March 6, 1886. ] 



JOUKNAL OF HOETICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENEE. 



187 



to keep frost and damp from injuring them. Dahlias wanted 

 early should now be placed in heat. The best plan for those 

 without frames is to let them bud in their winter cool quarters, 

 and then divide with a good tuber, or piece of tuber to each 

 bud or shoot. Then no better plan for them can be adopted 

 than to tix on a piece of ground with a hard surface ; place on 

 that 2 or 3 inches of leaf mould or a little rotten duna and 

 nice soil ; on that place the divided tubers, from 4 to inches 

 apart, and then cover with fi'om 3 to 1 inches of nice open 

 stuff, rotten dung forming a part. In this the tubers will root 

 freely, and about the end oi May you will be able to take up 

 the plants, with a large bail of rich earth, and transfer them 

 to suitable holes iu the llower garden. This is a far better plan 

 than dividing the tubers at planting time, or even planting the 

 tubers whole. The stems might want a httle protection from 

 frost in the beginning of May. From the middle to the end of 

 March would be time enough to divide the tubers. Kinds 

 wanted to be increased by cuttings should be placed iu heat 

 directly. 



In cold pits, all such plants as Auriculas, Polyanthus, Wall- 

 flowers, Stocks, Carnations, ttc, should be kept dry, be protected 

 from severe frost, but have air at all other times by tilting the 

 sashes. If the frost continue for a week, or even less, mice 

 must be looked after. We have known sad destruction effected 

 in one night. 



Calceolarias for bedding will sustain no injury from the damp 

 if kept cool and air be given iu suitable weather ; we have not 

 uncovered for two days, but we know tlie bed is cool. In ad- 

 dition to the little straw tied along the walls, hung a little more 

 over from the wall-plate, or rather some litter, as not uufre- 

 quently after carefully protecting the glass the frost enters 

 through the walls. 



In forcing-pits, propagating-pits. Sec. kept up a nice mild 

 heat, and asHyaciuths, liautzias, double Pruuus, Pinks, shrubs, 

 itc, came into bloom, removed them to a cooler place, to pre- 

 pare for the greenhouse or mansion. 



Cinerarias do very well in rooms where there is not an excess 

 of dry heat. Where near to tires, the leaves must be often 

 damped to keep them healthy. Sudden transitions from cold to 

 heat, or from a moist to a dry atmosphere, and vice rersd, are 

 to be avoided. For all plants iu rooms where large fires are 

 used, a sponging or damping the foliage will be the best mode 

 of keeping them iu health. 



In greenhouses and conservatories, as well as in cold pits, 

 too much care cannot be taken in avoiding spilling Water when 

 watering what is absolutely dry. In these frosty days it is de- 

 sirable to confine the fresh air chiefly to the apex of the roof, 

 and if there is much sun, to use little artificial heat until the 

 afternoon, when the force of the sun is gone. In dull, muggy 

 weather on the other hand, a brisk fire would be useful during 

 the daj', if little or none were required when the house was 

 shut up at night. Were we close to a coal pit we would use 

 more fuel in dull weather, and more air than we now do. Gar- 

 dening difiers from all mere mechanical undertakings in this, 

 that constant watchfulness and observation are as essential to 

 success as great abilities or great intelligence. 



In such weather, see what was lately said of the position of 

 Boronias, Leschenaultias, Pimeleas, Gompholobiums, Oxy- 

 lobiums, ttc, so that they may not staud in a draught of cold 

 air, though fresh air shall be accessible. Florists' Pelargo- 

 niums will never do better than when standing on dry board 

 shelves. Standing on earth, sand, ashes, gravel, or anything 

 of that kind, moisture accumulates around them, and is apt to 

 be condensed on them and form spot. Cinerarias in bloom, 

 and Calceolarias coming forward, on the other hand, rejoice in 

 a moist standing-ground. We have kept Cinerarias without an 

 insect for the season, simply by standing them on damp moss. 

 Took the opportunity of the unsettled weather to put in a 

 good many cuttings of Petunias, Verbenas, Lobelias, and Age- 

 ratums, and placed them in a bed prepared for them. The 

 modes resorted to have often been described, and we dare 

 hardly venture on details here, unless there were a number of 

 beginners needing such information. We have at present lots 

 of plants. &c., wanting hotbeds, but we cannot form the beds 

 as yet. Next week we hope to describe a model amateur's pit 

 for Cucumbers, Melons, plant-propagating, and general pur- 

 poses. — E. F. 



George Smith, ToUington Nursery, Hornsey Eoad, London, 

 N. — DvscrijilUe Cataluijue of Florist's Fhiircrs. 



Ai-chibaJd Henderson, Sion Nursery, Thornton Heath, Surrey, 

 S. — Priced Seed Catalocfue. 



W. Hooper, St, John's Hill, Wandsworth, London, S.W.— 

 Dcucriptife Catalogue of Vegetable, Fluirer, and Aqricullural 

 Se (■(?.<. 



