408 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUHE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ November 5, 1874. 



plants f;rown in medium clayey loam over those fjrown in light 

 sandy soil is something astonishing. When the plants are 

 potted they are removed into a cold frame and plunged in some 

 cocoa-nut fibre refuse; the lights are kept close for a few days. 

 Auriculas have now been removed to the sunniest and driest 

 position in the garden, and to prevent the plants from being 

 injured by damp, all decaying foliage is picked off as soon as it 

 is perceived. — J. Douglas. 



PROVINCIAL HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITIONS. 



[Secretaries will oblige us by informing ns of the dates on 

 which exhibitions are to be held. Although we cannot report 

 them fully, we shall readily note anything especially excellent, 

 and we wish for information on such specialities to be sent 



to us.] 



NOVEMBEB. 



Jersey 11 



Bury St. Edmnnda {Chrysanthe- 

 mums) 17 and 18 



CambrMgesbire 19 



Cheltenham (Chrysanth.) , ,23 and 24 



NOVEMBEB. 



Royal Hort. Society of Ireland . . 26 



DECEMBER. 



Manchester 1 and 2 



York 1,2, and 3 



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. 



LrvERPOOL Chrysanthehum Show (TT.). — Yes. Send us your private 

 address, not for publication. 



Potatoes.—" D. W. W." finds that Sutton's Hundredfold Fluke is waxy, 

 and not a good table variety. He wishes to know if other growers of it have 

 found the same defect. 



Belgian Fruits IR. TV.). — The varieties you mention could be supplied 

 from Ghent by M. Van Geert, St. Amand; N, Gaujtud, Ledeberg ; or Louis 

 Van Houtte. 



AiTERNANTHERA PROPAGATION (IF. JUar/icct).— There aie several kinds of 

 Alternauthera, all of which are increased freely from cuttings with two or 

 three joints, inserted in sanely loam with a little leaf soil, and placed in 

 bottom heat if propagation is practised from September to March inclusive, 

 maintaiuing a rather moist and close atmosphere. The bottom heat should 

 bo about 75". Cuttings with two joints and the growing point are long 

 enough ; cut below the joint, remove the leaves from it, insert up to the nest 

 joint, surfacing the catting pots or pans with about half an inch of silver 

 sand. They strike freely in July or August in a cold frame kept close and 

 shaded. 



Wintering Calceolarias and Coleus {Co. Anirim). — We do not know 

 " Sedum secunda glauca." Is it not Ecbeveria? which requires to be giown 

 in ahouse safe from frost in sandy soil, and to have no more water than will 

 keep it fresh. If Sedum glaucum, it is hardy in well-drained soil. The Cal- 

 ceolarias may winter in a border if the weather should be mild, but the best 

 plan is to put in cuttings in a cold frame. Coleuses may be wintered in a 

 Fern case in a warm kitchen window, watering carefully ; but if the plants 

 are taken from the open ground it is likely they will die off when placed in the 

 case. The American Pea Nut we do not know. Our cox-respondent wishes to 

 know " what sort of a plant it is, if it can be successfully cultivated in this 

 country, and if so, how ?" 



Selaginella leptdophixla Culture (Francis HopJciTison). — The above 

 is the name of the plant you sent us, and which you were erroneously told 

 was a Fern. It is the true kind, and rather rare, the plant generally cultivated 

 under that name being erroneously so called. It succeeds in a stove or warm 

 fernery, and requires to be kept verj' moist, for if dry its fronds are drawn-in 

 to the centre, forming a sort of ball, and open when moisture is given. Equal 

 parts of roueh peat and yellow loam, with a sisth each of silver sand and 

 broken pots, will grow it well, affording extra eflicient diainage. A sprinkling 

 of water overhead should bo given two or three times a-day. Though mois- 

 ture is wanted, avoid making the soil a sodden sour mass. Propagation is 

 effected by division in spring if the plant has more crowns than one, and 

 sometimes a frond pegged-down will put out fronds aud form a crown. It is 

 also increased by spores, of which your plant is not devoid, covering with a 

 bell-glass the pot or pan, and setting it in a saucer of water. 



