Juno 24, 1876. ] 



JOURNAL OF nORTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



499 



Reinette DC Canada, and Northbun Spy Apples— Exqui site Peaoh 

 (J. E.).~~The lirHt-aamed Apple ia Rood alike for culiDary or dessert use, and 

 Northern Spy ia first-rate for cooking, but ia seldom used for that piirpoae, it 

 beioR uonsidered too good. Exquisite Peach ripens about the middle of Sep- 

 tember, and is large and excellent. 



Fuel ron Stove— Tank-heating (/dcm).— The etove you mention will 

 bnrn any kind of fuel, but prefer coke or cinders, the latteror both mixed with 

 a little Biuall coal, or the coke broken up rather amall. The stove boiler 

 would answer well to heat a tank of the size you name, and in reference to 

 the tank it ia manifest fhe " flow and return should be on opposite sides of 

 the division," which you have accurately described in your eketch. 



Removing Vine Tendrils {F. I.). — They, as the Vine shoota are secured 

 to the wires or walla, are of no use to the Vines, which ia that of enabling 

 them to support the ahoota, hence in cultivation there is no need of this 

 appendage, and tht-y are, therefore, removed quite as much for appearance as 

 for any benefit conferred by their removal. Remove them at once. 



Berries of Moscat Grapes iSir-ycars Subfcribi'r). — They are attacked 

 by "spot," as gardeners call thia ulceration. Yon have neglected the disease 

 until it has become the worst instance we have seen. It is caused by de- 

 fective root action. Pick-off all the diseased berries, and water copiously 

 with tepid weak liquid manure. A Grape-grower to whom we have shown 

 tho berries tays it is " scald " as well as sprit, and that you must admit air 

 very early in thomjruing, iudeed leave on a little all night. Both roots and 

 atmosphere are at fault, and you must be prompt in remedying both or your 

 crop will be ruined. 



Vine Leaf Spotted (W. G,). — There is not much the matter, but the 

 leaf demonstrates that the foliage has received a check by a low night tom- 

 peraturo, which has occurred possibly some weeks ago. With a genial atmo- 

 sphere, damping the house several times a-day, and careful attention to 

 Tentilatiou, especially admitting a current of air all night, your Vines will 

 prosper. The crushed state of the footstalk of the leaf we assume was 

 caused in transit through the post office; beyond that there are no serious 

 Bjmptoms. 



Vine Leaf Stained (H. J. P.).— The leaf sent is very deficient in sub- 

 Btance, and cannot withstand the rays of the sun. It i§ suggestive also that 

 a high night temptratare haa been maintained. Apply to the root tepid 

 manure water, do uot force the night temperature above 60-, leave on a chink 

 of air at the top of the house all night, increasing it gradually aa the tempe- 

 rature riwes in the miming; close the house entirely for au hour or two each 

 afternoon, sprinkling the floor with guano water of a strength of 1 oz. to a 

 gallon of water, and shade slightly until the Vines gain vigour. The tempe- 

 rature of the houFe should uot rise beyond 80- after being closed. The scrap 

 of Fern was insuflicient to determine the name. 



Seakale Treatiient {A Regular Subscriber). — If the stalks have been 

 out after blanching they will not require to be cut again during the summer, 

 only if any show flnwer-atems those should be cut away as they appear. If it 

 baa nnt been blanchtd and cut as before stated it will only require to have 

 any fiower-stems removed, and those just level with the crown, from the side 

 of which will come leaves, and crowns be formed for next year's produce. 

 Keep clear of weeds, and water liberally with liquid manure, slops from the 

 house highly diluted with water being very beneficial to it and Asparagus 

 dnring growth. 



GosFORTH Horticultural Show (Fairplay). — There ia nothing in the 

 mlea to prevent your exhibiting in either the open or the cottagere' classes, 

 if your account of yourself is accurate. 



Suspension Bridge ( W. E. B.). — We have had no experience in erecting 

 BQch a bridge, but any civil engineer could carry out your intention. 



Propagating Clematises fForestt-r). — Besides grafting, they are increased 

 by outtinga of firm side shoota — short stubby ahoota taken off with a heel, 

 and inserted in lit^ht eoil in a shady position and covered with a band-light. 

