n 



journaTj of horticulture and cottage gabdenee. 



[ Jnkiiar7 ^. ISBL 



TO CORRESPONDENTS- 

 ••• Wo roquofit that no ouo will write privately to tlie (lepflrt- 

 montal writers of tho " Jotim:U of HorticiUturo. Cottngo 

 Ganlt-ner, fiml Countr>' Gontleiuftn." By so tloing they 

 aro Muhjt'Ot»il to nnju.'titiubltj trouble and expense. All 

 conimunJcatiunfl elioiild therefore be aildreRsed soUUj to 

 Tht Editors of thf Jounial of Horticulture^ d-c.^ 171, Fleet 

 Strfft, Lotulon, E.C, 

 RniflnN-uoiiDKR tp. (t.).~YonT proposed amnRcmont will look very 

 Wi'll. Ia-'I i)f> kiiDMr what four (it<r;iuiiims your propodo for a ribbon- 

 honicr, nod wo will ^Ive you our opluion. 



HrATiNii A >^M.\i,i, BoiLEU DY Gas (H. .S.K— For seven postnpe ^itainpn 

 you cun huve frt'C by i»opt from our otBcc *' OroenUouaes f-»r tho Miiny." 

 At pAtfP 3K-'.) thoro are a plau and dcscriptioiir^ that will guide you well. 



ItKD SPIDBR OS Pr.ACn AKO NECTAniNB TREES (.S'firiron. h<il/-pfii/).—lt 

 yonr trocN are ntfain^^t wallii nnuiiil tln-m. niitl paint the wall ^vith a wash 

 of Jtulphur \ivuin, 'i IIh. ; ^oft soup. M u/.^., dissolved :u a r^allon of water ; 

 soot, 1 lb.: fre»;!i lime. 1 lb. ; clay, I lb. Mix tho sulphur, Umc. and noot 

 with a little of tho soap aolutiou. then add the clay and onon^h of the 

 soap solution to make tho whole like puint. Ur;is}i tbo mixture iuto all 

 the CToviros, in fat-t. till th."io up. IVforc tho trees are nailed to tho wall 

 wa.-^h Un*u» witJi milpliur vivum. broniiht to the consistency of paint by 

 ft sidnti'in of 4 oz9. of soft soap in a tfallou of water. Apply with a brnsh, 

 takini; care u>jt to injure tho biul-^. If n-d spidtr uttftck tho trees in 

 summer »<>Tini;e them with wat«.'r frt^ipiently, and now and then xvith 

 S ozs. of yoft soap dissolved in a gallon of water. 



BooK» {Htnrn T/rirA).— "Tho best book on wild flowers" depends upon 

 the purpose for which it is retiuired. For idontifyint; species Hooker and 

 Aroott'a "British Flora" it* as useful as any aociirdinff tothoNatnral 

 Systoni ; Sir J. E. Smith's) "EngUeh I-'lorn ' according to the Liunu^an, 

 Wo cannot atato the pricc*^. HfllelK»rus fictidus mitfht have its flowers 

 improved by cm.'jyfinc with tho Chrislnias Ko?e, but we have never heard 

 of tho experiment beinff tried. (./. H. J.). —'* In-door GardeninR '' will 

 probably suit yon, price 1«. 6(/., free by |»Obt from our offlre for twenty 

 post«»fe stamps. {A. M. '/*.).— Throe ver>- smull books, U. Gd. each, will 

 completely supply yonr roquircraents— " The Garden ifanual," *' Out-door 

 Gardenink*. ■ and *' In-door Gardeninj?'" For ail oxtni postage stamps they 

 may bo had free by post from our oflicc. 



Exiimmxr, at the International Uorticolturai. Exhxbitiok (A 

 Practical (inrth-rwr in the A'orf/t).— Ucfjulation 11 says. *' Every exhibitor 

 must bo prepared to declare that tho objects he exliibits are his own pro- 

 perty, or that (if his employer," which we consider intends that a par- 

 doner, or an amateur, must not exhibit anythins? purchased. If a tientle- 

 man has a reiiidence in the soutJi of England and a residence in tho 

 north, wo think the products from tho k'^rdeas of those rosidencos micht 

 be exhibited in one collection. Cucumbers we consider come within the 

 comprehensive name '* Saladina." An intomlink' exhibitor accidentally 

 provt-ntod oxhibitiuk', after giving n.tice of his intention, does not incur 

 any rosp.m-^ibility by his non-exhibitiui,'- Potatoes. Peas, Dwarf Kidney 

 Beans, Mushrooms, Tomatoes, and Cirrots, would form a pood collection. 