Labge Drac.i:nas and Erytheina {Aimer). — Your Draca'Das 10 feet high 

 and handsome well-furnished plants, would be very suitable for large lofty 

 conservatories, and would command a good price from those furnishing such, 

 but we could not say how much, as price greatly depends on the kind and the 

 plants. The Erythrina would not be worth so much, as it is a commoner sub- 

 ject and not in great request. You will occasionally see such things adver- 

 tised for. Y^onr best plan will he to offer them to some of the leading London 

 or provincial firms, or an advertisement would probably bring you offers. You 

 might dispose of them in exchange for plants jou might wish. 



Planetary Influence (.4 Lady Suhscriber). — Some centuries ago all per- 

 sons and all plants were believed to be especially influenced by some one of 

 the planets. Thus some in the list you enclose were " under Mercury," others 

 under Jupiter, Mars, &c. Such superstitions are now extinct, or ought to be. 

 Arranging a Conservatory (.-I Siibscrifccr).— The Ferns would bo best 

 cultivated on rookwork, which we should construct against the wall between 

 the two casements— the S-f eet-S-iuch , and 10-f eet one, and form an archway 



over the casement doors, continuing the rockwork against the 3-feet-9-inch 

 wall, taking care to have it irregular in outline. We would not make it pro- 

 ject farther than 5 or 6 feet at the base in the widest part. In the centre 

 you may have a fountain, which will take up the best part for plants ; there- 

 fore if we had a fountain at all it would he immediately in front of the case- 

 ment doors, with low irregular rockwork, with say lour plants of Lomaria 

 gibba in the rockwork ; but instead of the fountain we should have a bed 

 with a Dicksonia antarctica in the centre and other Ferns at the base. In 

 the centre have a bed with Camellias, and all round the glass part a stage 

 about 3 feet wide for plants, omitting, of course, the door. The stage should 

 be 2 feet 6 inches from the floor, and under it might he a border for climbers, 

 which are very desirable as shade. 



Zonal Geraniums. — In answer to "J, Harrfjc," page 887, the opinion 

 referred to is based upon practice. I did not express myself as clearly as I 

 ought. The sentence should run thus:— Never water a plant when dust-di-y 

 or suffering for want of water, but first water with clear water, &c. — W. 



Camellia Leaves Blackened {E. A. S.]. — The leaf is blackened by water 

 dripping upon the plants, or from syringiug and water hanging from the points 

 of the leaves, with exposure to the powerful rays of the sun in summer whilst 

 in the condition named. Shade in summer from bright sun. The leaves 

 curl from want of a good root-action, thoy being probably destroyed by stand- 

 ing in pans filled, we presume, with water. Kepot in spring. We cannot 

 name plants from a leaf; flowers aie necessary. 



Manetti Stocks Strong {A Cotutant Subscriber). — The stocks are not too 

 old for budding, but you may in spring gi-aft them, and any failing you may 

 bud in July. Manure obtained in small quantities at a time is best kept in a 

 shed free from the weather, aud spread-out thinly, alike for the purpose of 

 drying before it is placed in a heap and to prevent heatiog. We presume 

 it is short manure. Mis it with an equal quantity of di? soil, put in layers 

 in a square heap about 3 inches thick. It will lose little if stored in this way 

 and kept covered with soil. 



Ijiporting Plants from Ceylon (C. S.).— We do not know what the King 

 of the Woods is, nor what plants it may be desirable to introduce to this 

 country from Ceylon; but the most valuable ones will be Orchids, though 

 bulbs or plants of more than ordinary beauty would be worth looking after. 

 Such matters are best left to those sending or collecting them. The bulbs 

 aud Orchids would come beet packed in dry or very sUghtly damped moss in 

 boxes, and, any plants In a Wardian case, establishing them before starting. 

 Young plants will be best. Single dai'k free-flowering Fuchsias ai'e— Mr, 

 George Brunning, War Eagle, Try Me oh \ and KiUiecronkie. 



Repotting Palms {F. E. H.). — In repotting Palms they should have the 

 roots covered with soil just level with the base of the stem, and slightly 

 raised in the centre of the pots or tubs. Itjis better to have.them high rather 

 than low. 