 From now to the middle of August is a good time to put in the cuttings. The 

 surest mode, however, ia by layers in September, not detaching them until 

 the following autumn. Another mode ia to lay a ripe shoot about an inch 

 below the soil, and from every eye almost will come a shoot, and they will 

 form roots beneath the soil and become individual plants. The layer must 

 not be separated from the plant. The shoot is the better of a notch about 

 halfway through just below eich eye. AU the Clematis are sufficiently hardy 

 for bedding out. 



Seedling Cyclamens (Idem).— After they are potted off singly they 

 should be placed in a fiame having a gentle heat, or in a house with a moist 

 heat, sprinkling overhead twice a-day, keeping them near the glass to prevent 

 drawing, and having only moderate ventilation. Thia should be continued 

 until September or October, and then, if grown in frames, the plrinta may be 

 removed to a house having a warm greenhouse or cool stjve temperature, 

 keeping the plants mnist, and shifting them into larger pots as required. By 

 November they will require 5-inch pots, and in February a majority will, the 

 treatment having been liberal, ba showing flower. When in bloom they may 

 be removed to a cooler house. 



Heating Pit from Kitchen Boiler (H. TT.).— Your boiler having a hot- 

 water cistern at the top of the house to Supply a bath-room, &c., with hot 

 watt-r, will not heat satisfactorily a forcing pit, the flow and return pipe for 

 which are upon the same level as the boiler, or but slightly above it, for the 

 hot-water cis^tem being at a considerably higher elevation, the water aa 

 heated wit] pias to the cistern, and not circulate, or very slngsishly, in the 

 pipes of the forcing pit. You may, however, heat your house very satisfac- 

 torily by taking the return pipe from the cistern instead of directly to the 

 boiler through your forcing pit, and with a gradual decline through the house 

 to the boiler, the pipe not being taken b^^low the boiler. lu this way you may 

 heat your house and always have hot water in the c'stem for domestic pur- 

 poses, the forcing pit being heated by the return pipe. 

 Names of Plants ( W. H. S.).— Veratrum album, very vi<:orous. (C B.), — 



1, Callistemon ; 2, Lychnis diurna flore plenoC?) ; 3,Hieraciura aurantiacum. 

 (H. H.). — A species of Iberis, probably Garrexiana. [J. W. 8 ) — Maurandya 

 Barclayana. {J.G.H.\—l, Muscari comosum; 2, Orchis tephroeanthos (?). 

 (Mac). — 1, Crataegus cnccinea; 2, An Euouymus. (Maurice Irwin). — 2,Pteris 

 aquilina; 3, Blechnum occidentale ; 4. Cystopteris bulbifera ; 5, Polypodium 

 aureum; 6, At-pidiura falcatiim. {D C, Bail ij Hill). — 1 Saxifraga aizoon ; 



2, S. sponhemica; 3, Spirroa; 4, Alyssum. {J. H.]. — 1. Spirrpa cham;pdrifolia; 

 2, Lychnis viscaria ; 3, Scilla nonscripta flore albn; 4, Asplenium Adiantum 

 nigrum; 5, Cyst^tpteiis fragilis. {Rev. S. A. B.).— \\e cannot name the 

 Clematisfr.jm the flower only. The other plant iaAnthericum liliago. (Lady- 

 bird).— X^ Pteris cretica; 2, Davallia tenuifolia; 3, A species of Oemunda. 

 (Adarn^). — 1, A Rnbiaceous plant, genus not determinable from the specimen ; 



2, Brassia verrucosa. (Roheri). — Staphylea pennata, Saxifraga granulata , 

 S. aspera, and an Acauthaceius plaut not determinable. (Amicw^). — 1, Eri- 

 geron sp. ; 2, E. apeciosum ; 3, Ceutaurea moutana ; 4, nemerocallis flava; 

 5, Tradescantia virginici; 6, Iheria sempervirens. (J. Y. J.). — 2, Myoperum; 

 8, Gesaera; 4, Ceratochloa unioloides; 5, Omphalodes; 6, Dicksonia. (JJen- 

 derson). — Epidendrum virens. (A. B.). — We cannot name plants from their 

 leaves only. (M. C). — 1, Acer saccharinum; 2, A. Pseudo-platanua; 3, A. 

 campestre. 



