Angust 28, 166C] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



171 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 

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

 mental writers of the '* Journal of Horticulture, Cuttn.v 

 Gardener, and Country Gentleman." By so doing they 

 are subjected to unjustifiable trouble and expense. All 

 communications should therefore be addressed tolely bo 

 The Editors of the Journal of Horticulture, <0c. t 171, Fleet 

 Street, London, E.C. 

 Late Strawberries (P. J. AVir/ >«).— The best late Strawberries are 

 Frogmoro Late Pino, Elton, ami the new erne palled Dr. Hogg ; the last is 

 te at either of the former, and lias the flavour of British Queen The 

 Sop will grow in any common garden BoiL It Likes manure. There is 

 no bettor evergreen coTering for the roof of your fernery than Ivy, and it 

 gTOwa as fast as any evergreen elimber. 



Orchard-hodse Trees (C.?,).-As soon as the fruit is gathered, cut 

 off the roots that have penetrated into the border, but not before, 



Vine Mildew [Rev. W. Oibbsns). — Tour Vino is attacked with the 

 Oulitim. Lose no time in dusting every leaf and bunch of fruit with 

 .lowers of sulphur. Even now it may be too late. 



Sycamore Leaves Spotted (K. A'.).— The spots aro not the effect of a 

 fungus, but the puncture of an insect. We have examined them care- 

 fully by the micri scope, and there is no fungoid appearance. 



Comte DS Zyans Strawbebbx.— We have received several letters ask- 

 ing where the above variety may be obtained, and we beg to refer the 

 v, titers to our advertising columns. 

 SfBLOXl — Iu addition to Bromham Hall, Trentham Hybrid, 



irlet Gem, yon might have Orion and Scarlet Perfection, if you 

 can give no linings to your Melon-pit, it is not easy to give a regular heat 

 to it by a dung-bed inside ; but much may be done by using for the 

 bottom of the bed dung hot and working, but not sweet or much Jecayed, 

 and for the upper half dung well sweetened and wrought, and therefore 

 more decomposed. The lower half will, therefore, naturally getrather 

 dry. About half-way down the upper or sweet layer set some small drain- 

 pipes standing upright above the soil, and as the heat lessens pour some 

 warm water through them, which will thus gain access to the less reduced 

 manure at the bottom, and cause it to ferment afresh. As to the soil 

 sinking too far from the glass on such a bed, this can be guarded by 

 training the plants over a simple trellis formed of wood, and wire, or even 



Ltxacs in Pots (Ipswich), — Alter the leaves have (alien choose the most 

 dwarf and best furnished, plants having ■ number ol flower-buds, which 



may be distinguished by their being larger and more prominent than tho 

 wood-buds, Take the plants up with good b die of earth, and pi toe them 

 in puts .,) 9ufficien1 size to contain them, but not larger than in net 

 t<> admit a tolerable balL A pot 12 or 15 inches In diameter will in m >st 

 -uitu i.nt. The pots should !"■ efficient drained, and the soil 

 maj >e any moderately light rich loam. Alter potting give a rood water- 

 ing, and plunge the pots in eoni ashes in a warm . I situation. 

 The plants may be placed iu your greenhouse shortly after Chri tm I . 

 and if well exposed to the Light they win flower in due season; but 

 want fln-m to bloom tarlv, von may in the middle of November place 

 them for a fortnight in a house with a temperature of from U , and 

 then transfer them to a heat ol 55 : II sprinkled overhead morniu [and 

 evening, and properly supplied with water, they will come into fine bloom 

 in about six weeks. 



Protecting Peaches prom Wasps (Jf. -S. J?.).— The bi 

 against these is to cover the trees with hexagon netting. We are at a 



lOSS to know how you aro to destroy or prevent woo.J] Ihc fruit 



without at the same time having recourse to means that would injure the 

 trees and crop at this season ; but under similar ciroumsl inces 

 scooped out the inside of Potatoes, and placed them in the forks of tho 



branches with the holes nest the wall. The w llice find their way into 



the hollows of the Potatoes, and may be picked out with a pointed stick 

 and thrown into a pail of boiling water. This considerably thin 

 ranks and saves the fruit, as they are equally, if not more, partial to the 

 Potatoes as to tho Peaches. 



