490 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



r December 12, 1865. 



Gratting Old Apple Tueeb (An Amateur).— Cnt off the branches now 

 at the point where yon propose praftinff. and when the sap rises in 

 spring, which will be known bv the buds of the other trees swelling, then 

 pare the outer snrfnce of the cnt a Httlf, and choosing' a smooth part of 

 the bark, make an ineieion '2 inchtfi in length through the bark from the 

 crown of the stock downwards, rmd which may ho opened by thrusting in 

 a thin piece of wood or with the ptint of a'knife. The grnft or scion 

 should, in the first place, be cnt transversely below a bud, and on the 

 other side, 2 or 3 inches above the bud, place a knife and make a sloping 

 cut downwards, bringing the knife out immediately below and quite close 

 to it. cr thin at the lower end. This is to be thnist in between the bark 

 and wood where the incision is made in the stock, and down to the 

 point where the sloping cut in the scion ends. It the crown of the stock 

 is thicit, another gi-aft may be put in en tlie other side, opposite to and 

 corresponding with the first. If the sciim have two good eves above the 

 crown of the stock it is sufficient, moderr>.telv strong wood being the best 

 for grafts. Bind tightly with a strip of bast matting soaked "in water, 

 and cover with grafting clay. This mr.y be made of good clay, beaten and 

 kneaded to the consistency of dough, horse-droppings passed through a 

 sieve with half-inch meshes, and fresh cowdung. all three in equal parts, 

 incorporating and kneading them together until uniformlv mixed so as 

 to resemble soft putty. With this composition cover the croym and the 

 sides of the stock so far as the scions extend, closing nicely, smoothly. 

 and evenly, as if the clay crack or have openings air will be admitted to 

 the wounds, and the stock and graft will not unite well. Go over the 

 clay in three or four days, afterwards closing the cracks, if any. When 

 the grafts begin to grow, and have made shoots 3 inches in length, the 

 clay and the bandage shouid be removed, tving to the stock a stake half 

 an inch or so thick, and coming about 1 foot above the crown of the 

 stock, and by the side of the scion or gi-aft, which is to be tied to it to 

 guard against the scion being blown out ; it may remain for a year or two 

 to maintain the graft in its place, until the latter shall have become 

 firmly and immovoably united to the stock. The grafts, if they do well, 

 will make strong shoots the first year, and bear the third. The method 

 above described, and cleft giMfting are the best modes, when the crown 

 of the stock is more than 3 inches; in diameter. 



Phofagating Cineraria aiAniTiMA {Inem).~lt strikes best from slips, 

 or those shoots that come from the eroMU or base of the plant, which may 

 be removed in April, or whenever thry are to be had,*potting them in 

 light sandy soil, imd plungingthepotsin a mild hotbed— 75', and in a fort- 

 night or three weeks they will be well rooted, end being hardened off, 

 will make fine plpnts by the end of M'ly if put in in April. The seed 

 should be sown in the first week in Marcli in a hotbed, and the seedlings, 

 when large enonph to handle, pricked ofiF at an inch or ]J inch apai-t, 

 still continuing in heat ; harden off and plant out in May. 



Ghafting ViKEa {IdfVi].—Yonr cutting back the Vines in pots to 

 two or three eyes is right, growing them on for fruiting another year. 

 Glendinning'g Seedling Vine we do not know, but you say it is not so 

 satisfactory- na you could wish, and you. therefore,' propose gi'afiing it 

 with Black Kambnrgh. Very well, we should advise you to keep two 

 Black Hamburgh Vine? in pots, set the pots near the Vines to be grafted, 

 measure the canes of the young Vines by idacing these against the Vines 

 to be grafted, and, choosing a smooth part of the stocks, place the cants 

 so that they may fit that part. Cut ofT the heads of the young canes two 

 eyes above where they tit the old Vines nicely, and takeout all the eyes 

 below except two atthe bottom cf the young Black Hamburgh, from 

 which two t-hoots will come in spring, one of which is to be allowed to 

 grow, and the other should be rubbed ofif. The two eyes above will give 

 two shoots, and when they and the Vines to be grafted have made shoots 

 6 inches long, take a slice of the smooth part of both, 2 inches long, exactly 

 corresponding. Halfway along this cut Jn the stock, which may be one- 

 fom-th its thickness, place the knife nnd bring it downwards three- 

 quarters of an inch, and in a sloping direction halfway through the 

 stock. Withdraw the knife and place the scion by the stock, you vrill 

 then see where the cut in the stock ends, from there make a slanting cut 

 upwards con-espondin g to thnt in the stock, halfway through it and three- 

 quarters of an inch in length. Join slock and scion together, slipping 

 the tongue of the graft into the sht of the stock, making the two fit 

 exactly and so that the edges may concspond, or. at least, on one side ; 

