476 



JOUBNAL OF HOBTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ Jime 12, 1873. 



which there are two or three kinds, would seem better suited to firm pasture 

 and, but in all cases skill in the setting is important in securing success. 



KosES IN Pots for Spuing Eloomisq (H. N. O.).— The plants should be 

 potted at once into 8-inch pots, kept in cold frames at first till the roots have 

 taken hold of the soil, and then pliin;:;ed in a sheltered but sunny spot, where 

 they can ripen their wood. Care must he taken that worms do not get into 

 the soil. AVater freely, and give liquid manure when the plants aie well 

 established. It will do no harm to take a few blooms from the strongest 

 plants, but do not overdo it. Roses in pots reqiiire good soil, and crashed 

 bones are very useful for drainage. When in cold pits or frames stand them 

 en ashes. 



CocoA-Nrr Fibre fob Cuttings (Idem).— It is best mixed with a little 

 light loam and silver sand, though many things root freely in it when it par- 

 takes more uf the nature of waste than of fibre. All the plants you name 

 strike freely in it, as nearly every softwooded plant does. 



Tacsonia Van-Volxeui (Idnn).— It is hardy enough in any greenhouse 

 from which frost is excluded. Repot, and establish the plant before planting 

 in a border : it does much better in a border than in a pot. Train on wires 

 close to the glass, and thin-out weak shoots, allowing the leading shoots to 

 ramble at will. 



Judas Tree (Mrs. C). — The flowers enclosed seem to be those of the Judas 

 Tree, Cercis Siliquastrum. They grow, as you describe, iu bunches. The 

 shrub with white flowers you mention, and popularly known as " Syringa," 

 is the Philadelphus coronarius, or Mock Orange. 



RosF.s {J. C. Go//).— The Rose is certainly not Mar-'chal Niel, and we think 

 it is CUmbing Devoniensis, though the petals had fallen so much that it was 

 rather difficult to be quite certain; still the leaf, bud, and petals correspond, 

 as also your description of its growth, with Climbing Devoniensis. ( W. F. R. ). 

 ■ — The blooms of Baronne Louise Uxkull you sent are certainly promising, the 

 scent good, reminding us much of that good old kind the Duchess of Suther- 

 land, from which we think it is a descendant. It is difficult to judge of the 

 shape by blooms sent without water-tubes. It is somewhat deficient of centre 

 petals and too much incurved, from what we can judge of the specimens sent. 

 It is, however, decidedly, from what we have beard and seen elsewhere, a 

 good variety, and like a deeper-coloured Abel Grand, nearly approaching to 

 the colour of Jules Margottin or Marquise de Castellane. 



Impregnating Melon Flowers {J. H. 5.).— The female flowers have the 

 fruit du-ectly under the flowers, whilst the male flowers are simply like female 

 :flower3 without the fruit below. Impregnation is effected by taking the 

 male flower when fully expanded by its stalk, and, whilst holding the stalk 

 between the finger and thumb, removing the corolla, then placing the central 

 part so as to touch the centre of the female flower; thus some of the pollen 

 5s placed on the stigma of the female. Tlie anther of the male, or the flower 

 , denuded of its corolla, may be left in the female flower. This should be 

 repeated on all the flowers, selecting a fine clear day when there arc several 

 flowei's open, so as to secure simultaneous setting with the requisite number 

 — three or four fruits — to each i)lant. It is not necessarj- to impresjuate the 

 flowers of Cucumbers unless seed be needed, then impregnate the flowers in 

 the same way as those of Melons. Cucumbers require to have more moisture 

 than I\Ie'ons, and the soil should be fighter. Melons require a strong loam 

 inade firm. "When setting, the atmosphere for Melons should be dry, also 

 when ripening. 



