491 



JOUENAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENEE. 



[ June 19, 1873. 



Train the shoots 1 foot 4 inches from the glass; stop them at the first tendril 

 or first joint beyoud the bunch, auii the lateral from tho uppermost leaf to 

 one joint, and that throiiiihout the season. lUmove the laterals at all the other 

 joints except the lowest two, and these stop at the first leaf. Allow the 

 leading fehoot to {^'row to tlie top of the rafter or house, then si op it, and stop 

 the laterals at the first joint, and so on throut;hout the season. Maintain a 

 moist atmosphere by spriukliug the floors and other surfaces twice daily up 

 to the midiUeof August, then discontinue sprinkling. Prune in December or 

 before .January, preferably about a fortnight after the leaves have fallen. We 

 presume your border is well drained— it cannot be too well drained. We have 

 repeatedly stated the most approved mode of providing a border for the Vina. 



Pinching the Laterals of Young Vines (J. M., M. D.).—lt is as you 

 say ; the laterals unstopped would tend to increase the size of tho cane, but 

 we ai-e not prepared to admit that by allowing the laterals to grow the buds 

 at the bases of the leaven from which the laterals proceed would form "large 

 fruit buds and better bunches for next year." The buds result from the growth 

 of the leaf at the base of which they are situated. The first season of planting 

 we allow the laterals to grow, and this encourages root-action and free 

 growth. If the Vines' growth is weakly we cut them back eai-ly in June, and 

 obtain a strong caue in place of tlie weak one. If your Vines are newly 

 planted let the laterals grow, especially at the lower part of the cane, and 

 when the cane be^'ins to thicken upwards, becoming thicker than the lower 

 part, stop the laterals to one leaf and at every succeeding growth. The 

 laterals ought not to crowd or shade the principal leaves, for on their ex- 

 posure to Ught and air depends the due development of the buds or eyes at 

 their base. After the tijrat or second year, the laterals should be kept closely 

 pincbed-in to ono joint. 



EcHEVERiA METALLicA PROPAGATING {J. ]\L).~It 18 best raised from 

 seeds, but the leaves root freely, the small leaves being best. They should be 

 put in from the present time up to August in very sandy soil, surfaced with 

 silver sand. Only insert the leaf deep enough to keep it in the soil, undnr a 

 frame, which should be kept close and moist, but not very wet until they 

 strike root.^ Shade from bright sun for a few days. Alter rooting expose to 

 light and air. Ilemove to a light airy position in a greenhouse before frost. 



Sowing Early Spring-flowering Plants iLl^m). — Alyssum saxatile 

 compactura, yellow; Ai-abis alpiua, white; Aubrietia gi-^ca, purple; Bellis 

 perennis tlore-pleno, Double Daisy; Campanula carpatica, blue; and Belvoir 

 Castle Dwarf Yellow AVaiiflower. Sow at once, and prick out when large 

 enough to handle, in light rich soil in a sheltered border. 



Rhododendiuin Prt-ning {H,).—Yon may cut-in the plants to the form 

 desired, but they will look bare for a long time, especially if the pruning be 

 deferred until after flowering, as the growth of the year is then considerably 

 advanced. We prefer to prune in April, and have a good growth the same 

 season, though it be at the sacrifice of the year's flowers. If you pruue now 

 they will not make wood that will flower neit year. Probably the pruning 

 need not be more than to remove the irregularities of growth, which we should 

 do directly after flowering; and having other young growth, the flowering 

 next year would not be lost. 



Annual for Border— Planting Ivy (Petite). —The quickest -growing 

 annual is probably Candytuft, of which there are varieties with crimson or 

 purple, Ulac, and white flowers. Vu-ginian Stock, both red and white, is dwarf 

 and flowers early. The Ivy may be planted in October, or in spring before 

 growth commences. Periwinkle is goodas a surface-covering. Plant in autumn. 



Select Yellow Chrysanthemums (3i'.D.,lHrt'rnfs»).— AureaMultiflora, 

 Golden Beverley, Guernsey Nugget, Duke of lioxburgb, Jai-itin des Plautes, 

 and Luca. These are of the large-floweriug varieties. Pompons with yellow 

 flowers aie— Aigle d'Or, Antonius, Golden Cedo Nulli, Golden Circle', ilrs. 

 Astie, and St. Michael. 



Propagating Mrs. Pollock Geraniums (A. B.).— The best way is to 

 take oH cuttings with two joints and the growing point, remove the leaf from 

 the lowest joint, and insert them niugly in equal parts of fibrous loam and 

 sand up to the second joint. Place the pots in a cold frame on ashes, shade 

 from bright sun, but admit a little air. Cuttings will also strike freely on a 

 shelf in the greenbouso. The soil should be kept sufSciently moist, but dry 

 rather than otherwise. 