 Of c.nirse excellence in each article will be a pararaotmt consideration. 



Lkwisia bkdiviva id. v., awl manu othern).—We do not know any one 

 who has this plint. It is probably at Kow. but so numerous are tfio in- 

 quiries for it that any nurseryman obtaining it and raising a stock 

 would profit well by tho effort. 



Vines fbom Eves {acrieui Dei-onieiisLt).—rho eyes from shoots of the 

 precodini< year are alwayg used, of course from shoots thoroughly ma- 

 tured. In the " Vine Manual," which you refer to, it is expressly' directed 

 (page 29) to tike the eyes from shoots round and of medium robustness. 



House Sewage (TAo*. L. Cat<r).— The chamber slops diluted with five 

 Umes their qaantity of water may be applied about twice a-week to y o\ir 

 Rose trees, &c., so soon as growth commences in the spring. It is wo rse 

 than useless to apply manures to any pLint whilst it is dormant in win ter. 



Primcla (T.K— Tho varietv of Primula you sent is not new. Many 

 Bimilar v:inetits were exhibited hist year. Brightness and distinctness 

 of colour ore more to be desired than these pale varieties. 



CovENT Garden Map.eet Measires (K. C. E.).~lt is of no avail to 

 qnarrel with the Covent Garden Market dealers about the measm-es they 

 employ; but to help yon and "other country readers" we will add a 

 deflnit on of some of th-se measures. Pottle: A long, tapering ha-^ket 

 made of deal shaving*., holding about a pint and a.hAitSca-kaU Punfu:U ; 

 8 inches <hiiraotcr at tho top, and 7* at the bottom, and '2 inches deep. 

 RiuIiAh PunnrLt : 8 inches diameter and 1 inch deep, if to hold six hands- 

 orO mchos by I inch for twelve hands. Mu.fhroom Punnett: 7 inches bv 

 1 mch. S.iladtno Punntl4: 5 inches by 2 inches. Half SUvc contains 

 thrte mipcnal gallons and a half. It averages 12^ inches lUamcter, and 

 B inches In depth. Sicrf contains seven unperiiU gallons. Diameter 

 15 inches ; depth, H inches. Bitshft Sierr, ten imperial gallons and a half 

 Diameter at top, 17j inches; at bottom, 17 inches; depth. Hi inches 

 Bushci hfulft ought, when heaped, to contain an imperial bushel. Dia- 

 meter at buttom. 10 inches ; at top, 14i inches; depth. 17 inches. Walnuts 

 >uts. Apples, and Potatoes are sold by this measure. A bushel of the 

 ast-namcd, cleaned, weighs 56 lbs. ; but 4 lbs. additional are aUowcd if 

 they arc not washed. The hand of Radishes varies with tho season. 



CiNBRARiAH WiTHocT PETALS {C. G. Il.).-\Ve uTc nuablo to accomit 

 for the absence of petals, hat we think that it proceeds from the plants 

 being tiKi kTTjBs, fn.m their being kept too far from the gins';, and too 

 close and warni. Give them a light airy situation and a temperature not 

 Mcoe<hng ar. from fire ho.at, and wo Uiink thnt of the blooms produced 

 atton^-anU there unll not bo many without petals. It is not nnusual for 

 the first blnoms of viirly phints to be wiUiont the eorolln, but it is not so 

 throughout, the trusses having thot tendency <>a\y at tho commencement 

 of flowenng. Tho Beans you sent arc-l, Common Dun Dwarf Kidney 

 Boan ; 2, Kcd-spcckled Kidney Boan. 



