March 6, 1873. ] 



JOUENAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



211 



■wall, we wnuUl have filled the space round and over the pipes with stones, 

 clinkerB. or brickbats, lininhiDt: with a layer of clean-washed gravel on which to 

 lay the soil. By the upright drain pipes yon speak of going into the rubble, 

 you could ditipense with evaporatiot'^P^i^s beneath your bi:d. and yet have 

 plenty of moisture. The plan of training the Cucumbers is also gnod, and 

 the stems should be brought up not lesa than 16 inches from the glass, and 

 18 inches apart ; but frequently when we do this, and not to lose time, and 

 yet make as much as possible of the space, besides these main plants wo 

 have other plants in 7-inch pots near the back, from which we cut fruit tiret, 

 and remove them as the others till the space. 



Double Glazino [T. C. S.).—Vie would put the glass of your double- 

 roofed house some few inches apart. The outside sashes should be moveable, 

 so that the inner glass may be cleaned when necessary-. Then we have no 

 fear as to the obstruction of light. We are not prepared to enter into minute 

 details, but we think it would make a difference of from -1" to 10-; whilst the 

 house would be warmer in winter, it would bo a little cooler in summer. 



Throttlk Val\'es {AJpJuf). — "What are caUed throttle valves are generally 

 effective, but even with them, if the water is hot in the pipes, and you only 

 want a httle heat in another place, you must move the valve just a little. 

 The sixteenth of an inch may enable you to do all you want, and if that be 

 too much, give less, or shut it off for a time. We have some connections 

 with 1-inch pipes, and a strong brass tap to turn, but frequently we find that 

 not turning the tap, but just moving it a little, gives us all the heat wo want. 



HoT-WATEU Piping {Bob. S.).— To keep up the heat you want, you will need 

 four pipes ibstead of three, and in the gi'eenhouse part you had better have 

 4 instead of 3-inch pipes. 



Heating b\ a Stove (Old Indian). — We do not think you wiU incur any 

 danger by having your healing apparatus inside of the stove, as at a, pro- 

 vided you prevent all smoke and secure enough of moisture. We should 

 carry the wire outside the buttresses if they do not project beyond the wall 

 more than 3 or 4 inches. 



Flue-heating {Tho^i. Nicol). — We have not the least doubt that your pro- 

 posed plan will answer, and that you will have plenty of heat. See what is 

 said to-day to another correspondent about whitening the sides of the wall 

 that bounds such a trench as your flue is placed in. 



Heating iiv Lamps (Abel). — We do not know the lamp you refer to, but 

 we have seen pai-affin lamps do well iu small places. A little more caie 

 should be taken that the gases from the combustion may be carried out of 

 the house. We should say two good paraffin lamps would be required for 

 your house, 12 feet by 10 feet. We cannot give you a rule as to the point of 

 safety when the lamps may go out. If you had a temperature of 4;")^ the 

 lamps might go out at bed-time in a mild night, but in a cold frosty night 

 they should bura all night. There is something nice in heating with lamps, 

 but in practice we would coutine theii* use to small places. Even in such a 

 place as yours, we believe a small iron stove, with a flat top for an evaporating 

 basin, would be better and cheaper. Like the lamps, that need not be seen 

 from the middle of March to November. We have no doubt that Barr and 

 Sugden's propagating case will answer its purpose. Lately we gave an account 

 of a simple box that could be placed in a window or a greenhouse, and bottom 

 heat given by pouring in hot water in a box beneath the bed for cuttings. 



Tree Onion (Irftfm).— This is much liked by some for pickling. It is the 

 Allium proliferum. The little offsets may be planted in autuion or spring, 

 though old bulbs make the strongest plants. Those planted in September and 

 October will be lit to gather in June and July ; those planted in spring will 

 come in a mouth or two later. They may be planted in rows a foot apart, and 

 2 or 3 inches deep. Some people think they are super- excellent, others care 

 nothing for them. The bulbs that form on the stem must be dried in a 

 shady niace. 



