462 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTUBB AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



[ November 28, 1865. 



Tbadescantia zebrina (J. Bowllni).—T:hc specimen enclosed ia so 

 called commonly, but it is Cyanotis vittata of botanists. It might live in 

 a border durmg Kiimmor. If vou send four stamps to the office with yom- 

 dii-ectiou, and state the Number you want, it will be sent free by post. 



Vines Over Potted Fruit Trees (S. W. G.).— We would say, lot well 

 alone ; but you may have the Vines— say sis or seven, and place nothing 

 directly below them. We would confine the soi-ts to Royal Muscadine, 

 Bncklaud Sweetwater, Black Hamburgh, and Esperione. 



When to Use a Mowing-machine (W. D. P.).— Out experience is, that 

 the machine cuts the grass as well again when the latter is dry as when 



■}l ^^*' ^"""S very dry weather, however, the work is done better 

 with the grass a little damp. The question is easily decided: mov/ a piece 

 wet, and another piece dry, and ask a stranger for his opinion of the two 

 pieces. 



Adding Lime to the Tan in Hothouse-pit (ST. IT.).— If you fill 

 your pit in your stove division with tan, a little fresh lime mixed with 

 the tan now and then will destroy worms, but it will have little effect on 

 other msects. Tan is about the best thing vou can have, and everything 

 thrives in it, bqt there is some labour involved in keeping it nice, and 

 taking out cold and putting in new. We should think if you had heat 

 enough in the place, you might dispense with filling the pit altogether, 

 and place a platform over it. If you prefeiTed bottom heat in the pit, it 

 ■would be much cleaner and give you less trouble to take some pipes 

 through it. Place clinlvers and stones over the pipes to the depth of 

 4 inches, and then a layer of clean-washed gi-avel or rough cinder ashes 

 to set or plunge your pots in. Pots of Vines would do well in such a bed. 

 If you intend to plant your Vines out, and yet have stove plants, you 

 could hardly keen up irtove heat in \vinter without taking the Vines out, 

 as described the other week. 



Sdpply Cistern for Hot- water Heating {A. S.).— Provided your 

 supply cistern is higher than the highest oart of the pipes, it matters little 

 where it is situated. It may bo close to the boiler, or it may be at the 

 farthest and highest point of the flow-pipe, before that bends to form the 

 return. If close to the kitchen boilei-, as is generally the case, a small 

 open! air-pipe would be necessary at the highest point of vom- flow-pipe. 

 If the position given of these pipes with respect to the boiler is correct, 

 there may be a hitch in the circulation, as your return-pipe is shown con- 

 siderably below the level of the bottom of the boiler, and then there is a 

 sharp rise to the boiler. It wiU be safer to have no such lise, but have 

 every pipe above that level. 



Figs on the Back Wall of a Vinery (R. c.).— They will succeed in 

 proportion to the light they receive through the Vines. Without a fair 

 share of sunlight they will not do mach in the way of fruiting. They 

 will succeed all the better from being confined to a narrow border of from 

 3 to -i feet in width. We would make that border of nice, mellow, fibry 

 loam, with a little sweet decayed leaf mould, or hotbed dung added, and 

 but little of that, as strength can easily be given by manure waterings 

 and surface- dressings. The Figs are sm-e to grow strong enough in plain 

 loam at fii-st. 



Centacrea candidissima in Winter (Idem).~The Centaorea will 

 only stand the winter, so far as we have seen, in dry warm places. It is 

 easily affected by damp. It is advisable to take a lot up, as young plants 

 from cuttings in spring ai-e the best for edgings. See "Doings of the 

 Last Week," lately. 



Ventilating a Greenhouse (T(-tetist).~-ln your greenhouse 23 feet 

 long, the openings at each end, 2.ifeet square, just beneath the apex, will 

 be quite enough for top ventilation, if you can give enough in front. Last 

 summer we found a house about the same size did well enough with 

 about half the size of the openings you speak of, left open night and 

 day in smnmer. With openings ^ feet square, we would divide the 

 shutters into two pieces, so as to give only a little air when the weather 

 was cold, or, a.t least, have the power to regulate the quantity. We have 

 proved that with these openings there is no necessity for openings at the 

 apex in the roof for such houses. We would decidedly advise you to have 

 a door opening into the dining-room. If kept clean, dry, and ventilated, 

 there will be no unpleasant smell in the room. It would be well to have 

 a door or a moveable window besides, for dressing, moving, and bringing 

 in fresh plants. There would be no danger from expansion if yon laid 

 your glass edge to edge without laps, on Mr. Beard's plan. So placing 

 the glass, however, is only part of Mr. Beard's plan. To carry it out 

 wholly you would, we suspect, infringe his patent. Of this we are sure, 

 that if you place the glass edge to edge, glaze rather tightly, and use putty 

 in the usual way. many of your squares mil be cracked by expansion. 



