16 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUKE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



[ July S, 1866. 



Apples % sieve to 



Apricots doz. 4 6 



Cherries lb. 6 1 6 



Chestnuts bash. 



Currants sieve 6 6 



Black do. 



Figs doz. 8 15 



Filberts lb. 



Cobs lOOlbs. 



Gooseberries . . quart 4 6 



Grapes, Hothouse, .lh. 8 6 6 



Lemons 100 6 10 



s. d. s. 



Melons each 4 0to8 



Nectarines doz. 10 20 



Oranges 100 6 12 



Peaches doz. 10 



Pears (dessert) ..doz. 



kitchen doz. 



Pine Apples lb. 



Plums H Sieve 



Quinces .... J^ sieve 



Raspberries lb. 



Strawberries lb. 



Walnuts bush. 14 20 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



•** We request that no one will write privately to the depart- 

 mental writers of the "Journal of Horticulture, Cottage 

 Gardener, and Country Gentleman." By so doing they 

 are subjected to unjustifiable trouble and expense. All 

 communications should therefore be addressed solely to 

 The Editors of the Journal of Horticulture, <&c, 171, Fleet 

 Street, London, E.G. 



"We also request that correspondents will not mix up on the 

 same sheet questions relating to Gardening and those on 

 Poultry and Bee subjects, if they expect to get them an- 

 swered promptly and conveniently, but write them on 

 separate communications. Also never to send more than 

 two or three questions at once, 



Ctneraria Seedling {Bertha).— The flowers were dried up as if they 

 had been put into an oven. Flowers should be sent in a box which can- 

 not be destroyed by the post-office punch, an d between layers of damp moss. 

 Peas Mildewed {Gregory). — The Peas are mildewed. Mulch over the 

 roots, and water plentifully every evening whilst dry hot weather lasts. 



Work on Gardening {H. TF.).— "The Garden Manual" will suit you. 

 You can have it free by post from our office if you enclose twenty postage 

 stamps with your address. 



Variety of Beech {Lady Kina). — It is the crested variety of the 

 common Beech, and is called by botanists Fagus sylvatica cristata. 



Lady Downe's Grape dago).— The berries are very severely spotted, 

 •* the Spot " being the name by which gardeners distinguish the disease. 

 It is an ulceration caused, we believe, by the roots not being able to 

 supply sap sufficient to sustain the rapid development of the plant and 

 its fruit. Keeping the roots warmer and moister by means of weak 

 manure waterings, and the head of the plant cooler and drier, are the re- 

 medies suggested. The Euphorbia was smashed. 



Amaryllises {J. S.).— The Amaryllis belladonna will only grow in au" 

 tnmn and winter, and there should be no attempt to make it grow now. 

 Formosi-ssima has a good deal of the same habit, but may be forced 

 into growth when rested. The other kinds, we presume, belong to Hip- 

 peastrum, and are more under control than A. belladonna. All that have 

 gone to rest leave alone, keeping the soil neither moist nor dry until they 

 begin to grow, then water and encourage. Those growing now encourage 

 with all the light po-ible and plenty of water, and refrain from watering 

 as the leaves get a little yellow. When they start after resting they will 

 show bloom. The greenhouse one to which yon allude we presume is the 

 Vallota purpurea ; that should never be quite dry. 



Mushrooms in Orchard-house Soil {Orchard). — A few Mushrooms 

 would do no harm, but in such quantities as you mention they will injure 

 the roots of the fruit trees. You introduced the spawn in "the manure 

 from the brewery. The best plan is to strew the ground over with quick- 

 lime and water, or you may use lime water by putting a bushel of quick- 

 lime to a hogshead of water. 



Stepuanotis floribunda Pruning (C M. Major), — The long twining 

 shoots ought not to be stopped but trained at their full length, and not 

 too closely together, bo that the wood may have the full benefit of light. 

 All pruning should be confined to cutting out the old weak shoots. The 

 main point to be attended to is to secure a good growth and thorough 

 exposure afterwards to light and air, with a diminished supply of water 

 at the root, and corresponding dryness of the atmosphere. 



