Febmary 24, 1876. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



167 



CuTTiNG-nACK Crdton variegatum (W. R.).--lt will, if cat hard-in, 

 break freely if encoura'^ed to do so by a moist atmospbere and brink heat, 

 pprinklinK overhoai frecinoutly, but watering spiirintrly .at the root. Tho 

 l)lant for II fow weeks (lliroe or four) should be kei)t rather dry, aud when it 

 bas brokon aud made shoots ;J inches long rcpnt. reducing the ball, aud water 

 very carefully uutil the ruotn are working freely in the fresh Buil, imd shading 

 for a time until established. 



FoRciNQ HoDSES ON WATERY GROUND (Subscrtbcr). — You may, by con- 

 creting the bottom of the borders and laying the foundation of the walls in 

 concrete, erect forcing Iiuubgb, " suppoeiug that tho water were to rino through 

 a bod of gravel M feet thick to within !i feet of the surface of tho ground," 

 but you must prevent its inundating the fruit borders. We should have the 

 borders entirely above the ground level, which will take you further from the 

 danger of an iuundiitiou ; and to make sure of the roots not getting into tlie 

 ■watery bottom wo should lay bricks on the flat on the concrete, and run with 

 Portland cement in a thin mortar state, filling the crevices and covering tho 

 sarface of the bricks. 



Culture of Liliuji AURATmi (E. IFhcckr).— The bulbg you have bought- 

 in should bopottod in light soil with some sand round the toots. You should 

 plange the pots in some light material in a cold frame until the growth is 

 an inch or two long, when the plunging material may be removed. If the 

 plants come in contact with the glass they should be removed to a light airy 

 house. 



Pollen (A. B.).— There is no substitute. On the receipt of seven postage 

 stamps with your address the book you mention will be sent post free. 



Culture of Lapaqeria rosea {Mrs. C. IF.).— This and the white kind 

 would succeed admirably in the cool conservatory, planting out in a well- 

 drained border composed of fibrous peat, watering very abundantly during 

 growth, and at all times keeping the soil wet, though less water will be 

 required when the plant is not growing than when at rest. Do not cut the 

 plant down, but allow all the shoots to remain until they die, then remove 

 them. 



Tuberose Culture (Iifc;»).--Pot the bulbs singly in 5-inch pots in torfy 

 loam with a fourth part of well-decayed manure, aud so as to cover the roots 

 to the apei, plunging the pots in a hotbed of about 70'' to 75", removing all 

 offsets before potting, and not watering until growth is somewhat advanced, 

 tho roots being in possession of the soil; then water moderately at first, in- 

 creasing the supply as the plants advance in growth, shifting into 7-inch pots 

 when the 5-inch are filled with roots, removing to a stove or other house 

 where there is a good temperature, keeping well syringed, and apply liquid 

 manure two or three times a-week after the plants have the flower stems 

 rising. When blooming they may be removed to a greenhouse. 



Phopaoating Verbenas (E.M.P.). — They are best propagated by cuttings 

 of the young shoots having two joints and the growing points, cutting trans- 

 versely below the lowest joint, removing the leaves from it, and inserting in 

 light sandy soil up to the second joint about an inch apart, aud placing iu a 

 hotbed, keeping moist and shaded from bright sun. Plants from seed may 

 be had by sowing in a hotbed and growing-on (in heat, hardening-off before 

 plantiog-out, but they have neither bo good flowers nor flower so freely or 

 early as plants from cuttings. 



Helleborus NIGER AFTER FLOWERING IN PoTS (Idftn). — Hardon-off, 

 and plant out on an east border or in partial shade ingjod rich light soil, and 

 water freely in dry weather. 



Cucumbers— Rough Glass (J. P.). — In glazing the rough side is usually 

 placed outwards. We have grown excellent Cucumbers iu frames similar to 

 those you mention, not raiding the plants too early in the season. For 

 summer culture the rough glass affords useful shade, but in the early spring 

 it scarcely admits sufficient light to the young plants ; hence we do not advise 

 you to sow the seeds until March, or, which is perferable, to raise the seed- 

 lings under clear glass. 



Culture of Green Climbing Melon (H. B. B.). — We have no experi- 

 ence of the kind you send us an en^^raving of, and can add nothing to that 

 given in the enclosed descriptive notes which accompany the woodcut, which 

 we make out to be that of the ornamental Gourds. Seed to be sown in April in 

 a hotbed, the plants to be potted off and grown-on in gentle heat, hardening well 

 off before planting-out in May or early June on a ridge as for Vegetable 

 Morrows, protecting with a handglass until the plants are established, with 

 the difference only of the shoots being trained to a trellis instead of allowed 

 to run along the ground. A warm situation should bs chosen, and sheltered 

 from winds, watering abundantly in dry weather. 



