December [8; 1HMS. ] 



JOUKNAL OP nOKTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



N.B.— Many »] JJC^tiuils must remain unanswered until next 

 week. 



N AMINO PiilMT I .'.').■ ,. I> '■ ■ ..'■..'• I ■ iUQ t\n>u iV 



be mapped up separately, aUtl ' ' ' ' B aniiin a bun 01 battel, 

 carriage paid. 



Saccolahiuv .■.(.:■■ ro thoFloawl-Coi] i 



roport, v ■ ■ printed 13 i I un 



plant is referred to under its correct name. 



Stove (Mrs. Bn/vtt). Wo use }I..y.-, v a floe to 



heat u conservatory of the size you name. Sou can have " 

 Flowsra " tree !••. posl from our office 



with ytraraddiMas. It ofla1 rating the <" 



the mum. 



Slate Cloth— Earth cut.rrs- f. ..'. ft). ; i 



oax* column:-. Cottage s would either use I '■ ■ directed 



would do* .1. orro na . I "■■> ■ 



on tin! anatu-nspecri ■ a town would mulily limi a market at 



the I.- h in ooop ; but 



n. ■ ,p.' '■ - , ■ ■ ivon in the absence of any information as to I 

 and soil. 



•:>: Fruit Tkkkm (IT. Borer).— Yum- half-dozen fowls vriU 

 do no i i time of 



the year; but in the spring they might pick the young leaves and flower- 

 buds. Thi j viH clear the surface of slogBj &c. 



Scmzosryi.. !i OCINJ I CULTURE (IT. -J. 0.),— Plant early in spring in 



free sandy loam well manured. A few flowers will appear in June j but 

 the great show is in autumn, from October to December. The plants are 

 now beautifully in bloom, but the -talks are turning a little yellow. Tike 

 up the bulbs as soon as the stalk* Live dead. BoHzoatyilis cocninea ta per- 

 fectly hardy, and may be left in the ground tor a year or two if planted 

 for a permanency. 



Cotton Peed (Mil <', Wle do not .know of any one who can 



furnish Cotton aeedsrfor experiments. Perhaps some of our eotl 

 dents will oblige as by stating who can furnish such 



rsTAira Stove (A JteguVcar&wbaeriber).*-- Two bushels of the 

 charcoal last a month, and it costs 22d. per bushed 



Fuchsias Resting (X. Y. Z.).— The old and young plants (if not cut- 

 tings of the current year) may be placed in the potting-shed, from which 

 frost must be excluded, and should be kept dry at the roots, and yet not 

 so dry as to cause the wood to shrivel. In "March the plants maybe 

 pruned in to two or three eyes, taken out of the pots, and, most of the soil 

 having been shaken from the roots, placed in pots a size less than those 

 they were in. Place in a light and airy part of the greenhouse ; bottom 

 heat is not absolutely needed. Give a gentle syringing morning and 

 evening, and do not over-water, yet keep the soil moist. When the 

 plants break, or new shoots are produced, thin or disbud the shoots where 

 likely to be too close, leaving them evenly distributed, so as to produce a 

 well-balanced head. Repot when the roots fill the pots without becoming 

 too closely matted. Stop the shoots when they have made three 

 joints, and again at every third leaf until within six weeks of the time at 

 which they are required to be in flower, giving them their last shift a 

 fortnight prei tons to the last stopping. 



Cinerarias Flowering Unseasonably (Idem).— You cannot now do 

 any good by stopping the plants showing their flower>buds. They must 

 goto flower, but you may pinch back those not showing buds to three 

 leaves repeatedly up to the end of February, pegging and tying 

 shoots so as to produce a compact head. The plants that havi 

 single stem you may allow to grow as f i to flower in March, or pinch 

 out their points at the third leaf, and the shoots which they produce in 

 like manner at the third leaf, up to the end of February. You started or 

 potted . ^oon. August was early enough for your 



purpose. Ai give them more pot room, let every alternate 



watering be of liquid manure not very strong. 



