436 



JOUENAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ June 3, 1875. 



Lavender Cclture IS. £.}. — It is propagated by slips or cuttiDgs of large 

 pieces inserted in the ground early iu April or in September, inserting them 

 up to the growiDg parts, and firmly, in light soil in rows 2 feet apart, and the 

 elipa 1 foot asunder, watering if dry weather prevail. At the end of June or 

 early July the flowers will be ready for cutting for drying or distilling, and 

 after the removal of the liowers the plants should be cut-in, leaving about an 

 inch of the present year's growth, from which will be produced the growth 

 giving the crop of flowers the season fullowing. 



"Wild Celery^— " The Droitwich Canal, which for the bLi miles of its 

 length is slightly salt, is borderei by Celery, which has exactly the appearance 

 and smell of the cultivated plant. If plants were removed from its banks 

 and cared for in a gard*^n, may they be safely used for culinary purposes V" 

 It is the Smallage, or Wild Celery, Apium graveolens. If planted in a gar- 

 den and blanched it might, perhap?, be eaten without injuring the eater, for 

 it is the parent of our garden Celery, but it is so strong-smelling, acrid, and 

 fatal if eaten when at all green that no one ahould venture to eat it. Celery 

 plants and Celery eeed are cheap enough. 



Pelargonitm Flower (Jacfc).— The markings, white streaked with crim- 

 son, are rather noveL 



Pansy Seedling (C. R. S.).— The petals are the darkest we have seen' 

 being almost black. 



Caterpillars on Gooseberry Trees [W. B. H.).— Dust the leaves 

 thoroughly with white hellebore powder. Next day syringe them until all 

 the powder is washed off. If any caterpillars survivo, dust again and syringe 

 as before. 



Pear Leaves Black- blotched [E.D.L.). — The root action is deficient- 

 Water copiously with weak tepid manure water, mulch over the roots, and 

 keep the mulching on throughout the summer. 



Hollies Unfruitful (J. W. S.).— The sprays sent are from a barren tree. 

 The flowers have stamens but no pistils, therefore cannot form fruit. Some 

 trees &xe always barren, and others, as in other fruit trees, occasionally bear 

 fruit. By no treatment can such flowers as those you enclosed he made to 

 produce berries. — G. II. Allis. 



Double Gorse (G. T.).— The simplest way to raise plants in quantity is 

 to put in slips or cuttings closely in rows in the autumn. A sandy border 

 under a north wall is the best site. The cuttings may be G inches in length, 

 and he put in firmly to a depth of 4 inches. They will also strike at the 

 present time if put in sandy soil under handlights and duly shaded. 



Tines Scalded {R. A. W.).—Yo\iy healthy Vines have sustained a chill and 

 a scald. A low night temperature "has caused a condensation of moisture on the 

 foliage, and a close atmosphere in the early mornmg has completed the 

 mischief, hut it is not serious. The minimum temperature should not be 

 below 55", and CU-^ would be better, with the top lights opened an inch all 

 night, increasing the ventilation at 6 a m. in bright weather, or as soon as 

 the thermometer has risen 5'. 



Geranium for Exposed Situation {N. B.).— Lucius will probably suit you ; 

 but the situation is aboutes unfavourable as can well be. Vesuvius in sach 



position we have found useful. 



Tine Canes Splitting (Tkos. Nicol).—The splitting of the bark is nothing 

 nnuBual, and you have nothing to fear on that account, as it is no more than 

 the rupture of the outer bark, owing to the expansion or growth of the canes. 

 The white spots or dots are as you presume a good sign, the whole appearance 

 as described by you being evidence vigorous health. 



