ITaroh 27, 1873. ] 



JOUBNAL OF HORTICULTUKE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



269 



plants in pots fruit best "when the roots push against the sides 

 of the pot. We can recollect of a great authority throwing more 

 than cold water over the care and attention that gardeners 

 bestowed on Strawberries in pots for early forcing, because 

 plants lifted and potted in spring ripened good crops in May and 

 the beginning of June. If the great authority had tried a 

 similar method to bring in fruit in March he would have found 

 that the old gardeners had reason as well as success on their 

 side. We have for many years lifted Strawben-y plants in March 

 and April, but even these did all the better when they had a 

 little bottom heat, whilst the tops were fully exposed, so as to 

 give a prior stimulus to the roots. 



OnNAMENTAL DEP.UITMENT. 



Simple propagatiyig cases, as hand-lights, itc, are dear. Well, 

 we cannot say a word against, quite the reverse, all the con- 

 trivances of earthenware furnished with a sliding square of 

 glass, Arc. Some of our readers, in addition to what we said 

 the other week, want sometliing simple that they could get 

 without the ruinous expense of carriage and breakage. We have 

 a few wooden boxes with a square of glass over each, which 

 we find so useful that we should like to have more of them. 

 They are 20 inches square, made of three-quarter-inch deal. 

 The front is 4J inches high, the back 9 inches, and the two sides 

 slope like a common frame. A square of glass is fitted into a 

 light frame to rest on the back, front, and sides of the box ; the 

 front, on which the square of glass rests, with a tack in front, 

 being half au inch thick, and the sides and back 1 inch square 

 and grooved to receive the glass. The glass and its frame are 

 moveable, so that when the glass is damp the dry side can be 

 placed downwards. These when set on a bed or close platform 

 are very useful for striking cuttings, raising seeds, itc, and in 

 some positions the slope from back to front renders them easier 

 managed, and gives more command of light when that is wanted 

 to harden-oS the Uttle plants. For all mere sowT.ng and pro- 

 pagating purposes, a square bos of one depth, say from 8 to 

 9 inches all round, woiild answer just as well, and four such 

 boards nailed neatly together to enclose, say, 20 inches square, 

 need not cost much. Then with common care the covering of 

 glass would require no frame. W^ith a weight of from 21 to 

 26 ozs. to the foot, a square of 21 to 22 inches could easily be 

 lifted off and on, or even two squares or panes could be used 

 instead of one. Of course, we are supposing these little boxes 

 are under glass, for if in the open air means would have to be 

 taken to prevent the glass being blown off. The boxes may be 

 much smaller if deemed expedient. — R. F. 



TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 



Dovenie, Laird, & Laing, StansteadPark, Forest Hill, London, 

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

 Catalogue of Florists' Flowers. 



John Morse, Dursley, Gloucestershire. — Catalogue of Cuttings. 



T. S. Ware, Hale Farm Nurseries, Tottenham, London, N. — 

 List of Succulent Plants. — Catalogue of Antirrhinums^ 

 Auriculas, and other Florists' Flowers, dsc. 



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. All 

 communications should therefore be addressed solely to 

 The Editors of the Journal of Horticulture, dc., Ill, Fleet 

 Street, London, E.G. 



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

 week. 



Books (^Voiuce).— The " Garden Manual." Too can have it free by post if 

 you enclose twenty postage stamps with your address. 



No. 464 of THE JouHNAL OF HoRTiccLTUBE Is required by Mr. J. Albert 

 Ford, 73, Lawton Street, Congleton. 



Abusive Communications (Emptor).— V?e should not be justified in pub- 

 lishing your letter. If you had declined paying until you had received tha 

 goods, you would have been only justifiably careful. 



Half the world's mischief 



And foUy and woe. 

 Comes from using a " Yes " 

 [ Instead of a " No." 



' ^ Mn. W. Allesbrooke. — We do not know his addi-ess, but if those who have 

 inquired for it will enclose a stamped letter to him under cover to Mr. D. 

 Thomson, Dnimlaurig Castle, Thornhill, N.B., it would probably reach him. 