DorBLE White Pelargontttms— Wintering Coleus— Fuchsias and 

 Pelakgoniitms for Market t3f.). — We do not know whether you mean 

 double white Pelargoniums of the Zonal or Show varieties, but of the show 

 varieties we only know of Album plenum ; whilst of the double Zonals, Alice 

 ■Crousse, white with salmon centre, and Aline Sisley are good. Colvu^es are 

 best wintered from cuttings struck in July and placed in G-inch pots by Sep- 

 tember, and should have a light airy position in a house with a temperature 

 ■of 45'^ to 5(P, giving no more water than sufliciGnt to keep them fresh. Six 

 Fuclisias are Avalanche (Smith's), Bine Boy, and Lord Calthorpe, these have 

 double corollas ; Arabella, Sedan, and Ki 11 iec rankle. GohU-ii Tricolor Pclar- 

 {/oniums—Mre. Rutter, Reynolds Hole, Mrs. Headly, Prince of Wales, Lady 

 <>ullum, and Achievement. 



Camellias and Azaleas after Flowering (3f. Y. L.).— The plants are 

 to be potted if it be required, and placed in a house or pit with a teraperatuie 

 of 55= from fire heat, keeping moist, sprinkling overhead twice daily, and 

 shading from bright sun. Water moderately until the roots are working 

 freely in the fresh soil, then copiously. Admit air moderately, and let the 

 temperature rise to 65^ or 70° by day, and TS'' or 80° on bi-igbt days. After 

 the growth is complete admit air more freely, and when the buds aie set give 

 air fieely, and place the plants in a cold pit, under a wall, or in any spot 

 where they will be shaded from sun during the middle of the day. We do not 

 remove om- Camellias from the greenhouse. They have now completed then- 

 growth, and are shaded by tifftiny. The Azaleas are placed in gentle heat to 

 make fresh growth, and when it is completed they are moved to a cold pit, 

 and have abundance of aii- and light, with shade from jtowerful sun. 



Watering NE-n'LV-PLANTED Bedding Plants (Stibscriber).— It is not 

 judicious to water newly-put-out bedding plants with liquid manure. The 

 plants are to be slightly watered overhead until they are rooting freely, and 

 then liquid mamire much diluted with water in dry weather may be given 

 once or twice a-week. It ought to be applied to the bed from the spout of the 

 watering- pot, pouring it between the plants. 



Pelargonium Leases Spotted [G. ir.).— The leaves sent show that the 

 plants have been syringed and kept close, and without air at night and early 

 in the day. They should not be syringed after March, and should have a 

 little air at night, so as to keep the moisture of the atmosphere from con- 

 densing on the leaves. Give air early, leave a little on at night, and discon- 

 tinue the syringing, and the foliage will be all right if kept free of insects. 



CcctTMEER Leaves Spotted {Idem).— It probably arises from the steam 

 ©scaping from the feed-cistern, which you say you have to heat to boiling 

 point. Why not have a close lid ? Your house is sufficiently heated. A more 

 likely cause of the spotted leaves is heavy syriugings ami the sim shining 

 powerfully on the foliage whilst wet. With brighter weather, so a« not to 

 cause the necessity for heating the pipes to so high a temperature, the evil 

 will probably disappear. 



Ten-week Stocks Damping-off (B. B.).—The seedlings have damped-off 

 at the neck or collar, from their having been kept too close, not being suffi- 

 ciently near the glass, and standuig too near each other. Instead of shading 

 from bright sim, we should have given air, and exposed fully to light as soon 

 as the plants appeai'od. and with this and water only to keep the soil moist 

 very few, if any. would have damped-off. They are best watered but little 

 until the plants have a pair of rough leaves, and then should be pricked out 



an inch apart in a frame, watering before pricfcing-oufc, then give a light water- 

 ing and keep rather close, sprinkling overhead every morning, and admit air 

 during the early part of the day, shading from bright sun, and closing early 

 in the afternoon. After they are growing freely they cannot have too much 

 air and light, with a gentle watering overhead every morning. They ai'e the 

 better of slight bottom heat. Plant out before they become crowded. Light 

 moderately rich soil is most suitable. 