Orange Trees Unfruitful {Idem).— Your plan of stopping the Orange 

 trees is wrong, as they flower from the uppermost eyes of the shoots. If 

 you cease to stop them (for which there is no necessity unless the head 

 is thin), keep the heads thin so that light and air may be admitted to 

 every part, and grow the trees in a light airy house. We think that yours, 

 like ours, will produce a profusion of blossom and too many fruit by one- 

 half. Whilst growing keep the trees well watered and syringed, and in 

 winter do not overwater, keeping them just sufficiently moist to preserve 

 the foliage. 



Mignonette Culture (A. S. W.). — We shall shortly give particulars of 

 its culture, both in pots and in the open ground. 



Red Spider (M. D.). — We regret having overlooked your communica- 

 tion. We are making inquiries, and will publish an article on the subject 

 shortly. 



Shading Caladiums and Fine-foliaged Plants (Dumbartonshire). — 

 Caladiums and nil plants, whether requiring shade or not, are best grown 

 near the glass, but not nearer than from 9 inches to 1 foot. On very 

 bright days they require partial shade from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m, as their 

 beauty is thus much prolonged ; but the more light a plant has the more 

 bright will be. the colour of the foliage of whatever shade that may be 1 

 and to some plants it is absolutely necessary to bring out the colour of 

 the leaves, as, for instance, in the case of Crotons, Dracasuas, Pandanus, 

 Yuccas, &c. Exposure to the full sun is injurious in the case of other 

 plants, for instance, variegated-leaved Begonias, Ferns, &c. Not knowing 

 what plants you possess we can only generalise ; but if you send as par- 

 ticulars we shall be happy to help you further. 



Climber for Greenhouse (E. H.).— It is difficult to say which is the 

 best climber for a greenhouse. We give you the option of deciding, and 

 name three : Lapageria rosea, Mandevilla suaveolens, and Habrotnam- 

 nus elegans. 



Plum Tree Leaves Blighted (TT. J.).— The blight on the sprigs of 

 the Plum tree is caused by a species of aphis, which you will find in the 

 curled portion of the leaves. Your best remedy will be to shorten the. 

 shoots to four leaves, and syringe the tree9 in the evening with water in 

 which soft soap has been dissolved at the rate of 2 ozs. to the gallon. 

 This, applied on alternate evenings with pure water, will soon clear the 

 trees. Treat the Apple and Cherry trees in the samo way. 



Brugmansia suaveolens Leaves Falling {H.).— The old leaf sent is 

 exhausted by red spider, and the young leaf is also attacked. Forcibly 

 syringe the foliage on the under side with water twice a-day, morning and 

 evening, and every other evening employ water in which soft soap has 

 been dissolved at the rate of 1 oz. to the gallon, not stronger. Keep the 

 plant well watered at the root. Use the soap solution twice or thrice, or 

 until the spider disappears, then discontinue it, but still syringe morn* 

 ing and evening with water only. 



Select Perennials {H. B.).— Agrostemma coronnria, rosy crimson, 

 2 feet; Lychnis Haageana superba, orange, 2 to 2{ feet; Tritoma uvaria 

 glaucescens, orange scarlet and yellow, 3 feet ; Spiraea filipendula plena, 

 white, and sweet, 2 feet; Tritonia aurea, orange yellow, 2J feet; Lythrum 

 roseum superbum, rose, 2 feet; Phlox, herbaceous in variety; Lilium 

 Brownii, white, 2$ to 3 feet; Geum coccineuni grandiflorum, 2\ feet, 

 crimson ; and Delphinium belladonna, sky blue, 3 feet. If your soil is 

 cold, then in place of Tritonia aurea have Oenothera Lamarckiana. All 

 are summer and autumn blooming. 



Maeing Water Soft (Idem^.—We have found no plan better for soften- 

 ing hard water than exposing it for a few days to the atmosphere. Tho 

 water not only becomes less hard, but is aired and warmed, and is in 

 every way better for watering plants than water from a well or spring. 



Avoiding Drip {Anti-drip).— We find this best prevented by double 

 glazing, which, though rather more expensive at first, effects a great 

 saving of fuel, so that it is a cheaper plan in the long run than or- 

 dinary glazing. 



Vine Mildewed {Subscriber). — The leaf sent was severely infested 

 with Oidium, or Vine mildew, in its worst form. Dust the mildewed 

 leaves with flowers of sulphur, and in a few days syringe the sulphur off. 

 If the mildew reappear, thoroughly dust the parts afiected immediately 

 with flowers of Bulphur. 