Relaying a Lawn- [5. A.).— You should now dig up the tap-rooted and 

 other perennial weeds, as Dandelion. Plantain, Cock's-foot Grass, Bents, 

 and Ranunculus, but if you cannot do this without destroying the lawn, 

 we should take up as many as we possibly could without making it un- 

 sightly. Be content with the largest, and in February have the ground 

 trenched deeply without bringing up too much of the ab iil, and if the 

 Burface is uneven take advantage of the opportunity to level it. The 

 ground should lie until the first dry weather in April, and should then be 

 well raked or harrowed if possible, making it very fine, and freeing 

 it of stones. As soon afterwards as there is a prospect oi rain, sow whilst 

 the ground is dry, lightly rake the seeds in, and roll well the same day, 

 and do not roll again until the seedlings are fairly above ground. If yoa 

 were to have the ground dug now you might sow th i to the 



middle of September, ornittiii-: the Clovers, and it would become green 

 before winter, but unless your situation is I tvourable, many of the better 



cord strained tight, training the Melon at fil Jt to one stem, and fastening \ kinds of Grasses would perish in winter. No one would think of sowing 



that with such full play to the trellis that the sinking of the earth will do 

 no harm. More anon. 



Strawberries (A Butt to be Laughed at). — We never dig among our 

 strawberries. See last week's Journal. In your case we would trench 

 the whole of your Strawberries down, and get young plants from a place 

 where you know good crops are produced. That would be the quickest 

 way for your securing a crop, for it is justpossible, and likely even, that 

 you have a barren lot that might with difficulty be rendered fruitful. 

 Even then, with new plants, do not manure too highly. 



Asters Diseased lHarry).—We can assign no reason for the Aster 

 leaves being so affected, unless they have been watered overhead with 

 strong manure, sewage, or other water that might suit the roots, but will 

 not suit the foliage. 



Viola cobkdta (DevonieTisis). — Your specimen of Viola cornuta was so 

 much crushed that it was impossible to tell whether it was the right 

 variety or not. Send a specimen in a small box, I shall then be able to 

 decide.— J. Wills. 



Onions and Shallots (Sfrasbur?).— We have no knowledge of tho 

 prices that are given to growers, and these depend very much on the 

 quality. Ascertain the name of some salesman in the metropolitan 

 markets, and write to him. You may apply to Mr. John Black, of Covent 

 Garden. 



Laburnum Peeds (J. K. Currie).— They are decidedly poisonous, being 

 violently purgative and emetic, and should never be left within the 

 reach of children or cattle. 



Propagation of Evergreens (Al Fresco). — Cryptomerias, Thujopsis, 

 Thujas, and Wellingtonias are propagated freely by cuttings. Now is the 

 time to take them off. Put them in pans or pots of silver sand, and place 

 them in a cool frame, shading them well. Let them remain all the 

 winter, protected from frost, and in spring plunge them in a gentle hot- 

 bed, when they will very soon strike root. We shall see about the Vines 

 for yon and send over cuttings. Can you send a sucker of the Ailanthns ? 

 we should much like to see it. Judging from the leaf it will be a pretty 

 thing;. We have no recollection of ever seeing the former letter you 

 allude to. 



On the Variegation ant> Crossing of Pelargoniums.— I am ex- 

 ceeding pleased with the remarks vour correspondent. " C." has made on 

 the above subject. He has so well and so kindly handled the subject, that 

 it is quite evident his only object is to bring out the opinions of others 

 who may have noticed different facts which may help to elucidate this 

 mysterious phenomenon. I shall again refer to the subject in a future 

 paper; in the meantime I beg " C." to accept my thanks for the kind 

 and able way in which he has taken my paper in hand, and shall be glad 

 if he will favour me with his name and address.— J. Wills. 



Evergreen Shrubs under an Oak Tree (Felixstowe). — The following 

 would answer well :— Berberis Darwinii, repens, and aouifolinm. Coto- 

 neaster microphylla would also do, likewise Ancubas, which, however, 

 may grow too tall. Skimmia japonica would probably succeed ; and no 

 plants would bo better than the Periwinkles, or Vincas, and sinalldeaved 

 Ivies with plain and variegated leaves. 



Peaches for Span-roofed House [A Subscriber),— We would recom- 

 mend you to get some of those new sorts raised by Mr. Rivers, which are 

 infinitely superior in flavour to the old sorts. Peaches'. — Early Albert, 

 Early Silver, and Noblesse. Nectarines. — Balgowan and Victoria, 



Select Roses [S. J.).— See "D." of Peal's paper in this Numb. r. 



