24S 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AKD COTTAGE GARDENES. 



{ karcb 20, I8?d. 



Camellias swelling buds and blooming require free watering. 

 Those which have finished blooming require but little water 

 until the young shoots are coming away. If after this the plants 

 can have a little shade and a temperature of from 60° to G5^ 

 until the wood is made and the buds set, the blooming will 

 come early the following season, for this early period is that in 

 which Camellias stand forciug, and not when we wish the 

 buds to expand. Plants in fair-sized pots will stand several 

 years without repotting if there be once or twice a-year a rich 

 surfacing; but when potting is deemed necessary, perhaps the 

 best time is just when the fresh growth is takingplace, provided 

 extra heat and shade can be afforded them, otherwise we should 

 prefer potting after the growth is made and the buds set. We 

 have often tried both plans, but preferred the first when we 

 could give the desired conditions. 



FucJisias. — Repotted some in smaller pots, and generally after 

 removing most of the old soil. Of plants that were just break- 

 ing, and with soil and roots rather dry, we dipped the roots for 

 a few minutes iu a tub of water at about 65°. The swelling the 

 roots with moisture ia such cases is better thanmixch watering 

 before there is free growth. Cuttings put in now in a hotbed 

 strike quickly. 



Cinerarias require plenty of water, and the cooler the base 

 can be kept the more free will they be from insects. The same 

 may be said of Calceolarias. The large-flowering kinds should 

 now be put in their blooming pots. Primulas should be also 

 well watered, keeping the water from the collar of the plant. 

 We repotted the most forward Pelargoniums, and tried to give 

 them more room. Scarlets, single and double, placed in rather 

 large pots and rich compost, will make striking objects in sum- 

 mer. Potted Gloxinias, and looked over Caladiums preparatory 

 to placing them in fresh soil. They do not keep well, even if 

 di-yish, in a temperature under from 55'^ to G0°. — R. F. 



TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 



J. Backhouse & Son, York. — Catalogue of Alxjine Plants 

 and Hardy Perennials. 



J. Carter, Dunnett, it Beale, 237 and 238, High Holborn, Lon- 

 don, W.C. — Carter's Fanners' Calendar, 



S. Shepperson, Prospect House, Belper. — Descriptive List of 

 Florists' Flowers, Greenhouse Plants, Bedding Plants, tOc. 



Drummond Brothers, 52, George Street, Edinburgh. — List of 

 Agricultural Seeds, 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



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

 correspondents of the " Journal of Horticulture, Cottage 

 Gardener, and Country Gentleman." By so doing they 

 are subjected to unjustifiable trouble and expense. AU 

 communications should therefore be addressed solely to 

 The Editors of the Journal of Horticulture^ c^c, lUtFleet 

 Street^ London^ E.G. 

 Books (.-i Siihscriher).^k manual on greenhouse plants is preparing and 

 will suit you. 



Boiler for WEED-KiLLiNa. — ^ Sti&scrifter wishes to be informed where 

 he can procure a machme for destroying weeds on walks like that used at 

 Trantham, which distributes boiling brine over them. 



Planting Potatoes [An Amateur).— Thero is no "vital objection" to 

 growing Potatoes on the same plot two years successively. On a fertile light 

 soil we have grown them for eight or ten following years. Such a case is 

 exceptional, and it is usually better to let the Potato follow some other crop. 

 Bone duat may very advantageously be dug into the soil at planting time. 



CuLVERKEVs (K ij. S.).— We have searched, vainly searched, to identify the 

 plant known in the seveuteenth century by the name of " Cnlverkeya." 

 Walton iu his "Angler" mentions it, but it is in a quotation from a con- 

 temporary poet. Although in one etlition Walton calls that poet " Davors," 

 yet it is certain this is a mistake ; the author was " John Dennys, Esq.," and 

 the book is entered in his name in the books of the Stationers' Company 

 under the date " 11312, 23- Mai-ti." The lines are as follows, literatim : — 

 " Let them that list these pastimes then puisue, 

 And on their pleasing fancies feed their fill; 

 So I the fields and meadows green may ^iew, 



And by the rivers fresh may walk at will 

 Among the Dazies aud the Violets blew : 



Red Hyacinth, aud yellow Daffodil, 

 Piu^le Narcissus, like the morning rayes, 

 Pale Gondei'glas, and azor Culverkayes." 