Select Geraniums for Bedding (E. H.). — Christine, pink; Helen 

 Lindsay, rosy pink; Stella, dark scarlet ; Spitfire, scarlet ; Tom Thumb, 

 scarlet ; Cy bister, scarlet crimson ; Lord Palmerston, deep crimson ; 

 Attraction, bright scarlet ; Paul L'Abbe, salmon ; Madame Vaucher, 

 white; Woodwardiana, carmine ; and Scai-let Globe. Of variegated Gera- 

 niums, Golden Chain and Gold Leaf of tho gold-edged; Bijou, Alma, 

 and Shottesham Pet of the silver-edged sorts, Manglesi being one of the 

 oldest and most useful of that section ; and Argus and Mrs. Pollock of 

 the tricolor sorts. All are good bedders, but they are surpassed by others 

 for pot culture, of which we give names of a few: Blackheath Beauty, 

 salmon ; Rebecca, cherry ; Mrs. Wm. Paul, rosy pink ; Lord Chancellor, 

 salmon pink ; Tintoretti, rose suffused with pink ; Eclipse, scarlet ; 

 Herald of Spring, orange, tinted cerise ; and to these you may add the 

 preceding, except the first, they being attractive in pots. Variegated 

 for pots: all those named, and Burning Bush, Sunset, Culford Beauty, 

 Italia Unita, Mrs. Benyon, Red Rover, Honeycomb, and Fontainbleau. 

 If too many are named, select what is required according to the colour, 

 one or more of each. 



Select Verbenas {Idem). — Purple King, purple ; Ariosto Improved, 

 mulberry; Firefly, scarlet; Magnifique, crimson; Geant des Batailles, 

 deep crimson; Melindres splendens, dazzling scarlet; Mrs. Holford, 

 white ; Crimson King, crimson ; Beauty of England, white ; Isa Eckford, 

 puce ; Celestial, blue ; and Garibaldi, purplish rose, white centre. 



Best White Edging Plant (Idem). — Cerastium tomentosum is 

 usually prefered as a white edging plant, for it is so easy of manage- 

 ment, may be cut into any form, and is so dwarf, compact, and neat. 



Old Exposed Guano (H. B.).~~ The guano which has been in an open 

 box for two years would still do some good ; but it never was puro guano, 

 but mixed with a large quantity of sand. 



White Bedding Plants {Idem).— There are no really good white-flowered 

 bedding plants except Verbenas, and of these Beauty of England, MrB. 

 Holford, and White Lady are the best. T© make up for this deficiency in 

 white-flowering plants, we have for edgings Cerastium tomentosum and 

 Biebersteini ; for rings of white in beds, or lines in borders, Centaurea 

 candidissiraa and C. ragusina, also Cineraria maritima and Gnaphalium 

 lanatum ; Salvia argentea for a back line or centre to a bed ; and Stachys 

 lanata for a silvery carpet under trees, or where few things would grow. 



Newly-planted Vine iDelta). — We are inclined to think that your 

 Royal Vineyard Vine is not doing well in consequence of the early plant- 

 ing, and allowing four bunches upon it when, as we presume, it is a weak 

 Vine. Then your allowing it to produce two canes weakens it still fur- 

 ther, and yet we think it is doing fairly, and would have done well had 

 you cut it in closely to two eyes, and not allowed it to carry any fruit 

 this season. As a late Grape the Royal Vineyard, like many others, is 

 rather impatient of early forcing, and then, though not a bad setter, the 

 berries do not stone, and only attain about half their usual size. We have 

 had no complaints of this, nor of its being a weak grower. 



Peach Leaves Perforated {Idem).— The Peach leaves sent are eaten 

 by some grub, which you may find on looking under the foliage towards 

 dusk. A good syringing on one evening with a solution of 2 ozs. of soft 

 soap to a gallon of water, andiwith clear water on the next, will do much 

 to keep the tree free of the grubs and other insect pests. Three 

 syringings of soap solution will be sufficient, but the syringings of water 

 cannot be too frequent so long as the days are hot. 



Seedling Geranium (C.D'aeth).— The petals were all shed.but judging 

 from their colour and the horseshoe leaf, we do not think it differs from 

 many others. 



Tumours on Leaves (B. P.)-— The swellings on the leaves forwarded 

 do not appear to have been caused by the punctures of a gall fly, but are 

 morbid growths arising from some derangement in the functions of the 

 leaves. We do not remember any query about a bee hive. 



