433 



JOURNAL OF HORTIC0LTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. 



I Jme IS, 18661 



credit to cover a wall because there are trees upon it, for it does 

 not follow if the trees upon it do ill other kinds would be sub- 

 ject to like imperfections. I am mindful of what I hare before 

 written on this Rubject ; and though I see nothing to retract, 

 I certainly think that half of the Peaches, Nectarines, and 

 Apricots at present grown on walls would be better grown 

 nnder glass. They come in from a fortnight to three weeks 

 sooner, and those on walls make a nice succession. If I see 

 the necessity of occupying less wall with Peaches, I do not 

 Bee the necessity of covering it with glass, but of erecting a large, 

 wide, lofty span-roof bouse, and growing the fruit in it instead of 

 on the wall, for I see Petrt that are cracked, pitted, and spotted 

 on west walls much lirgi r. much finer, and far better coloured 

 on south walls. The best Pears we have are grown on a south 

 wall, though we have two west walls, one 12 feet and tho other 

 20 feet high, not a foot of which is left bare, but is so thickly 

 covered with foliage as to resemble an Ivy-covered wall, and yet 

 though the fruit is large and line, the best is from trees on the 

 south wall, and the worst from espaliers and bushes, or pyramids. 

 I only want more souther south-west wall for some Pears which 

 do not arrive at that perfection on espaliers and west walls, that 

 I think they would on south or south-west aspects. Aspect 

 has a great effect on the size and colour of Pears, and exerts an 

 influence on their ripening. A south aspect gives fruit ripen- 

 ing ten days sooner than a west aspect, and a fortnight or 

 three weeks earUer than trees as bushes, pyranaids, or on 

 espaliers. 



The cost of enclosing a garden with walls may seem heavy. 

 Where high walls are out of the question on the score of ex- 

 pense, a wall or walls of less height and thickness may be ad- 

 vantageously employed as a protection to the garden from the 

 north, which will give an available surface for the growth of 

 Apricots, Peaches, and Nectarines. Fig. 7 is a section of a 

 nine^inch wall 10 feet high from the foundation. A wall of 

 this height and thickness will not stand unless supported by 

 kuttreases or piers of a thickness equal to that of the wall, 

 and nearly twice that in length. They should be 9 inches one 

 way and 14 inches the other, built up with and tied into the 

 wall, and not more than 6 feet between. They,- of course, must 

 be to the north so that the plain surface may be southwards. 

 Its cost is 3s. 9rf. per superficial yard, or 12s. Gd. lineal. It is 

 desirable to have wings at each end, so that the violence of the 

 west wind and cold of the east may be broken and lessened. 

 These may be 10 or 12 feet long, and the same height as the 

 wall. The wall may bo lower, but one 7 feet in height is quite 

 low enough for Peaches and Nectarines, and I do not caro about 

 walls so low for Apricots and Plums. — G. Abbey. 



THOMSON'S STYPTIC. 



This production of Mr. Thomson's will be found very useful 

 for many purposes, besides preventing the bleedingof the Vine. 

 One of such purposes is healing the wounds of succulent plants, 

 a&d it will be found invaluable to the Pelargonium-grower. 

 After a new variety has been purchased, most people are 

 anxious to propagate it as rapidly as possible ; hence it often 

 happens, that many of the plants, ns soon as their heads are 

 taken off, dwindle away and die. This is almost sure to happen 

 with the more delicate kinds, especially if they have been sub- 

 jected to the high-pressure system of propagation, which is 

 aenelly the case before they leave the nurseryman's hands. In 

 many cases they are sent off direct from tho propagating- 

 htfiise without being properly hardened off. The check they 

 consequently receive during their journey very much injures 

 tbem, and then, as soon as the purchaser gets hold of them he 

 iSiirery desirous of increasing their number as soon as possible. 

 Ipe work of decapitation is too quickly performed for the wp 11- 

 beiog of the plaut. and it often happens that the plant and the 

 OBtting die in consequence. If proper care is taken in the 

 management of the plant after it is received, if it has been 

 packed several days, it should be gradually inured to the light. 

 Gfeat care ehonld also be observed in watering it. 'Water 

 eHonli be used only in sufficient quantity over the foliage to 

 pj'Svent the plant from flasging ; and as soon as the plant baa 

 ooinmenced its root-action, water may be applied to its roots. 

 These points having been carefully attended to, and a reason- 

 aye time allowed for the subject to recruit itself, it may have its 

 head taken off, when Thomson's styptic steps in to its aid to 

 prevent the wounded plant from taking injury, and the cutting 

 frena decaying. 