 bind tjpLtly with bast matting, and if done neatly it will be sufEciont to 

 keep out the air, though a little moss niny be placed over the graft after 

 binding with matting. Tie the shoot of the scion to the rafter, cutting 

 away the weakest shoot and retaining the strongest. Just below the 

 point of union on the scion tie a piece of string as firmly as possible to 

 arrest the downward flow of the sap. allowing stock «nd scion to grow, 

 and so you may have fruit on the stock, and another kind inarched upon 

 it growing up by it to take its phice nhen the fruit is cut. The head of 

 the stock is then to be cut away immediately above the union. In six 

 weeks the union will be complete, when the scion or part of it below the 

 union is to he cnt off. and the bnnduge entirely removed. It should 

 have been loosened at tlie end of three weeks, which wc have omitted to 

 mention before, binding it Rgain, but not so tightly as at first. If the 

 part of the stock above the union is not to remain for its fruit, then cut 

 it off at once, and Ihe vigour or strength of the stock being thrown into 

 the graft it will make a very strong cane. The inarching should be done 

 as near the bottom of the Vino as practicable. The Vine in the pot fur- 

 nishing the scion will be as good as any for furnishing a cane to fniit 

 another year, having the upper part cut rway after the operation is com- 

 pleted. This mode of grafting Vinos is so sure and so easily perfoi-med, 

 and may be done without experiencing the loss of a crop, that we think 

 it very suitable for amateurs not having much experience in grafting. 



EspALiKR Trees Mossy and EnitEED {A. C.) — It would be well to re- 

 move the moss by scraping it off without injuring the bark, and then 

 paint them with a wash of lime and soot in equal parts, with sufficient 

 boiling liquid manure to give the consistency of thick paint, applying the 

 mixture at ICO- v,ith a brush to the branches, rubbing it well into every 

 crack, bole, and crevice. Remove the old soil from about the roots, and 

 replace it with fresh soil and half-reduced dung : tread it firm, but not at 

 all if the soil be wet. This may proh:Lbly give them another lease of life. 

 Plants from the Continent [An Old .Sufrscri^^T).— Hibiscusesculentus 

 produces capsules commonly used in the West Indies in soups and pepper 

 pots imder the name of Okro. Its sulphur-coloured flowers are hand- 

 some. It is an annual in this countrj-. Solanum melongena is the Egg- 



Seaweed for Vines, Peaches. &c. (A Constant Reader).— It may be 

 used as a top-dressing on Vine and all fmit-tree borders, pointing it in 

 ill spring, or digging it in when fresh. As a manure its enriching 

 qualities are soon exhausted, its effects not extending beyond the first 

 year. We know of no bulbs that would flourish better than others in 

 soil having sea sand mixed with it, aU would do so fairly. 



Removing Figs from Tree Oct of Doors (Tdem).~li is not too late 

 to remove fruit from Fig trees. They should be cut off with a knife, 

 which is better than pulling them off, "and they are better removed than 

 allowed to remain, as from your tree recei\ing httle protection the fruit 

 will perish or drop off in spring. 