Sparrow-s Katino Crocus Blooms (^ Thrr^ -yr an Suh$cribcr). ~^t in 

 BUkes or sticks at every « feet or so. and stretch black thread or worsted 

 ^!I'.?»I"'i"'^ ^ "^ foot above the Crocn^e.. fastening at ever^- 3 feet 

 ■Jong the throads a smaU piece nf glass. The birds wiU alight, but when 

 Sey ^ g *" ffX "S P'"^^^^ shining glass hanging above their heads 



I BoBDER FOR HEttBACEorH PLANTS AND Aknlals (C /f.).— Ycut hordcr 

 of sandy yellow loam wt.uld bo improved by trenching Irt inches or 3 feet 

 deep, and thnt is nil wo Khould roetimmend'tn be done at present. Yellow 

 loams are r.io-.tly fertile, and well suited for the grnwlh of herbaccouH 

 plants, the vindy nature of your's rendering it all the beitex. an the 

 plants will not bo iwi liable to go off in winUr au if the buil wore of a 

 Iiea\'y wet nature. Hardy herbaceous plants : AIstrameriR aurea ; Agro- 

 t^temma cov .narin, and var. purpurea : Aiiuilegiar.ar^ophvlI..id< s. A, glan- 

 duloHa, and A. fmgrani'; Aster tunaietife.litiP ; Bet. mica grnnditlora ; Cam- 

 panula ftggTLgata and C. speeiosa ; Cheirnuthus Uarshalli : Diclvtra spec- 

 tabilis, I), speetabilis alba; Dodecatbeon uuadia. mid v;ir. i legafis; Fritil- 

 laria iraperialis vars. : Gi ranium fianguinenni. and (i. lanrn^tricuHe : Genm 

 coeeineum grnndiflornm ; H>i)ericnin calycinum (St. .John's Wort); Iria 

 gcnnanica vars., I. pallida, I. xipliioides; Liliuui tenuifoliimi ; Loholia 

 urens, L. fulgens St. Clair ; Lychnis Haagcana, and its variety superba ; 

 Lythruni roseum superhura ; Pa-onia albifloni, P. arietina, and P. offi- 

 cinalis in variety ; Papaver nudieaule; Phlox canadenMs and varietios; 

 Polemonium eoeruleum, and variety variegatum ; Polentilla nlpestria, 

 P. splendcns, P. Menzic*^ii. P. MncNabiana, and P. bicolor graiulitl..ra ; T^- 

 rethrnm cameum, and iiianydouble vars; Salvia pratonsis ; Srnbiosagmn- 

 diflora: Spira-a filipt-ndula plena; and to these may be added Carnations 

 and Pieotees. The preceding grow to a height of from UtoL'i feet, and are 

 well suited for third and fourth rows. The following, growing from 

 (> inches to 1 foot, and occasitmally 18 inches high, are well suited for 

 first and second, and also third rows when the border is wide :— Achillea 

 aurea, A. clavennie. A. nana; Ajugn alpiua, A. alpina roFca; .Mchenvilla 

 alpina conjuncta ; Allium fragruns; AlysMim saxatilo compactum; Ane- 

 mone nemorosa plena. A. apennina, A. pahnata, A. jajwuica Honorine 

 Johert (Ij footi ; Anteunaria hyberborea ; Anomatheca eruenta ; Antir- 

 rhinum in variety (IJ foot): Aquilegia alpina; Arabis albida. A. belli- 

 difnlia, A. lucidavariegata; Aubrietiadeltoideagraudillon : Aster alpinns; 

 Asclopias tubL-rosa ; Bellis perenuis aucub;efuliu ; Calnndriui^i umbellata ; 

 Campanula mui-alis, C. gargnnica, C. pulla, C. pnsiUa. C. frrxgilis; Co- 

 rastium tomentosum ; Colchicum antninnalo flore pleno; ConvallflTia 

 mnjalis, and gold-striped, pink, and donble-flowcred vars..; Crocus 

 sativus. C. autumnalis ; Dianthus deltoides. D. Horibundus. D. Hcdde- 

 wigii, Dianthus Highclcro vars.; Draha aizoides ; Dr>as Drummondi ; 

 Eranthis hyenialis ; Erigeron grandifloms, E. gpeciosus; GalantUns 

 nivalis, G. plicatue; Gentiana vema, G. acaulis ; Hepntica triloba in 

 variety; Iris puinila, I. reticulata; Loucojumvemum ; Lotus comiculatus 

 flore pleno; Miiscari botryoides ; Myosotis sylvatica ; N:irci«sus Ajax, 

 X. Cfmspicuuj*. N. juncifolius; CEnothera macrocarpa, (E. tnraxacifoiia ; 

 Orobus vemus : Omithogalnm nutans ; Oxalis tropa-oloidos ; Primula acau- 

 Us in variety. P. cortusoides, P. auricula in variety ; Pulmunuria offici- 

 nalis, P. angustifolia ; Runnnculus amplexicculis ; Saponaria oc\-moides ; 

 Scilla amcena, S. sibiriop.. S. bifolia, S. vema; Silene alpestris. S.'Schafta; 

