Novonibpi- 7, IRfiS. ] 



JOUBNAL OP HOnTICULTURR AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



391 



Skedmso Oekanium (ir. S.I.— I( constant— the Unit biilt KToiMi with « 

 liliirk /.(inc. iinil tlio iitlicr liuU priuivoso with i; innk /.onu it will bo 

 luiiqiic, (uul liu in iimc'li ruquuht. 



PoTATii l/./cm).— Tho varieties of Potiito arc tar too nnmcrons for ns to 

 ■venture on iiKhiwiiiuK' ii ntmio from seeing' ii sinulo tuber. It ninst be of 

 very peenliur form to euiiblo us to do so. Tlie ioliiiye uud flowers nsuiilly 

 rotiuiro to be ween. 



Makixo a Feunkry of a SrMMEn-Hor.sK (P. B.).— Wn do not soe nny- 

 tliint? oiijeetioMuble in your proposed iiltenitions, ho fur ns tho |,Towth of 

 the Fenis is e<iiieerned ; but we should prefer tho eontinurtneo of the 

 spun roof on aeeninit of eouvenionco jvnd iippenrnneo. Your sloping roof 

 ■.vill look odd w illi the Willi so much higher than the bottom ol tho roof, 

 ft will also waste room, and make th-j fernery gloomy in winter. H you 

 were to have a span roof, as at present, in tho summer-house you could 

 have l''erns in huskcts suspended from tho npex, iind in bviildinn you 

 could, in aildition. have the corners built so that plants of pendant hahit 

 could ho plaectl Itiere in pots as you propose: but, instead of this,_ we 

 would have a lc(b.;e of st<nic :H feet from the Klass, cxtcndinti 1 foot into 

 the house, uiul on this we wou^d place soil with u few rout{h stones as an 

 i-dj,'inp, and plant with Ferns havinj? ereepiuK' rhi/.omes, and which would 

 run uii the wiiU ami down also, as Davnllia disseeta, Xiphoholus rupres- 

 tris, Ac, ivitli a Stap's-boni Fern pbintcil in each of the corners, or ft 

 pendant Fern if von like such better ; 2 feet Ii inches above this, and 

 1 toot I'roni the tjl.'iss, we would have another ledijo of sliuu' projecliu« 

 i; inches from the wall, cover it with .loil, and plant it with Sclayinelhi 

 dentieulata, and other Lycopods. All round. exceptiuK where the door- 

 way is, we would have roekwork carried to tho hei^'ht of the lirst ledfjo, 

 leaviuii a pathway 3 feet wide in the centre, and Ferns being suspended 

 in baskets fnun 'the root over the pathwi'v, yonr house would hnvo a 

 i-harmini; appearance. Kouu'h plate '.ihiss would be best for the roof, and 

 the roof should fall 2 feet in s feet Ii inches, or the half if a span. 



Plan rixi! a I.ow Piece of Giioisd (.■( .9i/ri«cn7ier).— Rhododendrons do 

 not succeed well on a limestoiui subsoil, so tar as our experience enables 

 ns to form an opinion ; but this has been more from a want of a suitable 

 soil, end dryness, than anything there is in liniestouo to render it 

 obnoxious. \Vc find Rhododendrons do fairly planted in the interstices 

 of limest.me roekwork lilled with peat, and kept moist by the drainage 

 fnun the upper part. Vou uiav, therefore, phint Hliododendrons in yioir 

 rich vifc-etable peaty mould, thou.h there is liuu-stunc underneath, pror 

 vidiug that it is not'of a nature to burn in suunuer ; aud, though we cannot 

 guarantee success, we think it likely. Of Ferns yon may plant Osmunda 

 regalis. O. cinnamomca, O, interrupta, Onoclea seusibilis. Scolopcndriums 

 in variety, Lastrea Filix-mas and many of its varieties, I,, dilatuta, 

 L. thelypteris. Athyrium Filix-fixmina, and Pteris aquilina for the drier 

 parts. The abive Ferns would do well if the soil is wet and slight shade 

 art'ordcd. A few plan's of the Pampas Grass and of tho common Sedges 

 nuiy be introduced with good efTect. 



