February 2S, 1875. J 



JOUBNAL OF HOBTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENEK. 



169 



and to which four or five canes are tied, the plants beinj^ in rowa 

 3 feet apart and 1 feet between the rows. This is an old method 

 of traiuiug, and it is still practised by many good gardeners. 

 The other method of traiuiug is certainly preferable, and is the 

 Bame as that described by " D., Deal," last week. The same 

 distance of 1 feet should be allowed between the rows ; but wo 

 put the plants only IS inches or 2, feet apart in the row. The 

 wire to which the canes are tied should be tightly strained by 

 bein^ fixed to strong permanent supports at each end of the 

 rows. Raspberry plants ought to be planted in the best soil, 

 and s shady position answers better for them than one exposed 



to BU3. 



FROIT AND FOHCING HOUSES. 



Mherics. — The earliest house is now in flower, and the berries 

 seem to be setting very well. The temperature is always kept 

 a few degrees higher when the Vines are in flower, nor is it well 

 to allov the evaporating troughs to be filled with water, although 

 the Gripes set better in a moderately moist atmosphere than 

 they do in a dry one. A celebrated grower of Muscats stated 

 that he ilways found the berries set best when he sprinkled the 

 bunches with water through the rose of a water-pot when in 

 flower ; ihis he did every day. Others syringe the Vines daily 

 when they are in flower. We do not approve of either method. 

 All we fiad necessary to assist in setting is to give the branch 

 a gentle tap with the hand about twice a-day; the paths and 

 surface of the borders are sprinkled with water once a-day at 

 least. We have had very cold winds from the east, with little 

 or no sun. At such a time the ventilators must be opened very 

 cautiously — a narrow opening about half an inch wide at the 

 highest part of the roof is all that can be done, and this about 

 four hours at mid-day. The growing shoots are usually tied 

 down in their places by the time the Vines are in flower, and 

 very little attention is required after the berries are set, as 

 Vines that are bearing a full crop of Grapes do not make much 

 growth. 



Succession houses are having the growths stepped and trained. 

 Only one growth is allowed to each spur, but it is beat to allow 

 two to remain until one has been brought down to the wire. 

 This is only necessary when the shoot to lie trained is in an 

 awkward position, and there is danger of it snapping in the 

 course of training. All the growths should be brought under- 

 neath the wires, and, for the sake of appearance, all should be 

 trained if possible at the same angle. The latest houses are 

 being prepared by washing the wood and glasswork, washing 

 and painting the Vines with the usual compost, removing the 

 surface soil and dressing with a rich compost. 



It was recently stated that the latest Grapes were cut and the 

 end of the branch to which the bunches were attached inserted 

 in water. Some persons do not yet understand how this is done. 

 Our plan is very simple. The glass bottles used are clear, so 

 that the water can be seen as it diminishes, and can be refilled 

 again without running it over. A string is tied to the neck of 

 the bottle to fix it in a slanting position by tying it to a lath 

 just over the frnit-room shelves, the bottom of the bottle being 

 allowed to rest on the shelf. Those who wish to put their 

 Grapes in a room that is not furnished with shelves will find a 

 very suitable contrivance in a Grape rail invented by Mr. Kemp, 

 gardener to his Grace the Duke of Northumberland. The 

 bunches on this are arranged in rows one above another. 



CUCUMBER .IND MELON HOUSES. 



Seldom have we experienced such uufavourable weather for 

 the culture of the ab'jve. By a low temperature with absence 

 of sun the leaves grow flimsy, so that it is necessary to throw a 

 slight shading over the glass to save the leaves if the sun shines 

 for a few hours. Too much moisture in the atmosphere is to be 

 avoided at this season. All the vapour required in the atmo- 

 sphere can be obtained from water sprinkled on piths, walls, itc. 



Just a word here on sowing Cucumber and Melon seeds. If 

 they are sown iu a frame over a hotbed it is best to plunge the 

 pot in the bed when the violent heat has subsided. The young 

 plants that are prieked-out should also be plunged in the bed. 

 Many persons follow the same practice in heated structures 

 with plants li or 4 feet removed from the glass, and the result is 

 that they become drawn. Our plan is to sow the seeds in bottom 

 heat, and as soon as they vegetate to place the pots ou a shelf 

 within a foot of the glass. Iu this position the seed-leaves are 

 firmer and the stem shorter and stouter. As soon as the seed- 

 leaves are freely developed the plants are pottei-o£t singly, the 

 stem being covered almost quite up to the leaves during the 

 operation of potting. After this they are again placed on the 

 shelf near the glass. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



When outside operations cannot be performed either with 

 satisfaction to the employer or justice to the workman, there is 

 generally plenty to do indoors. Washing scale and the filth 

 made by it from Orange trees. Camellias, ttc. We had much 

 trouble with a large plant of Lapageria rosea in the stove. It 

 became infested with bug, but was thoroughly cleansed and 

 placed in the greenhouse, where the plant soon covered a large 

 wood trellis ; and here, though the house was open night and 



day for six months, the bug increased so much that the trellis 

 had to be destroyed, and one of wire substituted. As the insect 

 has but little shelter now, it can be kept under by syringing the 

 plant every day when it is in full growth. 



