Docember 31, 1871. 1 



JOURNAL OP HORTICOLTDRE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



595 



One of the moat nsefal floweriug plants at the present time is 

 the Cineraria. Green fly is very fond of feeding on the juices of 

 the leaves, and thrips does not disdain to attack it. The best 

 way to get rid of either is by fumigatinj; the house. ^ We started 

 to grow a named collection of them, and for exhibition purposes 

 it is quite necessary that the very best sorts should he cultivated. 

 Those who grow to decorate the greenhouse and conservatory, 

 or to furnish a few cut flowers, will go in for seedlings. For 

 early flowering it is best to sow the seeds about the first week 

 in May ; and it may not be amiss to remark here, that as far as 

 regards dates our friends in the north would do well to be two 

 weeks at least earlier than us ; the system of culture ought also 

 to be slightly different. The sun is not so powerful away north. 

 We have grown Cinerarias splendidly in frames facing south 

 when in Scotland. In the neighbourhood of London this will 

 not do ; the back of the frame must be turned south. Even under 

 this treatment a little shade is desirable. Loam and leaf mould 

 in equal proportions is the best compost in which to sow the 

 seeds, just covering them over with the finer portion of it. 

 When the seedling plants are large enough to handle they ought 

 to be pricked out singly in small pots, using the same compost; 

 in a few weeks the plants will require to be repotted, using this 

 time two-thirds turfy loam, one-third leaf mould, and a little 

 rotted manure in addition, with silver sand if that is necessary. 

 The most useful sizes of pots to flower them in are 5, 6, and 

 8-inch inside diameter, they are called with us iS's, 32's, and 

 24's. No stick? are required to support the flowers, but all 

 through the growing season keep the plants as close to the glass 

 as possible, allow them abundance of light and air, but shade 

 from scorching sun. Calceolarias succeed them in flowering, 

 and are also valuable. The same treatment is necessary, but the 

 seedlings are more tender, and the seeds should be but slightly 

 covered with fine sand ; it is also quite necessary to support the 

 flower stalks with neat sticks. 



Picking the withered leaves from Azaleas, and training some 

 of them that had not been done previously. The main collection 

 of Azaleas is now at rest, and the house is kept as cool as possible. 

 We do not observe any traces of thrips now, but a few were 

 observed on the plants in the summer ; it will therefore be best 

 to give a thorod^h fumigating with tobacco smoke before any 

 plants are taken into the conservatory from the forcing houses. 

 The tender growths that have been nurtured in a high tempe- 

 rature will not stand as much smoke as will kill thrips. Before 

 watering an Azalea plant, or indeed any New Holland specimens, 

 they ought to be dry, and yet overdryness is as great an evil as 

 too much water. An experienced cultivator can tell by striking 

 the pot with his knuckles : at any rate, the pots must be watered 

 before the soil is dust-dry, and give enough to thoroughly soak 

 the ball of roots. If the water rushes through the holes in the 

 bottom of the pot suddenly and in quantity, it is probably because 

 the mould has shrunk from the sides through becoming too dry. 

 If this is the case a rammer should be used to press the ball 

 firmly into the pot again, and it may even be necessary to soak 

 it in a tank or tub of water. 



We do not force large quantities of flowers for the greenhouse, 

 but have placed some pois of Boses in the early vineries, and 

 have introduced a few Hyacinths and other Dutch roots into 

 heat. Those who require quantities must now introduce Spirsa 

 japonica, Lily of the VaUey, Hyacinths, Tulips, Polyanthus Nar- 

 cisaas, Deutzia gracilis, and Dielytra spectabilis. The heat 

 most not be more than -15" or 50^ at first. 



FORCING HOUSES, 



The early vinery is starting strongly, and we have discon- 

 tinued syringing. The only time we use the syringe on our 

 Vines is when the house is first started, and this is done with a 

 view to cause the buds to break evenly and strongly. When 

 this has been accomplished the syringe does more harm than 



tood, especially at midwinter; in April and May it would be 

 ifferent. Strawberry plants in pots that are starting have been 

 removed from a house where they have 50^ at night to one of 

 from 55' to 00', a fresh batch having been removed into the 

 place of them. We do not allow any of the plants to suffer for 

 want of water at the roots. — J. Douglas. 



TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 

 Carter's Seed Order for 1875. ^High Holborn, London. 

 Vick's Floral Guide for 1875. — Rochester, New York, U.S. 

 Seed, List. — Otto Putz, Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury. 



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 eo subjects them to un- 

 jastifiable troable and expense. 



Correspondents should not mix np 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. 



Book os Beddinq {A Constant Reader).— Oar book on " Garden Plans 

 and Bordare" is now preparing Jor a new edition. It itiU treat inUy on 

 bedding. 



Tetkatheca vbbticillata (I. L. >?.).— This Is the same as Tremandra 

 verticiHata. , 



Primcla sisensis Grcb-eates (OariUner W. H. P.).— The grab eating 

 yonr Primulas jast below the boU's Borface is the larva of the Daddy-long- 

 legs, Tipala oleraoea, and the grub is called the Leather-jacket. This plague 

 occurs frequently. 



