiid flowering in winter. The 

 temperature at night shotild be 50° to 55'^, and 60'^ to 65° by day j, with a rise 

 from sun heat with air. 



Conservatory Plakts Injured {A Constant Reader). — There mnst har© 

 been something more than ordinary oil paiut used for the connervatory, or ifc 

 would not have done the mischief you describe. We have had houses painted 

 both tho colours you name, and have not experienced any injury to the plants. 

 Perhaps the plants were put in the house before the paint was thoroughly 

 dried. Had this not beeu the case, and air beeu given day aud night, we do 

 not think the plants would have suffered; but there may have been some 

 ingredient used in the paint causing the mischief you complain of. We are 

 unable to throw any light on the subject, and wa do not think you mended 

 matters by placing vinegar in saucers. 



Melon Bed Lining {J. H. B.). — In lining the Melon bed it is not neceE* 

 Bory to remove any part of the old dung of the bed, but place the lining on the 

 old materials, which wiil settle, and this, along with raising the frame, will give 

 you sufijcient space for linings. Bring the dung up level with the under side 

 of the lights, but so that thty can be moved freely up or down. You will need 

 to line front, back, and both ends of the bed. 



Celery Prickikg-out {Idem). — The Celery may be sown at the end of 

 February, or early in March. The latter period is to be preferred if you only 

 make one sowing. Place the pans in a gentle heat, as that of a hotbed, and 

 encourage growth in a house, keeping the seedhngs near the glass to prevent 

 their becoming diawn-up. They should be hardened off after they show one 

 rough leaf, by placing them out of doura in the day, and in a frame or house 

 at night ; and after about a fortnight of this treatment they will be showing 

 the second rough leaf, and be lit to prick-out early in May on a warm south 

 border, the ground being mado rich and light with well-rotted mauure or leaf 

 soil, or both. After pricking-out, tho bed will need to be kept well watered, 

 aud shaded from sun by mats on sticks hooped over the bed, giving the same 

 prutectiou at night if frosty. When the plants are growing freely, withdraw 

 the mats, using them only as shade from sun until they are established, or to 

 protect from frost at night, at other times exposing fully. 



Weight of 21-nz. Glass (John Smith).— Vslxy not weifih several feet of 

 21-oz. glass and take tho average of the nctt wei:-;ht '.' You could easily get, 

 and we could easily give, the weight of 2000 times 21-oz., but that would not 

 be the exact weight of the glass unless it were veiy much alike. We have 

 found 21-oz. glass in some cases fully 22 ounces, whilst we have found some 

 nut more than 19 ounces. The best samples will be the most uniform, but 

 the best will not always average 21 ounces. 



