October 23, 1866. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



319 



Queen Anne's Pocket Melon,— We have to thank a Pershore corre- 

 spondent who has ''enclosed a few Beeds of tho genuine Qaeen Anne's 

 Pocket Melon for his classical friend who has forgotten his Quelle. The 

 Melon is about the size of a, small Orange, most beautifully striped with 

 a rich brown on a green, sometimes golden base, looks magnificent on 

 table, is a great hearer, and of fine flavour." Anyone of our readers wish- 

 ing for a few nf the Beeds shall hare thorn if they enclose a stamped and 

 directed envelope. 



Analysis of Ghape Vine (South Street). — Tho sap of tho Vine has 

 been examined by Dr, Prout. It lias a whitish appearance like common 

 river water. It- taste sweetish but rough. Only one part of residuum 

 was left when :!,:U(i part*; of the sap were evaporated to dryness. Half of 

 that cue part was carbonate of lime (chalk), and the remainder chiefly 

 vegetable matters. The sap contained carbonic and acetic acids and an 

 alkali. M. RoMquet Las also examined the sac of several species of Vino 

 more minutely than Dr. Prout, and found in them carbonic acid, tartrate 

 of lime, bitnrtrate of potash, and some vegeto-animal matter. Verjuice, 

 or the liquid obtained from unripe Grapes, contains tartar, sulphate of 

 potash, sulphate of lime, much citric acid, a little malic acid, extractive, 

 and water, but neither gum nor sugar. As the Grapes advance to ma- 

 turity, the citric acid gradually disappears, and gum and sugar appear 

 in its place. The juice of ripe Grapes contains also gluten and fibrous 

 matter, merely in a state of mixture. Tho substances held in solution 

 are chiefly sugar, syrup, gluten, gum, and extractive. When this juice is 

 evaporated to dryness, it yields from a third to a fifth of solid matter, 

 according to the species of Grape employed, and the season of the year. 

 To extract the sugar from this juice, Prout saturated tho acids which it 

 contains with potash, boiled it down to n half.and left it at rest. By this 

 means several of the salts subsided. Its specific gravity was 1.215. It 

 was then mixed with blood, heated, skimmed, filtered, and boiled down 

 to a, syrup. It gradually becomes crystallised, and resembles the raw 

 sugar from the West Indies. In t.iis state its specific gravity is about 

 1.5U0. This raw sugar, according to Prout, is composed of 



Crystallisahlr sugar 7."., on 



Svrup, or uncrvstal Usable su^ar 24.44 



Gum 0.81 



Mulate of lime 0.25 



100.00 

 besides some extractive, the quantity of which cannot be well ascer- 

 tained. 



Vinery (Idem).— We approve of the ventilating eaeh side of your span- 

 roofed vinery opposite the hot-water pipes, and also your openings at 

 each end of the house for ventilation, which would have done for a house 

 from 30 to 40 feet long; hut to make sure in a house of fiO feet, we would 

 like a couple of ventilators near tho centre of the house. We do not 

 think that two pipes on each side of such a steep span will be enough to 

 ripen Grapes in April or May. You would require at least half as much 

 more, and then you would save fuel. The distance of the Viues, 2 feet 

 5 inches apart, will do; hut nothing can be grown beneath them. The 

 Vines should he 15 inches from the glass. Fourths sheet glass will 

 answer very well, hut thirds will be better, and be less apt to scorch, as 

 there will be fewer blisters. But for these blisters there is no chance of 

 scorching if ventilation is attended to. Your roof being so steep, there 

 is less chance of breaking from hail, &c, or 21-oz. glass would often be 

 cheaper in the end than 15-oz. However, wo have had 15-oz. fourths for 

 some years, and the large squares have as yet yielded, bent to the hail, 

 whilstweknow the hail went through, or at least it cracked and broke 

 thicker glass, because it would not bend. In exposed places, however, or 

 where hailstorms are general, 21 -oz. would bo the safest. A Hi-feet-wide 

 house ought to give border enough for two sets of Vines, one on each side. 

 As you have plenty of maiden loam we would make it nf that chiefly, with 

 a good lot of bruised boiled bones, making it from 24 to 30 inches deep, 

 with a deep drain in the middle. Let it have a concrete bottom, and 

 9 inches or 12 inches of rubble above the concrete, and reverse the sods 

 above the rubble. 