Pipes under Pathways and Borders (Inqub-cr). — We think you should 

 not have above 55'^ to GO^ of heat in the narrow border for Vlunbers. We do 

 not think you will gain much by bricking the bottom of this trench in which 

 the pipes are placed, but it might just tell a little were you to floor it with 

 tiles and keep these tiles white in winter. Slates whitened would answer 

 just as well. In the next place, your chief rehance must be to make the 

 bricks on the side of the chamber non-conductive by well Umewashing them 

 every autumn. They will then thiow the heat into the house, instead of ab- 

 sorbing it and carrying it into the soil. Fourthly, we believe this simple plan 

 will answer best, but if even this should not answer, though we are next to 

 absolutely sure it will do so — then we would put down a thin slate 1^ inch 

 from the back wall next the soil, leaving that width of cavity, and then with 

 mortar or cement and chips make it air-tight at the top. Of course, you 

 understand this cavity is to be between the bricks and the soil. Try lirst 

 the lime or whitewash on the bricks iu the trench in which the pipes aie 

 placed, and let us know the result. We believe you will need nothing else, 

 and will save much fuel besides. The bricks will then reflect instead of 

 absorb heat. That we have proved over and over again. 



Select Gekaniums for Pot Culture (H., Fromf). — Jean Sislcy, Koso 

 Eendatler, Vii-go Marie, Madame Mczard, Clipper, and Gloire de Corbeny. 



Glazing.— In reply to "H. G., Oldham" I do not know of any plan for 

 putting glass in grooves at the ends of plant houses, same as the design iu 

 January 4th, 1872, except to nail ribs on the glass after putting them into 

 their position. If the same plan of horizontal grooves as at the side is con- 

 tinued, it necessitates two or three tiers one above the other at the end, which 

 would practically be inconvenient. I have tried nailing or screwing ribs on 

 after, and it answers fairly well so long as the ribs are not too light. A pro- 

 jection must be made in the sashbar the thickness of the glass. I am more 

 than ever an advocate for little or no putty.— C. P. P. 



Pruning P\"ramid Apple Trees {G. Stevens). — The trees should not 

 have been cut-in quite so closely last season; close cuttiug-in in winter in- 

 vai-iably produces an abundance of unfruitful young shoots. Were you to 

 prune-in closely again you would aggravate the evil you wish to avoid. Prune 

 the trees at once into the jjyramid form. On some of them the young wood 

 will be more thickly placed than it is on others ; the shoots nearest the base 

 of these should be cut back to two-thirds of their length, gradually cutting-iu 

 closer as you near the apex of the tree so as to insure the pyramid form. The 

 trees that have fewer branches should be cut-in rather more closely. We 

 also advise you to practise summer pruning, which is the best method of in- 

 ducing fruitfulness. 



Painting Fruit Walls to Prevent Insects {A Regular Subscriber). — 

 We have not seen paraffin used for this pm-pose, but we think it would have 

 some effect. We advise you to try it on a portion of the wall lirst, and watch 

 the result, comparing it with the portion that was not done in the same 

 manner. 



Thinning Peach-Tree Blossosis (Bloomer). — Allowing all the blossoms 

 to open will not have any injurious effect on the trees. Wo thin the fruit &t^ 

 soon as it is fairly set, but we make two more thinnings afterwards; the last 

 thinning should take place at the commencement of stoning. Allowing too 

 many fruits to ripen on the trees exhausts them. 



Pruning Fruit Trees (W. W. G.).— We prefer to have aU our fruit trees 

 pruned before Christmas, excepting Peach trees, which may be pruned in 

 March. The other trees you name should be pruned at once, lea\'ing the 

 Peaches to the last. 



Gros Colman Grape for Forcing (J. A. W.). — This is an excellent lata- 

 keeping Grape, and like all of that class it is not desirable to force it. We 

 have, however, seen examples of it colom-ed jet black early in July. There is- 

 no Black Grape at all equal to Black Hamburgh for eaily forcing. Should 

 you still desire a plant of Gros Colman, it ought to have the warmest end ol 

 the house. 



Starting Vine (A'i(/iV).— There would be no gain by starting your Vines 

 artificially in a house not intended to be heated subsequently. 