 J&a goon as.the catting is ta^en oB, spread a thin coat of the 



styptic over the wound ; this will prevent any water penetrating 

 by the wound, and allow the sap to perform its proper functiona 

 over the remaining portion of the plant. Water should, how- 

 over, be withheld for two days ; after that time the sap will have 

 commenced circulating in its proper channels, and the general 

 work of the plant wUl be commenced by its rapidly poshing oat 

 several young shoots below the cut. After the wounded plant 

 has been properly cared for, the cutting may be operated on. 

 Two or more of the leaves should be cut clean oft close to the 

 stem of tho cutting, then spread a thin coat of the stj7>tic over 

 each of the wounds, and if a little of it is carefully spread over 

 tho centre of the base of the cutting, it will make all secure. 

 Care must, however, be taken not to spread it beyond tho ring of 

 the woody part of the cutting, otherwise that part of it where the 

 roots are emitted will be completely sealed up, as it is joat 

 between the bark and the wood where the cutting emits its roots. 

 This will prevent tho water from soaking into the cutting, and 

 ensure its striking freely. It will also cause it to strike much 

 more quickly, because the sap is prevented from escaping, and 

 being sealed up, as it were, in the cutting, it commences cir- 

 culating over the latter almost directly after it is put in, pro- 

 viding tho cutting is not allowed to become exhausted by flagging. 

 A great number of cuttings of the delicate kinds of Pelar- 

 goniums, such as Mrs. Pollock, are sore to be sacrificed in the 

 early spring months ; for, when the cuttings are taken off at 

 that time, the plants do not possess euflicient vigour to heal 

 their wounds quickly. The smallest amount of moisture that 

 comes in contact with the wound will cause it to decay. I hare 

 often seen the shoots decay as much as 2 and 3 inches below the 

 point where the cutting was taken off. Here, then, is a loss of 

 from five to fifty per cent, of cuttings, according to the size of 

 the plant. By a judicious use of Thomson's styptic this loss may 

 be avoided, and the work of propagation may be carried on at 

 an earUer period in the season. For young seedling plants it 

 is very effective in preventing their decay after they have been 

 beheaded. It will also prove a good substitute for grafting-wax, 

 only in this case it will require two or three layers to be put 

 one over tho other as they become dry. Grafting will be much 

 more easily done, and more effectually, with the styptic than 

 it would bo with wax. I mean, of course, for all kinds of small 

 pot plants, such as Boses, Azaleas, CameUias, i-c. 



The styptic will also prove an excellent remedy for prevent- 

 ing the bleeding of all kinds of Ficus ; in fact, it would be 

 highly desirable to use it for covering the cuts whenever any 

 are made on any kind of plant. Some of our great Geraniam- 

 growcrs would find it very advantageous if they used it for 

 large specimen plants when they are cut down after their 

 season of rest. By taking tliis extra trouble they would save the 

 very topmost break, and very much improve the constitution 

 of their plants. — J. 'Wills. 



MR. JOHN CATERER'S EXHIBITION OF 

 AMERICAN PLANTS. 

 The Exhibition of Rhododendrons and other American plant! 

 at the Royal Botanic Society's gardens, furnished by Mr. John 

 Waterer, of Bagshot, is this year f ally equal to what it usually is. 

 Not only are the plants in profuse bloom, but they are massed 

 in such a manner, and the ground is so well laid out fur dis- 

 playiug tho beauties of tho various groups, that the effect of 

 the whole is most excellent. The older varieties are here well 

 represented by hundreds, we believe thousands, of plants ; and 

 of the newer kinds there is no lack. Some of these, however, 

 at the date of our visit were not fully in bloom. Of those that 

 were we remarked Alexander Adie, rosy scarlet ; Raphael and 

 Sir 'William Armstrong, crimson ; Joseph Whitworth, lake, 

 with dark spots ; Mrs. Fitzgerald, rosy scarlet ; and Duchess of 

 Sutherland, white, bordered with lilac. Of varieties noticed aa 

 new last year. Earl of Shannon, Warrior, Sidney Heiberti 

 and Lady Emily Peel again attracted attention. 



TOBACCO-GROWING IN ENGLAND. 



I HAVE not the Acts of Parliament at hand to which the com- 

 munication of " X." (page 41t>), refers ; but if the reference to 

 the Acts by "W. 0." as to the penalties he correct, I imagin* 

 that unless at least one rod or pole were planted no penalty 

 could ho enforced. 



If tho Act prohibits the growth of Tobacco, and then goes on 

 to /ifT'T a penalty of jSIS lor.«yei7 rod or pole of ground planted* 



