March 27, 1866. J 



JOURNAL OF HOKTICULTDEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



247 



near their houee, heated sufficiently to keep the plants all 

 right, but who want a little place warmer, shiit in by glass, for 

 propagating, seed-sowing, &c. Now, in such a case, a jet of gas, 

 either with or without a boUer, will often do all that is wanted. 

 One of our correspondents to-day has set off a place 2 feet 

 wide and 5 feet long for such a pmpose, and has had a small 

 boiler made and two-inch pipes connected with it, to heat 

 that little place, shut in with glass for this purpose. If gas 

 could have been obtained it might have saved a good deal of 

 labour, and the waste of fuel that is complained about in heat- 

 ing such a little place separately. For such a purpose, were we 

 near enough to a kitchen boiler whence once a-day, if necessary, 

 a pailful or two of water not far from the boiling point could be 

 taken, we would have a stout wooden vessel made of the neces- 

 saiy length and width, and about 3 inches deep, covered with 

 slate or sheet iron, and that with sand or ashes for the pots. We 

 would have a funnel placed at the top of this vessel, and a tap 

 or plug at the bottom, the latter to remove the cold water, and 

 the other to put in the hot water, which would seldom require 

 to be oftener done than once a-day, and in mild weather not so 

 often. In such a wooden box, with no outlet for the heat, ex- 

 cept to the pots, and that, too, covered, the heat is retained a 

 long time, and under such circumstances it can be regulated 

 to the greatest nicety, by taking in some cases part of the 

 cooled water away, and everything would be as thoroughly under 

 control as if gas or hot water were used. Of course, such a plan 

 would only be applicable to small places. For nice Fern-cases, 

 plant-cases, and propagating-boxes, in parlour windows, there 

 is no more simple plan for heating them, and perfect cleanli- 

 ness may be secui-ed if ordinary care be used. 



There are inquiries as to how to keep Peach trees in unheated 

 houses longest in bloom. Our first reply is. Keep them as back- 

 ward and iu as dry an atmosphere as possible. Our next would 

 be, If you let them come early, by early shutting up, &c., then 

 you should try some simple plan to prevent them suffering 

 from cold. We cannot agree with "W.," that a lot of Peach 

 trees in full bloom is the most beautiful of all sights ; but we 

 do allow it is a very beautiful one, and so is an Apple tree in 

 fuU bloom, and hence the fruit-grower has a great advantage 

 over the mere flower-grower, as he has the beauty and the utUity 

 together. 



Eegulated and stopped Vines, and attended to other houses 

 much as detailed in previous weeks. Have been obliged to 

 move Strawberry plants from a vinery where they were becom- 

 ing too much shaded. They neither set nor swell well without 

 plenty of light, and if they do swell in plenty of heat, and a 

 Uttle shaded, the flavour is never anything to boast of. In fuU 

 light Keens' will be as firm and nearly as black as the Black 

 Prince. In shade they come flabby and too pale red in colour. 



OKNAMENTAI, DEPAKIMENT. 



Went on potting, repotting, sowing, pricking-off, and giving 

 general attention to what needed it, as detailed last week, and of 

 which we shall have more to say next week. See Mr. Keaue's 

 directions last week about Orchids, &c. — B. P. 



TR.\DE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 



James Service, Corberry Hill, Maxwelltown, Dumfries. — 

 Descriptive Catalogue of Florists' Flotb'ers, d'c. 



J. C. Padman, Providence Nursery, Boston Spa, Tadcaster. 

 — Catalogue of Dahliax,Hulbjhock':, and Mixcellaneo^is Bedding 

 Plants. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— JSLusch 24. 



Thebe has been scarcely any alteration worth notice, the demand and 

 supply being about balanced. There is no difference in the continental 

 imports. Pears and Apples for de..sert are limited to those varieties lately 

 mentioned ; and forced Strawberries are coming in very good for so early 

 in the season. We hear great complaints of the appearance of the out- 

 door ones, many of the market gardeners having ploughed them all ap, 

 ■la they showed no trusses. We should be glad to know if this is at all 

 general. 



FRriT. 



s. d. 3. d 



Apples J sieve 2 6 to 4 



Apricots ". doz. 



Cherries lb. 



Chestnuts bush. 8 16 



Corrants, Red \ sieve 



Black r.. do. 



Figs doz. 



Filberts lb. 



Cobs 100 lbs. 160 



Gooseberries.. A sieve 



Grapes, Hothouse. .lb. 15 25 



Lomoas 100 6 10 



Melons each 



Nectarines doz. 



Oranges 100 



Peaches doz. 



Pears (kitchen) . . doz. 



dessert doz. 



Pine Apples lb. 



Plums i sieve 



Quinces | sieve 



Raspberries lb. 



Strawberries oz. 



Walnuts bush. 14 20 ' 



VEGETABLES. 



Artichokes each 



Asparagus bundle 



Beans, Broad. . bushel 



Kidney 100 



Beet. Red doz. 



Broccoli bundle 



Brus. Sprouts..^ sieve 



Cabbage doz. 



Capsicums 100 



Carrots bunch 



Cauliflower doz. 



Celery bundle 



Cucumbers each 



pickling doz. 



Endive doz. 



Fennel bunch 



GarUc lb. 



Herbs bunch 



Horseradish . . bundle 



s. d. s. d 



6 too 



12 







4 



3 



2 6 



3 

 3 

 

 8 



1 

 



2 



3 



2 



3 



2 6 





 



Leeks bunch 



Lettuce per doz. 2 



Mushrooms pottle 2 



Mustd.iS; Cress, puimet 



Onions bushel 3 



Parsley sieve 2 



Parsnips doz. 



