January 8, 1874. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GABDENER. 



41 



it for my principal mid-season crop, sowing it at proper intervals for rapid 

 succession." The accompanyini,' woodcut baa been sent to us by Mobbis. 

 Carter & Co., who introduced the variety. 



Potatoes for Light Soil (E. F.). — You mast bavo grown inferior varie- 

 ties to bavo all " more or less watery." If you cultivate tboso wbicb we 

 recommended at p. 492 of last volume, you will succeed bettor. 



Watson's Lawn Sand {J. K.).— We have not used it, therefore cannot 

 give any evidence. 



Tenant's Trees, Tool House, &c. (Aconitum). — Your predecessor had 

 no ri{,'ht to remove them unless by special agreement with tho landlord. 

 Whatever you plant or erect without such an ajjreement will become the 

 landlord's property. 



ExcLCDiNG Tame R.ujbits (T. fl". S.).— A fence of galvanised wire afoot 

 high, inclined outwards, would probably exclude them from the flower bed. 



List of Fruit Trees (A Novice). — To give the list and the particulara 

 you require would fill a column. Enclose five postage stamps with your 

 address, and order " Fruit-growing for the Many." You will receive it free by 

 post, and it contains all you ask for. 



Violets Out op Doors and in Cold Greenhouse {F. E. S.).— Violets 

 out-doors only require to have the soil enriched with some thoroughly rotten 

 mauuio or leaf soil, choosing a moderately li^ht rather than a stiff and heavy 

 soil, it being well worked anil exposed to tho weather the winter before plant- 

 ing, which should be done in April, or early in May, in moist weather, putting- 

 in rooted runners or suckers in rows a foot apart, and that distance apart 

 in the rows. For the convenience of attending to the plants every fifth row 

 may be left out, which will leave an alley between every four rows of plants. 

 The plants should bo well watered at planting, and afterwards during ih^ 

 weather. The ground should be frequently stirred about the plants with a 

 boe, tlie beds kept clear of weeds and the plants of runners, and in autumn 

 they ehould have a mulching between the rows of partially-decayed leaves or 

 other material, taking care not to cover-up any flower buds. The mulching 

 should not exceed an inch in thickness. The best position is an east or other 

 border shaded from the hot midday sun. For pots, we think them best 

 potted in September, taking-np the plants with nice balls, and potting in 

 ti-inch or 7-inch pots, in fibrous loam two parts, and a third of leaf soil, or 

 three parts loam to one of thoroughly decomposed manure. Place them in a 

 cold frame, and shade from bright sun for a few dayp, and then remove to a 

 light airy position in the greenhouse, taking off decayed leaves as they occur, 

 and keeping duly supplied with water, but avoid making tho soil sodden by 

 frequent needless waterings ; better dryness than this, especially in moist 

 weather. 



Planting Pampas Grass (Idem). — Keep the plants in the pots in the 

 ^eenhouse, and if a cold one all the better, the pots being protected by a 

 little hay placed over them, if tho weather is so severe as to freeze the soil 

 in the pots. Plant-out in April, making the ground rich and loose by digging, 

 and working-iu some well-rotten manure, leaf soil, or other rich compost, and 

 if heavy add sand or old mortar rubbish so as to lighten it. Water well at 

 planting, and in summer if dry weather prevail. 



CoriNG FOR Fruit Wall {D).— The coping, if you intend it for pro- 

 tection to the blossom, should project 2 feet from the wall. It is best of 

 glass, or wood sashes glazed, supported by iron brackets, tho sashes being 

 about 6 feet long. The drip is injurious, and troughs or gutters should 

 receive the water and convey it clear off to one or both ends. The best angle 

 is probably 45'-. We have an idea of somewhere seeing the sort of thing you 

 want, and it was called " Portable Fruit-tree Crymoboethus," but manu- 

 facturers should advertise. 



Raising Beet, Cineraria maritima, and Pyrethrum Golden Feather 

 (Ttit-hard). — Red Beet for flower-garden decoration should be sown early in 

 April, rather thinly in pans or boxes, or in a warm position out-doorb, placing 

 the plants, if in pans, in a very gentle heat, keeping near the glass, and harden- 

 ing well off. Cineraria maritima seed should be sown in March in a gentle hot- 

 bed, and when the seedlings are large enough to handle they should be pricked- 

 out an inch apart in boxes, and be returned under glass and kept growing 

 for a time, hardening well off before planting-out. The cuttings should be 

 put- in in gentle heat in March. They are vastly superior in colour to plants 

 raised from seed. Pyrethrum Golden Feather seed ehould also be sown early 

 in March in gentle beat, the pans kept near the glass, and when large enough 

 to handle the seedlings should be pricked-off in boxes about an inch apart, re- 

 turned to heat, kept near the glass, and be gradually bardened-off. It will 

 be necessary to shade, keeping rather close and moist for a few days after 

 pricking-out until established, then admit air freely. 