 Does anyone of our readers know a county where a plant is known as " Cul- 

 verkeys ?" 



Small Cabbage (fl. S. S.). — AU the Cabbages grown for the usual supply 

 of the London maikets are of the common Battersea variety. Their size 

 depends on the time of the seed being sown, and of the Cabbages being cut. 

 For autumn and early winter u.^e the seed ia sown in the spring of the same 

 year. If you wish for an especially sweet and email Cabbage cultivate either 

 the Nonpareil or the Little PL\ie. 



WooDRN r. InoN-FRAMED HousES (A Su-bacriber). — The only advantage 

 of iron-framed houses over wooden-framed is that they are neater in appear- 

 ance. Wooden-framed houses ai'e less easily cooled, and are less Uable to 

 cause glass fractures by sudden expansions and contractions of the frames. 



Insects in Cucumber House (J. 7J. S.\— They are mites (Acari) feeding 

 on the decayed vegetable matter in the soil. They do not injure the roots of 



the Cucumbers ; if the roots are diseased we should attribute the injury to 

 the excessive richness of the soil. 



LoiiELiA srEciosA CULTURE (E. G. G.).— Good plants for planting out at 

 the end of May can be produced from seed so^-n on a hotbed in Februaiy. 

 When the seedlings can be handled, prick them off an inch apart in pans of 

 rich light soil, shade xmtil established, and harden off in a cold frame in 

 May. They wiU afford a fine display from June until cut off by frost. 



Pewits in a Gabden (C.A.J.).—lf you have a large garden, sufficient 

 food will be found by the Pewits or Plovers to sustain them in good health, as 

 they feed exclusively on insects, worms, and grubs ; but until they get quite 

 used to your garden we should feed them upon scraped raw beef, and hard- 

 boiled eggs chopped small, as a substitute for their natiu-al food They aro 

 fond of damp localities, aud often bathe, and they will find sheltered places 

 fur themselves at night, bo do not require further protection to prevent them 

 from flying away. One of two plans must be adopted — viz., the flight feathers 

 of one wing only must be cut off, or the wing must be pinioned, but the latter 

 is rather a difficult operation, and must be performed by someone who 

 thoroughly understands it. All birds can be more or less tamed by kind 

 treatment and perseverance ; but Pewits most certainly are not cat-proof, aud 

 are just as liable to be killed by cats as spaiTOws, Ac, and, of course, if de- 

 prived of the power of flight have less chance of escape. 



Sm.all Birds Destroying Brns (-£".).— As the birds have commenced 

 the destruction of the buds the only remedy will be to cover the bushes with 

 nets, so that the birds cannot get at them, but we find stringing black cotton 

 from branch to branch so as to form meshes about 2 inches wide frightens 

 them quite as much as anything. We do not know of anything smeared over 

 the buds that will keep them off. If the birds are the bullfinch, shoot them. 



Dressing Fruit^Borders (W^^hO.— We should not advise disturbing the 

 borders as the roots are so near the surface, but we would use in place of the 

 proposed tan a dressing an inch thick of veiy rich compost or short manure. 

 Though the new tan may not do any good, it may possibly when decaying 

 encourage funguses. 



Potatoes Wintered in the Groi^nd f/f^fHi).— t^na"estionably if the 

 soil ia of a friable natme, and they aie so deep or protected as to be safe 

 from froat. Your having them in the ground all winter aud now taking them 

 up sound and of good quality, is e\'id6nce of this. Planting 10 inches deep 

 is more than is safe in all but light well-diained soils, and on all but very 

 favourable soils, and with protection from frost, it would not be advisable to 

 allow them to remain in the ground. Victoria is a very good Potato. 



Clijibers for Greenhouse (TT. R.).—Foi the girders we should advise 

 Kenaedya bimaculata variegata, Habrothamuus fasciculatus, Mandevilla 

 suaveolens, and Sollya heterophyUa. They may be grown in pots placed on 

 the stage. If you wish to plant outside we should have Tea-scented Rosea as 

 Mari-chal Niel, Safi-ano, Climbing Devouiensis, and Catherine Mermet. They 

 would succeed well in a good outside border if introduced through the wall of 

 the house. 



