230 



JOURNAL OP HORTIOTJLTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENliR. 



[ March 13, ISTH. 



those remaiuiug plenty of water, and little or none to those 

 Jinished. Erouj^ht some Euphorbia jaccjniniictiora into heat a 

 second time, as from these, thoufjh the wreaths will be small, the 

 sprijid of bright flowers will be useful for cutting. Watered 

 carefully according to the weather ; and as the air is moist, kept 

 plant houses dry rather than flopped with water. — R. F. 



TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 



James Dickson iV Sous, iU8, Eastgate Street, and Newton 

 Nurseries, Chester. — Catalotjito vf Farni ticech. Iinplcinentii, 



Harrison A; Sons, Leicester. — Seed Catalofjuc^ with Hints on 

 CU'ltivdiion. 



Alfred Legertou, 5, Aldgato, London, E. — Trade Cataluguc of 

 Garden, AfjriciUtural, and Flower Sccda. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



\* We reijucot that no one will wiite privately to any cf the 

 correspondents of the " Journal of Horticulture, Cottage 

 Gaidener, and Country Gentleman." By so doing they 

 are subjected to unjustifiable trouble and expense. All 

 communications should therefore bo addressed solchj to 

 The Editors of the Journal of Horticulture, d'C, 111, Fleet 

 Street, Loudon, E.G. 



We also request that correspondents will not mis up ou the 

 same sheet quostions relating to Gardening and tho.se on 

 Poultry and Bee subjects, if they expect to get them 

 answered promptly and conveniently, but write them ou 

 separate communications. Also never to scud more tluin 

 two or three questions at once. 



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

 week. 



IsTEKNATniNAL KxiiiiuTioN (E. S.).— Aiiply by letter to the Secretary, 

 Kcnsmgtou Goi c. 



Male Auclvba fA'(7/(c}.— You are right. The plaut bearing berries is a 

 female plaut. Apply foi- a male plaut to auy of tlie priucipal uiuKOi^incn who 

 alvcrtise ia our coluraus. 



PvitAMiD EosE TitEK (.fl itcnritT).— It should be trained from one stem. 



Rhododendrons (D. W. (;.).— Any of the niu-serymeu who ai)ecially ad- 

 vertiue them in this Journal can supply you. 



Hollyhock Flowering same Season as Sown {A. A. .1/.).— The plants 

 frjm seed sown at tliis season will uot llower tliis year, or not until vciy late, 

 and they will uot l>c at all in rhai-actcr. Sow the seed now in t-hallow pans, 

 aad place them iu a youtle heat, as that of a hotbed. The seedlings will, 

 li-)wever, tluive in a greenhouse. When they can be handled easily prick 

 off the seedlings iu pans or boxes, about 3 inclics apart, and keep them iu the 

 greenhouse or a cold frame, plautlng-out 2 feet apart in good rich soil in au 

 open situation, but sheltered from cold and high winds. When they flower 

 mirk the best, thou cut them down, and plant where they are to flower 

 another season. Those with a single or badly-formed Uowcr throw away. 



CnTTiNG-PowN Passion-Flower (Ifkm).— It is good practice to cut-back 

 th; Passiou-Flower if it has become bare of shoots at the bottom, otherwise it 

 will be suiticieut to cut the side shoots where too thick, to within two eyes 

 of the main stems. We should not repot the plant until it had made shoots 

 a few inches long, then reduce the ball considerably, and pot iu the same size 

 of pot. 



Tuor-LOLVM TRiooLonuM TrPER Suootless (0. ('.).— AVe think, as the 

 shoot was nibbed-off two years ago, a fresh one will not now be produced. W'e 

 bhould keep it another year, and if it do not form a new shoot by next Sep- 

 tember throw it away. It is remarkable it should keep so long sound without 

 making fresh growth. 



PoiNSETTiAs AFTER FLOWERING (A Bt'f] inner). — Keep the plants di-y until 

 the end of this month, then cut-back each growth of last year to within half 

 an inch of its base, or to two eyes. Keep the plants rather di-y until the 

 f fesh shoots are 3 inches long, then turn the plants out of the pots, remove 

 all the suil coming away freely from tlic roots, and repot in the same size of 

 pit, using a compost of two parts light librous loam, oue part each sandy 

 psat and leaf soil, and a sLtth of silver saud. Stopping the shoots may be 

 practised, but not after July. 