Hastening Asparagus {W. H.). — There is not, that we know, any speedy 

 mode of securing Aspaiasjus, even at the sacrifice of the plants. Two yeais 

 after planting is the earliest time the plants will produce heads fit to cut, hut 

 we have knowu strong three-year-old plants, planted in June, taken up vei-y 

 carefully, planted without drying the roots, and well watered with liquid 

 manure, afford good heads the following spring. 



Force Pcmp (G. Wahh). — We cannot tell of any special maker, but if you 

 were to .show the drawing to any ironmonger he would obtain or make one. 



Scotch Fir and Spruce Bmik for Bottom Heat (ir. X).— We do not 

 think it is of any value ; Lai'ch and Oak hark, however, is so after it comea 

 from the lanyard. It should be laid in a heap to ferment, and when at a good 

 heat be placed in the bed for Melons or Cucumbers 3 to -l feet deep. The 

 spent bark is useful as a plunging material. 



Plants for Greenhouse (Mem). — You do not say whether you have 

 means to keep out frost. We presume you will have before frost. We should 

 have CameUias, Azaleas — say half a dozen of each to begin with, Coronilla 

 glauca, Cytisus racemosus ; Acacias armata, pulchoUa, platyptera. and longi- 

 folia magnifica; Correas Brilliant and Harrisi, Polygala Dalmaisiaua, half 

 a dozen Epacrises, and Fuchsias, Pelargoniums, Cinerarias, Primulas, aud Cal- 

 ceolarias, with Cyclamens, and bulbs, as Hyacinths, Narcissus, Tulips ; Spiraea 

 japonica, Deutzia gracifis, Dielytra spectablis, and a few Tea-scented Roses. 



Geraniums Losing their Leaves (LIi'iil). — The leaves have fallen in con- 

 sequence of the plants ha^'iug received a check. Probably they had been kept 

 in or raised iu a warm house, and not well hardened-off when you had them, 

 and placing them in a cool house has given them a check; or the evil may 

 have been occasioned by the pottiug. It would have been better to have kept 

 them in the pots as received, until they had recovered the journey and begun 

 to grow. The compost we hanily approve of, " stick ashes " especially. Turn 

 them out of the pots, remove all the old soil, and iilace in pors that will hold 

 the roots well, using a compost of light fibrous loam with a fourth uf well- 

 rotted manure, and a sixth of sand, placing them in a frame, and keeping 

 them rather close until growing, then admit air freely. 



Seedling Cabnation {H. S.). — It is inferior to very many. 



Asparagus-bed Making (W. TV.).— Add to your light soil a foot thick of 

 stable or fai'myard manm'e, and G inches thick of sea sand, and mis them 

 thoroughly with the soil. If you have any leaf mould or decayed vegetable 

 matter, mil it with the soil. This will increase the depth to 3 feet inches. 

 Instead of planting, sow the seed in two rows at 1 foot apart, then leave a 

 3-feet space between, and thin-out the plants to 6 inches apart. We find we 

 get Asparagus sooner fit to cut this way, and veiy much bettor beds than by 

 planting shoots of any age. Supply the plants with liquid maniu-e during 

 growth ; they can hardly have too much from June to" September. 



Beddixg Plants and Eabdits {E. D. B.). — No lime is used with tho 

 cow's urine mentioned for sprinkling the plants as a preservative, on page 115 

 of our thirteenth volume. 



Cats Trespassing IE. 0.).—lt would not be legal to destroy them, and 

 you would not escape ridicule if you sued the owners. A gentleman we know 

 caught them in a drop-trap, put the trap into a pond, dug a hole, emptied 

 tho contents of the trap into the hole at night, so that the trespasser was 

 never seen, aud no owner exasperated. 



Grapes Diseased (Amateur). — By your description we fancy the berries 

 have been mildewed. This disease has been common in the present season. 