Malformation of Chrysanthemum Blooms (Pompon.).— It may be caused 

 by an excess of manure either in a solid or liquid state, which causes gross- 

 ness and malformation, neglect in watering, attacks of insects, and injury from 

 frost. The effect of sulphate of ammonia is to increase the growth or vigour 

 of the plants, and the indications of its too abundant use will be lank gross 

 growths, soft instead of firm, and loss of roots, which will cause loss of leaves 

 and sometimes of plants. 



Violets (G. W. Boofhb!i).~Yom new variety. Beauty of Louth, is very 

 good. Size large, form somewhat differing from others, colour a medium 

 dark purple, and fragrance stroug. 



Strawberry Culture {C. H,). — We answer your questions in the order 

 they are put by you. It is necessary to manure the ground well for Straw- 

 berries, and dig deeply, placing it at least 9 inches below the surface, and 

 afterwards manure at the surface. In sandy soils a dressing of clay, and 

 especially clayey marl, is a capital addition, mixing thoroughly with the soil. 

 The plants of the smallest kinds, as Black Prince, Keens' Seedling, and others 

 with only moderate foliage, should be planted in rows 2 feet apart ; but the 

 strong-growing aud spreading kinds, as President, should be 2 feet 6 inches 

 apait. The plants in the fiist Instance may be put out a foot apart for the 

 smaUer-foliaged sorts, and the lai'ge-foliaged sorts at 15 inches, and after the 

 first yeai''s fruiting every alternate plant may be taken out, so that thoy may 

 stand 2 feet and 2 feet 6 inches apart respectively. The runners should be 

 removtid, what are wanted for increase being layered either in pots or the 

 ground, and planted as soon as well rooted, the plants being kept free of all 

 other runners. The tops ought not to be cut off at any time, but in Septem- 

 ber any straggling leaves as well as runners maybe removed. l*ou omit a 

 very essential part — manure well between the rows and plants in October. 

 Strawberries should be well watered after they come into flower, and until the 

 fruit is ripe and ripening. Spriug water is not so good as soft, but will do, as 

 Strawberries like the roots cool. Rankness of gi-owth is to be overcome by 

 cutting most of the leaves in July, which wUl lessen their growth, and fresh 

 leaves closer in gi-owth will be produced, and these will have a tendency to 

 matme the crowns. "WTien the plants have many blossoms and weak, thin 

 them, layering runners from them, and water abundantly ; after the fruit is 

 gathered knock them up, forming another plantation with the nmners from 

 them. Always take runners from fruitful plants. Our soil is light and 

 moory. We manure heavily, follow the above eystem, keep the plants three 

 years, and renew a part of the plantations every year, besides planting out 

 forced ones, so that we have one-year-old, two, and three-year-old plants. 

 Keens' Seedling and all the earlies do best the first year, plantmg in July well- 

 rooted ruuners of the current year, but produce a heavy crop the second and 

 third years, but smaller fruit, and the plant.s begin to die off; the later 

 sorts aie best the second year, though they may have fine fruit the first year; 

 we have had them over 3 ozs. weight, many 2 ozs., and commonly a dozen to 

 a pound. In the third year the plants bear heavily, but the ben-ies are not 

 neaily so fine, the plants go so much to leaves as to be of very httle use 

 afterwards. We have omitted to staie that they are not allowed to run over 

 the bed into one another, but are kept separate. 



Strawberry Leaves Spotted (D. W. IT.).— The leaf sent is spotted in 

 consequence of dry weather. It is common to all the kinds of the Keens* 

 Seedling type. It will not interfere with the future well-being of the plants. 

 Currant and Gooseberry trees are native plants, perfectly hardy. They 

 should be manured now, but it is not necessary to cover the roots with any 

 protecting material. 



Grapes Diseased {J. P.) —It is only the form that " the spot " frequently 

 assumes when attacking Grapes nearly ripe. The roots are probably too dry 

 or too cold. 



Erratum.— At page 356,, thirteenth line from top, on *' Fine Old Trees at 

 Moor Park," the word *' having " should have been " leaving." 



