Jannary 16, 1866. ] 



JOUKNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



53 



Camellia Ckltcke iOiieof Your TVi-n First f;„b>icriher.i.)—I{ your plants 

 are pot-bouuil. or, fov their size, in very sm.ill pots, and do not appear to 

 Lave heeu shitted for a number of years, tlion repot them ; but, if they 

 have been ricontlv potted, and the soil and drainage are Kood, yon had 

 better let them remain as thev are, especially as you propose cutting 

 tUeia in. If y.iu pot the plants, tuni them out carefully, remove the 

 drainage, and' pick out the old soil from amongst the roots, being very 

 careful not to break the fibres, which are extremely brittle. I se any size 

 of pot that will allow of half an inch of fresh soil being placed around 

 the ball, and working the soil so as to leave no vacant ^pac c between the 

 ball and the sides of the pot, and lot the collar be ..lighlly elevated in the 

 centre of the pot. Drain the pots well ; one-fourth tlieir depth is not too 

 much. Use none but clean pots, wll-washed inside as weU as outside, 

 and let the compost c..iisi.~t of tivotbivds sandy turfy peat (not bog soil 

 or the mossy brown peat used f-r growing Orchids), and onc-thu'd tiirly 

 loam rather ■■trong, but not liea\T— that from rotted turves a yearold 

 is best, the wh.de broken and chopped with a spade, and made pretty hue, 

 hut not sifted, adding one-sixth of silver sand if the soil la not sandy 

 enough. The end of March or earlv in April is a good time to pot them, 

 or about a fortnight after the bloom is over. About the middle of 

 April the plants mav be cnt-in, and this yon may do to any extent ; but it 

 is better to give them bottom heat afterwards in order to induce them to 

 break well, and such encouragement wonld he especially useful in your 

 case if thev are fresh-potted. A bottom heat of 15' for six weeks would 

 be of great service in inducing them to break, especially if you cut them 

 in much. To-.vards the eud of April maintain a temperature of 50 at 

 n!"ht, in a fortnight increase the temperature to o5^ and in the course 

 of 'another fortnight to GO-, with a rise by day of 5 in diill weather, 

 10= when cloudy "ith clear intervals, and fi-oni 15= to 20 nith sun and a 

 cloudless skv. 'Give air on all favourable occasions. Sprinkle the paths, 

 Boors, and cveiT available surface twice daily, morning and evening, 

 with water of the same temperature as the house, and syi'inge the plants 

 overhead morning and evening, until the young shoots are a few inches 

 long, then disoontinuo the moniing sjiinging. giving air early so as to 

 have the leaves dry before the sun shines powerfully upon them. When 

 the shoots have done giowing, gi-adually discontiuue lire heat, and give 

 all the ail- pos'iblo, decreasing the amount of moisture, but still sprinkling 

 the paths, &c., twice dailv. As vou have the option, do not turn the plants 

 out of the house, but keep them as cool as possible by admitting day and 

 night as much air as po>sible. 