Management of Vinery {C. Percival).— Yon may start your vinery with 

 a minimum of 55' in February. It is not "absolutely necessary" to raise 

 tbe temperature 5'- when the shoots have grown a few inches. A temperature 

 5' or 10'^ higher will be necessary when the Grapes are in flower. The best 

 surface dressing is composed of equal parts loam and rotted manure, a 

 6-inch potful of finely-ground bones being added to each ban-owful. 



Bush Pear Trees for Yorkshtre {A TorA-s/inrfnan). —Doyenne d'Ete, 

 Jargonelle. WiUiams's Bon Chretien, Beurre d'Amanlis, Thompson's, and 

 Knight's Monarch. 



Eucalyptus globulus (hiqmrer, Kenilworih).~'yfritQ to Messrs. Veitch, 

 of Chelsea, Messrs. Rollisson, of Tooting, or to any of the principal seedsmen. 



Heating by Gas {Uninitiated).— V^q shall in an early number describe 

 fully the mode of heating greenhouses with hot water, gas being employed 

 as fuel. 



Peach Trees Casting their Buds {A Constant Reader).— The most 

 likely cause of the buds falling is the imperfect ripening or perfecting of the 

 buds, it being probably retarded by the " good crop " borne last season ; and 

 the roots being in a light gravelly soil, it is likely tbe trees may have suffered 

 from want of water during the growing season. Tbe falling rf the buds is fre- 

 quently a consequence of keeping the trees too dry at the roots when the 

 fruit is ripening and the growth perfecting, also too dry when at rest. It 

 arises from an imperfect formation of the buds and inactive state of the roots, 

 which may be brought about by too dry a soil or atmosphere and attacks of 

 red spider ; but the chief cause is the wood not being thoroughly ripened. 



BouTARDiAS FOR GREENHOUSE {Cambria). — The Bouvardias are grown 

 out-doors in summer, as you would see the treatment of them for that purpose 

 at p^e 4 of our last week's number, also as window plants; and tbe reason 

 you are surprised that in the same number the words occur "Bouvardias ot 

 sorts require a cool stove," from your not being aware that the latter refers 

 to plants grown especially for winter flowering, which to bloom freely at that 

 season require a temperature of 50° to 55= from fire heat, or a warm green- 



house or cool stove. We have B. elegans now in flower in a greenhouse from 

 which frost is only excluded, but tho flowers do not open netirly so well as 

 those in a warmer house. The kinds suitable for a greenhouse are B. elegans, 

 B. floribunda, B. Hogarth, B. splendens, B. Vreelandii, B. lungiflora, and 

 B. Davisoni. A few greenhouBe flowering plants are — Acacia armata, A. longi- 

 flora magnifica, A oleifDfla elegans, Azaleas of sorts, Chorozema cordatum 

 pplendens, Coronilla glauca variegata, Correa Brilliant, Cytisus racemosus, 

 Camellias of sorts, Diosma capitata, Eriostemon buiifolius, Genetyllis 

 fuchsioides, Eutaxia floribunda, Ilibbertia Reedii, Hydrangea japonica,Indigo- 

 fera decora, Kalosantbes coccinea superba, Libonia floribunda, Nerium rubrum 

 plenum, Polygala Dalmaisiana, Vallota purpurea, and Witsenia corymbosa. 

 In our manual, "The Greenhouse," you will find a full list of greenhouse 

 plants with their treatment. It may be had by post from our office for lOd. 



CoTONEASTEB SiMMONDSii SowiNG (.S't'j/bor).— The secds should be sown 

 in tho open ground in light moderately rich soil in March, keeping them in 

 the meantime in layers in sand ; cover them three-quarters of an inch deep 

 with fine soil. Some may come up in the first, but the majority not until 

 the second season. It is not, that we are awoi'e, readily raised from cuttings, 

 but layers root freely ; they may be made from now up to March. Seedling 

 plants, from their better growth, would be preferable for a divisional hedge 

 in gardens. Berberis Darwinii makes a very beautiful hedge or screen of 

 about 4 feet high. It seeds or berries freely with us, but the birds take all of 

 them imless the bushes are netted. Both it and B. Aquifolium, especially 

 the latter, come up freely with us from self or bird-sown seeds. Plants of 

 Cotoneaster Bimmondsii and Berberis Darwinii, 9 inches to 12 inches high, 

 may be had at a cheaper rate per hundred. We do not know where the seed 

 may be obtained. 



