98 



JOTJBNAL OF nOETICTlXTURE AND COTTAGE GAEDENER. 



[ August 1, 1865. 



Potato Scab (ilf.).— When manure is largely mixed ^ith either lime ur 

 ashes we find the Potatoes liable to scab. It is also prevalent where the 

 sets and tubers are in contact with the manure. AVe find Potatoes less 

 liable to scab on newly-brokeu-ui) land than on that which has been long 

 cropped, and that the'y are never so much afl'ccted in gi-onnd where the 

 manure is applied some time previous to plnutin?^ nnd well mixed with 

 the soil, as where it is applied immediately under or upon the sets. 



Taking up Potatoes (J./ffH).— Potatoes are ready tn take up— 1st. when 

 the tubers have attained their full size. 2nd, when the leaves begin to 

 fall and the haulms turn brown. 3rd, when the tubers oome freely from 

 the vines without having to jerk them ofl" violently. 4th, when the skins 

 are firm and will not come off ensily when rubbed. Yoiu- Potatoesare not 

 fit to take up whilst gi'owing and blossoming. They will be best left alone 

 until done gi-owing. Last year Dalmahoys and many others ripened 

 earlier than usual in consequence of the unprecedented di-jTiess of the 

 season. Judging by the appearance of our second early Potatoes wo 

 think they will not be ready to take up for storing before the end of 

 August, and the main crops not until the middle or end of September. 

 They promise a good crop. 



Cropping a Garden (Jrffm).— Generally two crops are as much as can 

 be taken from the same gi'ound in one season, because they take up a 

 certain time from sowing or planting to arriving at maturity. Your being 

 informed by a gardener of high standing that a garden ought to have 

 five crops in a season may be coiTect as to Lettuce, Spinach, and similar 

 crops that are frequently sown, and soon come into use. The assertion 

 does not hold good as regards CaiTots, and Onions, to say nothing of 

 Peas, and all the Cabbage tribe. Manure after every crop;'never leave 

 anything on the groimd a single day after it ceases to be of use ; plant or 

 BOW something upon it the same day; never let it be idle, and you will 

 then obtain all that can be had from the gi-ound in a season. The papers 

 now appearing by " Burntwood P.D." contain much relating to crox>ping 

 a kitchen garden. 



Apricots rotting (Marston). — ^We have not experienced any annoyance 

 from Apricots rotting off as they ripen. In the absenceof anyparticulars 

 of the disease we are tmable to assign a reason or point out a remedy. 



Verbena Pegs (Idem).— They may be obtained from the pi-incipal 

 London seedsmen, but we can tell you how to make them cheaply and 

 expeditiously by the thousand. Pi-ocure some thick bamboo canes. Saw 

 them into six-inch lengths. Split these into thin shps about the eighth of 

 an inch thick, and place in water for a few days. When thoroughly wet 

 split with a knife to the thi<^tneBS of lucifer matches, and they are then 

 ready for use, still keeping in water to render them pliant. In using 

 them the ends are brought nearly together and thrust into the gi-oimd, 

 with the shoot to be pegged between them. In this way they form so 

 many wood-like haii-pius, and are much cheaper. An expert hand can 

 make several thousands in a day. 



Banksian Roses not blooming (E. Bids).— The reason these Roses 

 bloom so seldom is that people cut away the small twiggy shoots on 

 which thej' ftn* the mostpart bloom. Such shoots shouldnot he shortened, 

 and but little pruning is required in any pari until the wall be covered. 

 Banksinn Roses flower more freely in dry soils than in those which are 

 wet and retentive. If the branches he shortened they put forth a profu- 

 sion of strong shoots and do not bloom. Old plants towards the end of 

 summer often produce immensely thick and strong shoots. Early in 

 autumn these should be removed, that the flowering twigs may not he ex- 

 hausted by them. 



Apples, Plums, and Peaks for a Korth-western Aspect [T.) — The 

 fruits you wish to grow on an aspect which is uorth-west by north do not 

 generally succeed well there. They would do fairly, but would not be equal 

 to those on more favourable aspects. The fruits which you do not ^ish to 

 grow — viz.. Cm-rants. Gooseberries, and Morello Cherries, would be more 

 profitable than Apples, Plums, and Pears. The kinds of Plums most likely 

 to bear moderately, are Pond's Seedling, Kirke's, Coc's GoUlen Drop, and 

 Guthrie's Late Green. These at 20 feet apart, the first at 10 feet from the 

 end of the wall, will occupy 80 feet of the wall, and if more Plums are 

 wanted Green Gage and Jefferson maybe added. Apples— Hawthomden. 

 Manx Codlin, Keswick Codlin. Norfolk Bearer, Blenheim Orange, and 

 Scaiiet Nonpariel. Pears — Louise Bonne of Jersey, Bergamot, Gansel's 

 Late. Colmar d'Ete, Alexandi-e Lambrf , Beurre Superfin, and TliorapsonV. 

