Way 1, 186& 



JOURNAL OF HOBTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



333 



ROCKWORK U Constant S,iUcriber).-^o work has been published on 

 this snbject. A yolome is now Roing to proas on garden plans, lolly 

 Ulustrated, which will contain some examples ol rockwork. 



Stove for Portable Oreenhoose.-" C. B." would thank aoy "n/' 

 who will give information as to the best hot-water apparatus for a port- 

 able greenhouse, 20 feet by 12. 



Draikaoe Water (SalUrton).-The colouring matter in it is probrxbly 

 vegetable extract, and, if so. would not be injurious to your plants You 

 oould eisilv determine whether the colouring is caused by oside of iron. 

 Put a littli powdered nut-galls into a glissful of the water. It will 

 strike a black colour if much of the oxide is present. 



Calico Substitdte for Glass (B. ffraj/l.-For your frame proceed as 

 foUowst-Old pale linseed oil, 3 pints; sugar of '«".'J,<'><^'=''; "> °?, '^?^'' 

 1 oz. ; white resin, 4 ozs. Grind the acetate with a little of the oil, then 

 add the rest and the resin. Incorporate thoroughly in a large iron pot 

 over a gentle fire ; and, with a large brush, apply hot to a flue calluo 

 stretched loosely previously, by means of tacks, upon the frame. On the 

 foUowing day it is fit for use, and may be either done over a second time, 

 or tacked on tightly to remain. The quantity made according to this 

 receipt will be sufficent for about 100 square feet ol cahco. 



PiiNTiNC, Beds and Borders (ir. B. H.).-We cannot do this for you 

 AU that we can do is to correct what we consider wrong m the planting 

 submitted to our judgment. , , , ^ , i „ „„.. f„„.. 



Ribbon-border («. P.l.-We cannot plant: but for colours say four 

 rows, beginning at the front-1, white ; 2, purple ; 3, yellow ; 4, scarlet. 

 We know nothing of the position or the suiroundings. 



HORTICULTORAL Inventiok (/mpccum(i).-Not kuowiug anything of 

 Ks nature, it is quite impossible tor us to offer any suggestion. Imple- 

 ment makers and wireworkers are very different manufacturers. 



Epiphyllum troncatum (.4. C. C. H.).-The rooting of your plant 

 from every joint is a sign that it has few, if any, roots m the snil.^ hch 

 ias, probably, become sour through imperfect drainage. \ou will do well 

 to have the plant repotted, removing all the soil from the roots if an), 

 and using a compost ol turly sandy peat and loam in equal parts, with 

 one-fourth pieces of broken crocks and charcoal, from the size «» hazel 

 nut down to that of a pen, and a free admixture of sand. If the plant 

 have no roots place it deeper in the soil by two or three joints. Water 

 sparingly until new roots are formed, and then give more copious supp les. 