Climber for North-west Wall (F. A. B.). — The fas test- growing 

 climber we know and suitable for the aspect is Clematis vitalba (Traveller's 

 Joy). As you do not desire Virginian Creeper, there are no other plants so 

 suitable as Ivy, which in the green and variegated kinds succeed admirably. 



CucufiEBER FOR Frame CULTURE (St. riHfc/iO.— Tender and True is the 

 finest of aU Cucumbers, and does remarkably well in a frame over a dung 

 hotbed, attaining to a large size, aud is very proUfic, If you require a small 

 fruit, then Duke of Edinburgh (Munro's) would suit you, being very prolific, 

 handsome, and good, but only half the length of Tender and True. The 

 other kind named by you is also good. 



Little Heath Melon {Id^m). — It succeeds in a frame with a little heat 

 at starting, and by giving air moderately and closing early the fruit ripens 

 perfectly without further artificial heat. We do not consider tho Achapesno- 

 richer Melon need be grown if you have Little Heath, though in a warm 

 season and situation it, as a ridge kind, affords fine fairly-flavoured fruit. 



Taking off Scions — Heading Stocks {T. V.). — Take the scions now or 

 before they begiu swelling the buds, and lay them in damp soil in a shady 

 position ; and the stocks if large should be cut back at once to within a short 

 distance of where they are to be grafted. 



Pruning Clematis Jackmannu (A. J.).— Cut-back to firm ripe wood, and 

 so as to originate shoots from the base for covering the wall. If you have 

 a largo extent of space to cover it may be effected by bringing the shoots 

 down and training them horizontally, or where they may be required. 



Propagating Euonvmcs {Id/nn). — Take cuttings of the half-ripened phoots 

 in July or early August, and insert in sandy soil either in pots or in a border 

 surfacing with an inch of silver sand, and cover with a frame or handglass. 

 Keep moist and shaded from bright sun ; or the half-ripened shoots strike 

 freely iu gentle heat in moist soil and shaded. 



Camellia Flowers Dropping (T. J. H.). — The flowers drop ro soon as 

 expanded from overcropping — a deficiency of root-action, which may be pre- 

 vented by jndicious thinning when the buds are set. Never before have we 

 seen Camellias so floiifeious or so fine as they are this season. Top-dress, if 



you do not repot, with a compost of equal parts of very fibrous light loam 

 and dried cow dung. The roots come up into that and aro much invigorated, 

 aw is manifested by tho vigour of tho plants and healthy foliage. Remove 

 the surface not occupied with roots, and apply tho freah soil about an inch 

 thick if it can be done without reducing too much the water-holding space. 

 Wo caunot name florists' varieties, they are too much alike. 



liosES — Sf.i.bction and Soil (J. L. Thornton).— Ifit. As to tho listof Roses, 

 we should strongly iLilvine you to reject tho following:- Aimce Vibert, Auna 

 de Dioabach, Augusto Mio, Baron Chauraud. Kmpereur de Maroc, Miss Ingram ; 

 aud though Baron Gonella, L^rd Clyde, M. JoHophiue Guyet, Miidame Rivers, 

 and Queen Victoria are good, yet there are better. We should advino you 

 to procure Alfred Cohunb, Charles LafoUvre, Marie Baumaun, La France, 

 M. la Baronuo de Rothschild, Dr. Andry, Marguerite de St. Amand, Abel Graud, 

 Marquise do Castellauo, Ci>mt6HBe d'Oxford, John Hopper, Kmilie Hausbnrg, 

 Louis Van Houtto and Aunie Wood. We seo we have named fourteen sorts here, 

 and only discarded nine, and if yon only want twenty-four you will have to 

 omit some others from your list if you adopt those we recommend; and, if so, 

 have only one Man-chal Niel, and omit Beauty of Waltham. Jaune Desprez, 

 Madame Falcot, and Narcissi, which, tliough a glorious yellow when it suc- 

 ceeds, is at the best but uncertain. In your situation all the Roses will be 

 perfectly hardy. Dig your beds out deep ; beware of shallow beds on the 

 top of a mountain limestone, and obtain some alluvial soil, if you possibly 

 can, from any of the low-lying ground between Ulverston and the Severn, to 

 mis with the turfy soil; but if you use one-third manure you need not use 

 one-third leaf soil as well. You do not want too much carbonaceous soil to 

 start with. The soil on the aides of theroad'i between Pilningand Tockington 

 will make a first-rate addition to your Rose compost if you can procure any, 

 (The writer knows the district well). For your soil and situation have tho 

 Roses on Manetti stocks, aud not on Briars. 



Salt for Mangold Wurtzel (Buckinghamshire). — Twenty bushels per 

 acre, sown over the surface before the last ploughing. 



Weeds on Paths {Clapiiam). — A saturated solution of common salt ap" 

 plied at a boiling temperature is the most effective destroyer of the weeds. If 

 you apply salt thickly over the walks, that will also kill them, but 70U must 

 not let it touch the Box or other edging. 