POULTEY, BEE, AND PIGEON OHHONIOLE. 



midsummer-day. 



Today is midsummer-day, and this is our midsummer number. 

 We can see our chickens as we write, roamiug here and there 

 for insects, and we sigh when we think that this time last year 

 we could have counted our chickens by scores where now we 

 do 60 by half-dozens. We know other breeders are sighing too; 

 for, in spite of those happy individuals who insist upon letting 

 the world know that they have had better luck than ever thia 

 season, we know that it has been a bad season, and that even 

 in very many cases where there is quantity, the quality of last 

 year does not exist. But to-day is midsummer-day, and we will 

 cease from any more melancholy retrospections, and bid 

 "Good morrow to the t,'olden morning, 

 Good morrow to the world's delit^ht." 



Let us look forward rather, and speak a little of the future, 

 and think over on this midsummer morning what we had best 

 do to make the most of the chickens we have, be they late or 

 early. 



Recently we have had showers — almost storms of rain, which, 

 though deadly to the rose blooms, have refreshed the earth and 

 brightened-up the chicken runs. We suppose, however, we shall 

 sooner or later have some of that broiling summer heat which 

 comes in fits and starts during our changeable summers — that 

 heat which plays the "old gooseberry" with the chickens. All 

 have not free range for their birds, and many have not grass 

 runs even, and when the scorching sun dries up their yards the 

 chickens fare but badly. We would recommend such runs being 

 plentifully watered every evening. It is surprising how it cools 

 the ground and helps the birds. We know this idea is not new, 

 for Mr. Wright suggested it some years ago in this Journal, and 

 we know of many who have benefited from it. 



Let us think now, too, what we will feed our chicks upon, 

 this being most important. We are convinced change of food is 

 a great benefit. Birds fed one week on one kind of ground food, 

 and another week on another mixture, we find thrive admirably. 

 We use Spratt's food extensively ; but we would urge its being 

 used judiciously with early chickens. Nothing can surpass it 

 for giving birds a start and pushing them on ; but we find when 

 used in too great quantities it males the combs develope too 

 quickly, and the birds mature and so become set before they 

 have attained the desired size. It promotes laying, too, in the 

 pullets at too early an age. We sptak here of the larger breeds, 

 Dorkings, Brahmas, and Cochins ; for the smaller varieties these 

 results would probably not be of such couseqiienoe. We find 

 for feeding nothing equals ground oats, ground barley, and best 

 sharps for soft food, with Spratt's food mixed at the discretion 

 of the feeder. We ring the changes on these, and the birds do 

 wonderfully well. For whole corn we like wheat best, nothing 

 surpasses a good sample of this grain for feeding. Barley and 

 buckwheat make a good change, but wheat has our preference. 

 Bone dust we never have used ; it is, we believe, in great demand, 

 and so we suppose is of much value in making specimens large 

 for exhibition and pushing them on for the early chicken shows ; 

 but from such fed birds deliver us iu the breeding pen. Meat, 

 too, is no doubt used extensively in many establishments. Thia 

 we have tried, but whether we went to work foolishly or not 

 we cannot say ; anyhow, after two months we gave it up, for 

 though the birds liked it amazingly, it spoilt their taste for 

 other foods, and, what is much more important, brought on 

 leg-weakness. Many valuable birds while fed upon it entirely 

 lost the use of their legs, and recovered again slowly after its 

 discontinuance. Those who would wish to give meat a trial, or 

 are now using it, we would recommend to make a soup of it, 

 and then mix up the soft food with the broth ; but we do not 

 believe thia extremely forcing food is at all necfssary. We have 

 had our neighbours' share of large chickens and prizes from 

 birds solely fed, but regularly, on sound and wholesome ground 

 and whole corn. 



As regards the liquor department of our chickens, a frequent 

 and plentiful supply of pure water is indispensable. We often 

 dissolve a small piece of Walton's paste in the water with a very 

 beneficial effect, and we also often mix up the soft food with 

 boiling water in which a piece of this paste has been dissolved. 



Those who have unlimited grass runs and shade of living 

 underwood and large trees really have all that can be wanted. 

 If they do not succeed it is their own fault. They have means 

 and opportunities which those who only have limited and en- 

 closed yards dare not 6-;en dream of. We do not here write for 



