Deoember 17, 1871 ] 



JOURNAIj of horticulture and cottage QARDENEtl. 



545 



except under exceptional circumstances during the next eight 

 weeks. 



Cucumber House. — The present is the most trying period of 

 the whole year for the occupauta of this structure, and success 

 can only be assured by careful management. The first essential 

 is to maintain a suitable temperature without requiring to over- 

 heat the hot-water pipes. In the house under our care, even in 

 severe frosts the thermometer seldom falls below GO", the usual 

 minimum being 65*^ with the usual rise by day, which at present 

 id seldom more than 5^. Cleanliness is next. Even under the 

 most favourable circumstances the plants will not thrive if 

 insect pests are allowed to breed upon them ; thrips, red spider, 

 and green fly are equally persistent in their attacks. The glass 

 both outside and inside must be clean. The frequent foga in 

 the neighbourhood of London leave a coating of blacks, not only 

 on the external glass and woodwork, but it penetrates to the 

 inside and chokes the breathing porea of the leaves. Distance 

 from the glasa. — We get the leaves aa closely to it as possible 

 without their coming into actual contact. The trellis to which 

 the plants are trained ia made so that it can be lowered or raised 

 to or from the glass aa the changing seasons seem to require. 

 The distance in winter ia 'J inches, and in summer 14^ inches. 

 We sowed seeds about ten days ago ; it is about the worst time 

 in the year to put them in, but they vegetated freely in a brisk 

 bottom heat. As soon as the seed leaves formed the plants were 

 potted-off separately into small pots, and again plunged in the 

 bottom heat until fresh roots were formed, when the pots were 

 taken out of the plnngiug material and placed on a shelf quite 

 close to the glass. They are now for the time of the year making 

 healthy vigorous development, 



PLANT STOVE. 



We can only reiterate our remarks about cleanlineas, our time 

 having been employed cleansing staging, wood, and glaaswork, 

 as well aa removing white scale from Cattleyaa, LsQlias, and 

 other Orchids, There ia but few plants in flower at present, 

 and it ia to the Orchid family that we must look for the beat 

 display at this dull season. Laslia anceps Barkerii will soon open 

 its large handsome flowers. L. autumnalls ia now in flower, 

 and will never disappoint if grown like its Mexican compeer, 

 Lrelia majalia, in the sunniest position of the cool house. The 

 beautiful Calanthes, which anyone having a slight knowledge of 

 plant-culture can grow, ought not to be omitted in any collection 

 of stove plants. Whether the spikes are used for decorative 

 purposes indoora, or for the embellishment of the plant stove, 

 they continue in beauty for many weeks, and their culture is so 

 simple. After draining the pota well, and placing eome of the 

 moat fibry portion of medium turfy loam over the drainage to 

 prevent the compoat from mixing with it, pot the bulba (three 

 large onea in a 6 inch pot) just before they start into growth in 

 February, using the fibry portion of good loam in a rough state, 

 and they succeed in this without any admixture, except enough 

 sand to keep it open; but the strength of the spikea are in- 

 creased if a little rough rotted frame dung and leaf mould is 

 added, about a sixth part of each. The pota from which all the 

 flower spikes have been cut will not receive any more water 

 until February. We have also an excellent display of Ixoraa. 

 I. javanica is exceedingly handsome, and it continues in flower 

 for six or eight weeka. They will flower freely now if the 

 flower heado are pinched off before the flowers open during the 

 summer months. I. Colei is also in flower, and is pretty ; but 

 unless the plant is grown well this variety is not striking. 

 Watering is very carefully attended to, and the atmospherical 

 conditions of the house are also of importance. A moist con- 

 dition of the atmosphere ia imperative, but no vapour from hot 

 pipes. The conditions are right if delicate flowers last long ia 

 beauty. — J. Douglas. 



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 (A Young Tic a (/tr).— The *' Heatins; Manual" can be had by post if 

 you enclose seven postage stampa wiih ynui- address. iOrchU). — Appieby'a 

 Orohid Manual, Tou can have it post free from our offloe if you enclose '2,a. Hd. 

 •with your address. 



