Octubur «>, 1SG6. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICrLTUKE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



337 



Cocoa-nut Fimtv, Rsrr/ga (F. II. U. S.).— Cocoa-nnt fibre refasd answers 

 quite ns Well rb Band to preserve the roota <>f the Geraniums during we 

 winter. (C Wrigley). Apply to Messrs. liarsham & Co., Kingston-on- 

 Thames. 



MKLON LEAVES PREMATURELY DYING (J. S. D.).— The leaVOS UVVV dl© 



from the stem cankering or becoming ulcerated, and from an insuffi- 

 cient Btipply ol moisture during the swelling of the fruit. It is not on- 

 nsual, but by no means natural, for with us tho leaves not only remain 

 green until the fruit is ripe, but wo cut back the vines and obtain a 

 soeond crop. Not knowing the cause, wo are unable to state how the 

 leaves are to be Kept fresh until the fruit is ripe. There are mom causes 

 than one which will produce the evil you complain of, and were you to 

 describe to us more fully the circumstances under which tho leaves die 

 off, wo probably could advise you further. 



PnorAGATiNr, the W.u.nit , A". .V.).— You may propagate it by graft- 

 ing upon stocks raised from seel. The nuts kept En sand during the 

 winter, and planted in February or March 4 inches iipart, and covered 

 about 2 inches, will soon make trees of a size suitable for grafting, which 

 should be performed upon the young (annual] wood, allowing the stock 

 and scion to grow, and then denuding them of foliage. Adopt tho mode 

 called saddle-grafting, one side of the scion being placed between tho 

 bark and wood of the stock. The last year's wood is that which must bo 

 employed for scions, and the latter are allowed to grow in order that the 

 sap hi the parts may he in full flow, and that will be the case about tho 

 middle of May. You may also propagate by budding, hut it must he by 

 retarding thoshoots of the tree by rubbingofl" the most prominent buds, 

 which cause (hose lower down to start, and it is from such that you must 

 select buds, taking from near the base of tho shoot a minute almost in- 

 visible-eyed bud. This to be inserted near the summit of last year's 

 growth or immediately below that of the current year. 



Sprtno Flower Gardening [Sane — A Subscriber). — " Spring and 

 Winter Flower Gardening" contains that which you Beek, and you can 

 have it free by post if you send thirty-two postage stamps with your 

 address to our oflice. It would occupy too much space to answer you in 

 our columns. 



Early Strawberry— Hollyyiiocics (Lh-m). — The best early Straw- 

 berries are Black Prince, Sir Joseph Paxton, and Eclipse | Reeve's), if you 

 wish for a larger fruit. Hollyhocks: Beauty of Cheshunt, Queen of 

 Buffs, Sir C. Campbell, Lady" Palmerstnn, Clio, Conqueror, Ponrpre 

 de Tyre, Memnon, Magnet, Queen of Denmark, Queen of Whites, 

 and Purple Perfection. 



White Lilac (W. H. S. D.).~ The bloom-buds bursting now, which 

 ought not to burst until next spring, is one of a very common set of 

 phenomena, resulting from excitement caused usually by warm weather 

 succeeding long continued wet and cold. 



Blood Manure for Roses (Sunset). — " If blood manure is the same 

 as nibo-phosphate it is excellent for Roses and Strawberries. .Guano 



well mixed with soot and sown in November and December is one of the 

 besl and cheapest of manures ; but as it contains uric add it must be 

 distributed, and not put on too thickly, so n* to Injure the roots. Sup- 

 posing '• Sunset " had a bed of 1 acre, '.i cwt of Peruvian guano would be 

 sufficient. I should think it would require cwt. of nitro-phospbate. 

 His cowdung and pigdnng mixed are excellent. Cowdung (a the best 

 manure of all for Roses, Strawberries, Dahlias, and Hollyhocks. — W. F. 



K.U.i l.YtTK." 



Keeping Bedding Plants in Windows [Fred). —You can keep 

 Geraniums, &c, ou shelves in a north-west and west window by giving 

 them plenty Of air, avoiding cold currents, and keeping safe from frost. 



Trees of Rapid Growth {A. 7U.— The Ontario Poplar is, perhaps, the 

 quickest-growing of all trees; the Black Italian, Balsam, and I. inbardy 

 Poplars are also good. We would recommend a mixed plantation of 

 these for the outside next the building to bo concealed, and in front 

 Horse-Chestnut, Elm, Sycamore, Beech, Norway Maple, Acacia, and 

 Mountain Ash, employing common Laurel, Aucuba, and Berberla 

 ftquif olium to plant in front to thicken tho bottom. Pines and Virs wo 

 think would not succeed, as you will havo too much smoke. Plant 4 feet 

 apart in lines the same distance asunder. 



TEMPEitATt'RE of Conservatory {H. HI). — At this timo of year the 

 temperature should be from 46° to 50° at night and from 50° to 55° by 

 day, with an increase of 5 or 10' with sun, and that is the temperature 

 we advise when plants in bloom are desired throughout the winter ; but 

 if you only glow the hardier kinds of greenhouse plants, a temperature of 

 40 at night from firo heat, and of i:> by day will be ample, and sufficient 

 to maintain them in flower during tho winter months. 