Insects (C. 22. H.). — The insects on the leaves of your Clematis in tho 

 conservatory are females of a species of scale insect, which must be got ritl 

 of by careful examination and crushing, or your plants will soon be infested 

 with vast numbers of young. {L. J. A'.). — The minute black objects on the 

 small twigs of your Apple trees are the eggs of a small black bark mite. It 

 would be well to wash the twigs with a stiff mixture of lime and soapsuds. — 

 I. 0. W. 



Names of Fruits (J. Woodliffe). — The Apple sent you as the Gravenstein 

 by the nurseryman you name has no resemblance whatever to that variety. 

 Apple No. 2 is a local Lincolnshire variety, and known by no other name than 

 "Old Man." The Pear is Glou Mon.eau. (PorMrfi'u:^).— Apples quite 

 smashed ; came in a bag, the label bearing the postmark of the above-namecl 

 Irish town. Fruit should be sent in a box. 



Names of Plants [J. W.). — Ruscus aculeatus, or Butcher's Broom. So 

 called popularly because butchers used it to brush flies from their meat. 

 (H. G., Chatham). — Apparently Pimpinella Saxifraga var. dissecta, but it is 

 never safe to name Umbellifenu without fruit. {Mac). — 1, Lycopodimn alpi- 

 num ; 2, Polystichum aculeatiun. 



POULTEY, BEE, AND PIGEON OERONIOLE. 



PROFIT OF POULTKY-KEEPING. 



I WILL give my short experience. I may say we have a good 

 ran, except that X had to keep my whole stock penned-up for 

 two months in the middle of the season, which I consider was a 

 loss of about j£'2. I had stock to buy, which has cost me £i ;. 

 food and eggs for sitting have cost ±7. My receipts have been — 

 eggs, i6 15s.; fowls and Ducks, HI 10s. Manure I put as a set- 

 off against labour. My stock now consists of one Spanish cock 

 and thirteen hens of last year (1873), various breeds, and twelve 

 hens of 1872, seven Ducks, and one drake. We are now getting 

 about four eggs per day from Cochin and Brahma pullets, which 

 we are selling at 2d. each, so that I am disposed to think that, 

 judiciously managed, it is anything but a losing game, aa I have 

 had all sorts of bad luck, losses of chickens by rats, &c. My 

 advice would be, Do not set a hen on more than nine eggs, do not 

 begin to set before March nor set any after April. I will now 

 conclude, wishing you and your many readers a very happy new 

 year. — Spanish Cock. 



HENS AND CHICKENS MUEDEEED. 



In the autumn of last year I was under medical advice, taking 

 Homburg " Blisabethau " water, imported by Messrs. Best, Hen- 

 rietta Street, Cavendish Square. It was in large bottles, packed 

 in a hamper with some of the foreign hay in which, I under- 

 stand on inquiry, Messrs. Best usually receive it from Hom- 

 burg. No bottle was broken; and a few days after the hamper 

 had been unpacked, and the bottles put away — the hamper with 

 the hay remaining in a down-stairs passage — my cook took some 

 of the hay to put, at their bed-time, in the sleeping-place of a 

 healthy Silky hen with a fine brood of healthy chickens just 

 feathered. When she went to attend to them in the morning 

 mother and chicks were all dead. Thinking this an unaccount- 

 able fatality, and not connecting it with the use of the foreign 

 hay which, though coarse, was sweet and dry, some more of the 

 hay out of the hamper was used in the same way, a few days 

 later, for a Game Bantam hen in perfect health, with a healthy 

 brood some three weeks old or more, when the same fatality 

 occurred, mother and chicks (the latter Silkies and White Game 

 Bantams) being found dead in the morning. The hay in the sleeiJ- 

 ing-place and hamper was then, on the impulse of the moment, 

 destroyed, but on mentioning the facts some weeks later Messrs. 

 Best furnished a sample of the Hombvirg packing hay which I 

 enclose. — B. J. N. H. 



[We have given the hay the closest investigation we can with- 



