128 



JOURNAL OF HORTIOULTUKE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ February 11, 1875. 



ehaded position on a north border is most suitable. Now is a cood time to 

 put in the cuttings. Arbor- VitiB and Thuja Lobbi cuttings should ba made in 

 July or August after the j;rowth is complete, taking them off close at the base 

 of the current year's growth, and inserting in Bandy loam, mixed with a third 

 of sandy peat, and the eorface covered with half an inch of silver sand. They 

 are best placed in a frame or hand-light in a cold house, or they may be 

 placed in a cold pit or frame, and should be kept moist and shaded, and have 

 air only to allow any accumulation of damp to pass off. When they begin 

 to grow air will need to be given more freely. The cuttings will also suc- 

 ceed under a hand-light. We know of no book giving " full instructions for 

 BtriMng cuttings of all sorts." 



Grass Keeping in London Churchyard {Qeorge Allen).— HhB ground 

 is no doubt much infested with moss, and has a firm surface. It will need 

 to have the surface 1 >03ened, and a top-dressing p^iven of rich soil or compost, 

 with a sixth part of lime intermixed. A covering of this half an inch thick in 

 March, and raked over well early in April, when you may sow it rather thickly 

 with Poa nemoralis sempervirens, Festuca duriuscnla, Cynosurus cristatus, 

 Poa trivialis, 5 lbs. of each, Lolium perenne tenue 20 lbs., Trifolium repens 

 81bB-, Trifolium minus 4 lbs., in mixture a sufficient quantity for one acre. 

 Rake very lightly after sowing, and roll well, or if this be not practicable beat 

 inth a spade. If sparrows are cot numerous the raking after sowing may be 

 dispensed with. Do not keep very closely cut, as the grass, if much used, will 

 be liable to burn and die in dry weather, and if possible cut with an early 

 prospect of rain or in moist weather. 



PnuNXNG Neglected— Pear and Cherry Trees {H. Timperley). — Cat 

 away the young shoots to the last eye of their base, and any very long spurs 

 we Bhonld also shorten to the lowewt bud at the base ; but you must not 

 remove the apex if a fruit bud, which you will be able to distinguifih now, sn 

 that the prnning should be at once done. "We should confine any treatment 

 of the spura this year to shortening the very longest ones. The Cherry tree is 

 to he treated same as the Pear. 



Gloxinias, Caladiums, and Achimenes (H.).— GtoarinitK— Mr. Haines, 

 Prince Leopold, Brilliant, Fanny Wilder, Monarch, Richard Thornton, 

 Emperor of Brazil, Prince Arthur, Hon. Mrs. Yorke, Madame Patti, Miss 

 Hannah de Rothschild, and Rev. A. H. Bridges. Ca^a^fzwTn.',— Chelscni, 

 Leplny. Vesta, Princess of Teck, and Princess Royal. Achimenes— kmhroise 

 verachaffelf, Chelsnni major, Nesida, Purpurea Magnifica, Longiflora major, 

 and Sir Treheme Thomas. 



Hardy Melon for Frame (A Constant Header).— Turner's Scarlet Gem, 

 though a biyhly-flavoured scarlet- fleshed Melon, is not suitable for a frame 

 with little heat beyond that of the sun. Munro's Little Heath is the best 

 Melon for an amateur with but a limited supply of heating material. A 

 strong tenacious loam is most suitable for Melons. A compost of rather 

 strong fibrous loam with a fourth of rotten manure well incorporated is best 

 for Strawberries for forcing. They should be potted as firmly as possible. 

 The best Pea for general crop is, to our liking, G. F. Wilson, but wo should 

 hardly like to restrict ourselves to one kind. 



Peas Sowing in Trenches { West Coast).~Yon cannot have read the 

 author aright, for no one knowing anything of Peas would recommend them 

 to be sown in trenches 2 feet wide and deep. What is said, we have no doubt, 

 IB to make trenches of the size named, and manuring well, working it well 

 into the soil as for Celery, and return the soil to its original level before 

 sowing the Peas. Everybody knows this practice to be good, especially in 

 light poor soils. The beet time to move Conifers is in early spring, say April, 

 3UBt when they are beginning to grow; and the same remarks hold good of 

 evergreen shrobs, but they may be moved quite safely at this time and until 

 they begin to grow; also in September after the growth is complete. What 

 sluTibs do you wish to propagate? To enumerate those which may be 

 raised from cuttings would cause us to enumerate a majority of those in culti- 

 vation, no one, except a nurseryman, having half of thera. Variegated Hollies 

 are propagated by budding or graftiug at the latter cud of March, iu April, 

 or jost when the stocks are growing, aud by budding iu July or early August. 