Naming Fruit {Veritas)* — Six or eight specimens we are willing to 

 name. 



Names of Frdits {G. H.).— Your Apple is Court of Wick. (A Foreman, 

 Crieff).— 1, Kentish Broadend ; 2, Beauty of Kent ; 3, Whitmoro Pippin ; 

 4, Cambusnethan Pippin ; 5), Loan's Pearmain ; 10, Ravelston Pippin ; 

 11, Foulden Pearmain; 12, Lemon Pippin. {Two-years Subscriber, Don- 

 caster).— 1, Drapd'Or; 2, Nelson Codliu ; 3, Winter Pearmain; G, Bache- 

 lor's Glory; 8, Surrey Flat Cap; 9, Gravensteiu; 10, Forman's Crew; 

 11, Golden Pearmain; 12, Loan's Pearmain. (G. T., Liverpool).— Apples. 



1, Golden Noble; 3, Gravenstein ; 4, Christie's Pippin; 5, Vaughan's 

 Pippin. Pears.—!, Colmar; 3, Figuo do Naples; 5, Fondante d'Autonine; 

 <I>. 3/.).— 2. Ravelston Pippin; 3, Cambusnethan Pippin; 6, Tower of 

 (zlammis ; 7, Dunmore. We cannot make out tho others. {.-I Constant 

 Reader). — Pears.— •l t Duchessed*Angouieme;2,Napol6on;8 r Beurr6d , Arem- 

 berg. Apples.— 4, Autumn Pearmain ; 6, Christie's Pippin ; 7, Ravelston 

 Pi>pin; 8, Russet Nonpareil. (S. S. N.).—l, Gausel's Bergamot. 



2, Thompson's; 3, Beurre do Capiaumont. (.1 Warwickshire Subscriber). 

 —They were named in the Number for October 16th. 



Names of Plants (J. L. Ennlcfield).—1, Pellaea hastata; 9, Pteris sca- 

 berula; S, only a large form of A.splenium rnta-muraria. \A. Wilson). — It 

 is Lomatia ferruginea, a native of Chili, therefore not hardy. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS in the Suburbs of London for the Week ending October 37th. 



POULTRY, BEE, and HOUSEHOLD CHRONICLE. 



DEFENCE OF THE BIRMINGHAM POULTRY 



SHOW PRIZE LIST. 

 In tbe prize lists for the Poultry Show an important change 

 has been made, and one which will, we feel confident, be con- 

 sidered a great improvement not only by exhibitors, but also 

 by all who wish to become purchasers at these exhibitions. 

 In future, cocks and bens or pullets will not be shown together, 

 the only classes now opened being for single cocks of different 

 ages, and for pairs of hens and pullets, with the exception of 

 the Any other variety class and the Bantams. Tho classses 

 for single cocks and for hens and pullets had been found so 

 popular and useful, that the Council, acting upon the recom- 

 mendation of the Poultry Committee, deemed it advisable to 

 adopt one principle throughout — an example which we would 

 urge the managers of other shows to follow. One of the oldest 

 of the Birmingham regulations, and which still appears upon the 

 prize sheets, sets forth that exhibitors will be required to state 

 the price at which they will sell their specimens, the sound 

 reason given for this rule being that one of the main objects of 

 these shows is to afford an opportunity to poultry-keepers to 

 improve their collections at a time when they are best enabled 

 to form a correct opinion of the value of the several varieties. 



But no one would wish, unless in a few exceptional eases, to 

 purchase stock for breeding from a single strain, and thus the 

 object in view has been partly defeated by the mode of exhi- 

 bition hitherto followed, which has, we believe, had the effect 

 of limiting the sales. In many of the classes the prizes are 

 increased in number — another judicious change— there being 

 now, for instance, six prizes offered in each of the four first 

 classes for Coloured Dorkings— £3, £2 10s., £2, £1 10s., £1, 

 and 10s. : and, in order to make the plan of the new list still 

 plainer to our readers, we may mention that these four classes 

 are— For cocks exceeding one year old, cocks hatched in 1866, 

 two hens exceeding one year old, and two pullets ; this being 

 tho order in which the classes will be arranged in the Hall. 



We are glad also to notice that at the request of a number of 

 exhibitors classes are again opened for Silver-Grey Dorkings. 

 The extra premiums in this division of the Show are as follows : 

 By Mr. Kobert Chase, three guineas for the best White Cochm- 

 China cock exceeding one year old ; by the Kev. Frank Taylor, 

 three guineas for the best cock of the same breed, hatched this 

 year, and the like amount for the best pair of White Cochin 

 pullets ; by Messrs. M. Billing, Son, & Co., a silver cup, value 

 five guineas, for the best Black or Brown-breasted Game cock ; 

 and by Mr. G. F. Greensill, a similar prize for the best pair of 

 Game hens or pullets in the Exhibition. 



In the several classes for Ducks, a drake and one Duck only 

 will in future be shown, and the same rule has been applied 

 to Geese and Turkeys. A special notice appoars on tho pre- 



