110 



JOUKNAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ August 7, 1866. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



*** We request that no one wiil 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 he addressed solely to 

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

 Street, London, E.C. 



We also request that correspondents will not mis 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. 



N.B. — Many questions must remain unanswered until next 

 week. 



Cham;erops Fortuni (A.).— No doubt the Marantic would be benefited 

 by the manure wator if it be not applied too strong, but we should be in 

 doubt as to its being beneficial to the Chamterops. 



Double Canterbury Bhlls (Campanula 1 ).— It is not unusual to meet 

 with the double variety of Canterbury Bells. If you save the seed you 

 will perpetuato the doublo form. 



Anacearis alsinastrum (F.).— The only two moden of ridding a pond 

 or lake of this weed is to pasture it with swans, which keep it under, or 

 to dredge it with long-handled rakes. We know an instance where the 

 latter mode was resorted to, and the weed, being thrown into heaps till 

 it decayed, afterwards furnished nn excellent manure for vegetable crops. 

 British Bules (Caroline).— The only work on this subject illustrated 

 with plates, is by Mrs. Loudon, and is, we presume, the expensive one 

 you allude to. It is not possible to get such works as these illustrated at 

 a small cost. 



Greenhouse (H. S.).— A north-east aspect is certainly not an inviting 

 one for a greenhouse ; but if that is the best yoa can obtain, and you are 

 desirous to erect one, you will succeed iu raising flowers and fruits very 

 fairly. We have soen both grown in a house facing directly north. 



Melons Cracking (M. C. J.).— The only way in which we can account , 

 for your Melons going in the way they have done, is by their roots having 

 penetrated beyond the frames and received a superabundance of mois- i 

 tore during the wet weather we have had. You say you have not watered | 

 the plants inside the frames ; and as the result is attributable to an ex- 

 cess of moisture, there is no other solution of the cause than that we 

 have given. 



"New Pea (3f. J?. D.}.— Your Pea, even when old. is sweet and tender. • 

 The story about being found originally in a mummy is an old one, which I 

 has been related of other varieties, and may be true or not. One sort > 

 was advertised as a Mummy Poa some years ago, and proved to be the I 

 Matchless Marrow. Judging from the pods you have sent yours is not j 

 that variety. The best way to have it tested" would be to send Bonie of , 

 the seed to the Royal Horticultural Society's garden at Chiswick, ad- 

 dressed to Mr. Barron, who will have it sown along with the other 

 varieties next season. 



Summer Pruning (T. T., 1*1 nr or th). —In reference to what was said 

 last week in " Doings of the Last Week," we would reply, that many 

 systems are right, in proportion as they are carried out thoroughly. 

 Your gardener may be perfectly right in clearing away all summer 

 growth ; stumping-in the shoots as they appear, if the trellis is filled, 

 the trees fruitful and vigorous enough, and not too vigorous to cause the 

 fruit-buds to start prematurely. Such stumping-in tells ou root-nction. 

 as alluded to last week. In genernl circumstances we consider it better 

 to let the shoots grow a little, cut a part back, and then merely stop the 

 points of the others. We observe that shoots of Apples and Pears stopped 

 in June are making fine bold buds at the base of the shoot. We would 

 have stopped all sooner if we could have found time, and if time per- 

 mitted we would do the same with Currants. Gooseberries, &c. When 

 we could do this effectually we have found the base of the shoots of the 

 present year, for 6 inches or so in length, even of Currants, produce 

 freely. 



_ Winter-pruning Morello Cherries (Idem).— This may be done any 

 time from November to April, in fact, they may be pruned when in bloom, 

 as then you can always cut to a wood-bud. In summer, the sooner the 

 shoots are thinned, and the bulk of those intended to be left laid in to 

 the wall, the better. If the shoots arc at all strong they should be stopped, 

 which makes them more fruitful. They do well, too, when spurred back ; 

 but generally they are allowed to bear un the young wood of last year, as 

 in the case of the Peach. When systematically treated throughout, both 

 Cherries and Peaches may be stopped in summer to cause them to bear 

 on short shoots or clusters of spurs. 



Peristeria elata (Idem). — We have no doubt that nfany cultivator* 

 would he glad to exchange AaaleaB, «Sc, for your Peristerias ; but the best 

 way to secure the exchange would be to advertise in otir columns. 



Woodlice in a Mushroom-house (E. Vinery).— Having tried Potato 

 traps and pouring hot water, as well as carbolic acid round the edges of 

 the bed, and found none of these remedies effeotual, you may find relief 

 by cutting a number of new Potatoes in two, hollowing them out in the 

 middle, and laying them on the bed. The woodlice will remain hidden 

 under the Potatoes, and may be destroyed dailv. Toads are this vear 

 unusually numerous, and a score or two put into" the house would assist 

 you more than anything we know, except Bantam fowls. We had a pit 

 so full of woodlice that nothing could live in it. but we made it the home 

 of a cock and two Bantam hens, and in a few days it was clear. Having 

 put a quantity of boiled Potatoes on the floor, and covered them with a 

 little short hay, the woodlice came to feast on the Potatoes, and the fowls 

 in turn fed on them. 



Fig Trees Unfruitful {Idem).— The most probable cause of the trees 

 being unfruitful is the roof of the vinery being so occupied by the Vines 

 that the Fig trees on the hack wall have not sufficient light to ripen their 

 wood. Fig trees will grow in partial shade, and fruit well, but they will 

 not do so if the roof be entirely covered by Vines. Your tailing off a ring 

 of bark will moderate the vigour of the trees and tend to promote fruit- 

 fulness, but, unless you give them more light, we fear your chances of 

 fruit are but small. 