 The Apples on the Paradise should be 15 feet apart, and the Pears on the 

 quince at 12 feet apart. 



Constructing Rockwork (L. J. B.). — Some notes on the subject will be 

 found at pages 383 and S72 of the last volume. The construction of rock- 

 work is a matter of tnste; keep in view boldness of teatme and distinct- 

 ness, and rugged outline. In forming those rocks on the islands you will 

 make a footing for them below the level of the water so that they may 

 appear to rise from it. On these the remainder of the rockwork may be 

 constructed. It is not necessary to cement the stones together unless 

 small, when doing so would impart massiveness to fragments. The whole 

 of one or more of the islands may be converted into rockwork with green 

 patches here and there. In others it should be confined to the water's 

 edge with atones jutting out in places, forming ledges level with or a 

 little below the water, others rising abruptly from it in parts, and to some 

 height, whilst at the other side they may rise little, and be confined to the 

 edge of the water. The stones will hold together without any cement, 

 only make every stone firm before placing another upon it. Use few and 

 large stones, and aim at a natm-al effect. 



Seedling Hollyhocks (M. Smith). — The flowers are good, but there 

 are many like them, and many better. No judgment can be formed of 

 the merit of a HoUyhock unless a whole spike can be seen. 



Crickets (.7. Acton).~ln No. 222. pulilished June 27th last, we gave all 

 the information we possess relative to destroying crickets. 



Varied forms of Conifer Leaves IMaji of Kent). — We consider the 

 specimens you enclosed are from a Juniperus chinensis, or Chinese Juni- 

 per. The prickly leaves will cease to appear as the tree becomes older. 

 The others are only the mature leaves of different ages. 



Cucumbers Out of Doors {Pea^r. Hill). — We refer you to page 67, but 

 will see what more can be done. Very con-ect information, however, is 

 not so easily obtained, unless you are on the spot and can see for your- 

 self. The Sandy growers have hmg been the eailieat in the country, but 

 that holds true also iu general of Peas and Potatoes, except those brought 

 from Cornwall and Devon. The hght warm soil is the chief cause of ihe 

 Cirly success. 



Flowf.r-beds not thriving (An Old Subscriher).—The remains of an 

 old Melon-bed will be good for manuring flower-beds next season, after it 

 is well rotted and sweetened by expusiu-e to the air, and several turnings. 

 The exposure and the turning lUssipate a portion of the manuring prin- 

 ciples, but this is more tban compensated liy the sweetness and friabiUty 

 obtained. Beds can only be over-manured when the plants giow too much 

 to leaf and too little to bloom, and beds that would scarcely be rich 

 enough in a hot dry summer, will be much too rich in a wet moist season. 

 We often must make a risk in these matters, as we cannot know what 

 the season will be before it comes. We are, however, just a little iu doubt 

 whether what you call your failure is owing to the manuring, or to the 

 winter planting of your flower garden. If you had a good show from 

 bulbs, annuals, &c., in spring, you must not expectthatthe bedding plants 

 wiU answer first-rate, imless you can give them extra attention, and have 

 the ground well stin-ed before planting them out. Some of our own beds 

 that had some old hotbed dung tm-ued into them looked better three 

 weeks ago, before the heavy rains came. If a dry autumn come they 

 will be fine again. If it should be dull and wet we shall have too much 

 foliage, and the leaves will be so large that a portion of them mU have to 

 be removed. But, on the whole, exti-a growth is more pleasant to look at 

 than extra stuntedncss. On light poor soil, all the twelve plants you 

 mention *would be the better of a little sweet rotted manm-e. In soil 

 moderately rich, and where the climate is at all moist, we would give 

 manure, as above, to Calceolaiias. Vei'benas. Lobelias, Linum, and Ga- 

 zania, but we would give httle or none to Phlox Di-ummondi. Saponaria, 

 Amarauthus melanchuhcus, Petunias, Scarlet Geraniums, Tropieolums, 

 and 3Iesembr>^anthemums. In rich soil aU the latter will gi-ow too much 

 to leaf. Mesembryanthenjums, Portulacaa, &c., and things of that kind, 

 do best in poor sandy t;oil, and better still if the rows are planted on 

 little hillocks so as to escape damp. Thi-ee weeks ago we h.ad a beautiful 

 Petunia-bed allied to the old Shrubland Rose. The bed was raised in 

 the basket style, and the outsides were bordered with a blue Nolana. 

 The soil having become exhausted, fresh and richer soil was given, and 

 nothing could have looked more lovely and compact than these Petunias. 