Repotting an Oleander (C. .If. Major).— This plant does all tho better 

 when the roots reach the sides of the pot, and unless your plants in tubs 

 are in bad health, we advise you to take away as much soil as von can 

 around the sides, and replace it with fresh. The best time to shift them 

 is iu April and Slay, or just before they begin to grow. 



Gras3 seeds in February." The beginning of April is sufficiently early. If 

 your lawn consists of little else but weeds, then we would recommend 

 you to dig up the whole in autumn, fork out tho worst Grasses and tap- 

 rooted weeds, and. after placing them in a heap, to sprinkle over them one 

 bushel of salt and a like quantity of lime to every cartload. At the end 

 of a year, if turned once or twice, they will, when mixed with an equal 

 quantity of manure, form an excellent compost for dressing the lawn in 

 the autumn after sowing. During the autumn the ground may be forked 

 over, and all weeds picked out, and in December it may be trenched, iu 

 which condition it may remain until the first dry weather in March. It 

 may then be levelled, and treated as above directed. Allow the Grass to 

 grow until the end of June or beginning of July, afterwards cut it every 

 three weeks until the middle of Septei . then give a top-dressing of 

 rich compost, and roll well, as you will do after the Grass is first cut. 



Stopping the Shoots of Peach and Plum Trees (A fines). —Stop those 

 of the Peach at tho third leaf, and those of the Plum at the fourth, and 

 then at every leaf afterwards throughout the season, except the leaders, 

 which are required to cover the wall, and should be trained in at their 

 full length. The side shoots or laterals upon the Peach leaders are to ba 

 kept closely stopped to one joint. Upon the shoots of both trees you wilt 

 find a number of short stubby shoots that do not grow more than 1 or at 

 most 3 inches ; these are to be left entire, but if they grow longer stop 

 them. 



Cutting-back Pelargoniums (Idem).— Your plants which are now irr 

 full bloom may, when the bloom is going off, have a diminished supply of 

 water, be kept dry for a fortnight or three weeks, and then be cut back. 

 Thev will not Mower so early as plants cut-in sooner, but they will, never- 

 theless, bloom well in June. The young plants, oi which the wood is 

 very soft and tender, should be rested for a time by keeping them dry at 

 the roots, and should then be cut back. They will break strongly and* 

 make tine plants for summer bloom. 



Stopping Geraniums [Idem).— The cuttings put in now may bo 

 pinched back when they have struck to three joints, and when they have 

 made three joints again thev may have the point taken out, and this pro- 

 cess may be repeated until" the middle of April, when it should be dis- 

 continued. It does not interfere with the summer's bloom. 



Oerastium tomentosum Choked with Weeds (Idem).— We would 

 advise your leaving the border of this Cerastium until autumn, and then 

 taking up the best and freest from weeds (which from what you state, we 

 think must be of a perennial nature), plant it with the ball adneringin 

 some sheltered situation, and in light drv soil. This will set the border 

 at libertv so that it may be cleared of the weeds, and in the end of March 

 or early "in April it may be replanted with the Cerastium. Put in small 

 pieces of the latter in lines b inches apart, and 3 inches from plant to 

 plant. It will cover the ground by the middle or end of June, but will not 

 flower to any extent, though, as a" silvery-t'oliaged plant of low growth, it 

 will be very ornamental. 



Variegated Geraniums not Bloominc {Idem).— They do not usually 

 flower so freely as the plain-leaved varieties, and the circumstance of 

 yours having only a flower at the top, is due to there being no side shoots. 

 Yon may remedy this by stopping the plants in spring so as to make 

 them bushy when planted out. Flower of the Day is not a shy bloomer, 

 but as regards its foliage it is inferior to most of the kinds now in cul- 

 tivation. 



Spot on Orchids [Constant Render).— The spot on the leaf of lyoux 

 Aerides oJoratum is caused In the first instance by some parasite, which 

 is becoming very general in collections. We arc unable to 3Uggesi a 

 remedy, and should feel obliged if those having kn iee vu 



would favour us with their experience. Willi ms's "Orchid Guide' 

 would suit you ; that and Appleby's •■ Orchid Mann il ■■ You 



can have the latter, post free, from our B&ce I E thirty-two postage 

 stamps. 