Grapes Shanking (Idem). — This is mainly to be attributed to the roots 

 being in a cold, deep, un drained outside border, and the materials com- 

 posing it not being in proper condition— firm, yet free. A deficiency of 

 air and a high temperature also tend to cause shanking, and so will cold 

 rains and heavy waterings when the fruit is ripening. 



Pelargoniums from Seed [Tpfimeea). — In our Volume IX, pages 497 

 and 498, you will find the treatment of seedling Pelargoniums fully 

 described. 



Watering Geraniums [Thirtty). — In watering beds of Geraniums and 

 other plants at this season it is best to apply the water without a rose, so 

 as to wet the soil thoroughly, avoiding watering overhead, which destroys 

 the flowers. If you reside in a town and near a public thoroughfare, an 

 occasional watering overhead is beneficial, as it frees the leaves of dust 

 and gives a fresh appearance to the plants. The spring water will 

 answer, if pumped into an open cistern, and exposed to the atmosphere 

 for at least forty-eight hours ; it will thus be rendered much warmer and 

 softer. 



Watering in Dry Weather (Idem).— During a dry period frequent 

 watering, as it tends to maintain growth, and sustain a plant in bloom, 

 does not check flowering, though it may tend to increase the amount of 

 foliage, but it is not possible to have a continuance of bloom without an 

 increase of foliage. If the waterings are excessive, then, as iu the case of 

 a wet season, the foliage will be excessive. 



Salvia argentea (.7.3/.). — There is a plant under this name which is 

 identical with S. pa tula, which is much taller and much less silvery than 

 the true Salvia argentea. The latter has very silvery leaves, and is use- 

 ful as a bedding or ribbon plant. Both maybe propagated from cuttings, 

 nlso from seed, which you may obtain through any of the leading metro- 

 politan or provincial nurserymen. 



Blooming Roses at Christmas (W. A. B. B.).— You can only manago 

 this by growing some of the best autumn-blooming kinds in pots, and 

 about this time cutting them in to four good buds of the current year. 

 Keep them well supplied with water, and frequently syringed overhead ; 

 continue them out of doors until November, and then place them in a 

 light and airy house with a temperature of from 45 : to 50" by day without 

 sun, and at night the thermometer may fall to 40° without injury. All 

 they want is protection from frost. If the weather proved mild the 

 blooms would expand out of doors, but for safety the plants are best 

 taken under glass. 



Grapes Cracking (Novice). — From your description we think with you 

 that the Grape is the Royal Muscadine. The berries crack from the air 

 of the bouse being too moist. Probably a little air at night would make 

 all right. The berries will also crack when the soil of the border is kept 

 unnecessarily moist ; but usually a moist and badly-ventilated atmo- 

 sphere is the cause of the evil. 



Top-dressing a Vine-border (Idem). — Your border being very full of 

 roots, and these being very near the surface, so much so that in autumn 

 the soil cannot be forked over, we advise you to give a top-dressing of 

 rich compost. We have fouud nothing equal to the following: two-thirds 

 turfy loam from rotted turves a year old, cut 3 inches thick, and laid up 

 in alternate layers with sheep-droppings, or fresh stable manure, and 

 one-third cowdnng a year old ; the whole well mixed, chopped, and 

 made somewhat fine with a spade, but not sifted; then add one-sixth of 

 boiled half-inch bones. This compost, well mixed, and laid on the border 

 to the depth of 3 inches, will not destroy the fibres near the surface as 

 fresher materials are apt to do, but they will come up into it, and the 

 vigour of the Vines will be maintained. 



Propagating Ai.oysia citeiodora or Lemon-scented Verbena 

 (IT". H. B. .—The best time to propagate this plant is when the wood of 

 the current year i-i from 3 to ti inches in length. Short stubby shoots 

 with their bases a littlo hardened are the best. Now is a good time to 

 put in the cuttings, which may be side shoots about 3 or 4 inches long 

 slipped off the plant. The lower end having been made smooth below a 

 ' joint with a sharp knife, and the leavos removed for half the length of 

 1 the cutting, the latter should bo inserted pretty closely round the sides 

 of a six-inch pot, drained to two-thirds its depth wilh broken pots, or 

 crocks, and filled to within an inch of the rim with a compost of sandy 

 peat, loam, and sand in equal parts, the remaining space being filled up 

 with silver sand. Insert the cuttings pretty closely around the sides, and 

 up to the lowest leaves, or half their length ; then give a good watering, 

 and cover with a bell-glass. Perhaps the best mode of doing this is to 

 place the cutting-pot in one of larger size, and fill the interval between 

 the pots with crocks, placing sand on the top; the rims should be level. 

 Only water when necessarv, and then give no more than is sufficient to 

 keep the soil moist, as it must always be. Place the pot in the sunniest 

 window, and shade for an hour or two during the hottest part of the day. In 

 six weeks the cuttings will have struck, and the bell-glass may then be 

 entirely removed, but for three weeks previously it should be tilted a 

 little by day, and pat close down at night, wiping the glass in the morn- 

 ing if moisture is found to be deposited on it. The cuttings will strike, 

 but more tardily, and with less certainty, without the glass ; they strike 

 best in a gentle hotbed. 



