May 15, 1873. ] 



JOURNAL OFHORTICULTUKE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



390 



been forced this year, save a few of the white ones — the old 

 white and Fielderi ; they are very late this year, bat as most 

 of them are required about the middle of June they will be 

 early enough for us. 



Boses are very hne, and those that were pruned early are now 

 in flower without any forcing. The later sorts are much in- 

 fested with the bud worm ; they have to be looked over daily. 

 Amateurs ought to know that a succession of bloom can be ob- 

 tained by pruning at intervals of three or four weeks. Our 

 earliest-pruned, in November, are now in flower, the latest- 

 pruned, in the last week of February, will come in before those 

 out of doors. None of them have been forced. 



In the plant stove we have been training and thinning out the 

 shoots of climbers, destroying mealy bug, and repotting Gala- 

 diums and all other hardwooded and softwooded plants requiring 

 it. The Stephanotia, Ixoras, Gardenias, Orchids, ttc, supply UB 

 with plenty of fine flowers. 



FLOWER GARDEN. 



We commenced bedding-out last Friday, and before this shall 

 have appeared more than half of our plants will be out; the 

 plants are going out well. The beds had been dug up roughly, 

 and since the rain the lumps fall to pieces with a touch of the 

 rake. The rain caused us to begin, as we like the ground to be 

 in a moist state. All the plants are well watered before being 

 put out. It is very bad practice to water them as soon as they 

 are planted. We plant deeply, and press the soil firmly round 

 the roots, placing some soil more loosely round the neck of the 

 plant. In many places the " bedding-out " is done in a hurried 

 and careless manner, the workmen not caring whether the 

 plant is put in deep or shallow; they fill the soil over the roots, 

 and with both hands press firmly round the neck of the plant, 

 as if they meant to strangle it, which they are very frequently 

 successful in doing. It is of little use to hurry over the work, 

 even if the work is beliind, "as the more haste the less speed." 

 We are planting out a large proportion of Zonal Pelargoniums 

 Wellington and lanthe this year. When these shall have be- 

 come better known some of the older sorts will give place to 

 them. They are both very distinct and excellent sorts. Vesu- 

 vius has also taken a prominent position ; the habit is good, and 

 the trusses stand up well above the foliage. Jean Sisley is a 

 glowiug distinct scarlet, but the trusses do not stand up well, 

 and the habit is not first-rate. — J. Douglas. 



TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 



Dowuie, Laird, & Laing, Forest Hill, Loudon, S.E., and 

 Edinburgh. — Retail List of New Pelargoniums^ JPhloxes, Gala- 

 diums, d'C. 



E. G. Henderson & Son, Wellington Road, St. John's Wood, 

 London, N.W. — Catalogue of Stove and Conservatory Plants^ 

 Orchids, Ferns, and Bedding Plants. 



W. Bull, King's Road, Chelsea. — Uetail List of New, Beauti- 

 ful, and Bare Plants. 



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 th'?y 

 are subjected to unjustifiable troublo and expense. All 

 communications should therefore be addressed solely to 

 The Editors of the Journal of Horticulture y (tc, lIl^Fleet 

 Street, London, E.C, 

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

 week. 



Books (A. C. C). — Thompson's "Gardener's Assistant" would snit you. 

 (J. Carr). — We know of no English work devoted to the culture of Succu- 

 lents. " The Cottage Gardeners' Dictionary " includes them. 



BnoccoLi. — We have received from Messrs. Watts & Son specimens of their 

 •'Northampton Hero." The heads when ready for boiling weighed between 

 4 and 2 \h^. They are hajidsome in form, deUcate in flavour, and the leaves 

 turn over the flower sufficiently to be protecting. 



AsPAUAGUS (H. C). — We never yet met with any variety that we could not 

 equal, by rich cultivation and not escessive cutting, with the common Purple- 

 topped. The most gigantic Asparagus if ill-cultivated dwindles down to one 

 of the common varieties. 