Put in cuttings of Tree Carnations. The small side growths 

 from the main stem strike better than the stronger ones. Gross 

 main growths will take a long time to form roots, and some o£ 

 the difficult sorts refuse to root at all. The cuttings strike best 

 in loam and leaf mould with a little sand added, and a thin layer 

 of sand should be placed on the surface of the pot, plunge in 

 bottom heat, and place a square of glass over the cuttings ; it 

 will rest on the ends of the labels, and is better than enclosing 

 the cuttings iu a haudlight. The cuttings Will not damp-off if 

 the house is kept up to say o;j^. 



Removed successious of Roses, Hyacinths, Tulips, Lily of the 

 Valley, Hoteia japonica, Deutzia gracilis, Dielytra speotabilis 

 and other plants to the forcing houses. We find the Lily of the 

 Valley succeed best when the pots are plunged in a gentle 

 bottom heat. When the temperature of the house is rather high 

 to begin with, the flowers of the Lily are thrown up before the 

 leaves, whereas when the roots are in a higher temperature than 

 the house this does not occur. No time should now be lost 

 iu tying and training all specimen hardwooded plants; if this is 

 delayed many of the best buds, which are usually the most pro- 

 minent, are broken off. 



FLOWER GARDEN. 



With the thermometer falling several degrees below the freez- 

 ing point, and rising but little above it by day, tender plants 

 put out in cold frames have not had a fair chance, yet they do 

 not show any signs of distress. They are well covered at night. 

 Cuttings that have been recently struck are removed from 

 warmer houses to the heated lean-to pits. Florist varieties of 

 Carnations have not had a good time of it ; they do not suffer 

 from cold, but damp and cold together sometimes cause the 

 leaves to become spotted with a brown fungoid growth. These 

 leaves must be cut off, or the plants are much injured. A few of 

 the more tender varieties have suffered from this fungus. Vye 

 do not know anything that will stop its progress. No rain 

 should be allowed to fall ou the plants late iu autumn or through 

 the winter mouths. 



Pruned one portion of the Rosea before digging the borders. 

 The usual advice given in pruning Roses is to out the weakest 

 growers back very close, those that make mediuna growths not 

 quite so closely, and to leave the strongest growths the longest. 

 The shoots ought to be well thinned-out, and the growths to 

 be cut well back, especially the Hybrid Perpetual sorta.^ 

 J. Douglas. 



PROVINCIAL HORTICULTORi^L EXHIBITIONS. 



Seokexaries will oblige us by informing us of the dates on 

 which exhibitions are to be held. 



TRADE CATAIiOaUES RECEIVED. 



G. Yates, 29, Little Underbank, Stockpoit.— Descriptive Cata- 

 logue of Seeds, 



rfmitn & Simmons, 36, Howard Street, St. Enoch Square, 

 Glasgow. — Cultural Guide and Seed Catalogue. 



Stuart & Mem, Wood Market, Kelso. — General Catalogue of 

 Seeds. 



J. Biddies & Co., Xjonsbhorongh.— Illustrated Catalogue of 

 Seeds on Pennij-pachet System. 



P. Penuell & Sons, Lincoln. — Seeds and Selected Gladioli. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



* • All correspondence should be directed either to " The 

 Editors," or to " The Publisher." Letters addressed to 

 Mr. Johnson or Dr. Hogg often remain unopened unavoid- 

 ably. We request that no one will write privately to any 

 of our correspondents, as doing so subjects them to un- 

 justifiable trouble and expense. 



Correspondents should not mix up on the same sheet questions 

 relating to Gardening and those on Poultry and Bee sub- 

 jects, and should never send more than two or three 

 questions at once. All articles intended for insertion 

 should be written on one side of the paper only. We 

 cannot reply to questions through the post. 

 Books (J. M. Pebmarch).— The price of the " Cottage Gardeners' Die" 



tiouary ia 63. 6iZ., by post; V.s. 2rf. Tiie names are accented. 



Garden Plans {Delia).— The book is ropriatin;;, andwill be soon published. 



It contains exastly what you need. 

 Grjsses foe Lawn and Pasture (Mrs. D. L.).— Wo recommend yon to 



purchase " Layio^-down L*nd to Permanent Pasture, &c.." by M. S. Sutton, 



F.KH.S , &c. It IS published by Messrs. Lonj^raau, aud the price is only one 



shilling. It contains not only ioformation relative to Grasses for all soils, but 



portraits of them, a geological map, itc. 

 TREiTMENT OF ViNES IN PoTs ( 4 .Vowit'c).— AUow Only ono growth from 



each spur, and when the shoots have grown enougli piuch the point oat twt> 