Benewtng Asparagus Beds {Idcm).—YouT beds eight years old will not 

 need renewing for some time. They should remain good for from twelve to 

 twenty years. Should they, however, be bearing very indifferently, it would be 

 well to make new beds, and when the latter come into bearing do away with 

 the old beds. As long as the beds supply plenty of heads there is no need 

 for renewal, and it is better to form now beds than to patcfi-up old ones. 



Asparagus Shoots Eaten by Grubs (E. J. Turner).~'WQ do not know 

 what the grubs may be, but we apprehend they are slugs cutting off the 

 shoot before it is out of the ground. Dress the beds at once with salt, 1 lb. 

 to every square yard. This, we think, will free you of the pests. It will not, 

 we thiuk, be necessary to make the bed afresh, but if the shoots do not come 

 freely this summer and are very thin, replant next spring. 



Heating Small Greenhouse (Smsex).~A. gas stove would be best for 

 80 small a structure. Whatever stove you use must have a chimney to convey 

 the smoke or fumes into the open air, or they will kill your plants. 



Training Froit Trees on Wired Fence (iJamn/Zw).— Apple and Pear 

 trees are usually tramed on the palmette system; Plums are fan-trained. Aa 

 yours are already trained nn the fan system, and succeeding, why alter them ? 

 "We advise you to leave them aa they are; do not train-in so much young 

 wood on the Pear and Apple trees as you do in the case of the Plum. The ex- 

 crescences on the Lime leaves sent are not uncommon. 



Improving the Staple op Clayey Soil (C. C.).— So heavy a soil would 

 be best rendered more open by taking oft the top d inches, and then burning 

 the next £) inches, and mixing the ashes with the top soil that had been taken 

 off. Id addition, you may work in the sea sand abundantly. 



Kidney Beans Failing (J. 3/. A.).-~U the seeds were old they will not 

 vegetate; cold and excessive wet also rot them. 



Calceolaria's Leaves Eaten (Fi'/^7cr).— Tho leaves you sent us are com- 

 pletely skeletonised by some grub or caterpillai-, but what it is we are unable 

 to say in the absence of a specimen. Dust tho plants with quicklime. You 

 would probably take them at work if you were to examine tho plants after 

 dusk with a lantern. If the destroyer be a caterpillar, dust the plants with 

 white hellebore powder. The plants do not appear to be affected by canker. 



GtiEENHOusE Ventilation iIiUm).~1he air should be admitted by the 

 top lights tirst ; let in a little at 65°, and increase the amoimt as tho tempera- 

 ture rises, having full air on at 75 '. Xo air need bo given in front as long as 

 the top ventilation is sufficient to prevent the temperature from rising too 



high. The blooms of the fancy Pelargoniums will not be injured by the aii*- 

 giviug. For the Vine you ought to command a temperature from sun heat by 

 day of 75- to 80-, giviug air at 65' so as to suit the Pelargoniums, and lea\-ing 

 a little ou all night to prevent the deposition of dew or moisture on the Pelar- 

 gonium blooms. We shoiUd shut-up the house, or begin reducing the venti- 

 lation, at 75^ ttllo^ving a little air, as before stateii, to remain on all through, 

 the night. 



Budding Roses on the Cabbage Rose (Alhurtj H*:ath).— Yon may bnd 

 Roses on the Cabbage Rose, but except for weak growers we fear it would not 

 answer, not being of suificientiy vigorous growth. A more free-growing stock 

 would be preferable, as the Manetti. The best time to hud is in July, as soon 

 as the flowers are shed, choosing moist weather. 



CiNER,uiiA3 Going out of Bloom (Ignommux).— In general most people 

 prefer so\ving seed and raising a fresh supply every year, but if you have any 

 particular kind you wish to retain it is better to cut it down before its flowers 

 are too far advanced, as it is then more likely to start and grow at the collar. 

 Plant it out in a shady border, and about" the beginning of September or 

 before, you may take it up, divide, and pot. Gradually inure the divisions 

 to the full sun, so as to have sturdy plants with short leafstalks. If yoo. 

 prefer seedlings, only allow some of the vei^ best to stand, and sow the seed 

 as soon as ripe. We have often seen patches of healthy seedlings come up 

 on a hard bed of coal ashes under the shade of the plants that dropped the 

 seed, and such plants do very well here. 



Winter Treatment of Pansies {Idem). — If you can have a hatch of 

 well-rooted cuttings ready to plant out by the end of September in a suitable 

 prepared bed, so as to insure their getting established before winter sets in, 

 they will require no further attention, but some dry fern thrown amongst 

 them may be of service at the tune of a very hard frost, when there is no 

 snow on the ground; still, they seldom require this pi-otection except in 

 exposed places. Plants estabUshed in their qmurters in the autumn flower 

 much better than those put in during the spring. 