Peaoh Leaves Dropping Off (J. II.). — The treatment of your trees is 

 right, aud the leaves would not di-opoff if the roots were in good health. Has 

 the tree suffered from want of water at the roots ? That would be the most 

 likely cause as far as we can judge from your communication. It is not con- 

 stitutional in any Peach tree to drop its leaves. 



Treatment of Vines before Planting (Black Bamhurgh). — Turn the 

 Vines out of the pots as you propose, and disentangle the roots, laying them 

 out straight in shallow boxes. We advise you to pull the sides away from the 

 boxes when planting them, to avoid disturbing the roots. They will succeed 

 in any house; until your vineries are ready do not force them to grow. Plant 

 three Black Hamburgh, oue Buckland Sweetwater, and one Golden Champion 

 in the early house. Xou should train two rods to a Vine. 



Pelargonium Leaves Diseased {R. L. D. ami J. Harrison.).— It is not 

 caused by insects. See answer to "Amateur" last week. 



Primrose Violet Gem (Vcnj Old Subscriber). — Mr. Dean has no more 



stock of this fine Primrose than the plant he exhibited at South Kensington. 

 In all probability Jlr. Dean will send it out himself when sufficient stock of it 

 shall have been worked up. 



Pansy Blooms (J/. Clu(tfrhuck).~The flowers sent have no merit; you 

 could raise scores of better from a packet of good seeds. 



Fig Culture (E. M. M.). — Superfluous shoots should be thinned out after 

 the summer growths are made, and the wood should nut become crowded at 

 any time. It is bad policy to allow auy fruit tree to become a thicket of 

 young wood at the very time sun and air should have access to it, bo that the 

 wood may be matured. Any winter pruning required should be done early in 

 spring, before the trees beyin to grow. The leading growths ehould bo stopped 

 when they have made four or five leaves. Do not allow suckers to grow from, 

 the roots. 



Grapes Rusted (F. O.). — After the fruit is affected there is no remedy ; 

 the Grapes are most easily affecte/i when in a young state, at the time they 

 are thinned, aud during the next fortnight. It is caused by cold winds if the 

 ventilators are too much opened at the time, by sulphur on the pipes, or too 

 much vapour In the house. When the berries are stoning, and onwards, there 

 is little to be feared. Tou must exercise caution when the berries are young. 



Watering Vines (H. H.). — Water at intervals of five weeks, and give 

 three hundred gallons each time. The paths and surface of the border ought 

 to be sprinkled with water twice n-day. and more frequently in veiy hot 

 weather. The Vines seem to have done very well, and you appear to under- 

 stand their treatment. 



Fumigating a Greenhouse Avtart (H. T.). — Where there are plants in 

 flower fumigation is better than syriuging, but in your case, where a green- 

 house is united to a dwelling, we shnuld prefer syringing. In vei^ many in- 

 stances wo syringe with soft soap and water, omitting tobacco altogether ; but 

 it is better to have both. Our plan is to mix 1 lb. of soft soap in about a 

 gallon of hot water, and add eight or nine gallons of cold water to it ; and if 

 tobacco be used we pour some hot water over it, aud mix the liquor with cold 

 water. Boiling the whole would be better, and in your instance wo should use 

 tobacco in addition to the soft soap. As your building is not large, the liquid 

 may be about the coloiur of weak tea ; and in syriuging avoid the flowers 

 as much as possible. If moving your birds be not convenient, a cloth rnay 

 be thrown over thein for the time, the smell not being much. Fumigating 

 maybe done without costly furaigators; and for want of a better apparatus 

 take au old flower pot— a partly broken one will do— sot it on two or three 

 stones or bricks on the floor, so that the hole at the bottom maybe clear; then 

 put in a few stones or broken crocks, over these a few hot cinders from the 

 lire. If you have a small quantity of well-diied sticks or small split wood 

 that will ignite freely put them ou, and as soon as alight put on the tobacco, 

 and over that a little dampened moss. If this be done properly, you have 

 nothing more to do but escape by the door, and your enemies will be routed. 

 This operation is best done in the evening, the house being closely shut up, 

 and it may be repeated two nights afterwards. Better not use the tobacco 

 too strong at first. 