 The hea\'y warm rains have left abundance of bloom, but it has more than 

 doubled the length of the plants, and to prevent their falling or being 

 swept by the wind into unseemly bundles, we have had to stick the bed 

 all over with branches some 80 inches in length. Could we have been 

 sure of such heavj' wann showers, and the gi-ound hotter than we have 

 ever experienced, the poorest fresh soil would have been the best for 

 these Petunias. As it is. it required some hours' labom* to make and 

 keep the bed handsome. We may mention that the plants had been at first 

 pegged down regulaiiy, and then, as the plants gi-ew, the bed was stuck all 

 over with twigs some 14 inches in height, that being thought sufficient ; 

 and it would have Ijeen so in a dry season Ukc the last. We would wish 

 to obhge "An Old Subscriber" more definitely if we could, but the season 

 makes such a difference in gi-owth, that an unvaiied rule of mauiuiug or 

 not manuring can scarcely be given. 



Grapes not colouring (J. H.). — We are no gi-eat advocates for dulled 

 plate glass for forcing-houses, though we have not met with any want of 

 colouring in the fi'uit gi'own under it, when, as in your case, i>lenty of air 

 and heat were given, and the roots kept in such a nice condition. We in- 

 cline to think that the very heaviness of the crop and the size of the 

 berries have been too rntu'h for the colouring matter. Here we may re- 

 mark that lately in a meeting of gardenei-s, and with specimens of Grapes 

 before them, alike well gi-own, but some imperfectly and others i)orfectly 

 coloured, it was agi-eed by a majority that the somewhat reddish Black 

 Hamburghs were sweeter and more luscious than the black ones. There 

 is a secret about colouring besides heaviness of crop. We have had very 

 heavy crops well coloured, and a few bunches on a Vine that yet never 

 became black. 



Strawberry culture. — In answer to an "Obiginai Subscriber," I reply 

 that if a plant, being either pistillate or hermaphrodite, does not frxiit the 

 first season, it will fruit the more abundantly the next in conseqvience of 

 having a year's gi-ace. I frequeutly disfi-uit weak plantations and de- 

 prive them of runners, and always find that they well repay me the next 

 season. I have received the thanks of Mr, C. Turner for the StrawbeiTy 

 article, and I beg to acknowledge the thanks of an " Original Suescrieer."' 

 The season lasted here from Whitsunday till July 16th. I ended well 

 with the Frogmore Pines and John Powell, two admirable late sorts ; 

 they are both long in bearing. The former has a nice briskness, not 

 amounting to acidity ; the latter is sweet, rich, and delicious. Both are 

 handsome. — W. F. Rajjclyffe, Tarrant liushton. 



Propagating Ltcopods— Everg^heen CltmbePv for. a Porch {Peepy).^ 

 Most Lycopods may ho propagated by cuttingB and divisions. The 

 smallest bit \vill grow iu a moist warm place. We do not think there is 

 any little work on the subject. The British Lycopods and Mosses would 

 be the best in a closed porch. Such kinds as the Swiss denticulatofii 

 which creeps very freely, would stand well on such a closed porch when 

 the adjoining hall had a fire in winter. The North American apodum, and 

 rupestre we think would also do. if kept moist and often moved, as the 

 first is apt to give way in the middle. Such British kinds as alpinum, cla- 

 vatum, and selaginoides are veiy interesting, but they will uot spread, 

 nor look so green as denticulatum. For covering a dark back wall 

 nothing is better than Cissus antarctica. You do not give us so definite 

 a statement about the porch as to enable us to state whether a Vine 

 would do in it, or what other evergreen creepers woirid be most suitable. 

 You speak of a wiudow south-west. Well, has it a roof of glass with 

 merely a window or two? Unless large, you could not do much with 

 evergreen creepers, except the variegated Ivy perhaps, but if you will 

 give us the width, length, and height of the ijorch, and whether it has a 

 glass or an ojiaque roof, we will do what we can to meet your case. 



Heating a Greenhouse and Detached Houses (J. P. Liverpool), — If 

 you can go low enough, we would recommend a conical boiler oi middle 

 size, say 2 feet in height ; if uot, a saddle-back of similar size. Thefe 

 will ho no difficulty in heating the two houses, though the one is 25 yards 

 apart from the other — that is, if the level admits of it, but you will be able 

 we presume to make little use of the 50 yards of piping which will be re- 

 quired between the two houses. The heating of each house may be quite 

 iudependeut of the other, and but for the connecting-pipes, there need be 

 no difficulty if the gi-ound from the tii'st to the distant house rises a Uttle 

 aU the way. The pipes of connection may he packed in sawdust in a 

 dry drain ; or better still iu an open drain, with an open end into tho 

 house, and the heat will thus be conveyed from the pipes. If yon gave us 

 more definite particulars we should be happy to help you all we can. Wo 

 '' are sm-prised at the flue not an-iwering. 