Stag's-horn Fern Colture (J. F. S.).— This Fern (Platycerium akicorne) 

 succeeds quite well in a pot, on a block of wood, in the crevices upon the face 

 of i-ockwork, and in a basket. The latter is a nice way of growing it. and it, 

 if anytluDg, grows better ia a Buapeaded basket than in a pot. It ought to 



bo establifihed in the basket, and thon its position rovorsod, turning upside 

 down, the plants and compost bein;,' secured by copper wire. Wo have seen a 

 plant in a pot suspended, the plant seuured from fallin;^ out of it by copper 

 wire when it were eUBpendod upside down. The barrou Iruud'^ 80(ju cover the 

 pot, and water is easily Kiven from above. It succeeds admirably in a com- 

 post of turfy brown peat three parts, and half a part ailver aaud and crooks, 

 used rather' mngb and well mixed. Good draina;,'e muet be hivoq. There 

 are no doubt several plants and Ferns well worth iutroduciui,' from Madeii-a, 

 but they would not bo new, as the island has long boon rausicked of its 

 botauiual treasures by Europeans. 



Window Plants not Thriving [J. TT.).— The placing of the sharp sand 

 upon the surface of the pots would not cause the injury you complain of, nor 

 would it keep out frost. It would not do any good in any quantity, but con- 

 trariwise, and ought to be removed at once. The kind juu name is not good 

 for plants; silver sand ia the most HUitable. Probably yuur plants are suffer- 

 intj from cold. You ought at night to remove thorn from the window if the 

 window be too cold, it being neccHsary they bo kppt from frost and be watered 

 very sparingly, giving only antlicient to keep them fresh. Tho bulbs in the 

 spare room in pots ought to have water to keep them moi^t, and should have 

 air whenever tho weather is mild, and when they appear above ground should 

 be placed near the window, or they will draw towards the light aud become 

 weak. In very severe frost the window should have some thick protective 

 material placed over it, so as to save them from frost. It is a mistake to 

 bring them forward in tliis way if you intend to plant them outdoors. They 

 would have been infinitely better planted in the bed in October or early 

 November where they are to flower, as, should the wBiither prove severe la 

 spring, their growth, from being made in the room, will be liable to bo cut by 

 frost. Small coal mixed with the soil ia a mistake ; sand or crocks broken 

 very small is the proper thing. Do not give them liquid majiure, aud plant 

 them out so soon after this as you can, at least by the time when they havo 

 grown an inch. In the room their growtha will only become poor and drawn. 



Planting Lily of the Valley (S. P. P.).— November is probably the 

 beat time to make new beds of these, but any time in mild weather up to 

 March inclusive will answer. Have the ground well and deeply dug, enrich- 

 ing it with leaf soil or well-rotted manure, aud plant them in rows a foot 

 apart, and in small clumpa of three to half a dozen crowns the some distauoo 

 between, aud an inch deep— that is, the top of the crowns, and water abund- 

 antly in dry weather, keepiug clear of weeds. In autumn loosen the soil 

 lightly, not disturbing the roots between the rows, and give a top-dressing 

 about an inch thick of decayed leaves or other rich vegetable compost. If 

 this be not at hand, half the thickness of well-rotted manure will answer. Ia 

 spring you ought to have flowers. 



Peaches, Neotarines, and Apricots against A Board Fence (Idem).— 

 The trees growing well and showing abundance of blossom, but not fruiting, 

 indicate the climate is not unfavourable ; but the blosHom and probably young 

 fruit are destroyed by frost. From the trees uhowing blight, which we pre- 

 sume is mildew, we apprehend the climate is not so favourable as it appears, 

 or the soil. Two feet is an outrageous depth to plant fruit or any kind of 

 trees. They ought to be planted so that the setting-on of the roots — i.e., the 

 uppermost, are on a level with the sarroundiug ground, and theso should not 

 be covered deeper than 3 inches with soil. If yours are deeper, and as tho 

 ends of the shoots die back the wood is not well ripened, lift thum carefully, 

 taking care to preserve tho fibres and as mucli soU as possible adhering to 

 them, aud plant as before named with the roots level with the surrounding 

 ground, and cover them .'J inches deep, giving to the surface a mulching of 

 short littery manure Add to the soil a fourth of well-rotted manure, and 

 mako the suil very firm under, arouud, aud over the roots, so as to induce 

 stilT short-jointed wood. Syringe the trees freely in summer after May in the 

 evening of hot days, and water in spring if the weather be dry. Augment 

 the covering; canvas is better than a net protection. 