Soil for Pansies (Idem).— We think that your mixture of thi-ee-parts 

 leaf mould and one of sand will not retain sufficient moisture without hand- 

 watering to sustain your Pansies against the dry weather that may be expected 

 in July. The soil which you have adopted should be of a good depth, and yoa 

 must give the plants plenty of water, say twice a-week, or ofteuer in very dry 

 weather. We like a firmer soil, at the same time deeii and not invaded by the 

 roots of trees. In general, better Pansies are grown in Scotland and the north 

 and west of England, where the rainfall is abundant, thau iu the dry southern 

 and eastern counties. You ask where loam is to be had. and also what it is ? 

 Both are difheult questions. The first we can make no attempt at answering, 

 as any place we might name would probably be out of your reach. With 

 regard to the other we may remark, that whenever in travelling by rail yoa 

 notice land that has been tolerably firm when tumed-up by the plough, show- 

 ing a smooth almost shining furrow-slice, you may safely call tnat loam, and 

 if it shines very much you may pronounce it a clayey luam, or simple clay if yoa 

 like — i.e., if it be too adhesive. On the other hand, soils which show no such 

 appearance ai-e either sandy or gravelly, or it may be peaty. For our own 

 part we like a certain amount of adhesiveness; such soils support vegetation 

 better, and are less affected by vicissitudes of weather. "Wlien aided by 

 enriching substances, Pansies grow well in soils of this description. In your 

 case we fear the blooming period will be but short unless you use the water- 

 ing-pot hberally. 



Tree Carnation Culture {S. P. 8. X.). — The soil should contain a great 

 deal of lime; we believe that success in a peat soil cannot be attained. 

 Assuming that yon have a quantity of overgrown plants, we v.ould say plant 

 them out on some suitable piece of ground, spreadint,' the tops all over it ; and 

 in a few days afterwards, when the tips are mostly turned upwards, layer them 

 in the usual way in the soil, and remove all blooms. By the end of August 

 you will have a number of well-rooted plants ; then take them up, and pot 

 two or three in a pot as you think fit, and by careful attention during tho 

 autumn they will all show flower, and will continue to bloom during the 

 winter. A portion may be retained in pots the following summer, plunging 

 them amongst ashes in a sunny place after potting, and removing aU flowers 

 showing during the summer. Now and then failure will occur, and at best 

 the number of flowers furnished by a successful plant is comparatively few, so 

 that a Carnation at Christmas is a greater luxury than a Camolha. 



Names of Plants [H. Q. M.). — Claytonia perfoliata, a natiye of North 

 America, a hardy annual. (S. 0.). — Polygala vulgaris. {Siihscriberj St. 

 itro'iarrfa). — 1, Bunium flexuosum ; 2, Stollaria Holostea; 3, Lychnis diurna; 

 4, Asperula odorata; 5, Orobus niger; 6, Ranunculus aquatiUs. We restrict 

 our naming to sis at a time. {Canice). — Ulmus moutana, the Wych or 

 Scotch Elm. It is a native of this country and plentiful in Scotland, both 

 from self-sown seed and in x)lantfttion8. Its habit of gi-owth is not so upright 

 as that of the English Elm, and it does not attain so great a height, but its 

 branches are wide-spreading. The wood is very touj^h, and is used iu ship- 

 building, wheelwright's work, by cabinet makers, and for the handles of spades 

 and other tools. {C. L.). — The berries sent you as " Cottinenais" seem to b& 

 those of Cotoneaster microphylla. (H. IF.). — Pyms torminaUs. 



POULTET, BEE, AM) PIGEON OHEONIOLE. 



DOGS IN GENEEAL, 



AND A VISIT TO THE HOME FOR LOST D0G3.— No. 1. 

 " The rich man's guardian, and the poor man's friend, 

 The only creature faithful to the end." 



Whoeter it waa that wrote those two lines, it ig certain that 

 he waB a true poet, and he had also what ia just now more to the 

 purpose — a true knowledge and a thorou^'li appreciation of the 

 nature, instinct, and wondrous affectiou of a good dog. I say 

 of a good dog, for, like men, they vary. Some care only to be 

 petted; some are as crosa and cantankerous as some men and 

 women, giving not a kind look, nor one wag of the tail, save 

 when their belly is concerned ; some are but animals of sporty 

 good iu their class and for their work, but nothing more ; some 

 are too general iu their affection, and, like flirts, are little to be 

 cared for. As far aa my experience has gone, goodness with 

 dogd ia much connected with size, although I have known ex- 