Plants for a Shady Place iM<.z«rfo,.).-Few plants will do well in 

 such a situation as yoo describe. The best plan would be to conveit it 

 into a rockerv, and grow there the more common kinds of hardy 1 ems 

 and aliiines. the shrubs that would succeed fairly are-Aucuba japonicn 

 Berberis aquifolium, B. repens, and B. Darwinii, Box, common and 

 variegated HolUes, common Laurels, Cotoneastcr microphylla, Pmet, 

 Rhododendron ponticum, St. .John's Wort, Spurge I-^^'i'-'' 1 .SnoY'f "^J 

 Ivy of sorts for the waUs, and Periwinkle to place where nothing else will 

 grow. If you add common Yew, Alexandrian Laurel, and the common 

 Butcher's Broom, you have nearly all the plants or shrubs calculated to 

 arow in your situation. _ ,.-,,. i „ ..»„ 



Proit Trees not Beariug (P. d.-Yonr Pear and Cherry trees pro- 

 ducing abundance of bloom, but little fruit in proportion, may, Probably 

 be rendered productive by thinning the trusses of bloom. We h''?^e 

 found this answer with trees from whch we could not "b*™, Pfarly the 

 quantity of fruit that we wanted, although they were annually covered 

 with bloom. We simply removed half the blossoms and this «e would 

 advise you to do at once, giving a good watering with liquid manure aftc 

 setting; and again in July. Mulching the surface ^vlth 3 inches of short 

 manuri would be advantageous, placing it on the border in autumn and 

 pointing it in in the spring. Try thinning the blossoms. „„ „,„ 



^ QuiKCE Barren (I<i, ..) -The Quince is not a shy bearer, aod "^ can 

 only account for its not fruiting by the soil and s'*"*';™ f°' >'' ?f 

 suitable. It likes a somewhat moist soU, but not water stagnant in the 

 aubsoih Perhaps your trees are very vigorous ; il so, taking them up 

 next autumn and replanting them would check their vigour and induce 

 the formation of fruit-buds. Digging out a trench a yard '"" the tiee 

 all round, and below the roots, would also check vigour, ^nd might induce 

 fruitfulness, the trench being flUed in again after cutting all roots thicker 



'^Woon''i"c"°;N'METoN-P.T .P. C.).-Wrap a ■iti'^'^^y 'j^^ l--'^ ™™* 

 a boiled Potato and place it in a small flower-pot, lay the pot ™ ''^s.de 

 within the frame at night, and in the morning you will hud the wood- 

 lice secreted in the hay ; shake them out into boiling water. A number of 

 these baits, and perseverance in setting them will soon clear the pit 



MONOCniTDM ENSIFERIIM (T. E. H. -^ l-rY'^^S ,""*?,' -^ f„ LvcMleut 



Cocoa-nut Fibre Refuse as a Mulch (f- »■ «•-" " f ° f"f "?* 

 mulch for Roses if put 2 or 3 inches deep on the surface. It is one of the 

 best retainers of moisture, and, consequently, is a good pieventive of 

 mildew on the Rose leaves. ... . , „„ i,«„w nf 



Black Aphides [R. A. F.).-After smoking with tobacco we know of 

 nothing better than softsoap water, clear, and quassia water, made by 

 boiling 4 ozs. of quassia chips in a gallon of water. ^S"'",, "'bf " f ^ '° 

 " Doings of the Last Week " as to using hot water. 1 ou mu»t not expect 

 to free your trees of the pest at once. i\,„„^„^^ 



Tanoierine Oranoe Dnfrditful (ir.«<^,u.H.-We would stop the young 

 shoots, and give the plant all the sun possible. 



Grape Bunches becominc. Tendrils (G. P.).-The want of a mado 

 border, and the want of drainage after such a wet winter and spring, aJB 

 the causes of your Grape bunches degenerating into tendrils. As pall>- 

 atives that may answer in the case of your strong-growing Vines, dig a 

 deep drain in front of what you may consider to be the border, and use 

 plenty of fire heat in the autumn to ripin the wood. From such Vines 

 under su.* circumstances, we have obtained good crops, and especially 

 when the bearing wood was on rods and n..t spurs. For a thorough remedy 

 the Vines should be Ufted in October, and, a good drained border having 

 been made, they should be replanted can I I'ly-^. , ., , ,, „ , _„ , . 



LUMDAGO.-In reply to " A Sufferer," Mr. Fish says that the hand ol 

 brown paper round the loins lasts, with h.m, from one to seven days, ac- 

 cording to the work ho is engaged in. For instance, on Friday ho was 

 thinniSg Grapes from 4.30 a.m. to 9 a.m., and the paper was reduced to a 

 pulp. When he has been tying and regulating Vines, Ac., above his head, 

 the paper would split and creep upwards over the back, ■■'stoad of over 

 the loins. He is not particular as to the paper; thin or thick, "hite or 

 brown, the gentle continuous friction is the tliuig. Ho uses a hght band 

 or holt to keep the paper pretty weU in its place. His sufferings on the 

 slightest movement used to be dreadful at times, and all he can say is 

 that since the paper remedy he has suffered next to nothing; and if he 

 goes without for a few dnys and has a hint of the old enemy commg, a 

 fresh paper stops its advances. The remedy was f 7™ '» h™ ^y J^^ 

 different people who used to be great sufferers, and he will be rlcased ' 

 by such a simple means others should escape such tortures as he c?dured. 