Varnishing Wood Palings (.4 Co mutant Kcader).— Instead of gtm tar we 

 should have the paUng? toated well with black varnish, which is used largely 

 by us for iron fencing, wood railings, and various kinds of rough out-door 

 woodwork. It dries quickly, and when exposed to the sun does not give off 

 any fumes injurious to vegetation. If the woodwork be dressed or planed wo 

 should have it painted oak colour; the an ti- corrosion paint is good. Tho 

 black voiTiish can be obtained through most oilmen. 



Holly Leaves Variegated (C. T. H.).— The leaves you sent are only 

 what we have on several of the gold-leaved Hollies. It is a sport common to 

 the kind in one or other of its stages of gi'owth. It is lies Aquifolium ferox 

 aureum. The paints exhibiting the leaves all yellow aie mostly weak, and on 

 being put on a stock would revert to the original character of the variety ; in 

 fact, they will return to it on the tree, or, if much shaded, will die off. 



Centaukea ragusina from Seed {Idem).— It comes true from seed, 

 which if sown now wDl make good plants by the end of May, provided they 

 be forwarded ia a gentle hotbed up to the middle of that mouth, and then 

 hardened off. The seedling plants are not so good in colour the first season 

 as those from cuttings, as they have not the silvery whiteness of older plants, 

 and are more free in growth. 



September-flowering Genetyllis tulipifera, Dracophvllum gea- 

 ciLE, AND Crowea saligna (J. C.).— The Genetyllis you may probably suc- 

 ceed with, also the Dracophyllum, by now cutting away or shortening all the 

 flowering shoots, and at once placing the plants iu a temperatme of 50=' at 

 night. Increase the heat 5° in a fortnight, and in this temperatm-e continue 

 the plants for two months, allowing a rise of 5° by day from fire heat, and 

 10- to 15'^ or more with sun and abundance of aii'. Alter this place the 

 plants in the greenhouse iu a light airj' position, and keep them rather dry. 

 They may, probably, go to flower if placed in a rather moist aud close atmo- 

 sphere at the middle of July, but you will need to give tbem the temperatmo 

 of a stove to flower them. Plants to flower at such an unnatmal seasou 

 should be specially prepoi-ed, and with hardwooded plants it is best done by 

 retarding rather thim forcing. Were you to retard the plants for two years, 

 so as to make them bloom later every year, you would, probably, be able i" 

 llower them more satisfactorily at the time you wish ; but we do not perceive 

 the propriety of flowering these plants at such an unnatural season. Crowea 

 sahgna will flower at the time you wish under ordinarv treatment, retarding 

 it in a pit if likely to be too forward, otherwise grow it in a gieenhouse. 



Potting Bedding Plants {F. J.). — The mode of potting you adopt is 

 good, especially the use of moss in place of crocks for drainage. If yom' soil 

 is just moist your potting is not too tight, but if it is in a moist state wo 

 should pot less firmly. The soil for this class of plants ought to be rather 

 fii-m and close, but not haid. Go on as you have been doing. 



Shallots Decaying (N. S. .S.).— These should have been planted in Feb- 

 ruary, or as soon afterwards as the weather permitted. The gi-oimd should be 

 well manured in autumn, thrown up roughly for the winter, levelled down iu 

 drj' frosty weather in Febriiai";'. luid after a few days dressed with woodashcs 

 or powdered charcoal, spread over the surface to the depth of about half an 

 inch, and then forked iu. Form the ground into beds 4 feet wide, with 1 foot 

 alleys between, and divide it into rows 11 inches apart, with the side rows 

 fi inches from the alleys. Draw drills an inch deep, and plout in them tho 

 bulbs or offsets singly (i inches apai't, just pressing each bulb firmly, and fill 

 the drills to the general .surface level with fine soil. Occasionally stir the 

 soil hotwcou the rows, beyond which no other care is requii'ed. Tho bulbs 

 should be taken up when full gi-own— as soon as the leaves begin to turn 

 yellow — and ahoiUd be laid for a few days on a bard floor or boards in an aiiy 

 place, and when dry, after trimming off the rougher pai'ts, store away thinly 

 in a cool airy place. We think you grow the common kind that has long 