Lawn Burkixo in Suhmer (G. R.).— Yiutow, or Aehillon millefolium, 

 which you have been recommended to sow, does well on dry gravelly 

 .soils, but we should not sow it alone, nor indeed at all, uutil we had tried 

 something better, for, though it gi-ows fast and is gi'een enough, it is a 

 tufty plant, and we are glad to get rid of it on our soU which is a light 

 loam on a bed of grayei. .-U its best it gives a lawn a patchy appearance. 

 Wo recommend you to sow during showery weather next April, after 

 giving a dressing of rich comjtost, Festuca duriuscnla (Hard Fescue 

 Grass), (i lbs.; I-'estuca ovina (Sheep's Fescue Grass), 2 lbs.; Festuca 

 tenuifulia |Finc-loaved Fescue Grass), 4 lbs. ; Festuca rubra (Creeping 

 l''escue Grass). 1 lb. : Cynosuruseristatus (Crested Dog's-tail Grass), 41bs. ; 

 Ijutus cornieulatus (Bird's foot Trefoil), 1 lb. ; Tritolium ropens (White 

 Clover). 3 lbs. ; and Tritolium minor (Suckling Clover), ;! lbs. per acre ; 

 avoiding the Yarrow altogetlier. KoU w-ell after sowing, and obnoxious 

 weeds being grubhed up, we think your lawn would please in a year or 

 I wo, 



Hedvchicm not Flowerino— PRUsrsGlPOHtEA Hoksfalli.e (J. Bayhi) 

 — We had a plant of Iledyehium Gardnerianum that we could not induce 

 to bloom, though it, like yours, gi'ew amazingly every year. We grew it 

 in the stove, but tiuding it not worth its room it was doomed t() bo 

 thrown out and the room occupied by something better. This was in 

 July, and the plant had then made shoots 5 or 6 feet long. In the hurry 

 it was placed in front of a south wall, and we were surprised to find tho 

 shoots thicken rapidly. This induced us to take it in September into the 

 stove, where it bloomed finely during tho winter. Since then we have 

 grown it in a vinery till it nnute a good gi-owth, and then exposed it to sun 

 so ns to ripen the wood fully, and it has always bloomed well ; we keep it 

 in a cool stove in winter. Yon may cut away the growths of last year 

 when they turn yellow, leaving only those of the current year, for it is 

 those th.at bloom. The weak shoots of this year may be removed, as they 

 only tend to weaken the others. Strong well-ripened growth is necessary 

 to ensure blooming. Ipomffia Horsfallia; may be pruned with a long 

 stem the height of the house, depending on the shoots that come from 

 the spurs tor bloom. Uudjr this treatment tho plant breaks strongly 

 from the upper pai't, whilst the lower part, though naked, is covered 

 by shoots trained downwards, and is thus equally in bloom witli the 

 upper part, liy cutting down to the bottom of the ratter the shoots come 

 strong from the bottom and grow upwards, flowering more at the top 

 than near the bottom, unless shoots are brought down. For our part we 

 like the latter mode of pruning, but both are good. 



Various (A Lciihj Huhacribcr). — Inarch your Bowood Muscat on the 

 Frankentlnil, though it wouhl probably do as well on the lilack Ham- 

 burgh. The Duchess of Buccleuch Vine is quite as easy to gi-ow as a 

 Muscat Hamburgh. Coe's Golden Drop Plum will do even better on a 

 southern tli.au on an eastern aspect. Green Overall is a good dessert 

 Gooseberry, combining flavour with size. It you earetnlly plant a good- 

 sized transplanted bush now, it ought to bear fruit next year. 



Kew Botanic Gardens (L'. Thoughtful). — You had better wTite to Mr. 

 Smith, Cui'ator, Royal Botanic Garden, stating your wishes and the testi- 

 moaials you can have. 