Pl.\n-ts Fon RocKWonK (Old Verr).— On the shady parts of your rock- 

 work you may gi-ow the following Ferns, watering them copiously diu-ing 

 drv weather when gi-owing. Asplcnium adiantum-nigrum. A. viride, and 

 A.'trichomanes; .\Uosorus erispus, Bleehnum spicant, and its varieties 

 cristatum and ramosuni; Lastrea oreopteris, L. Filix-mas, and its varie- 

 ties cristata and Seholicldii, L. rigida, L. dilatata, L. Fcenisecii, and 

 L. cristata ; Osmunda regiilis, Polvpodium vulgare, P. phcgopteris, P. dry- 

 opteris, P. alpestre. Polvstichum" acnleatum, P. lobatum, P. angulare, 

 »nd its variety proUferum : Scolopendrium vulgare, and its varieties 

 endivi.Tfolium.' multifldum, and rainosum ; Cystopteris Diclueana, C. fra- 

 gilis, and variety dentata ; Athvrium Filix-fiemina, varieties apuieformc, 

 depauperatum. md plnniosum ; Onoelea sensiliilis : Osmunda cinnamoinea, 

 O.inten-upta; Slruthiopterisgei-mnnica. andpenusylvaniea : Polystichnni 

 acrostichoides. P. proliferum, and P. pungent. Of hardy Heaths f,,r the 

 sunny parts— Erica vulgaris Alporti. alba, Hammondi, and ngida; E. ci- 

 nerea, varieties alba and eoccinca : E. vagans. varieties alha, carnea, and 

 rubra ; E. seoparia, E. tetralix, E. herbacea, and variety camea ; and 

 E. ciliaris. Orobus vernus; Aral.is albida. and alpiiin : Aubrietia del- 

 toidea : Lotus comiculatus fiore pleno ; Iheris semper\'irens, and saxatilis ; 

 Genista triijuetra, Drvas DrummoniU. Draba aizoides, Aly.ssum saxatile, 

 Saxifraga artinis, Aiz'oon, Dueklaiidi, oppositifolia, and polita ; Dianthus 

 alpiuus, D. deltoides, D. floribundns, and D. cnientus ; Cerastium Bie- 

 bcrsteini, and C. tomentosum ; Sedum Ewersi, S. album, S. kamtschati- 

 cum, S. Sieboldi. and S. rupestre ; Stachys lanata ; Silene alpestris ; Sene- 

 cio alpestris ; Scutellaria alpina ; Oochlearia grcenhindiea ; Armeria vul- 

 garis alba ; Aleheinilln alpina ; Ajuga veptans variegata, and Cheirantbus 

 alpiuus. The Ferns are fov the bhady, and the Heaths and folloiving 

 plants for the sunny situations. 



Peopagatisg IIrs. Pollock Geraxium (J Constant Header).— ^on will 

 hardly be able to obtain cuttings from vour autumn-struck plants before 

 tlie m'iddle of February, even if vou keep these in a temperature of from 

 4:. to 50- from iii-e heat, which is sufficient forcing. The tops of the 

 plants may then he taken ofl', and made into cuttings. They will soon 

 r.jot in a mild hotbed of 75°. The plants being repotted, plunge the pots 

 in a bottom heat of 75=, with a top heat not exceeding 55 from fire heat, 

 and in six weeks vou mav be able to obtain another hatch of cuttings. 

 Under this treatment you will obtain a quantity of small plants, which 

 will not afford anything Ukc the same deigree of satisfaction that one-half 

 or one-fourth of tlie number of well-grown plants would give. Plants of this 

 Geranium require to he strong and well-hardened off before planting out. 



Grapes Remaisisg ox the Vine (J. C.).— However long they may he 

 allowed to remain, they will have no injurious effect on the crops of next 

 season. 



DRACiXA FEHREA AXD PalMS IX A DlUWIXG-EOOM (-E. Z>.). — The 



cause of the leaves being spotted is their being constantly syringed 

 whilst the soU is kept constantlv moist by too frequent waterings. ^^ ater 

 only when the soil becomes drv, and only syringe occasionally to free the 

 loaves of dust. Such plants, though retaining their beauty m rooms for 

 a long time, cannot he gi-own there, and should therefore be returned m 

 good time to the stove, in order to perfect their growth. 



