350 



JOURNAL OP HORTICDLTUBE AND COTTAGE GAKDENEB, 



[ May 6, 187S. 



been destroyed, and the bushes would be much stimulated by the 

 surface-dressing. The caterpillar of the Lackey Moth will also 

 be on the move, but if previous instructions as to looking out 

 for the eggs at the winter pruning baa been attended to, most of 

 them will have been destroyed. 



For a number of years the huge caterpillar of the Goat Moth 

 was very troublesome ; it had been long unmolested amongst 

 the old trees, and from these many of the branches and even 

 main stems of the young trees were destroyed. They bore into 

 the centre of the young branches and work upwards until the 

 part of the branch above the place attacked is destroyed ; they 

 can, even if deeply embedded in the trees, be killed with a piece 

 of stiff wire. A fine Weeping Elm tree was killed by them. 

 The tree was attacked at its base, and before the place was 

 observed the mischief had been accomplished. As many as a 

 score of specimens of the caterpillars were hooked out at once, 

 and many more subsequently. Au old Privet hedge was also a 

 large pasture ground for them, and it soon became unsightly 

 by the larger branches dying. The best way to eradicate them 

 in this case also was to cut over the branches attacked as soon 

 as they were observed. 



The small bud worm that attacks Roses is very prevalent this 

 season, and is also to be found on Morello Cherry trees. The 

 young shoots are much checked in their growth by it. Hand- 

 picking is the only remedy ; but though tedious it is effectual. 

 Many gardeners know quite well how to destroy the natural 

 enemies that attack their crops; that is not the difficulty. At 

 this season how to find time to have all the work forward is the 

 question. What with crops to be put in for succession, attend- 

 ing to those that were put iu early, and the immense number 

 of bedding plants to be watered and moved about in May, 

 fully employs the time of all the available labour. However 

 much requires to be done, the best way to get through with it is 

 not to try to do everything at once, but to do one thing at a time, 

 and do it thoroughly. 



Rin the hoe through Strawberry and Raspberry quarters. It 

 is of great importance to have all permanent crops well hoed and 

 quite free from weeds before they are too far advanced in growth, 

 or they may be injured by working amongst them. If it is 

 intended to grow yje Strawberries for exhibition they must be 

 well thinned-out, leaving about twelve or eighteen fruits on each 

 plant; but this must not be done too early, at least not before 

 the fruit is set, as frosts sometimes cut off the early blossoms, 

 and the later flowers are those that produce the fruit; these, 

 though inferior, are better than none. 



VINERIES. 



We have so fully described our routine work in previous 

 numbers, that little can be added, at least to the work in the 

 earliest houses. Nothing is now needed except to see that the 

 ventilation is attended to, and the atmosphere not allowed to 

 become too arid. Ventilation of vineries is so important that 

 a few words on this may not be out of place at this time. Where 

 the fruit is colouring it is a mistake to allow the temperature to 

 fall too low. It is all very well in theory to say that the night 

 temperature is low out of doors, and yet Grapes colour well and 

 are not subject to shanking, yet in a house with a low tempera- 

 ture at night they will shank. The temperature ought to be 

 60' at night when Grapes are colouring, with air on all night; 

 and as the sun acts upon the glass in the morning, the ventila- 

 tors, front and back, ought to be opened, so that a very high 

 temperature is avoided. In dry hot days sprinkle a little water 

 on the paths and borders. 



It is in houses where the fruit is setting that the greatest care 

 is required. Let a keen east wind blow directly upon any of the 

 bunches at this time, and see if the berries will not be rusted; 

 but how to avoid this is the difficulty. The only way is to 

 exercise great care at such a time, and open those ventilators 

 where the wind is not blowing. Air cautiously at all times, not 

 forgetting the oft-repeated injunction to admit air at the highest 

 part of the house at 6 .v.m., even if it should be cold. It is better 

 to admit just a little air, and have rather more artificial heat to 

 keep the house up to the required temperature. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERV.ITORY. 



The Camellias have not quite done flowering ; those that have 

 finished have been removed to one of the vineries. It is not 

 always convenient to find a house exactly suitable in all respects 

 for Camellias after they have done flowering. It maybe as well 

 to state that now is the time to force them if a succession of 

 flowers is desirable. Those intended for the latest flowers may 

 be allowed to make their growth in the greenhouse. The earliest- 

 flowering plants ought to have made their growth by this time, 

 and the buds to be forming in a cooler house. Our plants are 

 in a late vinery, where they are partially shaded by the Vine 

 leaves. They are well syringed two or three times a-day, and 

 the moist genial atmosphere causes a strong healthy growth. 

 When the buds are well set the plants are removed to a cooler 

 house, and ultimately either to the greenhouse or out of doors. 

 The plants will not bear forcing in the autumn after the buds 

 are formed ; if it is attempted they will drop off. 



Azaleas are a grand feature in the greenhouse until the end 



of June. The earliest-flowering varieties are in flower without 

 any forcing except to keep the house close by day and shut-up 

 earlier at night. Of course the plants should be quite free from 

 insect pests at this time. Thrips are destroyed either by fumi- 

 gating or by dipping the plants, if they are not too large, in a 

 tub of some solution that will kill them without injuring the 

 leaves. There is one advantage in dipping the plants — viz., that 

 if there are any red spider these will also be destroyed, which 

 would not be the case if the house was merely fumigated with 

 tobacco smoke. Small plants of Azaleas should now be potted 

 into pots a size larger. The Azalea is a rapid-growing plant 

 if it has plenty of pot room ; but if stinted in this respect it will 

 still remain in good health, but the growths and flowers will be 

 proportionately puny. 