Varieties of the Pea (A. TT.}.— We are obliged by your pointing out 

 that Tlu: Garden has been publishing a list as if the descriptions were 

 original. They were not taken from our columns as you suppose, but from 

 Dr. Ho^'gs '• Gardeners' Almanack and Year Book." I'ou will not see a con- 

 tinuation of the descriptions in our contemporary, for Dr. Hogg has just 

 stopped their pubhcation by obtaining from the Court of Chancery a perpetual 

 injunction against the editor for the piracy. Other parties are considering 

 whether they should not apply to the Court for a similar protection to their 

 literary property. 



Gravel (W. M. 31.). — We do not know to whom you could apply. An ad- 

 Tertisement stating fully what you'require would probably obtain you the best 

 offer?. 



PniMri.A DEN-TiccxATA AND ERosA FoRTUNEi ( TT. ff.).— The two are vcrj 

 much alike. In the latter the leaves are fully developed when the inflorescenca 

 appears and the scape is mealy ; in the former the leaves are not fully de- 

 veloped, and the scape is not mealy. 



Vine Bcds and Melon Plants Insect-eaten (H. 5.).— The Otiorhynchus 

 probably injures the Vines, and its grubs the Melon plants. It may bo 

 O. picipes. Whatever the species is, the grub is more or less like that found 

 in nuts. 



Poplar and Southernwood (York).— The common White Poplar, PopuIuB 

 alba, produces seed in England. Southernwood, Artemisia Abrotanum, h&s 

 spikes of yellow flowers, bat they rarely open in England, and we never heard 

 of its ripening seed here. It is a native of Italy. 



Orange and Black Rose Fcngi (^. B.). — We sent your query to a well- 

 known Kose-grower, and, being in a poetical humour he replied as follows :— 

 "Liquid manure, ammonia and siot. 

 Applied, and freely, at the root ; 

 If that fchduki fail, a httle iron 

 In form of sulphate you may try on."* 

 Mandrake (C. L.). — The species called Mandrake by modem botanists be- 

 long to the genus Mandragora. This genua is included in the same natural 

 order as the Solanum. 



Potato Tri.u-s at Chiswick (Derbyshire). — Send your specimens im- 

 mediately; they will be planted this week. 



Seedling Amaryllis (^f. A. H. B. I,.).— We cannot admire the flower, 

 there are very many far more beautiful. 



Pea Hurdles [Lantnhorpe).—Vf& bought the rough deal, and had them 

 made by one of our own men. 



Walks— Concrete and Asphalt (A Beginner).— Yor concrete, a layer of 

 stones, brickbats, shells, or clinkers, 6 inches deep, to form a dry bottom ; a 

 layer of chalk or lime, in the proportion of one to ten of the stones or other 

 foundation, and well rolled and watered to the thickness of 3 inches, with a 

 rise of 2 inches in the centre ; over this half an inch of gravel andhme, or fine 

 chalk ; water and roll well again ; add one-eighth of an inch of the best 

 coloured gravel ; and again roll until quite solid. Have the walk 2 inches 

 wider on each side than you desire, as this checks the turf and weeds from 

 encroaching, and prevents the rain water getting to the foundation of the 

 walk. For a.tphaU, take two pai-ts of very dry lime rubbish, and one part 

 coal ashes, also very dry, and both sifted fine. In a dry place, on a dry day, 

 mil them, and leave a hole in the middle of the heap, as bricklayers do when 

 making mortar. Into this pour boiling hot coal tar; mix, and when as stiff 

 as mortar put it 3 mches thick where the walk is to be. The ground 

 should be dry and beaten smooth. Sprinkle over it fine gravel; when cold 

 pass a light roller over it, and in a few days the walk will be solid and water- 

 proof. 



Peas for Use at the End of August (H. Y. Z.).— Laston's Superlative 

 and Omega Peas, to he in at the time you name, should be sown the second 

 week in May. The season makes a difference of from ten days to a fortnight ia 

 the growth of Peas ; if wet and cold they come in later, if hot and dry earlier. 