Double Piumulas after Flowering (Jf^m).— Continue them iu the 

 greenhouse up Iu May, aud then they may be placed in a cold pit or frame, 

 aad kept there thi'oughout the suiumcr, housing in September. You may 

 divide thorn next month or early iu May, repotting the plants then, and again 

 in August. 



Aralia japonica— Double Geranium Leaves Browned (A Constant 

 Su/jNcrlfxr).— The leaf yon sent is that of Aralia japonica, a half-har-dy shrub, 

 requiriug protection iu a cooi gi'cenhouse iu wiuter. In summer it may I'u 

 placed out of doors. It succeeds well in a eompust of two parts fibrous loam 

 aad one part each leaf soil and sandy peat. The double Geranium leaves ^ou 

 sent us ai-e sutleriug from what is knowu to gaideners as the " spot," which 

 iu your case arises from a check owing to exposure to a cold cunent of ail". 

 The roots, we should say, are not very active, llepot the plaut and afford a 

 more imiformly moist atjuosphere, with moderate air-giving in such weather 

 as we have lately experieirced. The leaves will improve as the season 

 advances. 



Conservatory Dodder CoMi'ObT (J. /f.).— The plants you name requirt; 

 somewhat different composts. Could you not divide the border into compai't- 

 meuts, and so give each plaut the soil required ? A difference of treatment 

 is quite as much requii'ed iu resjiect to watering as iu soil. The dividing 

 walls need not be more than -ir} inches thick, aud for neatness may have a 

 dressed stone coping with the edges chamfered. Yom- tonoreto anangement 

 is good, also druujs, but they f^hould be covered with not k.-s than (i inches of 

 vubbie for drainage, and the soil should not be less than 2 feet dtep. We 



should have it '2 feet inches deep. The Araucarias require good friable loam, 

 neither strong nor light, and if turf be used it must bo chopped up. Vuu 

 may add one-fomth of leaf soil. This will also suit the Musas. but we shuuld 

 add to it oue pai-t of well-rottcd manure to four of the loam, a sixth part of 

 half-inch bones, and a sixth of sharp sand well mixed. The Camellias shpuld 

 have a border formed of the top inch of a pasture pai-ed off where the soil is 

 sandy, aud there should be added to it one-fourth of leaf soil aud a hke pro- 

 liortionof fibrous sandy peat, with a sixth of sharp sand, the whole chopped 

 op and well mixed. This will also grow Acacias aud Dougainvilleas. GrevUlens 

 should have equal par-ts of peat aud sandy luam, with a si\th part of sand 

 1 and an eighth of charcoal in Imups between the sizes of iicas and walnuts. 

 Draciiuas will do in the soil advised for ramellias, also Aralia aud Kiciuus, 

 aud the Palms in the compost named for Carcellias. increasing the proportion 

 of the peat to that of the loam. The Alsophila should have a compost of 

 two parts fibrous sandy peat, one par't fibrous loam, half a part leaf soil, aud 

 a sixth of sand. Of those you name, all will succeed iu a conservatory k«jpt at 

 a temperature in winter of 40-' to ■io\ whicli they requuo. Exceptions are 

 Musa Cavcndishii, Alsophila contaminans, Calamus, and Latania borbouica — 

 these requu-e a stove. 



Wiiu;worms (T. //.).— You arc entirely in eiTor in concluding that wirx- 

 worms feed only on decayed or decaying matter. They feed on the live roots 

 of plants — for instance, those of the Pink, I'lmsy, Carnation, and Lettuce; 

 but we have no evidence of thoii' feeding on the roots of ligneous plants. Wo 

 have known nearly ever*y plaut of Lettuce destroyed by wucworms ou a newly 

 formed Peach border, and yet the Peach-tree roots were not interfered with, 

 at least the Peach trees succeeded admirably. Like remarks apply to Vinos. 

 We have known Vine borders formed of turf much infested with wireworra, 

 yet the A'iues did uot experience any injury, and we do not think any evil will 

 result in yom' case. We also thiuk you mistake in attributing the wireworius 

 to the dung applied to the border as a dressing. The wiroworms, we should 

 consider, had escaped from the soil of the border : towards spring they come 

 very near the surface. We would cut some Carrots into pieces about 2 inches 

 long, and place them in holes about 3 inches below the siu-face, a pointed 

 stick being thrust into each i)icce, and the pieces of CaiTot examined every 

 day for a week, then evtry alternate day. If this be persisied in, and the baits 

 replaced in the soil after each examination, you will soon thin their numbers. 

 Kencw the baits when necessary. 