 Hyacinths NOT Kootino IF. 0.).-We thmk your Hjacmths did root, 

 and have been supported by these roots up to this time. Your deep plant, 

 ing and very rich soil, added to fresh manure, would he'ikely to cause 

 the base of the bulbs to damp or ("ccay, the roots perishmg. Ours this 

 year have been and are particularly fine and wo first d'B tbf K™^°^i'j' 

 deeply as wc can, which on our light gravel y soil is not more than J^f "^bes. 

 We then take up the bulbs, and replant, with the crown 3 inches below tho 

 surface, in the first week in October, and m November and not lat«rthan 

 the middle of December, mulch the surface with 3 'n-^be^ "ftho short 

 litter from a spent Mushroom-bed. Th s becomes monld by |P™J. ¥"^ 

 what there is left is pointed-in in sprmg serving '" 1°^^^° '^^^"'^J'^f 

 tween the rows. These are 9 inches apart every way mth Crocuses of 

 the same colour between, so that wo have a line "' '"'y "'I'j^nera 

 spring bloom. We merely take up the roots in autumn, "'nc,ve the ofl 

 sEts, and replant at once. The offsets are planted around tree bulbs 

 of bloomin- size in clumps, and these are not removed annnall; , but a™ 

 a lowed to grow for two or three years, and then we have fine ciumps 

 ^thrdoze'n spikes of bloom. Taking up the roots of Hyacinths and 

 other bulbs where the soil is not nnsmtable t°'b"i^fO"th is the cause 

 of the diseases which sooner or later seize th^m »s m the case of the 

 Tulip and Gladiolus ot late in many places. J"" Hyf'"' ?^^™j^to 

 have cone off in the same manner, for just when about to bloom iney 

 suddeSy withe'ed!^ Do not plant so deeply, 3 -li^-^^^:il^t:Ttol 

 do not use fresh but well-rotted manure, and ^™? '' '^„\''°,'';i',^° ,i'nd 

 heart ; and place the bulbs with their base on a thm layer of nveraanfl. 

 and cover the crown with the same. Protect from frost by .1 top ^csf in| 

 of short litter not more than 3 inches thick, and ■fJP","\« »»'"' i'^^tS 

 in between the plants. If you follow these recommendations wo think 

 you will have a good bloom. 



nod charcoal broken to the size of a pea and not larger than a naze nui 



ESSsiiS^SiS^i^^nt'-i^^qSi^SHSa^ 



^^;^? ^„:;i;'rSaSli«S;^'lSa9^»?a9\ l^afl^ 



left free, but not too open. . „„ ,. ,•,,;„ t.i,„ 



Names of Plants (i«o;..-,aha-.-The Fern is PeU|a adiaiUifoh^ T^ 



Primulas are not f P'=™-;v"';"8fB'^°?f '..^''oudia epfpact s. pllvera). 

 -The specimen sent was insufHcient for determmation^(F 



pendrium vulgare var. cristatum. «J. R. ,<^i-s ^•^^"'^"rvery incomplete; 

 2, Peltea aOUantifoia pr.,bahly (^. ^^. J Spec^e^ 6,'polystichum 

 1, Lastrea sp. ; i, Pteris ion.?iiuua, ^, 'J" „ „ , _jj Leptosipboo 



aculeatum; 7;,Z«"';f'„^/'i.Pj;;''!''^ ? ^cKeodron ffagrans floto pleuo ; 

 scopanuui; U, mvina l.evis , ^i>' ^ bicolor; 17, Erantbonmm ner- 

 Itsu*^,^ •'TJ:'£na^yt's^Vs?nitS"^/ontsi sim^ ; 20, Brugmansia 

 sangSiea ; 21, Coieoncma alba; 23, Cautua buxifolia. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS in the Suburbs^^Londonfo^th^Wee^ 



Geneeal REMARas. 



Fine ; dry haze ; very fine. _ „„„ 



Cold, dry, easterly wind ; flue ; very fine. 



Pino- drv air' fine ; very fine at night. 



Diy haze'; cloudless, witl excessively dry air ; very flno. 



Dry haze hot and dry; very fine at night. 



v\ie. ■ verv hot with excessively dry air ; nne. 



cloudy a2i warm ; cloudy; cold and heavy ram at mght. 