Heating a Greenhouse with Gas (W. Turner).~li you use Hartley's 

 coloured ribbed glass, you will not want any shading for the roof, and it 

 will suit plants admirably. As you propose to have four Vines, however, 

 we would for them prefer the 21-oz. sheet glass, obtaining thirds or 

 seconds, and fourths. We have heated a greenhouse, 20 feet by 12, with 

 gas. There was a circle of pipe about 1 foot in diameter, perforated with 

 small holes, and the gas coming through burned in small flames, regu- 

 lated by a tap. An iron stove enclosed this circle, and from the top of it 

 an iron pipe, or flue, rose to the tnp of the greenhouse, passed along its 

 whole length, and terminated outside so as to convey all noxious fumes 

 into the open air. There ia no advantage in using hot water with such 

 an apparatus. The quantity of gas consumed must depend upon tho 

 season. The tap must be txrned on more fully in cold than in milder 

 weather. 



Rainfall.— " Rain fell here on only twenty days in October, and not 

 On twenty-eight days, as stated in last week's Journal of Hohticul- 

 ture. If the mistake was mine I am very sorry for it. — Charles Ross, 

 Welford Park." 



Advantages of Budding Peaches on the Plum (IT. M.).—The ad- 

 vantages of gi-owing Peaches on the Plum stock are — 1st, The Peach 

 takes more freely upon the Plum than on its own stock. 2nd, It grows 

 more freely. Srd, The stocks are more readily procured. 4th, The 

 Plum being hardier than the Peach, it is calculated that the latter will 

 do better on it tiian its own roots. 5th, The trees are more prolific and 

 bear at an earlier age, as do most fruits upon a stock of another genus or 

 species. 



Leap Mould (A. B. C). — This is formed of leaves kept moist and in a 

 heap, frequently turned over, imtil completely decayed, and reduced to a 

 dark brown, moist powder. It usually takes two years to comnlete this 

 process. 



Rheumatism. — The following is from a medical correspondent : — '* I 

 strongly advise * A Younq Gardener,' to use the following remedy, taking 

 care to keep himself warm the following day— a warm bath with suffi- 

 cient water t» cover the body with the exception of the head. Let the 

 warm water be maintained at a temperature of SG'-^ or rather higher. Into 

 this stir half a pint of good mustard, place a blanket over the bath, 

 remain in half an hour, then roll up the body in the same blanket, get. 

 into bed, and cover up so as to perspire profusely. The mustard causes a 

 continued and pleasant excitement of the skin. I constantly use it with 

 patients to induce sleep and relieve the brain of too much blood. A 

 partial ciu-e of rheumatism can be effected by the following means:— 

 Take |a large spoonful of good mustard and ten of linseed meal, mix well 

 with warm water, spread this on a sheet of thick paper, cover with 

 muslin, and apply to the part affected. Keep this on kom eight to ten 

 hours. This is also a good remedy in neuralgic pains, it cures by acting 

 gradually and continuously as Nature points out. — Constant Reader." 



Keeping Walnuts and Cob Nuts (G. T.)-— The Cob Nuts should be 

 kept in their huska. Both Walnuts and Nuts are best kept in stone jars, 

 covered at the top with sand, and the jars placed in a cold damp cellar. 

 You keep your Nuts too di-y. 



Manufacturers of Rustic Potteet.— J. Anderson wishes for the 

 directions of some manufacturers of jardinets, Fern vases, &c., in 

 pottery. 