Grapes for Cool Conservatory (A'.). — There is no black Gmito equal to 

 the Dlaek IIarabm*gh for a cool conservatory, aud if you wish t,u grow the 

 Grapes for profit we would plaut it all with that variety. Black Prince would 

 do for variety ; aud the most cci-tain to succeed amongst white sorts is the 

 Eoyal Muscadine. 



Stuawherry Plants in Vinery lldcm). — It is not desirable very early 

 iu the season to take Strawberry pots all at ouce from a cool house into a 

 night temperature of 6U . The night temperature should not be above -15- or 

 5U'-"' at first, but may be gradually increased to 60^ in the course of three weeks. 

 So late as the second week in March they might be placed in a terapoi-aturo 

 of 6U without injuring the plants, but in all probability they will be infested 

 with red spider before the fruit is ripe. 



PEAfu Tree not Sktting its Dlossom {7'^/^).— Dryness at the roofs, 

 or a close humid atmosphere, would cause the blossom to (hop without setting 

 When Peach titles aie in (lower the atmosphere of the house should be kept 

 rather div. Ventilate freely by day, admit a little air at the ventilators all 

 night, aud iu dull cold weather apply artificial heat to the house. 



Tesipeuati-re in Greenhouse {Hern). — For a greenhouse the tempera- 

 ture at uight at this season should be 45^, on cold nights it may fall to 4U 

 From fire heat the temperature day and night should not exceed 5U\ The 

 nearer it is kept to 45- the more suitable it will be for flowering plants. It is 

 not possible to tell how often plants should be watered. They should be 

 examined every day, those with the soil iby should be watered before the 

 leaves flag. Plants in llower will need watering every day, but if the weather 

 is dull they will only need watering every second or thud day. 



Cii.UiroAL FOR iPiNKS ^^[. E. H.).—U is excellent for Pinks if brukeu-up 

 rather small imd mixed with the soil either for planting in the open ground 

 or potting. It may be given advantageously to plants already planted out, 

 covcriug the ground about the plants half an iuch thick, aud poiuting-in 

 with a fork. It njnyaJsobe spread on the gi'ound before planting, iiointed- 

 in with a fork, and mixed well with the soil. Charcoal is a good maum-e, 

 and is useful as a preventive to the attacks of gi-ubs. 



BRUuniANSiA CoairosT {H. B. 1'.).— Use two parts of light fibrous loam» 

 one part loaf soil, half a part thoroughly- decayed manure, and a sixth part of 

 shai'p sand. Drain the pois well, and repot the plants now, removing most 

 of the old soil, and when the shoots are a few inches long shift into a larger- 

 sized pot. Water abundantly after the flowers show, and at every alternate 

 watering use 1 o/,. of guano to a gallon of water. Assign the plants a light 

 and airy position iu a greenhoube, and sj-ringe frequently to keep down red 

 spider. 



Snow Sheltering MhhiV).— There is no difficulty in accounting for snow 

 keeping plants from excessive cold. It prevents heat radiatiug fi-oin them, 

 protects tbem from the chilling blasts, aud is one of the wor.st conductors 

 of heat. We have never known the surface of the earth below a covering of 

 snow colder than il2-\ even when the temperature of the air above has been 

 2b. So well known is the fact that the poets have recorded it. Thus oue 

 says, opostrophisiug the snow — 



" Every patch of bare brown mould. 

 Every stone lies under your fold, 

 And all the flowers you carefuUy hold 

 Hidden away from the winter's cold." 

 Peach BLossorts Falling (B. (?.).— The blooms of the Peach trees were 

 too withered to enable us to give a confident opiuiou, but we tliink with yuu 

 there is something abnormal in their aiipeaiancc. being so small at their 

 base. We can only hint that the heavy crop the tree bore last year", or an 

 excess of or too little moisture at the roots, may be the cause of tlie falling of 

 the blooms of one tree whilst the other stands so well. Three years ago we 

 had a small tree that showed similar- symptoms, aud everything seemed right 

 so foi- as the surface was concerned, but ou digging down with a jjointed stick 

 we ftjund the soil and roots were dry M inches beneath the smface. A marshy 

 soil holding water woirld have a similiu- effect in the dull weather we have 

 had. 1 hese, however, arc merely hints, for we really know not the cause in 

 your case. 



Manetti Stocks (HfrfifrO.— The Manetti stocks you have had sent you 

 we should plant 1 foot apart in rows 2 feet from each other. We should plant 

 thtm Qb dttjily as they were befoie, tsumining thtm for suckers before plant- 