Figs is Orchard-house (.U. Smith). — Every Fig above the size of a 

 small Pea should be cut away now, and even those left will not stand, if 

 subjected to severe frost without some protection. The Figs just now 

 showing like pins'-heads will do best next summer. 



noTToM Heat im CucliMnKn-l'iT (W. Piirnrll).— A» yonr Cucumber-pit 

 arts satisfactiu'ily we say, Dceiiledly b-t well alone. The brickbats over 

 tile pi|ios act as conductiu's of heat. The tan, recommended to be sub- 

 slitulcd for them, if thick enough and fresh enough, would yield heat of 

 itself hv fcnneutation, but, fresh or cdd, it would prevent Ileal rising from 

 the |)ipes when it bei'omes dry, as then it acts ns a noneondnclor of heat. 

 He eontent with what answers so well. The " Vino Manual" can be had 

 free by post Ironl our olllee, it you enclose thirty-two postage stamps with 

 yonr address. 



ClluvsANTHEMUJl LEAVES DviNO OPF (W. SniilxTflnc). — Chrysanthe- 

 mums hise their lower IcavcH in autumn— 1st, from an insuHlcient 

 supply of water at an earlier period of tlic season, which causes them to 

 mature ; 2nd, from the shoots being trained too closo together, thereby 

 preventing a due amount of light and air reaching the lower leaves; and, 

 »rd, from being removed to a closer and warmer situation for blooming. 

 We know of no remedy except keei>ing tho plants well supplied with 

 water thrinigh the snmincr, lioc^ping the shoots thin, and regulated early 

 and reiieatcdly dming tho growiug season ; and to house them in a cOol, 

 light, and very airy structure before very wet cold weather sets in. 



Lime Trees Hare at the Bottom (11'. K. ;/.).— Y'ou cannot adopt any 

 means to make the trees break lower down without taking ofl' their tops, 

 anil, tliough this would cause thcin to break lower down, it would be in- 

 efl'cctual, as they will quickly grow up, unless suckers come from tho 

 root, which will not bo the case to any extent uutil the trees are old. 

 You might plant some Ivy against the building, aud so diminish its un- 

 sightliuess ; and by planting some shrubs in front of the Limes, as Yews, 

 liamels. Hollies, and Aucubas, tho part not hidden by tho Limo trees 

 may be screened from view. 



Hebdaceous Calceolarias Failiso— Sowing Antirrhinum and Aqci- 

 I.EGIA TO Bloom next Year (M. N.).—\V<i have experienced a similar 

 dying otT of hcrbacoons Calceolarias, which we attributed to a want of 

 nioisture in the atmosphere during tho whole of September. Wo had 

 others on a north aspect, along with some Hunicas, and none of them 

 have gone otr. Wo think the hot dry weather in September was the cause. 

 Yon had better wait until spring, and sow the seed then in a mild hot- 

 bed, and grow the plants on in a cold frame. They will Idoom finely lato 

 in summer and in autumn. Tho Aquilegia and AntiiThinum seed should 

 bo sown in March in the same way as that of halt liardy annuals, luicking 

 otr the seedlings into small pots when snflii'icntly largo to handle, and 

 when established thev should bo hardened otT. The Antirrhinum will 

 bloom linclv, but we question if the bloom of the Aquilegia will bo good. 

 It would be' better to sow tho latter in May in the open ground, and take 

 up the plants and pot them in September. Tho Antirrhinums sown in 

 August, potted off before winter, and kept in a sheltered situation would 

 make much finer plants. 