Ants (J. Belts).— A broad baud of wool round the stem of a standard tree 

 prevents the ants ascending. To prevent their ascending a wall, a line of tar 

 along the entire bottom, and along the top may be made eMcient, but the tar 

 must include the stems of the trees against tho wall. 



New Boiler (N. R. P.). — We cannot advise. Show your plan to some 

 head gardener, and he will probably tell you whether your idea is good, price 

 of pipiug, &.C. 



Seedling Plants from St. Helena (Suhgcriher).—'We do not know the 

 fir=t of tho tlu-ee plants named. The second. Purple Granadilla, is probably 

 Passitlora edulis, which has purple egg-shaped fruit ; or it may be P. quad- 

 rangulaiis. which has purple pulp. If it is the first, it will fruit well in a 

 vineiy; if it is the second, it requires a stove. Both are best planted out in 

 borders and the shoots trained to the roof at about a foot from the glass. They 

 should be allowed to run, and be thiuned out where much crowded. The soil 

 should consist of turfy loam two parts, leaf soil and saudy peat one part each, 

 and half a part of sand. Good ilrainage must be afforded. The plants, if 

 grown in pots, are the better of bottom heat. The flowers should be artificially 

 impreguated; look over tho plants about noun alter flowering begins, take 

 one or more of the anthers, and apply them to the face of the stigmas. Seed- 

 lings will flower In the second year ; and your plant sown last year, if encou- 

 raged, ought to flower this. We do not know the " Scarlet Thorn " of St. 

 Helena. 



Cissus DISCOLOR LEAVES SPOTTED ((?. L.).— The Icaves are white-spottcd ; 

 this is common in the leaves when mature. Your plant is not in free growth, 

 the soil being probably sour and the roots inactive. See to this, and give the 

 plant bottom heat after repotting. Afford moisture abundantly without 

 syringing the foliage, aud shade from bright sun. We presume the plant has 

 been kept dry and cool during the winter. The last edition of the *' Cottage 

 Gardener's Dictionary " is that of l8t»H, aud it contains all the new plants up 

 to that date. It may be had by post from our office for 7;*. 2(L 



Myosotis dissitiflora and Viola cornuta Mauve Queen Culturk 

 (TF. F., Hertford). — Hovi the seeds uf both now in pans or boxes of light rich 

 loam three parts, half a part each leaf soil and sandy peat, with one-sixth of 

 silver sand, draining well, and placing the roughest of the compost over the 

 drainage. The soil should be made fine and sifted. Make the surface smooth, 

 and scatter the seeds evenly, ju^it covering tho Myosotis seed with fine soil, 

 and the Viola seed about the eighth of an inch deep. Water gently and placo 

 in a cold frame or greenhouse, shading from bright sun and keeping just 

 moist. When the seedlings are up admit air and keep them near the glass, 

 and when well above ground place them outside in a position shaded 

 from the midday sun. When large enough to handle prick them out in a 

 border of rich light soil at 3 inches apart every way, shading them from sun 

 until established, aud water them in dry weather. In October they may be 

 planted where they are to flower, removing them with balls, or be planted 

 double their former distance apart, in a sheltered border, whence they can be 

 transplanted in spring to their blooming quarters. 



Rogiera GRATissiMA LEAVES 'Browned {Coiistant Reader).— ThQ leaves 

 have beeu and probably are infested with thrips, which should be destroyed 

 by fumigation with tobacco whenever seen. Plants much infested should bo 

 fumigated two nights consecutively, and twice a-week for a month, as though 

 one or two fumigations may destroy those then existing, no amount of tobacco 

 smoke will destroy the eggs, and from these emerge in due comrse mora 

 insects, hence the necessity for repeated fumigations. 



Cabbages Grub-eaten (Dumbarton).— The plants' stems are eaten by tho 

 lanie of the Daddy-longlegs, Tipula oleracea. Gardeners usually call tho 

 grubs Leather-jackets. Tho only way to destroy them is to have tho surface 