All hardwooded plants now claim attention. Where they are 

 grown, as is usually the case, iu a house with rapid-growing 

 Pelargoniums and other plant?, it is almost impossible to make 

 good specimens of them. They must be placed in a position 

 where the top of the plant is within, say, a foot of the glass, and 

 no other plant ought to come in contact with it. Abundant 

 ventilation is also quite necessary. Any of the later-flowering 

 species that are not yet trained into shape should be done forth- 

 with, as the flower buds are apt to be rubbed off if they are 

 formed before the training is completed. 



Stage and fancy Pelargoniums are now throwing up their 

 flower trusses ; and one thing we will notice as it is very im- 

 portant to successful culture — viz.. Do not overpot. All this 

 class of plants produce the most flowers and these of better 

 quality if the pot is crammed quite full of roots at the time the 

 flower trusses appear. It is marvellous the number of good 

 trusses of flowers that can be produced on a small plant in a 

 .5 or 6-inoh pot. Green fly persistently attacks Pelargoniums of 

 this class, and the plants must now bo perfectly cleansed of them 

 by fumigating. If they are not clean before the flowers open, it 

 is not possible to destroy them after without injuring the flowers. 

 The action of the smoke causes the petals to fall off in showers. 



Roses in pots for late flowering have been attacked by the 

 bud worm and aphis ; the latter was destroyed by fumigating, 

 and the other by hand-picking. These matters must be attended 

 to at the moment. We destroyed mildew on its first appearance 

 by puffing sulphur on the leaves. 



If cuttings of the perpetual-flowering Carnations have not 

 been put in they ought to be done at once. Ours were struck 

 early and have been potted off. The old plants are now very 

 gay with flower and are highly prized. Some of the recently 

 introduced varieties area great advance on the old sorts, although 

 a few of the old sorts will still hold their own. The beautiful 

 dwarf-flowering flesh-coloured variety. Miss Jolliffe, is very dis- 

 tinct ; it is one of the easiest to propagate, and produces the 

 largest number of flowers. 



Mr. Charles Turner of Slough has sent out some really fine 

 and distinct varieties recently. Empress of Germany and King 

 of the Belgians are two of the best of them ; Diana, Picturata, 

 Proserpine, Le Grenade, Gloire de Lyon (a fine flake). Celestial, 

 Vulcan, and Avalanche are also distinct. 



Pot Fuchsias, Zonal Pelargoniums, and other plants for 

 autumn and succession flowering. — J. Douglas. 



TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 



EUwanger & Barry, Mount Hope Kurseries, Rochester, N.Y. 

 — Illustrated Catalogue of Ornamental Trees. 



DicksoBS & Co., 1, Waterloo Place, Edinburgh. — Descriptive 

 List of Florists' Flowers. 



HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITIONS. 

 Secretaries will oblige us by informing us of the dates oa 

 which exhibitions are to be held. 



Bath.— May 12th, Septombci- 1st and 2ud. Mr. B. Pearson, 13, Milsom 



Street, Sec. 

 Blackbubn.— May 17th, 18th, and 10th. Mr. W. DitchEeld, Hon. Sec. 

 Crystal Palace Compant.— Flower Show, May 29th; Rose Show, Jane 19th; 



Antumn Fruit and Flower Show, September 7th to 9th— Sec, F. W. 



"Wilson. Beea and their appliances, September 2 1st to 23rd — Sec, J. 



Hunter. 

 Coventry.— May 31st. Mr. T. Wigaton, 3, Portland Terrace, Lower Ford 



Street, Sec. 

 Leeds.- Juno 9th, 10th, and 11th. Mr. J. Birkbeck, Delph Lane, Woodhinse, 



Leeds, Sec. 

 BuRTON-upoN-TnENT.- June 16th. Mr. Wm. Shaye, Bond Street, Sec 

 Jersey. — Roses June 16th, Autumn October 18th, Chrysanthemums Novem- 

 ber loth. Major Howell, Spring Grove, St. Lawrence, Hon. Sec. 

 Glasoow.— June 16th, September 8th. Mr. F. 0. Dougall, 167, Ginning 



Street, Sec. 

 Faheiiam.— June 23rd. Mr. H Smith, Sec. 

 ExETEa (Rose Show). — Jane 25th. Mr. J. N. Gray, Queen Street Chambers, 



Hon. Sec. 

 Beio.ite (Rose).— .Tune 26th, 1875. Bushby Britten, E^t)., Hon. .See. 

 WISBEACH. — June 30th. Mr. C. Parker, Hon. Sec. 

 Maidstone. — (Roses), June 30th, at Viutera Park. H. Benstead, Esq., 



Hon Sec, Eoao Club, Mill Street, Maidstone. 

 BiRMiNoHAM.— July 1st, 2nd, Sr^i, and 5th. Mr. Qailter, Aston Park Sec. 

 Spaldino.— July 1st and Snd. Mr. 0. F, Barrell, Hon. Sec. 