 Really good bedding annuals are scarce. The names of some are given to-day 

 m answer to another correppondent, but we give a list of those which may be 

 raised from seed, and will be available the same season for bedding purposes. 

 Dells Crimson Beet, Cineraria acauthifolia, C. maritima. Echeveria metaUica. 

 E. secunda glauca, Osalis tropjeolnides, Perilla nankinensis, Pyrethrum 

 Golden Feather, Ageratum ImperialDwarf, Aljssam maritimum, Centaurea 

 candidiseima. Ceraytiutn tnmentoeum, Cuphea platycentre. Lobelia speciosa. 

 Nasturtium King of Tom Thumbs, scarlet, aud the golden variety ; Saponaria 

 calabrica, and white variety alba; Tagetes signata pumila, Tropieolum com- 

 pactom coccineum, T. compactun hiteam, Viola ciirnuta Perfection, and 

 V. latea major. The duration you may find in any catalogue. 



Quantity of Gas Tar for Mixing Asphalt (J. K.).—We have not been 

 particular to note the quantity of gas tar required for bringing to the con- 

 Bistency of mortar the af-bea used for asphalting walks. As near as we can 

 tell, about a gallon per square yard for a thickness of 3 inches. If any have 

 noted the exact quantity of boiling tar required for mixing we should be 

 obliged were it communicated. 



Cucumber for Frame (ij. B. 2V.).— Tender and True is probably the best 

 of Cacumbers for quality. It or Blue Gown we recommend. Your frame 

 will only accommodate one plant, planted in the centre ; and upon a duog bed 

 3 to 4 feet high, with 10 inches of soil upon it, you will have a fair chance of 

 success. 



Sea-kale Crowns Decaying in Winter (Q. B.).— We are unable to 

 aoconnt for the decay of the crowns, though we apprehend it is in conse- 

 quence of the seeding to which you allude, it beiig remarkable that, the 

 growth IB good during summer. This is also past our experience— the root- 

 stem to form eyes and shoots with abundance of flower stems the same 

 season. The decay we believe to be only that of the flower stems, and small 

 crowns b^low them are the true crowns, the growth of last year. Other- 

 wise the decay of the crowns, and especially in light soil, is inexplicable. 



Shrite for Centre of Raised Bed (J-ir.)— A very suitable subject aud 

 very distinct in Abies excelsa clanbraNiliana, a very close slow-growing Spruce, 

 which for what you want ought to be about 2 feet 6 inches through, and to 

 secure this size of plant the price will be more, perhaps, than you may wish 

 to give. Thuja orienfalis aurea is also si-itable ; but the cheapest and most 

 tractable subject would be a green or variegated tree Box. 



Smoke from a Brick Kiln (A. B.).— At a distance of 80 to 100 yards 

 from a number of brick kilns we have seen gardening successfully practised, 

 and the plants you name thriving at no greater distance than 50 yards; the 

 smoke was taken off by a chimney. If the kUn be an ordinary one, twice 

 the above distance will be neceBsary. 



Roller Shading for Stove (G. B.).— There ought to be no difficalty 

 with the shading by means of a roller, pulleys, and line, especially as it is an 

 end house. The length is certainly cousiderable, but you might arrange to 

 have it in two lengths. If you object to blinds you may brush the inside of 

 the glass with whiting and skim milk, or a glue size if put on the outside, 

 and this you may wash off or renew as required. 



Names of Fruits (J. Royh). — 1, Not known; 2, Benrre d'Aremberg; 

 8, Doyenne d'Alen^on. 