White Scale on Philesia buxifolia (.(. C, 7?.).— It will be a dilBcult 

 matter to dislodge tho scale. Your safest plan will be to pick it off with 

 the point ot a knife. Having gone over the plant in this way, cover tho 

 surface of the pot with moss to iirovent the roots being injured by tho 

 coming ordeal. Lay tho plant on its side, and syringe it with water at a 

 temperature of 140^. Turn the plant over and over again so as to let the 

 hot water reach all the insects. Continue to remove the insects still re- 

 maining in the croyices with tho point of a knife or brush, and in ten 

 days repeat tho application ot hot water if requisite. This in time will 

 clear tho plant. Be careful not to deluge the pot with hot water, other- 

 wise the roots will all perish ; and if the leaves have been long infested 

 with scale they will drop. Knowing the plant was sufl'ering from whito 

 scale we would not have had it at a gift, much less bought it. It is dis- 

 creditable to sell such things. 



Destroying Woodlice {E. M. H.).—Vfe have experienced gi-oat annoy- 

 ance from woodlice in Fern culture. Our plau was to cut a raw Potato 

 in two parts, scoop a littlo out of the middle with a kuite, and, placing 

 the cut part downwards on the pots or elsewhere at night, going in the 

 morning we found them secreted in the hollow beneath the Potato, and 

 feeding on it. and thus killed gi'eat numbers. These baits last a long 

 time, but are better when fresh. Another and more wholesale mode of 

 catching them is to place a boiled Potato, wrapped loosely in a little hay, 

 at the bottom of a small flower-pot, and laying the pot on its side near 

 their haunts. This is done at night, and in the morning the Potato i9 

 taken out and the hay dropped into a bucket of boiling water, holding it 

 over the bucket whilst the Potato is being taken out. The woodbco when 

 plentiful will eat the greater part of a boiled Potato in a night. Continno 

 this for a time and their numbers will lie considerably diminished. You 

 canuot have the pots half dipped in anything poisonous without injnrm!; 

 the plants, but you may provide largo saucers or feeders, fill them 

 with water, invert a smaller saucer in the centre so as to have its 

 bottom above the water, aud then place the pot containing the plant upon 

 the inverted saucer. Woodlice cannot bridge tho water and attack the 

 plant. 



LILIUMTIGHINUM— MUSCARI BOTRYOIDES— TKITOMA UVARIA INFloWEK- 



eed (-4. C, C. H.).— Lilium tigi-innni, gi-ows to a height of 3 or 4 feet 

 in rich soil, and ordinarily to 3 feet. It is of tho turbinate or Turk's- 

 cap section, of good erect habit, and branching; the flowers are orange 

 or orange-salmon with dark brown or black spots, hence its name Tiger 

 Lily. Muscari (Hyacinthus) boti;yoidcs or Grapo Hyacinth gi-ows to s, 

 hei'"ht of 6 inches, has long narrow Hyacinth-like leaves, and the flowers 

 are blue and closely set on an erect spike. Tritoma nvaria will kve un- 

 protected in beds and borders, but is better with a few inches of half- 

 decayed leaves laid around the crown, which act as a sort of protection 

 and assist the succeeding gi-owth. 



Xaties of Fruit (Hor(aa).— 1, Gansel's Late Bergamot; 2, Beurre 

 Derouineau; 3, Knight's Monarch; 4, marked Passe Colmar? (Winter 

 Nclis-.'l. (J. F. Lnmiiard, Duhliu).—!. Gloria Mundi; 2, Lemon Pippin ; 

 S, Golden Winter Pcarmain ; 4, Summer Poarmain. 



Naaies of Plants (B. W. CoUinaham).—l. Asideninm adiantnm-nigrum ; 

 2, A. trichomanes; 3, Pteris hastata ; 4, Doodia media; 5, Cyrtomium 

 faleatum ; Ii and 8, Campteria biaurita ; 7, IHevis loiigifolia : 9, imperfect. 

 l.r. ii.l.—l and 4, Adiantum hispiduluin : 2, A. pcdatnin ; 3. A. formosum ; 

 5, Lastrea dilatata ; 6, L. spinulosa. (.f. IV. D.).— Nephrolepis tuberosa. 

 It has many habitats in the East Indies. (SopJiin).— Lastrea dilatata. 

 Ui. M. if.i.— Escallonia uuicrantha. (.1. i'.).— Sonerila margantacea, or 

 pearl-spotted. 