Vine Cn.TURE (Annex).— The hook to which you allude is not that 

 treatise which was promised on "Vines in a Greenhouse." What was 

 promised was a manual of Vine culture, which would include the culti- 

 vation of Vines in a greenhouse. This you will find in the '* Vine Manual," 

 which you can have free by post from our office for thirty-two postage 

 stamps. To have Grapes ripe by tho end of July, the fires should be 

 lighted in the first week in March, and till then only put on a little fire 

 occasionally to keen out frost. For the first fortnight the temperature 

 should range from 40- to 45°, increasing to 50° at night at the end of tho 

 second fortnight, bet the temperature be 55° at night at the end of the 

 third fortnight, or by the time the Vines are in leaf. When the bunches 

 show, the temperature at night should he 55°, and let it gradually in- 

 crease, so as to be from 60 to 65 when the Vines are in flower. After 

 the fruit or berries are set the night temperature should be 60°, and not 

 less than 55", and this temperature, or one not exceeding G5 3 , is to be 

 maintained until the fruit is ripe. On these, which are all night tempe- 

 ratures, allow a rise of from 5 3 to 10- on dull days, of from Hi to 15- on 

 those which are cloudy with clear intervals, and of 15° or 20- on clear 

 days, affording at the same time abundance of air. You must employ 

 fire by day or night to maintain these temperatures, for after the fires 

 are once put on they must be continued whenever necessary to keep up 

 the temperature suitable to the growth of tho Viues. When the hemes 

 change from green to red, that is a sure sign of their ripening; and all 

 plants requiring frequent watering should be removed without further 

 <lelay. This will not occur before bedding-out time, but about the 

 middle of June, or six weeks previous to their being fit for table; for 

 though the Grapes will colour in half that period, they require to hang 

 some time longer to attain a certain degree of mellowness. The evil of 

 which you have the most frequent cause to complain is shanking, which 

 you will readily distinguish by the berries turning soft and remaining 

 red and sour. This evil is of most frequent occurrence where the roots 

 of the Vines are deeply situated in a cold, wet, badly-drained outside 

 border. The remedy consists in bringing the roots nearer the surface, 

 raising the border so that stagnant water may not lodge, and forming it 

 of materials that will not become close and heavy. What is it you wish 

 for respecting Pelargoniums? Guano water is a good manure for Vines, 

 giving the border a good watering when the berries are thinued, and 

 again a little before they change colour, but only if the weathor bo dry 

 Two ounces to the gallon is sufficiently strong. 



Everoreen fob West Wall ok a House (C. 11. n.).— You could not 

 havo a finer plant than Bridgesia sploata. The tub should ho sunk in 

 the ground, otherwise in severe weathor the roots of tho plant will bo 

 liable to suffer. 



Carrots Failino (C. 8. I. G.).~ As tho soil has been burned two years", 

 and the crop is still attacked by the Carrot flv M'sil i rosie), we recom- 

 mend yon to proceed as follows: The ground should be branched in 

 November to a depth of not less than 18 inches, and it any manure be 

 applied (ami such we invariably afford), it should be thoroughly rotten 

 and placed at the bottom of the trenches, the ground, if at all heavy, 

 being laid up in ridges, or in any case thrown up roughly for the winter. 

 In the first dry weather in February, or as soon afterwards as the ground 

 is in good working order, it should he levelled down and forked over so 

 as to make it fine, choosing a frosty morning for the operation. If not 

 ridged, which a good Carrot soil will not require to be, put on as much 

 li . ooi as will render the surface thoroughly black, and then as much 

 fresh lime as will render ii. white. Fork these in, mixing them well with 

 the soil, making the tatter as tine as possible. If the ground is heavy, 

 give it an extra forking in February as already directed, and apply the 

 dressing of soot and lime in March, three weeks or a fortnight previous to 

 sowing. If the ground is in good order, sow from the 1st to the 15th of 

 April for the main crop, and when the plants come up look out for slugs, 

 and if they are plentiful give a dusl ing with quicklime early in the morn- 

 ing or late in the evening. Another enemy is the Carrot-plant louse 

 (Aphis dauci), which, taking up its abode in the crown, either destroys it 

 or causes it to become much branched, and such plants never produce 

 good clean roots. A dusting of newly-slack d lima should he applied as 

 soon as the insect is perceived, and if a clearance is not effected the 

 application should be repeated. Wo do not trouble ourselves further 

 about grubs, but when tho plants hive two rough leaves wo thin out to 

 3 inches apart in the lines, which are 12 inches asunder, and when all 

 danger from loss by casualties is past, or when the roots are not thicker 

 than the little finger, we take out every other plant, or thin to 6 inches 

 apai't, and we thus obtain roots as large as we desire. Sowing Onions 

 along with Carrots to prevent tho attacks of the Carrot grub, or "rust" 

 as gardeners say, is of no use. A stray Carrot or two on an Onion bed, 

 from having plenty of room, may be more healthy and finer, but this 

 merely shows that over-crowding induces unhealthiness or weakness. 