Peas quart 12 



Potatoes bushel 2 



Kidney do. 3 



Radishes . . doz. hands 



Rhubarb bundle 



Savoys doz. 2 



Sea-kale basket 3 



Shallots lb. 



Spinach bushel 5 



Tomatoes J sieve 



Turnips bunch D 



Vegetable Marrows dz. 



d. 9. 

 StoO 

 4 

 3 

 



CORRESPONDENTS. 



W.). — We think yon have seen Helichrysum 



TO 



Everlastings (Mrs. 

 orientale. the Immortelle of the French, which is dyed of various colours. 

 Many species and varieties, however, are treated in a similar manner. 



Bala-phool (B. Godbold). — Bala is the Hindoostanee name for the 

 Hibiscus tortuosus of Roxburffh. Phoo!, in the same language, is a. 

 flower. Mats and small cordage are made from the fibres of the bark. 



Bed in Rotal Horticultural Society's Garden (A. F. S.). — The 

 plant you describe we believe to be Coleus Verschaffelti ; the correspond- 

 ing bed on the opposite side was Amaranthusmelancholleus ruber, edged 

 ivith Centaurea caniUdiasima. 



Window Gardening (C). — If you send ten postage stamps with your 

 address, and order " Window-Gardening for the Many," you will have it 

 sent to you free by post from our office. After reading that, if you need 

 further information we shall readily give it. 



Cranston's Greenhouses. — " A. M." wishes to know what rolling 

 blinds, or sunshades, are most suitable for these ; and at what distance 

 they should be from the glass so as not to interrupt the ventilation. 



Orchids for Cool Greenhouse (An Old Subscriber). — The twelve 

 Orchids you name for a coo! greenhouse, with au average temperature of 

 ! from 50" to 60-, with a rise from sun heat — namely, Laelia anceps, Cypri- 

 I peilJuni insigne, C. barbatum, Maxillaria Harrisonii. ^I. gi-aminifolia, 

 I Dendrobium nobile. D. Kingianum, Cattleya Mossiai superba, C. Skin- 

 ' neri, C. crispa, C. Korbesii, and Lycaste species would do ; but the fol- 

 lowing we consider a better selection : — Lycaste Skin neri. Odontoglossum 

 I gi-ande, Aerides odoratum superbum. Brassia verrucosa major, Calanthe 

 vestita, Cattleya MossiiE superba, C. Skinneri, Ccelogync cristata, Cypri- 

 pedium barbatum superbum, C. insigne, Dendrobium nobile, Phajus 

 grandiflorus. 



Heating a Church (K F.).— We have most faith in your proposed plan 

 of heating the church by a saddleback or other boiler. The objections 

 as to excavating, &c., do not apply where there is a basement storey. In 

 some such cases, when the lower storey was used as a schoolroom, a 

 good-sized furnace boiler— that is. a stove with water all round, without 

 any brickwork, did for heating the school and the church above. We 

 have knowTi many chm-ches made very comfortable in winter by hghting 

 the gas a couple of hours before service. We have no doubt that the 

 church could be heated by gas and a boiler as you propose ; but then, as 

 we have only seen small places heated by gas, we would not at present be 

 inclined to think that we were consulting the economical in using gas 

 to heat a boiler 5 feet long, about 8.^ or 9 inches in diameter, and supphed 

 with twenty-seven tubes of copper inside, 1 inch in diameter each, and 

 the attending piping. The cap with the small pipe to allow the gas to 

 escape are all very well, and the form of the boUer for the purpose we 

 consider also to be good, being simply that of the letter L reversed, with 

 the short leg over the burners, and the long leg horizontal ^ ; but with 

 our present lights we rather think the consumption of gas to heat that 

 boiler and about 1200 feet of three-inch piping would be such as to make 

 some church officers stare. Very likely, however, you may know more of 

 heating large places by gas than we do ; all we know is, that the simplest 

 boilers generally do their work best. We shall be glad to know the 

 expense of such heating. 



Potting Caihellias [Jae. Keay).— In potting those received from Ger- 

 manv with turi. the soil or peat in which they gi-ow may be picked away 

 from" amongst the roots, being careful not to injure them ; but beyond 

 picking awav tho loose soil and loosening the sides of the ball, the roots 

 should not be fui-ther disturbed, for nothing is move brittle and sooner 

 injured than Camellia roots. 



Destroying Moss on a Lawn (H. W. IV'.\— Wood a;^hes and gypsum, 

 because thev promote the growth of grass, are good destroyers of moss. 

 It is mainly due to the poorness of the ground. Apply a dressmg of rich 

 compost, sav one-half well rotted manure, and the other half good rich 

 soil, well mixed, first scratching the surface with an iron rake, which will 

 remove much of the moss. Use enough to cover the groimd from a 

 quarter to half an inch deep. Now is a good time to apply it. About the 

 middle of April rake the ground again with an iron rake backwards and 

 forwards, and this will again remove much of the moss, also any sticks or 

 stones ; and then, on the fii-st prospect of rain, sow over the lawn the 

 following :—Festuca duriuscula, 2 lbs.; Festuca tenmfoUa, l.Ubs. ; Poa 

 nemoraUs. 21bs.; Cvnosurus, 4 lbs.; Trifolium minus, 2 lbs; and Trifo- 

 lium repens. 4 lbs., in mixture for an acre. After sowing, gently rake 

 over the ground, and roU immediately. The ground should be dug at the 

 time of sowing, and if rain fall on tho following day, or soon afterwards, 

 the seeds will soon vegetate. The lawn will please before autumn._ IX 

 vou object to the appearance, which will not be long barren -loolang, 

 though it wiU be so at first, you may give a dressing of guano m tbe Dm 

 showery weather in May, and again in July, and this will promote the 

 growth of the grass and the destruction of the moss. 