Hardy Plants for Cut Flowers (6f.).— Amaryllis Athamasca, An- 

 tirrhinum majus vars., Astragalus vaginatus, Azalea procumbens, Bambusa 

 japonica variegata for its foliage, Campanula aggregata, C, lactiflora, C. ma- 

 crantha, C. rapunculoides ; Cardamine pratensis flore-pleno, Centaurea phry- 

 gia, Cheiranthus longifoHus, C. Cheiri (Wallflower in variety), Convallaria 

 majalisvars , Coreopsis auriculata, Cyclamen coum, C. hederaefolium, Dactylis 

 glomerata variegata. for foliage; Delphinium alopecuroides, D. Belladonna, 

 D. Keteleeri, D. William Pfitzer, Dianthus craentus, D. floribundus, D. fra- 

 grans; Pinks, Carnations, Picotees in varietv, Dictamnus fraxinella, Dielytia 

 spectabilis, Epimedium pinnatum elegans, Epilobium roamarinifolium, Eri- 

 anthus Ravennje (Grass), Hemerocallis flava, Hyacinthus amethystinus, Hy- 

 pericum calycinum, Iberis Garrexiana, Lris germanica vars., I. Kampferi vart",, 

 Lathyrus grandiflorus, Leucoj um vernum ; Liliums auratum, candidum, lanci- 

 folium ; Lobelia fulgens St. Clair, Lychnis diurna flore-pieuo, L. viscaria 

 flore-pleno, Mjosotia dissitiflora, Narcissus conspicuus, N. Ajas, N, angusti- 

 fohuB, N. incomparabilis, N. juncifoliua, N. poeticus and var. flore pleno, 

 Nepeta Mussini, P»:nia in variety, Pentstemon in variety, Phlox in variety, 

 Primula acaulis vars., P. cortusoides amcena, P. japonica, Pyrethrum double 

 vars., Ranunculus amplexic^ulis, Rhododendron hirsutum, Roses, Haponaria 

 ■caucasica flore-pleno, Saxifraga longifolia, S. palmata, Sisyrinchium odora- 

 tisBimum, Spiraa filipendula plena, S. japonica, S. palmata ; Statice latiiolia, 

 Stipa pennata (Grass), Gyneriura argenteus (Grass), Thalictrum minos, very 

 nicely divided, not unUke Maiden-hair Fern ; TroUius earopaeus, T. napelli- 

 foliuB, Veronica pr^strata, and Violets in variety. Those are all hardy her- 

 baceous plants. Annuals are :— 'Abronia u»bellata, 'Ageratum fdoratum, 

 Alyssum maritimum, *A6ter Victoria vars., Calliopsis Bui-ridf^i, Centaurea 

 cyanua major and minor, Chrysanthemum Dunnetti flore-pleno and double 

 golden variety, Helichrjsum var., for dried flowers for winter bouquets; 

 '*MarigoId,F/ench (some object to the smell i, Mignonette, Nasturtium Tom 

 Thumb vars., Sweet Peas, *PhIos Drummondi vars., *3cabious, dwarf double ; 

 Seneoio elegans, double var. ; *Ten-week Stock vars., and Sweet Sultan vars. 

 Those marked with an asterisk require to be treated as half-hardy annuala. 

 Grasses a few are — Agrostis argentea, A. nebulusa, Anthoxanchum gracile, 

 Brizageniculata, B. maxima, Brizopjrum siculum, Eragrostis elegans, Pas- 

 palum elegans, Pennibetum setosum, Piptatherum Thomasi. Fer«5— Adi- 

 antom pedatum, Asplenium Adiantum-nigrum, Athyrium FUix-fremina vars. 

 Applebyanum.plamosum; Cystopteris fragUis, Lastrea dilatata cristata, Poly- 

 podiums, Dryopteris, Phegopteris vulgare, Polyatichum angulare cristatam, 

 gracile, and Grayi. 



Insects on Pinus Pinsapo (iJ.).— The mass of insects found in thousands 

 smotheriDg the "branches inside" your Pineapo are the largest species of 

 Aphidse (Aphis Laricisl. They must he attacked by the usual modes of 

 destrojing plant lice.— I. 0. W. 



Insects on Pear Leaves (Idem).— The brown objects found on your 

 Pear leaves are the moveable cylindrical cases formed and inhabited by the 

 caterpillars of a little moth (Coleophora Hemerobiella). We know no other 

 remedy than hand-picking. — !• O. W. 



Names op Fruits (B.S. iriiimmsl.— Adams' Pearmain. (iVf. Webber <t Co). 

 — We are sorry we cannot name the French Apple you have sent. 



Names op Plants (K. T.). — 1, Ranunculus pamassifoUus; 3, Orobas 

 vemUM. (Ten-years Subscriber). — 1, Euphorbia Paralias, Z*. ; 2, A Willow 

 (Salix Bp.). (G. Floyd>. — ^parmaisnia africana. (M. M. B.). — MeseiBbryan- 

 themum sp. (0. P.). — Ligustrum lucidum. { W, Heard). — Apparently rightly 

 named, and a very fine specimen. 