Names of Plant.s (7. W. C.).— We cannot name plants from their leaves 

 only. (J. F. S. ). — Pittosporum Tobira, an evergi-een shrub. It is propai^ated by 

 cuttings of the shoots in. sand, under a bell-glass, in April, and kept iu a close 

 frame, without bottom-heat ; sandy, fibry loam and a fev/ nodules of fibrj* 

 peat. Winter temperature, 38'' to 48= ; summer, 60^ to 70-. It has delight- 

 fully-scented flowers, and has stood against walls, in the climate of London, 

 with alittle protection. (0. 0.).— Clianthus DampieriandAdiantumtenerum. 

 (J. Proffit and others). — We have repeatetUy stated we cannot name plants 

 from leaves only. (Young Ganlener). — Acacia (Albizzia) lophantha. (F. iV. H.). 

 — 1, Thyrsacanthus Schomburgkianus ; 2, Indeterminable. (J. E.). — 1, Dick- 

 sonia authriscifolia (Mauritius); 2, Probably a Nephrodium, but immatui-e. 

 {A. E. A.). — Named Fern currect. Unnamed one perhaps Lumaria discolor,, 

 but too young. {Jan. Luck). — Pteris longiiolia and Davallia (toxoacapheii 

 gibberosa. 



POULTRY, BEE, AND PIGEON CHEOMOLE. 



TO ALL TO WHOM these PBESENTS SHALL COME, 

 AN EXHIBITION COCHIN SENDS GKEETING. 

 I'm not going to give a history of my life, which began in one 

 of the midland counties of England in the year 1871, but will 

 just state, that I became the property of my present owner, after 

 passing through two or three other hands, before the close of 

 that year. My master is a very humane and generous man (that 

 is as far as my wife and myself are concerned), although when he 

 purchased us I thought him very stingy, as I heard him say to 

 my former owner. What a large sum of money ten guineas to 

 give for two fowls ! We were brought by him to a small town, 

 in the south, and well cared for. I might write a great deal 

 about the care, &c., but that is not the object of my writing, so 

 I will at once enter on the subject of my, or, as I may say, of our 

 grievance. 

 I remember our master one day saying, as he looked admiringly 



on las, " They're two very beautiful birds, I'll send them to 



exhibition and see if they'll (meaning the judges of coui'se) give 

 them a prize." So, soon after, we had a great change in our fare 

 and care, for all the delicacies that coiild be found or bought 

 were obtained for us, and to use a common phrase we lived like 

 fighting cocks, and a great improvement was made in my wife 

 and myself. After a few days of this superior living, and the 

 night before we were sent off to the show, we had sucli a wash- 

 ing of face, comb, wattles, feet, boots, &o., and such brushing 

 and smoothing of plumage as we never experienced before, and 

 then we were placed on some of the very cleanest straw so that 

 we might not be soiled in getting dry. As soon as we were 

 alone I said to my wife, " Now, old dame, if we are to win a prize 

 at this show we must put on our very best appearance and com- 

 plete what our master has begun, and jjlume ourselves as beauti- 

 fully as we possibly can." Well, we set to work at once, kept 

 on for most of the night, and I'm sure when I looked at my wife 

 in the morning I thought she never looked half so lovely before, 

 and I could not help giving just two or three turns round with 

 my wing on my heel iu admiration of her. I felt very proud of 

 myself too, thought I looked quite grand, and was sure that if 

 there should be a cup in competition we must win it. Well, the 

 next thing for us was to be put in a capital hamper lined with 

 cloth, and straw at the bottom as cosy and comfortable as 

 possible, and then delivered to the carter of the railway company 



for transmission, as labelled "Live birds, with care. Mr. Hon. 



Sec. Exhibition." I remembered hearing my master say 



to the rough fellow that took hold of our basket as though it con- 

 tained nothing of value, and swung it round so suddenly that we 

 were both thrown down, " Mind what you're about, there's two 

 very valuable fowls iu that basket." " Oh I'll take care on 'em, 

 sir," said he as ^N'ith another swing that sent me back on my 

 tail, he Hung us in his waggon and soon drove us ofi for the 

 station. As we were rattled along I tried to stand up and just take 

 a look at myself, and oh, my poor tail and wings and all my 

 plumage were in dreadful disorder. My wife was so fat and 

 heavy ihat she could not stand up, but I could see she was 

 suffering severly from the cruel shaking of the careless carter. 

 We stopped two or three times on the road to receive additions 

 to our load, and among other things several baskets of poults for 

 the same exhibition as oui'selves. 