NA3IE3 OF Plants iG. AuJrier].—V^e think No. 1 is Veronica agrestis, and 

 No. 2 V. cymbalaria; but specimens should be sent in a bos. {A. it.|. — Your 

 Orchid seems to be a form of Orchis fueca (0. purpurea) ; it has nothing to do 

 with O. longicomu. {W. T.). — Cyperus alteruifolius, and C. alternifoUus 

 variegatus. {H. B., Prestbury). — Cannot determine from specimen sent. 



POULTEY, BEE, AND PIGEON OHEONIOLE. 



HOUDAN COCK TURNING "WHITE IN ONE 

 MOULT. 



Have any of your readers known of a similar lusus naturte as 

 the aforesaid ? 



Mr. Cooper of Limerick, wlio is well known to all poultry 

 fanciers in this coantry, has the gold medal Paris winner which 

 has performed this feat. Had he been an old worn-oat bird 

 gradnally growing white it could be easily explained, but for 

 a bird in perfectly rich colour in one moult to turn pure white T 

 think is not a matter of everyday occurrence. 



As I have on two occasions awarded him prizes, and remem- 

 ber his rich dark colour as well as size and frame, my astonish- 

 ment ia great to find in one moult he has turned perfectly white, 

 retaining all other Houdan characteristics. I suppose we shall 

 have White Houdans in Variety classes now as well as White 

 Creves. — C. F. Staunton. 



the age of DORKINGS. 



In your last number Mr. Bartram says, " I happen to have 

 won the Dorking cup at the Palace iu the Old class at the last 

 two Shows;" but if Mr. Bartrum refers to the official prize list 

 of this Show for 1873 he will find that Mr. Beachey was awarded 

 a cup for the best hen in that year. Mr. Beachey's hen, though 

 not sold at the auction, was afterwards claimed ; and as Mr. 

 Bartrum had told me that he did not breed his cup hen of the 

 Palace aud Bristol Shows last year, and Mr. Beachey at Bristol 

 when going round the classes with me recognised Mr. Bartrum's 

 hen as his old Palace bird, I thought I was justifled in assuming 

 that this same bird had twice won at the Palace, and that she 

 was, on Mr. Beachey's authority, over eight years old. How- 

 eves, as Mr. Bartrum says this is not the same bird Mr. Beachey 

 doubtless made a mistake, and I am sure he would be the first 

 to acknowledge it. 



I bought a Dark Dorking hen at the Crystal Palace in 1872 

 shown by Mr. White, which I afterwards ascertained from him 

 had won the cap at Leeds in 18G3. This hen I still have ; she is 

 alive and well and now laying, and must at the very least be 

 seven years old. — T. C. Boenell. 



CUP NOT OF THE VALUE STATED IN THE 

 SCHEDULE. 



It was stated in the schedule of the late Oxford Poultry Show, 

 in a head-note to the list of cups, that the cups would be silver 

 and of the full money value. In the list itself the cups were 

 also described as silver. Thus far previously to the Show. At 

 the Show a reprint of the schedule was published in the cata- 

 logue, and the same description of the cups was repeated. I of 

 course relied iipon the statements made, and entered, amongst 

 others, a pen of Mandarin Ducks in the Variety Duck class. To 

 this pen the cup was awarded, and it was subsequently sent to 

 me. It proves to be, not silver, but a ^7a^ed arii'cZe .' Will you 

 teU me what you think of the matter, and what course I ought 

 to adopt respecting it ? I have informed the Secretary of the 

 discovery which I have made, but he seems to think it a suffi- 

 cient answer to say that the cup was a presentation cup. I shall 

 be happy to let you inspect both the cup and the Bchedole, 

 should you wish to do bo. — An Exhibitor Misled. 



[Whether it was a presentation cup or a cup offered by the 

 Committee makes no difference. The Committee have failed 

 to fulfil their engagement. — Eds.] 



PouLTET-KEEPiNG. — The foUowing is my experience of poultry 

 fancying during the last three months: — My stock of fowls con- 

 sists of sixteen Brahma hens ot 1872 and 1873 ; these have not 

 distinguished themselves in any way but as food-consumers, 

 and an occasional egg or two. I have also ten Brahma pullets 

 and three Cruve pullets hatched last March; these three last 

 named began to lay at six months. From these thirteen pullets 