Grapting Roses (Rosrana).— The small spring prnnings will do to graft, 

 but shoots neither strong nor weak are the best. You may plant the stocks 

 in the onen ground, and graft them early in March, but for the grafts to 

 take- well out of doors it is desirable that the stocks should have been 

 planted a year. As yoiu-s have not, we should advise your potting the 

 stocks now, or you may defer doing so until after grafting. The scion is 

 to be inserted in the main stem, and the nearer the soil the better, for it 

 is desirable to have the union covered with soil. Whip grafting is the 

 surest mode of grafting Roses, but when the stock is much thicker than 

 the scion, cleft grafting may be practised ; but it is not so safe as the 

 first. Being an amateur, you would, no doubt, like to know of an easy 

 and comfortiable mode of performing the operation. Proceed, then, as 

 follows : — Lay the stocks in by the heels until the last week in rebruary, 

 and then make up a hotbed of well-sweetened dung and leaves, a yard or 

 so high, and in a week the heat v.-ill be up. and he just so v.-aMn that if the 

 hand be put into the bed the heat can be home comfortably. A few 

 inches of light drjish soil or sawdust should be put over the bed inside 

 the frame, which may be an ordinary one. and whilst the plunging ma- 

 terial is warming, gi'aft before potting In this manner : cut off the head of 

 the stock 3 inches above the roots transversely, and take a slice of bark 

 and a little wood from one side of the stock where the bark is clear and 

 free from knots. Lay this down, and take up a shoot nf the Rose, about 

 6 or 7 inches long, and pare its lower end quite thin, till it fit:^ exactly in 

 length and breadth the place whence the slice of baik and wood was 

 taken from the stock ; join the stock and scion together, binding firmly 

 with strong mat or bast soaked in water, and cover with clny so as to leave 

 no crack. If the stock when potted, as it is now to be in its gr.ifted state, 

 will allow of the soilheing brought so high as to cover the union d stock, 

 and graft, the clay may be omitted; in this case cover it firmly with 

 mould, leT\ing but a couple of eyes of the scion above the soil. PHce in 

 the hotl-ed. and keep as close as possible. If the union is not covered 

 with soil in the pots, then it is desirable after plunging, or at the time, to 

 cover the union with old tan or sawdust, leaving two or three eyes or buds 

 only uncovered. A temperature or bottom heat of lij^ is suitable. Keep 

 the frame close until the shoots are put forth, and when they are 2 or 

 S inches in length air may be admitted by propping up the lights, and 

 gradually hardening off; the plants will be lit to plant out in the end of 

 May or early in June. If you proceed by cleft grafting, cut off the head, 

 as in whip grafting, without a tongue, transversely, immediately above 

 a bud. On the opposite side cleave the stock an inch or po, and not 

 through Ihe stock. The giaft, ^vith three or four eyes, is to be cut at 

 its lower end to fit the cleft in the stock exactly, leaving p. bud on the 

 thick side if possible ; open the cleft with the point of a knife and insert 

 the graft, beinij very careful, and it is a main point, that the barks of both 

 stock and gi-aft should be perfectly even. Bind with mat twisted, and 

 cover with clay, or grafting wax (which is made of Burgundy pitch 1 lb., 

 i lb. common pitch ; beeswax, 2 ozs., .<ind mutton fat i oz., melted, and 

 applied wnnn ^vith a brush), covering the side of the stock operated upon, 

 and also the toj) of the stock. Aftei-wards plunge the pots in a gentle 

 hotbed, as recommended for Rose^: whip -gi-af ted. Cleft grafting is only 

 desirable when the grafts are small, 



Cai.adicms, Aphklandba, Ceotox, and CYJNOPHVLLtrM: IN ViSery 

 lA Will-iru-her).— These will do very well with the pots plunged in the 

 tan with which the pit has been or is to be filled, and which must be 

 fresh or })ai-tly so in order to raise a bottom heat of about 9(J" at first. 

 The pots should not be more than half plunged at first; afterwards in- 

 crease the depth, or place more fresh tan about the pots. The plants 

 should not be placed in the house nntil the teniperatui*e is 55 ■ by night, 

 which, as you commence v.ith the Vines in February-, will not be attained 

 until the end of March, from which time the plants will do fairly until 

 the end of September, when they must be removed to a house h3\"ing a 

 temperature of at least 5i) or GO^, S"" more being none too high for Cala- 

 dinms in winter. 



Manuring Vine-border, (Idem). — .\s you will cover the border with 

 18 inches to 2 foet of dung a fortnight prior to commencing forcing, it 

 %vill not be necessai-y to give the border a dressing of manure now, for 

 the covering will enrich the border sufficiently. To help you to overcome 

 the red spider, coat the Vines with salphur and clay in equal parts, made 

 to the consistency of thick paint with w.ater in which soft so:ip has been 

 dissolved at the rate of 8 ozs to the gallon ; apply it with a brush rubbing 

 it into eveiT,' crevice. This, and syringing the Vines up to the time of 

 their changing coloiu-, will enable you to keep red spider under. 



Rustic Pottery. — "I see in your Number of November 2Sth, you ask 

 for the names of manufacturers of rustic potter>\ There is a man here 

 iCastle Hedinghami, who ought to be known more than he is. His ware 

 is vei-y good, and his things are very well designed and very well executed, 

 and his prices vciy reasonable. His name is Bingham, and his direction 

 i^. Castle Hedingham, Halstead, Esses, and as he is a neighbour of mine 

 and, I tjiiul:, a very clever fellow, I should be vei-y glad to get him 

 custom." 



[This is no interested recommendation, hut from a gentleman who 

 wishes to serve a workman whom he considers meritorious.] 



Hotbed fob Striking Cuttings (F. T. r.).— You have not searched 

 our back Numbers or you would have found at pages 376 and 442 of 

 Vol. VIII., New Series, directions for making a hotbc-a, together with the 

 mode of putting in cuttings of Verbenas, Lobelias, Petunias, &c., audit 

 i,- applicable to ever>- other kind of bedding plant in spring, or at any 

 other season ; whilst at page 157 of the presrnt Volume the striking of 

 cuttings in cold fi-ames is given ; that of Geraniums without even a 

 fr;;me is furnished at page 187. Geraniums will strike well enough in a 

 greenhouse in September without any extra heat, and if you keep your 



plant, and yon will find it in the " Cottage Gardener's Dictionary," which greenhouse so hot on account of the bedding plants as to force the ^ ines 

 yon say yon hnve, under the head Solr.num. We do not recognise the it is not good for either, hut injurious to both at this season, it not being 

 small pea-like seed caUed Rovi. ' necessaij- to force bedding plants at all. "We really do not see the cause 