Herbage Caxceolabxas (Idem). — Shift at once the plants nowin 

 small pots inl i tj-ineh pots, using a compost of turfy loom and leaf 

 mould in <■<[-. addition of sand. Keep moist and 



cool, just free from frost, on a BhelfineartheglasS, and give ■ 

 air. Pinch out the centre from amongst the leaves, and when the pel 3 

 become full of roots shift into six-inch pots. Keep free from green 

 fly by fumigating with tobacco, and if afforded plenty of moisture the 

 plants will grow well. Shift into eight-inch pots in February, or early iu 

 March. The while sand is the b 



Acacia ar.vata and Cvtisus jmdcemosob BUPBBBtJfl not Flom h 

 (J. H. Bayly.— These plants should be kept in a light and ai: 

 house from which frost is excluded. In a sitting-room the atmosphere is 

 too dry for t i mi I og a free growth, and the light insufficient to 

 properly ripen that made. Place them in a greenhouse, encourage them 

 to mal. ■.-.■■ . and when it is made place them out of 



doors ir may situation — say, in the end of June, and keep them 



there, well supplied with water, until the end of September ; we 

 doubt they would then flower well in the following spring. The 

 should not ? ■■ ■ .<. : they are evergreens, rag.nii , " he oil to be 



moist:' 1 ill si i in winter, than summer; They may have 



the soil to all appe:. i w, only the foliage must not be allowed 



to suffer. They should not be cut down i. w, 1 at in Bpring, after flower* 



ing, or bef >i . . , ,;..wcr from ! ; 



year, or thai □ - .-■ ud not from that of next year. A com 



turfy loanxand at suits them well. Avoid manure ; if the 



need tol apost may consist of turfy loam, 



peat, and Ion ;v I \ arts. 



Hibiscus roba*-8xmekbxs Fdem). — There is no means 

 double-flowering''; igle-fiowcrro 



plants will do so, but they are not double-flowered, but only* semi-double, 

 requiring good cultivation to keep their Loweamg 



Hibiscus is not kept bj nurserymen, ae it is i Eeriorto 1 a do Me, and 

 they grow thai A for. " You may obtain a pocket of seed 



single Hibiseu b ofthe principal si i 



Cdttino Hack Cmrodendron Thomsons (Ir.i-m). — So far from pre- 

 venting your pdini towering you will ensure its di mttingit 

 back to 4 on-5 1 et. flowers from the shoots rising fi 

 wood of last year, you will have enougl i i I ad by cutting it in you 

 will secure a better plant. 



Ili'i.v.is Cninr.i i ', ■;n I 'i mu '. on . 111 i,k I .f, i ', < . a.), -During winter 

 i he lit > t of thB3S plant 1 ; rvijuin.!!! the temperature ■ •! ,-BJ 0M8 f50 to (>0" at 



night), andltohaera a daxat«amounl oi ami navi and fl ir, with water 



stitiieieiiL tso keep the i " : I Dxedst^ bui not wat mar ytA flryi TJ ■ I I re 

 quires a like ii en] n i I ok< , and ikj water bngrond a little oocasioaaikjrj to 

 prevent the ■». iod ■ lirivoQmg, 



Plantains AMB DAffiXEAZONe OS I 1 1 1 '■ '■ I The I -.t plan of ex- 



tii-patiur i i to grub them up by ths soot with a spudj and 



the DandBlions with a ami : I . : >' ;, qq i ither, 



■ i hie thiek portion «.: | . 



,i LintO i uli hole, which idiuuld be 



.. i . . M . . . . 



Vines I I . . . The old vines your Eriend !■■ madaarnavt 



border over will, no doubt, produce a fair crop. The planted 



in the oec I den ■■ i il if Qua old Vinea do u«t b 



growth,. by shading and otherwise dvuibprng them ol ;i due share of the 



roof, or that lii i' bheil ■ ■ growl !i. Tin l'..tatuos uamed may be 



had i.f V. 



I 6 i ■■■■ i i i ■ i i i - . ■ , i. ■. a Dodi- 



caule, CEnothcra macrocarpa, LyUn-um ro-i-iim superbum, L 



Haogeana, Eri] . I Bi I ad an 1 Agrostemma 



coronaria. For bar G bo ■ indiflosa, BiJbave Hchafta, and 



Plumbago Lai-pcnta?. 