 During summer, late Peas take fifteen or sixteen weeks from the time of sow- 

 ing to attain u. full bearing state. 



Thinning Leaves of Pot Vines (C. G.).— The leaves on the shoots that 

 are not bearing fruit should not be removed. They should have the same 

 treatment, and are as necessary for perfecting the Grapes as the roots 

 are for their support. Retain them, bat keep the laterals well stopped. The 

 dried Grass you sent us is Agrostia nebulosa, a very elegant and useful Grass 

 for bouquets and drying. 



Gikger Flowering — Seedling Camellias Flowering (A Young Be- 

 ginner]. — We presume the plant of Ginger has been already potted; if not, pofc 

 it at once, shaking the plant out, and divide the roots, placing a good division 

 in a 6-inch pot in a compost of two parts sandy fibrous rich loam, and one 

 part sandy peat, adding half a part of leaf soil. Place the pots in a hotbed of 

 75^, just keeping moist, and gradually increase the supply of water as the 

 plants gi-ow; when the frame is too low for them, gradually withdraw them 

 and remove them to a light position in a stove. Shift into ll-inch pots when 

 the shoots are a foot high. The plant will flower, if strouii, in July or August, 

 and at the end of August or early in September the roots wUlbe fit to take up 

 and preserve. Seedling Camellias will flower in the fourth to sixth year. 

 Wa have now several that have flowered. To have them in flower soon they 

 should be grafted on stocks raised from seeds or cuttings, hat to flower them 

 on their own roots patience must he exercised. 



Roses for Towns (Jma/t-io-).— The Roses you name are good growers, 

 and would succeed in a town L;arden if not more than usually smoky. Town 

 Roses require an abundance of watering overhead, and very hberal treatment. 

 Twelve for pots in greenhouse are Devoniensis, Gloire de Dijon, MarechaJ 

 Niel, Sombreuil, Marie Sisley, Pauline Lahonte, Safrano, Madame Ducher, 

 Homere, Madame Celine Noirey, Adam, and Alba rosea, all Tea-scented. 



Camellias for Vinery Walls (Idem). — ^Mathotiana, Leopold I., Valte- 

 varedo, Reticulata flore-pleno. Monarch, Mathotiana alba. Giovanni Santa- 

 reHi, Mrs. Cope, Rubens, and Countess of Derby. They should be planted out, 

 succeeding admirably in the same compost as Vines, though we think the 

 compost is improved for them by having a quarter of sandy peat added. 



Improving La^nti (P. P.). — The wormcasts are an evidence that your lawn 

 soil is rich and full of humus. You say it is well diained. Are the drains of 

 such a depth as to drain the subsoil? Some drains are only a few inohea 

 deep ; they drain the surface, but are of very little or no use to the land. The 

 drains should not be less than 3 feet deep, and are better 4 feet. If certain 

 that the land is properly drained we should dress the lawn at once with some 

 good loam, adding one part to four of fresh lime, aid after having been 

 thoroughly mixed whilst dry, place it on the lawn at the rate of 20 tons per 

 acre. After the first rains rake well with an iron rake, removing the rough- 

 est of the compost, and sow over it about the middle of April, when there is 

 an early prospect <*i rain, 6 lbs. of Festuca duriuscula, 10 lbs. Cynosurus cristar 

 tns, 4 lbs. Poa nemoi-alis sempervii-ens, 4 lbs. Festuca tenuifolia ; we should 

 add 6 lbs. TrifoLium repens, and 4 lbs. lYifolium minus, and if the soil be light 

 2 lbs. Lotus comiculatus in mixture for one acre. Rake hghtly after sowing, 

 and roll well. You object to Clovers. We have not seen a good lawn without 

 them. If you omit them add one-half more of Festuca tenuifolia and Poa 

 nemorolis sempervirens. 



Taking Vines into Greenhouse (Idem). — The Vines should be taken 

 into the greenhouse at once. About the middle of March is a good tim&, 

 tying them horizontally along the front inside until they have broken, and 

 then tie to the wires. 