POULTEY, BEE, AJJD PIGEON OHROinOLE. 



SHOW MANAGEMENT AND REPORTS. 



The exhibition season is once more upon us. The two or 

 three months of rest which always come early in the year are 

 over, and the list of forthcoming shows promises us a merrier 

 time than ever. The Crystal Palace rival has already arranged 

 the dates for its exhibition, and the fixtures for the three last 

 months of the year promise us an unusually lively season. To 

 those shows we look forward with much pleasure, for we are 

 assured that it is the early shows only which will be incon- 

 venienced by the past disastrous chicken-tide, and that the 

 later shows will be as strong and hot as ever. The exhibition?, 

 however, for the next three months are many, and forewarned 

 being forearmed, we will at once say a few words on matters 

 connected with our shows. We will begin at the beginning 

 and go through some of the various points in rotation. 



First, then, about labels. They now range in size from pieces 

 of linen as large as cabbage leaves to atoms of parchment. We 

 had a label sent us the other day from Devonshire on which 

 literally there was not room for the return address. The very 

 large labels are as ridiculous as very small strips. We should 

 like to see uniform labels used everywhere — labels of strong 

 make, useful size, double-holed for tying the strings, and, above 

 all, the direction to the show very clearly printed on them, 

 with the name of the county printed as well in every case. 

 Then, the labels should be sent in good time, at least four or 

 five days before the show. Many exhibitors write from iheir 

 places of business, and may be miles from their poultry-yards, 

 and consequently they have to forward to their managers the 

 labels. But as it is they often never come to hand till the last 

 morning, when it is frequently too late to send them on, and 

 all kinds of unpleasant mistakes are the results. 



The detention of the birds on Sundays we have before alluded 

 to, as, too, we have to the great importance in announcing who 

 the j adges are to be. We have not alone done this, other journals 

 have also urged the importance of it, and other pens have taken 

 the matter up, but without, we fear, much real success, for 

 among all the goodly lists of shows-to-be, not a tithe of them 

 state who are to award the prizes. We cannot conceive how 

 the committees can be so short-sighted, for we are certain no 

 exhibition can be a real success where the judges' names are not 

 announced. We shall not be content either with merely know- 

 ing who they are to be, we shall not rest quiet until we may 

 also know who are to judge the different classes. 



Then about catalogues. This really is a great grievance, and 

 a growing one. It is one of the few things in the poultry world 

 that has not changed in some way for the better of late years. 

 Often and often we have sent for a catalogue and the stamps 

 have been lost altogether ; anyhow, the catalogue has never 

 come to hand, and we certainly cannot name a score of shows 

 last season where we had the catalogues on the proper days, 

 and often, especially from the north, when they did come they 

 came without a prize list of any sort, and were consequently 

 perfectly useless. Now, Secretaries, do improve on this ! do 

 try and let this coming season be marked for an improvement 

 in this respect. Charge two or three pennies more for a cata- 

 logue if you like, to enable some one person being paid to see 

 they do leave by the first day's post. 



Next, for the flooring of the pens. We sometimes see saw- 

 dust, which is simply destruction ; and sometimes sand, which 

 is quite useless, for it only soils the plumage of the birds and 

 gives no exercise. At the Palace we see nice shingly grit, but 

 even this wants a layer of chaff on the top. Let us always have 

 some coarse clean gravel, and then a good sprinkling of chaff 

 over that. This put in fresh every morning would enable a 

 bird to go home as clean as when it came, and very little worse 

 for its incarceration; and then, too, every day a leaf or two of 

 lettuce or some vegetable food should be given. It is surprising 

 how the birds look forward to it, and the good it does them. At 

 Oxford they give this green food, and it is an acknowledged fact 

 that the birds go back from that Show in most brillinnt condition. 



Double baskets, too, we must say a word about. We call them 

 " 'The 1874 Success," and greatly to be thanked is that gentle- 

 man who untiringly urged the introduction of the system, and 

 in so many cases won the day. Go on with it, committeemen 1 

 Frequently, especially at single-bird shows, allowing the use 

 of double baskets will double your entries. So do not forget, ou 

 any account, to add that as a new rale to your schedules. We 

 had to do with an exhibition lately which sanctioned this 

 arrangement, and it greatly lessened the work of the attendants, 

 which is an important point. 