Crvstallisixg Flow-ees (£»fnl. — We have no experience of this 

 practice, nor did we ever see flowers so treated. The following, ex- 

 tracted from an American paper, may aid yon; —'• Crystallising 

 Flowers.— It is done by suspending or repeatedly dipping them in water 

 saturated with alum. This, however, cau only be done with dried speci- 

 mens. The freshness and beauty of flowers can be preserved by dipping 

 them in glycerine.'* 



Conservatories at Kew axd Chatsworth iJ. H. J.).— The dimensions 

 of the new conseiwatoi-}- in the pleasure grounds at Kew are as follows :— 

 Centre— Icn-th. 212 feet: breadth, 137 feet ; height, GO feet. Octagons- 

 each, 60 feet in diameter. Wings mot yet built) — length, 112 feet; 

 breadth, 62 feet. Total, when complete. 582 feet long, and covering a 

 superficies of 1» acre. Length of pipes, iij mUes. The length of the con- 

 servatory at Chatsworth is stated in M'Intosh's " Book of the Garden," 

 to he about 282 feet ; its breadth, 120 feet ; height, about UO feet. 



Roses in Pots (Old Sub»criber).—V.'e cannot give you much encourage- 

 ment as to growing Roses in a room. They will not do well. Ti on must 

 place them as near the window as practicable, shifting thein into larger 

 pots now and using a compost of turfy and rather strong rich loam. After 

 potting plunge in coal ashes in a sheltered situation, and protect from 

 severe frost bv a Utile drv litter put over them, but removed in mild 

 weather. You'mav take them into the room in February, and then prune 

 them, cutting the strong shoots to four, and the weaker ones to two eyes. 

 Keep the soil just moist until gi-owth commences, then keep the plants 

 well-watered; sprinkling them morning and evening with tepid water 

 will also be beneficial. After blooming plunge the pots in coal ashes in 

 an open situation. We shall have an article on the cultivation of looses 

 in pots shortly, but we think vom- Roses would be much better planied 

 out. All would do well in the beds, whilst they would aff,,ra you but little 

 gratification if grown in pots in a room. Celine F..restur, Niphetos, ftol- 

 faten-e, and Comtesse do Barbantanne would be the better of a wall w.jl. 

 a south-west aspect, or at least a warmer situation. The others would 

 form a fine margin to the beds of half standards. The Roses newly planted 

 in the beds should not be pruned until the first week in March. 



VixES Mildewed I TF. A'. B.).— The two Vinos that are mildewed had 

 better be coated with a mixtm-e of sulphur and lime in equal parts, 

 brought to the consistencv of paint by the addition of soft-soap water, 

 made bv dissolving 2 ozs. of soft soap in a quart of water. In order to 

 make this mixture adhere, add to it as much clay as it contains of sul- 

 phur. AU the Vines should be washed or painted with this composition 

 now, brushing it well into every crevice. The mUdew will destroy the 

 Vines unless checked. Should it reappear, dust the parts affected mth 

 flowers of sulphur. 



Lewisia REDIvrvA— Vakieg.ated Ivies (.< Comtant Reader and Pur- 



irtsf VI.— AU that we know of this plant is that it is a native of ^orth 

 America, and is included in the Natural Order Crassulacew. It was ais- 

 covered and named bv Pursh, a Prussian botanist, whose " Flora .\mei-i- 

 eanie SeptentrionaHs " was published in 1814. The roots ai-e nutritive, a 

 kind of salep being made from them by the Indians, who collect them m 

 large quantities. We do nut know whether our nurserymen have the plant. 

 Our corresp.mdent will be obliged by a list of the best hardy small-leaved 

 variegated Ivies.— J", B. C. would be obliged to '■ J. H." for information as 

 to where the Lewisia can be iirocured and how to glow it. 



Persian Melons (Jr. H.. Da!s(on).-There are many varieties of Persian 

 Melons, and whoever told vou otherwise was certainly wi-ong. M'In.osh, 

 in his "Book of the Garden," describes eight varieties of the Persian. 

 We cannot identify a varietv of the Melon by its seed ; but if you have 

 the Ispahan, that is one of the varieties, and excellent. 



History of Gardening {Erdinriton].— If you send Ss.Bd. in postage 

 stamps you can have .Johnson's " History of English Gardomng, free by 

 post. It is out of print. 