Weedy Lawn (M. D.).— We have no experience of the effects of the sub- 

 stance you name. 



Culture of Erythrina ruberrima {E. G. T.).— Thes hoots of last year 

 will have been cut-back to the eyes at their base. Early in March the buds 

 will begin to swell, when the plants should be turned out of the pots, and remov- 

 ing all or most of the old soil return them to tho same size of pot, employing 

 a compost of sandy fibroas loam and sandy peat in equal parts, and a third of 

 leaf soil, old cow dung, and silver sand, afforuing good drainage. Place them 

 in a house where there is moderate heat, as that of a vinery or pit, and they 

 will soon start freely, and should have a position near the glass, free ventila- 

 tion, and be freely syringed. After May they do best in a cold pit, kept rather 

 close, and early closed, so as to have a!good heat. If you could give the plants 

 after potting the benefit of a hotbed for about three weeks, so as to have the 

 roots active before the tops are excited, aU the better. Shift the plants into 

 larger pots as required, watering with weak liquid manure after the flowers 

 show. 



Sowing Aucuba Berries (J, H.).— When the berries are ripe sow them in 

 pots or pans in loam with a little peat, covering them about three-quarters of 

 an inch deep, and keep moist, placing in a light airy position in a greenhouse 

 or pit. The outer skin may be removed before sowing, but this is not im- 

 portant. They must not be divided, as from one berry you will only have one 

 seed and plant. The plants will appear iu the early part of next spring, the 

 seeds commencing to vegetate in autumn. We do not think you will succeed 

 in obtaining male plants flowering simultaneously with the females, the former 

 jU all the varieties preceding the latter. 



Hollyhocks {A.). — Black Douglas, black ; Andrew Goodfellow, dark 

 crimson; Mrs. Downie Improved, orange; Countess of Craven, rose; and 

 Empress Eugenie, French white. 



Forming Vine Border [Amateur). — We should excavate at least another 

 foot, and upon the red sand concrete place inches to a foot of drainage, 

 which will leave you Sfeet in depth for the border, it having proper drains and 

 outlets. The sandstone rock ■ will be available for drainage. We should 

 have liked your border better had you arranged to have part outside, by 

 operiings in the front wall admitting the roots to a properly- prepared outsidet 

 border. It will answer to make the border piece by piece as the Vines 

 advance. The kinds you have selected — viz , Muscat of Alexandria, Alicante, 

 Gros Colman. and Lady Downe's are excellent for cutting in December 

 January, and February. 



Remaking Vine Border (Subscriber), — It would be better to have the 

 border partly inside and part outside, so much of the former as to admit of 

 the Vines being planted inside; but you will certainly have a difficulty with 

 the flue, which must bo in the front or near to it— not more than 3 feet from 

 the front wall. The difficulty might easily be overL-ome by heating with hot- 

 water pipes. Black Hamburgh and Muscat of Alexandria are respectively the 

 best black and white Grapes for general purposes. Other good kinds are 

 Buckland Sweetwater, Golden Hamburgh, and Waltham Cross, all white. 

 Black— B\a.ck Prince, Madresfleld Court, and Venn's Black Muscat. If you 

 want late-hanging kinds, the best are Alicante, Lady Downe's, Gros Guillaumo 

 (Baibarossa), and Gros Colmau, ail black; and Calabriau Kaisin, Trebbiano, 

 and Syrian, white. 



Peaches and Nectarines for House (I(lem).~Yo\i wish a few only. 

 The very best are, of Peaches — Crawford's Early, +Dr. Hogg, Grosse Mignonne, 

 ^Noblesse, Bellegarde, Barrington, and *Stu:ling Castle. iVeciari/ies— *Lord 

 Napier, Albert Victor, *EIruge, and Violet Hative. Those marked with au 

 asterisk will suit if you ouly desire a few trees. 



Pruning Peach Trees (A Constant Reader). — The bearing shoots should 

 be cat back to 8 or inches, depending, in a measure, on there being at that 

 length of wood a wood bud to which the shoot must be shortened, in no case 

 cutting back to a bloom bud, it being important that every shoot have at its 

 extremity a wood hud. Usually it is safe to cut to a triple bud, having two 

 side plump round buds, aud a smaller- pointed one iu the centre of those, 

 which is a wood bud. If no wood buds are present except at the base aud the 

 extremity of the shoots, such shoots must be left their full length, it being 

 important that the fruit have leaves upon the same shoot beyond it. The 

 short spur- like shoots should not be shortened. 



Shrubs for a Field (A Subscriber).— At the back of the flowering shrubs 

 we presume you have other evergreens, and taller than the flowering shrubs 

 will be when fully grown, but as you mention shelter we greatly doubt if such 