Francis Allum, Lady Bank, Tamworth. — Descriptire Cata- 

 logue of Dahlias, ChrgsuHthemums, and Bedding Plants, 



C0\T]:NT garden market.— JMarch 3. 



We have experienced a considerable falling off in our supplies tbiy 

 ^eek, both home-Krown and continental, in consequence of the altei-eti 

 state of the weather. Hothouse Grape.s aro much more scarce, Lady 

 Do^\'ne's being over, and the samples of Biirbax'ossa not equal to ■what 

 they were. Apples and Pears con-^ist of the varieties named last week. 

 Of Asparagus there is a somewhat better supply. 



Apples ^ sieve 



Apricots doK. 



Cherries lb. 



Chestnuts bush. 



Currants, Red ^ sieve 



Black do. 



Figs doz. 



Filberts lb. 



Cobs .... 100 lbs. 16D 

 Gooseberries. . \ sieve 

 Grapes, Hambro lb. ) 



Muscats. ... lb. r 



10 





 

 



18 



Lemons 100 6 10 ' 



Melons each 



MulbeiTies .... punnet 



Nectarines doz. 



Or.inges 100 



Peaches doz. 



Pears (Icitchcn).. doz. 



dessert doz. 



Pine Apples lb. 



Plums \ sieve 



Quinces \ sieve 



Raspben'ies lb. 



Strawberries oz. 



VEGETABLES. 



TKADE CATALOGUES RECER^ED. 



Brummoncl Brothers, 52, George Street, Edinburgh. — Cata- 

 loguc of Vegetable, and Flower Seeds, dc. 



Artichokes each 



Asparni^a .... bundle 

 Beans Broad. . bu?hel 



Kidney 100 



Beet, Red doz. 



BroccoU bundle 



Brns. Sprouts. .^ sieve 



Cabbage doz. 



Capsicums 100 



Carrots bunch 



Cauliflower doz. 



Celery bundle 



Cucumbers each 



pickling .... doz. 



Endive score 



Fennel bunch 



Garlic lb. 



Herbs bunch 



Horseradish . . bundle 



d. s. A 

 GtoO U 



12 







4 

 3 

 2 



5 

 2 

 

 



6 



3 



4 







2 















4 



Leeks bimch 



Lettuce .... per doz. 



Mushrooms pottle 



Mustd. & Cress. pimnet 



Onious per bushel 



Parsley sieve 



Parsnips doz. 



Peas quart 



Potatoes bushel 



Kidney do. 



Radishes ..doz. hands 



Rhubarb bundle 



Savoys doz. 



Sea-kiUe basket 



Shallots lb. 



Spinach bushel 



Tomatoes ^ sieve 



Tui-nips bunch 



Vegetable Marrows dz. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 

 •»• We request that no one will wi-'ite priv.itely to the depart- 

 mental -^Titers of the "Journal of Horticulture, Cottage 

 Gardener, and Country Gentleman." By so doing they 

 are subjected to unjustifiable trouble and expense. All 

 communications should therefore be addi'essed solely to 

 The Editors of the Journal of Horticulture, dsc, 171, Fleci 

 Street, London, E.G. 

 North American Plants iH. N. JE:.).— We do not know any North 

 American nm-scryman to whom we could refer you. 



Tobacco for Fumigatikg (A Comfant .St(b«cr(&fr).— The Nicotiana 

 tabacum is tiic best species to grow ; but any of the other species will be 

 effective. Any seedsman can procure the seed if he has none in stock. 



EspERioNE Grape (I'orfc).— Write to Mr. Fcnn, Rectory, Woodstock^ 

 Oxon, aud ask for a gi-aft. We shall be glad to hear from you on the 

 subjects you mention. 



Flower-pots (.S. Fttrs(}lovr).^0\]iX correspondent wishes toknowwhere 

 he can obtain a quantity. Surely the makers would find it pay to adver- 

 tise their wares. 



Lobelia Snowflake.— " Have any of the readers of this paper grown 

 Lobelia Snowflake fi-om seed this year? I purchased a packet, and 

 sowed three-fourths of it three weeks since, and not a vestige of a plant 

 yet to be seen! Two acquaintances who also purchased •is.^d. packets, 

 which have been sown a mouth, have not obtained a plant. One of these 

 acquaintances is a nm'seryman, and the other gardener to a nobleman. 

 —Nemo." 



Imperfect Greenhouse {A Regular Sub3crJhfr).~As the roof leaks, 

 and the rain comes in round the door, it cannot be properly constructed. 

 It is quite wrong to aver that the roof cannot be made waterproof. Call 

 in some competent builder of such structures, and if he snys the green- 

 house is not built in a workmanlike manner, you will have a full justifi- 

 cation for not paying until it is done better. We cannot give nn opinion 

 upon the legal points. By beginning to putty the laps the builders ad- 

 mitted that the glazing was imperfect. 



Seed Drill {A Subscriber).— Very simple, ingenious, and useful. It 

 should be made of iron, and the hantUe arched like that of a plough to^ 

 i render stoox)ingunneces«r.iy. 