Heitixo Two Houses from One Tubular Boiler (S. S. e.)-- If, in 

 heating two houses the pipes are taken away level from the boder. you 

 will not be able to sink them in one house. 18 inches, to go under a path- 

 way, if the first level is to be continued afterwards. No pipes should go 

 below the level of the boiler. If a close boiler is low enough to allow the 

 to rise into the lowest house to be heated, you may elevate the pipes 



ch 



pipe: 



from 'the same level for both 



us you like in another house. Starting __ . 



houses will not interfere at all with the good workmg of the pipes tha. 

 you raise higher in the second house ; but sometimes the flow_will be 

 strongest in the house proportionally raised above the boiler. Thi.s yon 

 can eSsily regulate by a valve, which will be needed if you wish to have 

 the power of working each house separately. 



ME.ALV Bug ox Oran,;e Trees (H. r.).-For Orange trees growing in 

 the open air so infested with mealy bug, we would syringe strongly with 

 quassia water, or soft-soap water, say 1 oz. of each to the galloii-if 

 washed with the hand an,l brushed all the better. In a few d.iys syringe 

 the trees well with clean water at 140= ; then have a simple thiekish paint 

 formed of melted soft soap and clay, and with a small brush paint the stems 

 and daub over every little colony, or a single one as it apiiears, with the 

 point of the brush. This simple paint will imprison the insects and kiU 

 them for want of air, and will not luu-tthe trees, as many other mixtures 

 wonld be apt to do. Wo once cleaned a lot of smaU Apple trees that were 

 eaten up with American hUght, by first washing with strong soap ^yater, 

 then painting the trees aU over with clay pauit, and using this paint to 

 daub up every insect that appeared dm-iug the summer. A little sof. 

 soap in it prevents its drying too qmcMy and craclang. Wherevei these 

 cracks take place, and there are eggs beneath, the latter will be hatched. 

 Of all paints for insects clay is the cheapest and the best. 



Edging of Holly (.-l.).-An edging, 4 or .=. inches high of the commoii 

 Hollv, will look very well ; the only objection to it will be when leaves 

 are blown into it, as it will be difficult to get them out. W e fe«. how- 

 ever, unless vourcUmate is mild and moist, you will not succeed by 

 planting cuttings of Holly round the bed in double or treble lows. In 

 most places thev require to be protected m winter by hand-lights, the 

 cuttin"s bein" iiserted thickly in sandy soil in the autumn, when many 

 roott^encS'spring. We think you would .succeed much better u' you 

 could purchase small plants 3 or 4 inches high. 



Heating with Hot Watek (.S. I,.).-We think all the arrangements 

 will do onlvas the pipes are sunk imder the pathways we would have 

 win eaeii place instead of three; and instead of having >-our central 

 bed slonin" like the roof, we would have it of equal height back and front, 

 sav from 18 to 24 inchk ; the plants will then look much better from 

 either pathway. We presume that the side ventilators come down under 

 the "o^und level, to enter by an opening below the border, and thus the 

 cold air will he brought in contact with the pipes-a very- good plan. We 

 hope top air is suflil-ient. It is all nonsense about the bees influencing 

 the appearance or flavour of different Strawberries planted near each 

 other Thev would influence the seeds, but not the pulpy matter usuaUy 

 c.alled the ffuit. Messrs. E. G. Henderson are rich in Cyclamens. It 

 would not suit to print a manual on Cyclamens as you propose. 



NEW York Nurserymen (-4 Constant Beader)-y>e cannot select from 

 them, but you will find a list in the " Gardeners' Year Book for 1S6„. 



Prices of Fruit (Mrs. S.).-Yom- suggestion cannot be adopted. Dealers 

 will not tell us the prices they pay for wholesale quantities. 



Glass Edgixg for Borders «i. T. B.).-The gkss tiles for this par- 

 pose may be had of Messrs. Kilner, glass manufacturers, Thames Street, 

 London. 