Neglected Fig Trees— Striking Cuttings {A Subscriber, near PorU- 

 moiUh).—Yoa had better let yom- neglected Fig trees alone now, until the 

 end of March. Then the voung fruit t^tII be peeping, and you can thin 

 out liberally the tliickets of wood that show least fruit. The Fig. like all 

 other fruit trees, should have the wood no thicker than the leaves can be 

 exposed to the sun and air. Some fasten the young shoots close to the 

 wall, but it often happens that it is better practice if the bearing shoots 

 dangle a little from it. We suspect that you will have to root-prune as 

 well as branch-prune. Cuttings of stove and gi-ecnhouse plants are best 

 inserted after February, and cuttings of hardy plants after May and 

 June. Cuttings of Camellias do best when taken off in autumn, using 

 well-ripened wood, and making every bud with its wood a cutting, kept 

 close in cold pits, and then in spring placed in bottom heat. The best 

 Rhododendrons may be struck in the same way, choosing the points of 

 stubby well-ripened shoots, and if with a small piece of the older wood 

 aU the better. Grafting is, however, preferable to cuttings. From 

 Azaleas select, after Februaiy, nice little shoots with no flower-buds — 

 say 2^ inches long, with about the sixteenth of an inch of the older wood 

 — dress, insert in sand, cover with a bell-glass, shade, and, in about a 

 month, plunge the pot in a sweet bottom heat, and harden off gradually 

 as the cuttings strike. You may divide Chrysanthemums now with 

 great propriety, the smallest bit with a root will make a good plant next 

 year, or you may delay parting until March. If you want raoVe definite 

 particulars, you should ask about one thing at a time, as to go into the 

 minutiae of propagation would require pretty well a Number. As you 

 have not had much experience we woxJd refer you for particulars to 

 *' Window Gardening for the Many," which you can have post free for 

 ten stamps. 



Commencing Grape-forcing {0. P.).— With respect to your vinery 

 which has never been forced, and which you wish to force as soon as you 

 can, and the leaves of the Vines are now turning yellow and falling, we 

 would proceed as follows : — Clear off all the leaves, then clean the border 

 outside in which tho Vines are planted, fork it over, and place" on it from 

 15 to 18 inches of leaves and litter, less for producing heat than for keep- 

 ing cold from the roots. Then go inside, prune the Vines, wash them, 

 wash and clean the glass and woodwork. Lime-whitewash all walls 

 (see "Doings of the Last Week"). Shut up your house about the 18th of 

 nest month, and commence about Christmas or the new year with a heat 

 of 45^ ; raise that gradually in tho second week to 50'-, in the third 

 week to 55'^, and in the fourth week to GO", and never exceed 60"^ until the 

 buds have broken and pushed at least an inch, when you may gi-adually 

 rise to 65°, and then to 70 when the Vines are in bloom, and when set 

 return to 65^ gradually. This temperature is by artificial heat. Allow 

 from 10'^ to 15^ more in bright sun with air on. 



Situation op Ash-pit {Iiujiurer).— The least depth for the ash-pit to be 

 1 below the lowest pipe would be from 9 to 15 inches. In cases where 

 water prevents going down the boiler need be little lower than the pipes, 

 but it acts better if lower. But for single houses there is a fair circula- 

 tion when the top pipe is a few inches below the top of the boiler, and 

 the lower return-pipe enters close to the bottom of the boiler. The Lapa- 

 geria rosea requires a good deal of surface room, and plenty of moisture, 

 vnth good drainage, and to be pruned in pretty closely if to be kept in a 

 pot or little room. Though wanting a moderate depth lor the ash-pit, 

 we have had them not more than 6 inches below the boiler. They only 

 I require clearing out ofteuer. 



Propagating Cyanophvllum magnificum — Wintering Cissus dis- 

 color {J. J. S".).— This Cyanophyllum is best propagated in spring when 

 the shoots are a few inches in length, those with three joints being 

 eligible for cuttings. Cut the shoots transversely below the lowest pair 

 of leaves, remove these, leaving another pau* of leaves at the next joint, 

 and a growing point ; drain a small pot well, and fill it to within half an 

 inch of the base of the cuttings with sandy peat, mixed with a little loam, 

 made very sandy by the admixture of silver sand. Fill up to the rim 

 with silver sand, insert the cutting in the centre of the pot, and down to 

 the second joint; give a gentle watering, and plunge the pot in a bottom 

 heat of from 85'' to yO'-. The structure should have a moist atmosphere, 

 and slight shade should be afforded from sun and strong light. A bell- 

 glass placed over the cuttings will faciliate their rooting. Guard against 

 too much moisture, otherwise the leaves and the stem cf the cutting will 

 damp off. When rooted, gradually withdi-aw fi-om the hotbed, and remove 

 the bell-glass. Cissus discolor should now have very little water, just 

 enough to keep the foliage from flagging, allowing it to fall off mature of 

 its o'v^-n accord. Most of the leave? will now be off; no water, therefore, 

 should henceforth be given beyond what is necessary to prevent the 

 vtood shrivelling. In a tempera'tiu'e of 50" it keeps safely, and even with 

 45- if the soil is dry. 



Chrysanthemums for Greenhouse '{A. C. C. H). — Large -flowering.— 

 Prince Albert, Lady Harding, Beverley, Golden Christine, Christine* 

 Alma, or Due de Conegliano. Povijmns. — Bob, Golden Amore, WMte 

 Treveuua, Lilac Cedo Nulli, Duruflet, Florence. We do not reCfUect 

 such an advertisement. 



Cineraria Seedling (J. P. Cathcart).—lt is pretty, but in no quality 

 equal to a multitude of others. 