Solving for Summer Bedding (Young Beginner). — You will be doing 

 well to depend chiefly upon hardly annuals, of which we name a few which, 

 continuing long in bloom, are desirable:— AJysaum maritimum, Bartonia 

 aurea, Calliopsis marmorata nana, Convolvulus miuor. Erysimum Peroffski- 

 anum, Leptosiphon densiflorus, Lioum grandittorum coccineam. Nasturtium 

 Tom Thumb var. scarlet, King of Tom Thumb, scarlet, yellow, aud crimson ; 

 Nolana atriplicifolia, Saponaria calabrica and S. calabrica alba, Sanvitalia 

 procumbens llore-pleno, and Silene pendula ruberrima. The Silenes are very 

 pretty, but scarcely continue long enough in bloom for summer beddiug. 

 These should be sown early in April where they are to flower. In your frame, 

 which we presume you can make a slight hotbed for, you may sow early in 

 March in pots or pans, or, if you havo no heat, at the end of March or begin- 

 ning of April; if heat, sow in March. Ageratum Imperial Dwarf, Lobelia 

 speciosa, Petunia bybrida, Phloi Drummondi vara., Senecio elegans, double 

 vara, crimson, red, and white; Tagetes aignata pumila. Verbena hybrids, 

 scarlet. These as well aa Ten-week Stock, German Asters, Dwarf French 

 Moi-igold, and Uelichrysums, which may he sown when the othora ore up, or 

 early in April. When large enough to handle they should boprieked-off about 

 an inch apart and growu-ou in the frame, hardening well ofi before planting 

 out. The height and colour you may see in any catalogue. Golden Feather 

 Pyrethrura treated iu the same way will make nice plants by May, and so will 

 Stellaria graminea aurea if you can procure seed. 



Roses (West Coast of 2reland).~We should not have more than fifty 

 standard plants, and these we should dispose alongside of the walks, or posi- 

 tions where they may be readily examined. Dwarfs on tlie Mauetti we should 

 have for tho bed, and smaller beds to suit your taste. We could not, however, 

 advieo you as to arrangement, but an oblong bed would answer, as also any 

 f.irm not very broad. The following are the best iu their classes r—St/^jici 

 Piritclual—AUred Colorab, Senateur Vaisse, Coratesse d'Oxford, Of'oeral Jac- 

 queminot, Charles Lefeb\Te, Fiaber Holmes, Charles Verdier, John Hopper, 

 Baroness Rothschild, La France, Mdlle. Eugtnie Verdier, Caroline de Sausal. 

 Perpetual Moss— Mis. W. Paul, Salet. Bourbon — Baronne Gonella, Sir 

 Joseph Paston. Noisettes require a wall. CViifia— Clara Sylvain, Cramoise 

 Supeneure, Louis Philippe, Mra. Bosanquet. Teu'Scented^Ghnte de Dijou. 

 We should have principully Hybrid Perpbtual-'. Raise rather than Inwer the 

 beds. The suil would huit Rhododendrons aud Azaleas. Manure and trench 

 deeply for the Roses. Rivers's "Ruse Amateur's Guide," to be had tlirough 

 bunkseller. 



D'Arcy Pippin (J. B.). — We recognised the specimens you sent. The Apple 

 is usually called the Baddow Pippin. A gentleman to whom tho specimous 

 were shown writes, " I remember being shown the Apple manv yeora ago at 

 Tolshunt D'Arcy, in Essex, by a tall perpendicular surgeon residing thirre." 

 Grafts may have been taken to Baddow, and from thence have come into the 

 possession of the Harrises, nurserymen at Broomfield, "all three of whom, 

 John, WUliam, aud Luke, I remember at school ia Chelmsford," adda the 