 It is caused by the uncongenial weather. The atmosphere of the house 

 should be kept moderately di'y and warm, aud the hot-water pipes should ho 

 coated with sulphur mixed with water to the consistency of thin paint. If 

 the disease is veiy severe it will be necessary to throw some flowers of sulphur 

 on the hunches by moans of a sulphm-ator. If the rafters of your house are, 

 say, It) feet long, and the Vines are planted 2 feet 9 inches apart, 20 lbs. of 

 Grapes to each I'od will be a good crop. 



Lapageria rosea Failing ildevi). — The soil in which it is planted is un- 

 suitable. Plant in turfy peat with good diniinage underneath, water freely in 

 the summer months, and syringe fi'eely when the plant is growing. 



Fruit Trees for Light Soils (G. M. V.). — If you can obtain clayey 

 loam you ought to work as much as you can into the soil intended for your 

 fruit trees. Light sandy soils are unsuitable for them. We recommend the 

 following: — Dessert Applet. — Ci)mt-Pendu-Plat, Cox's Orange Pippin, Early 

 Harvest, Pitmaston Golden Pippin, Kerry Pippin, King of the Pippins, Old 

 Nonpareil, Scarlet Nonpareil, Oslic, Irish Peach Apple, Claygate Peai-main, 

 Mannington's Peai'iUain, Scarlet Pearmain, Devonshire Quarrenden, Ileiuetto 

 du Canada, Golden Reinette. Kelnette Jaune Hative, Boston Russet, Syko 

 House Russet, and Stiu-mer Pippin. Kitchen Apples. -Bedfordshire Found- 

 ling. Blenheim Orange, Cellini, Keswick Codlin, Cox's Pomona, Daraelow's 

 Seedling, Emperor Alexander, Gooseberry Apple, Hawthornden, New Haw- 

 thomden, London Pippin, Lord Suffield, Rymer, Tower uf Glamis, Waltham 

 Abbey Seedling, and Warner's King. The list of Pmr.^ we have found to do 

 well on light soils is a small one. We advise the foUowing: — Beurn- Bosc, 

 Beurre d'Aremberg, Beurre d'Amanlis, BeuiTe de Ranee, Beurro Superfin, Bon 

 Chretien, Conseiller de la Cour, Doyenne du Cornice, Fondante d'Automno, 

 Jargonelle, Louise Bonne of Jersey, Marie Lnuise d'Uccle, Napoleon, Passe 

 Colmar, and Zrphirin Gregoire. Cherries. — Eigarreau, Black Eagle. Black 

 Tartarian, Elton, Givemor Wood, Knight's Early Black, Archduke, Duchesse 

 de Palluau, and May Duke. We also gi'ow the Kent-ish for an early kitchen 

 Cherry, succeeded by Morello, the most useful of all. Dessert Plums. — Angelina 

 Burdett. Bryanstono Gage, Early Favomite, Golden Esperen, Guthrie's Late 

 Green, Ku-ke's, Reine Claude de Bavay. Kitchen Plums. — Belle de Septembre, 

 Diamond, Early Prolilie, Mitchelson's, Orleans, Pond's Seedling, Prince of 

 Wales. Prince Englebert, and Victoria. 



Raising Rock Plants from Seed (7*. 3/.). — Alyssum saxatile compactuni, 

 Aubrietia deltoidea grandiflora, Crucianella stylosa, Diantbus deltoides, 

 Erinus alpinus, Gentiana verna, Iberis saxatile, I. Tenoreaua, Liuaria alpina, 

 L. Cymbalaria, Saponaria ocymoides, Sedum Aizoon, S. glaucura, S. kamt- 

 schaticum, Silene alpestris, Soldanella montaua, Statice Pseudo-Armeria, 

 Aiubis alpiua, (Enothera macrocarpa, and Osalis tropieoloides. The seeds 

 should tie sown in pans weU drained, and filled with a compost of equal parts 

 of fibrous loam, sandy peat, leaf soil, aud sand, making tho surface very One. 

 Sow the seeds evenly, and cover them with fine soil to a depth equal to tho 