TlLiANDsiA LisDESl.— " It jour corrcipondent , ' W. C.,' will turn to 

 'Floral Magazine,' plate 44, new Beries, he will there see a figure o( TiUaudsia 

 Lindeni with two flower spiies, both lateral. This plant was eihibited at 

 the Rojal Horticultural Society in 1872 by Messrs. Veitoh & Sons, and ob- 

 tained a first-class certificate. — W. G. S." 



Eaeit PHom^cE (C. IF.).— If you put your questions so that they can be 

 understood we will be pleased to answer them. First, what do you propose 

 to TOW in the long epan-roofed house ? Ton would get the best return from 

 Grapes ripe in May and June in the earliest bouse, and late Grapes, Alicante 

 and Lady Downe's in January, February, and March. In the early houses 

 you would require six rows cf 4-iBCh pipe, and a lean-to or halt-span wotUd 

 be better tlian the span-root. Four rows of piping would be euflicient in the 

 late house. Bottom heat is unnecessary. The market is not likely to be 

 overstocked with good Grapes. Wiite again it we have nusunderstood you. 



Lobelias to Bloom theodgh Scmmeb (R. A. P.).— Plants from seed 

 would be most enduring in your light soil, and to maintam them m good 

 condition the ground should be liberally dressed with rotten manure, and 

 copious waterings given in dry weather. There is no better kind than Lobelia 

 Bpeoiosa, taking care to have seed of a good strain ; and a white variety, a 

 companion for it, ie White Perfection. L. pumila grandiflora requires good 

 rich sou, and is only snitable lor caipet-bedding. The seed should be sown 

 about the middle of March in a hotbei, and the plants when large enough to 

 handle pricked-out about an inch apart, growmg-on in gentle heat, and 

 hardening well oft before planting-out. It is not necessary to sow lor a 

 succession. 



Fees I.wested with Issects (J. H. S.).— We cannot find any small scale 

 nor traces of any, but there are abundant evidence of thrips having been 

 actively at work upon the frond, the remedy for which is to fumigate with 

 tobacco, taking care not to apply it too powerfully, or there will be a danger 

 of some kinds of Ferns bemg injured— as the tender growths of Adiantums. 



Pipiso Requised to Heat a Stove (iJuil.— Your house will contain 

 2-2 41 cubic feet of air, and to heat this to 60 in all weathers you will need 

 (the mean temperature of the external air being taken at 32 ), 232 feet of 

 heated surface or that extent of 4-inch piping, the temperature of the pipes 

 being 166° to 180= ; but if you do not wish to have more piping than is 

 absofutely required, you may employ 176 feet of 4-iuch pipes. By the former 

 you will have four rows of pipes all round the house, and by the other four 

 rows along two sides and one eud- 



Plantixq Espaliee Apples asd Wall Pears IB. IT.).- The Apples 

 should be 21 feet apart, as the espalier rails are only l"-:; feet high. The Pear 

 trees on the OJ-feet wall ought not to ba nearer to each other than 24 feet. 



Kain Gauge (G. S. X.).— Tyas's '■Companion to ths Weather Glass," price 

 Is. Pubhshed by Bemrose, London and Derby. 



Names of Plants ( fT. Lomas).—The flowers are Chrysanthemums. We 

 cannot name florist's varieties. 



POULTSY, BEE, AM) PIGEON OKROKLOLE. 



BANTAMS PAST AND PRESENT.— No. 1. 



Wht it is that we, as a rule, prefer the dwarf to the giant I 

 know not. I only know that it is so. Some few years since 

 there arrived in England about the same time the Chinese 

 giant " Chang," and a gigantic Frenchman, name forgotten. 

 The Chinese, because of his dress and because a dwarf accom- 

 panied him, did very well ; the poor taU Frenchman being alone 

 remained alone, none crowded to see him. Captain Bates, of 

 huge stature, had the two-headed Nightingale beside him, and 

 many more cared to see the poor dwarfish girls than the huge 

 American. But to no giant, however accompanied, rushed such 

 numbers as crushed and crowded-in to see the four little dwarfs, 

 General and Mrs. Tom Thumb, Commodore Nutt, and Miss 

 Minnie Warren. They made their fortunes, and pretty fast too. 

 More than that, how they were "darhnged" and " deared " by 

 ladies of all ages ! Why all this is I know not, but it is so. 



This rule of preferring small to large holds good in regard to 

 pets ; indeed, petland is a kind of fairy land whose inhabitants 

 must be smaD. Thus among dogs, the pug, not the mastifi, is 

 the pet ; the Maltese not the Newfoundland. Go among the 

 Pigeons at a show, the ladies crowd around the Jacobins not 

 the Runts. And when the ducks (the big-chignoned^I mean), go 

 among their namesakes, it is the httle Black East Indians that 

 they admire, not the big Rouens. And as to the poultry, who 

 ever saw a lady look at a tall Malay save with a shudder ? No, 

 she soon walked away from that gawky giant and went to the 

 — Bantams. 



Now, if thirty-five years ago or so a child had said to another, 

 " Come and Eee my Bantams," they would in all probability 