Plants for Conservatory Beds [Florence). — Your conservatory having 

 a day temperature of 60° in winter, and one of not less than 55 c at night, 

 is simply a stove. The plants suitable aro bv no means plentiful. 

 Hibiscus" rosa-sinensis will do for one, and also Fronciscoa ennfertiflora, 

 1'. hydrangaeformis, Gardenia florid*, G. florida variegata, G. radicans 

 major, Hedycbium Gardnerianum, Euphorbia splendens, Ernnthemum 

 pulchellum, Clerodendron fallax fiorepleno, C. Krempferi, Burchellia 

 capensis, Bougaiuvilkea glabra, Justicia splendens, Hibiscus lutea plena, 

 Thyrsacanthus rutilans. Plumbago capensis, P. rosea, Pleroma Ben- 

 thamiana, Rondelena speclosa major, Siphocampylus glaudulosus 

 magnificus, Luculia gratissima, Meyenia Vogeliana, and Medinilla 

 magnifica. 



Driving away Ants (Idem). — Nothing that we know of will drive them 

 away so effectually as guano sprinkled over their haunts or nests, but it 

 will not do to sprinkle it on the pot 3 of plants. A decoction of Elder 

 leaves the ants do not like, and you may pour it over a plant of Calantho 

 vestita without doing it any harm. If the ants have their nest in the 

 pot, why not turn out the plant, and pick away the compost into a bucket 

 of boiling water? This may bo done, and the plant repotted, without 

 doing the latter any great injury. 



Greenhouse (A. S. Lukin). — Apply to Mr. Hillier. carpenter, St. John's 

 Street. He built the greenhouse, or rather orchard-house. 



Wiiat Use is tiie Aphis ? (Henri/).— You might ask the same question 

 as to everything in creation that is occasionally injurious to man, and 

 the inference you would draw— that they were made for no good 

 purpose — would ho in each instance the reverse of truth. Few things are 

 injurious so long as they are kept in their right place, which they 

 usually may be if man uses due diligence; and those things which do 

 injure him without a want of care on his part are compensatory by a far 

 greater amount of general benefit. It would be easy to show, if that 

 were appropriate to our pages, the good effected not only by the aphis, 

 hut by more noxious insects. Besides, their lives are not, as you say, 

 " nothing but misery to themselves and ethers ;" and we rather agree 

 with him who says— " Insects generally must lead a truly jovial life. 

 Think what it must he to lodge in a Lily. Imagine a palace of ivory or 

 pearls, with pillars of silver and capitals of gold, all exhaling such a per- 

 fume as never arose from human censer. Fancy, again, the fun of 

 tucking vourself up for the night in the folds of a Rose, rocked to sleep in 

 the gentle sighs of summer air, nothing to do when you awake but to 

 wash yourself in a dew-drop, and fall to and eat your bed-clothes." 



Glazed Gxrden Structures (Aleph). — The aspects, north-west, as 

 from a to b and c to d, and west by south, as from b to c, are not the 

 most suitable for enclosing with glass. A lean-to against such walls 

 would be the most convenient, and, according to the size, the placo would 

 be very useful for fruit and vegetables. For instance, from a to ft we 

 would'plant some of the most luscious Pear- ; from 6 to c we would plant 

 Peaches, such as tho Barringtou; and from c to d we would plant the 

 best late Plums, as Coe's Golden Drop. You might plant the trees 

 against the hack wall, and have other littlo trees, as standards, in 

 front, or trees planted against a trellis in front, and trained on a 

 curvilinear trellis, so as not to shade tho back wall. In either case 

 the ground would be pretty clear in winter for salads, Cauliflowers, &c, 

 and if you did not care about trees in front, then you could have 

 early Peas, Potatoes, Beans, &c. In fact, the place would be of great 

 value, though the aspect is in neither case first-rate. 



Weeds on a Lawn (J Subscriber).— There is no better plan than to grub 

 up the weeds by the root. You may do it from the present time up te 

 the end of March, and then give a light dressing of very rich compost or 

 well-rotted manure, and early in April sow over it Cynosurus cristatus, 

 4 lbs. : Poa neraoralia, 2 lbs. ; Fcstuca duriuscula, 4 lbs. ; Festuca tenui- 

 folia, 2 lb3.; Lotus corniculatus minor, lib.; TrifoUum minus, 4 lbs. 

 Sow ou a dry day with au early prospect of rain, and, after lightly 

 raking the lawn, roll well. It is necessary to remove all or as many of 

 the weeds as possible before sowing, and though their removal may make 

 the lawn appear bare, it will quickly regain its groenuess. The quantity 

 of seed named is for an acre. 