 Stachys lanata ; Stcmbergia lutea ; Statice Gmelini, S. tnlarica ; Tigridia 

 pavouia ; Trichonema bulbocodium ; Trollias enropieup, T. albus, Tuwi- 

 lago farfara variegnta ; Veronica alpestris, V, Candida ; Viol;i od(.rata vars., 

 V. cornutii, V. pennsylvauica, V. suavis; and Zuphvniuthes f.andida : to 

 which may lie added Pinks, Sweet Williams, and Double Rockets. Tallar 

 plants for the back rows: Campanula pyramidalis; I'olygonatnm val- 

 gare; Delphinium Belladonna, D. furmosiiui, D. Hender^Vui. D. hi color 

 grandiflorum; Liiium candidum, L. lancifolium, L. Bro«-nii. L. auran- 

 tiacum, L. chalcedonicura. L. martngon, L. tigrinum : Lnpinus ar- 

 boreus. L. poI}i)hyllus; Papaver bracteatam, P. orientnlc splendens; 

 Tritoma nvaria, to which add Hollyhocks. We have proved these and 

 found them good. We could name more, but as you only require select 

 kinds we go no further. If too many are named take apart. To have 

 annuals in the intenals you must allow a space between the plants or 

 rows eciual to the height the plants attain, in addition tothat required for 

 the herbaceous plants. A dressing of any artificial numure scattered 

 over tho border between the plants in April, and going over the ground 

 with a hoe. will do them good, and it may be repeated in six weeks. A 

 dressing of leaf mould early in winter will bo as benetieial as a dressing 

 of rich manure. It should be put rotmd the plants 3 iucuc-' deep at tho 

 back, and an inch in front, allowed to remain all tho Ts-iutcr, and bo 

 pointed-in in March. 



TrnEitosEs and Gloximas afteii BtooMrxo (-4 SuhAcrihcr. H. C). — 

 Alter blooming gradually withhold water, giving only a little to prevent 

 the leaves flagging, and keep the plants in a light airy situation imtil tho 

 foliage be decayed; then place the pots containing the Tuberoses in a dry 

 part of the greenhouse, and give no water. In March repot the plants, 

 removing all the old soil unless they have roots, when only so mach of 

 the old soil should be removed as can be done without injuring these. 

 A compost of turfy, light, rich loam, and one-third leaf moiild. answers 

 well, adding sand if necessary. Grow the plants in a light airy part of the 

 greenhouse, and as near the glass as possible, syringing fivquently to 

 keep down red spider, which is their groat enemy. After the foliage of 

 the Gloxinias has decayed the pots are to be placed on h diimp floor, 

 whieh will keep the soil a little moist, though it will ajipcar dry. This 

 will prevent the tubers from becoming farinaceons, as they are npt to do 

 when kept on a shelf with soil dust-dn.-, and consequently rotting when 

 tlio soil is moistened in sjiriug. To winter Gloxinias saffly tho tempera- 

 ture should seldom be lower than 45 . In Febrnary or MarVh they should 

 bo potted, removing all the old soil : and if the soil is in nice order and 

 just moist they should not be watered, but be placed after repotting in a 

 mild hotbed of about 7.'>', anil there remain without water until they begin 

 to grow, when water should be given cautiously at fii-pt. increasing the 

 quantity as the plants advance in growth. They should be retained in 

 the hotbed tmtil far advanced for blooming, when they may be removed 

 to the warmest part of the greenhouse, where they will do well after the 

 middle of May. Without beat at the recommencement of growth Gloxinias 

 cannot bo grown satisfactorily in a greenhoupe. If you start them in 

 February they will bloom in June, and in July if started about the ond of 

 March or beginning of April. 



AsrARAGUS FOR CovENT GARDEN MARKET {Workin(j Oardcnrr). — It is 

 quite useless to expect the prices yon mention except (or bundles of uni- 

 formly tine heads. You had bettor write to Messrs. Webber A Co.. Covent 

 Garden Market, and state what you purpose doing, and ask if they woold 

 take your produce. 



PELAJiooNnTMS FROM St.et> (Jamfii .Y.).— To succeed in raising first-rate 

 Pelai^onium secdliutrs, you must obtain the beti; kinds of pliints and sow 

 3«)nr own seed. You can buy plenty of seed in the market, but you 

 cannot expect to purchase what has cost the ^ower much thought and 

 care in hybridising, &c. 