AiTiHnv- i , t.l [Idem), — Hemskri l and IX< i 



Pelargoniums to Flowbb in July (J lew \< <■ . ■ . op them 



until the beginning of Ktay, retarding the planta afterwards if necessary 

 by shading from bright sun, and )•■ ■ ■ ooi I pli oi air. The 



i / to bring on young xihints- is to eonrmence \. ., bj in the 



season, by cutting tht 1 1 in : . i . i ' : on so 



as to have them in their blooming pots by Di lember forti ■ trl .. , ;;nd by 

 February fur a late bloom. Mod. are better than ne large 



shift. 



Violets for Winter (Cclia).— The bi -t plan is to-take off h- suckers 

 or runners in May and pot them singly in small pots in a compost of 

 turfy loam two-thirds, and leaf mould one-third. Place them in a cold 

 frame, and keep close, moist, and shaded, until established. Remove the 

 lights gradually, keep the plants well supplied with water, and when the 

 pots become lull of roots shift into six-inch, pots, draining these well, 

 and using the Bi me i est as before. The plants require moisture and 



coolness during the Bununer, and they will grow well if the pots be 

 plunged. In September they may be returned to a frame, and remain 

 plunged in ashes, with the protection of a mat over the lights in severe 

 weather, drafting them into the greenhouse as they are wanted to flower, 

 and always selecting the niost promising. 



Goodyera discolor Cultcrk (Cl'ricus).—Thc pot ounht to be one- 

 third filled with crocks, and the compost should consist of turfy or 

 fibrous peat, and chopped sphagnum, with a free admixture of silver 

 sand and broken charcoal, from which the dust has been sifted out. The- 

 sand and charcoal together may form one-third of the compost. If 

 cocoa-nut refuse can bo had it may be used in place of the sphagnum. 

 The Goodyera should be potted when it recommences growth, and water 

 must be somewhat sparingly given at first, hut increased with the growth, 

 abundance being afforded both at the root and in the atmosphere 

 when the plant is growing freely. In potting, press the compost firmly. 

 Free ventilation should be given day and night, and a temperature of 

 from 60° to 85° in summer, and from 45 c to 50° in winter will suit it. It 

 should be shaded from blight sun. When at rest but little water is 

 needed, yet the plant should not be allowed to suffer; it should have a 

 little now and then over the pot— a gentle bedewing to keep it plump and 

 fresh. Avoid cold currents of air, and do not allow cold air to come in 

 contact with the leaves whilst wet, as they may thus become discoloured. 



Burned Clay (T. Dickson). — Your clay burned until it resembles 

 lumps as hard as bricks ought to be easily broken. If it cannot, it has 

 been too much burned. Your burning it was right; but we do not per- 

 ceive what value it will ho for your light soil, as the latter will only be 

 rendered still more open by dressing it with the burned clay, which, 

 however. od ior heavy land. If you were to place lumps of clay 



on the ground in spadefuls at about a foot apart, the lumps when frozen 

 through would crumble on a thaw, and you might then spread the clay 

 and dig it in. Your land would thus be made more adhesive, and become 

 better suited for fruit trees. Your leaf mould will do for mixing with 

 the soil and for mulching the trees. Cool manure, such as that oi i 

 will be best i ir ;• " ! ::- soil. 



Flower Pots fi?. Smart). — Flower pots are of various sizes and urines. 

 Thimbles and thumbs are any size under 3 niches in diameter at the top. 



Sea-kale FoKCrNG K. T.).— If the. hwge-spread.nnads.oi the Soa 

 too large to be covered wife strong underground 



stem or root, then you will not b 



oa. We 

 would not do so, however ; we would put . -I I 



and twist ; .m' or :'. havh-.iid round them, fill the opening at top 



with a large plug of straw, and then cover with the fermenting mi 

 in the usual" way. In fact, if your fermenting material is leaves, yon 

 may mark all the pla> the i ,r all a foot 



thick. As the plants grow they v.-iil raise the leaves. It does not matter 

 what the sizes of the pots are with whieh you force Sea-kale when taken 

 up. If packed in moist soil it will need no water for a good while. 

 Scarlet Pelaroonh'sis ;. E) i .:./.. ('.).— We think that Baron 



Hngel planted thickly wc Id ml the dark marking of the leaf 



: r 1; d Harry Hieover are very good. 



