190 



JOUKNAL OF HORTICULTUKE AND CaXTAGa GAEDENEa. 



t February 2G, IdU. 



Btances it is difficult to discrimiiiato any one species of a numerous prenus. 

 "We therefore ask those who wish us to name plants to send their specimens 

 in a small bos ; the postage is either nothing extra or trivially increased. We 

 have just received speeimcna of rai-e Orchids literally smashed by the post- 

 office punches, so as to be totally unidentifiable. 



Poisoning Mice (W. C).— We do not know the process of praparing 

 poisoned wheat for destroying mice, nor have we found the poisoned wheat 

 EO readily taken by mice as ordinary rat poison, which may be had of any 

 chemist. We melt some lard and with oatmeal form a kind of di-y paste, 

 •which we place in their haunts for two or three nights ; afterwards we mix 

 poison with lard and oatmeal prepared in the same way, and place it in their 

 haunts, taking care that no domestic animal can partake of it. The mice 

 ■will usually take the poison, but rats are more fastidious, and are best enticed 

 for a few nights prior to placing the poison. Both rats and mice are more 

 ■effectually poisoned by feeding them for a few nights before putting down the 

 P'lison. 



Tomatoes in Cucumber House (C S.). — The temperature of a Cucumber 

 iiouBO is not too warm for Tomatoes, and the seed-leaves falling prematurely 

 18 rather to be attributed to dryness than to the raoistuie of the house ; but 

 •we should say it had resulted from a sudden check the plants bad received. 

 The plants do well trained to the back wall and on the roof. It is not ad- 

 visable to syringe Cucumbers when the house is shut-up for the day while the 

 Bun is full on them ; but the house, floors, walls, and other eurfacea should 

 then be sprinkled with water of the temperature of the house. 



Vine Border Covering {T. Goldsmith). —The border having been covered 

 tip since November will be dry — too dry. We should therefore remove the 

 covering, thoroughly moisten the border with water at GO', and then put on the 

 fresh horse throppinfrs you have, and tread them firm. IE they are bo thick as 

 to raif^e a gentle heat all the better. Cover-up with the boards, and they need 

 not be removed until April, when you may again water, and this time with 

 water at 70' , and on the droppings, so that nourishment will be caa-ried down 

 to the roots. We should put on the boards for at least another month, aijaiu 

 remove and water, and oveiy fine day remove the covering, replacing it at 

 iiif,'ht and when heavy rains prevail. Eomove it by degrees, so as to entirely 

 dispense with it in June. 



Potatoes for Stiff Soil (Zti^m).— Myatt's Ashleaf for early, Dalmaboy 

 for second, and Walker's Regent for main crop. You will require about a 

 buphol of Myatt's Ashleaf, two of Dalmahoy, and four of Walker's Regent, but 

 much depends on the size of the sets, and wo may not have hit your demands 

 for early supply, but you can remedy that by altering the quantity to suit your 

 needs. 



Amaryllis and Lilium from Seed (W. N. C. H.).— The cause of the 

 Beed failing is, no doubt, your having kept it too long out of the ground. 

 The seed should be sown as soon as it is ripe, or be kept in silver sand until 

 spring, and sown (the earlier the better), in pots or pans filled to within about 

 half an inch of the rim with a compost of fibrous loam, peat, and leaf soil in 

 er]ual proportions, with a sixth of silver sand, draining efficiently, and having 

 the surface fine and even. Scatter the seeds evenly, and cover with fine soil 

 to a depth equal to the diameter of the seeds, and place in a hotbed or house 

 ■with a temperature of 65= to 75^ and keep moist. When the Liliums oi-e up 

 keep them near the glass, by degrees harden them off and remove to a 

 frreonbouse, and by autumn they will have formed small bulbs, and may be 

 potted-off singly. The Amaiyllis should he continued and grown-on in beat, 

 not drying them off in winter, but keeping them moist, yet not so moist as 

 when in growth, and pot-oS singly when they are growing freely ; encourage 

 growth by a moist atmosphere and brisk bottom heat. In about three years 

 they may be had in a flowering state. 



Epaorises and Ericas after Flowering (Inquirer).— In a cold green- 

 liouse Epacrises should flower in February, but wo think by a cold greenbouso 

 you mean one from which frost is excluded, and in such tbey may flower 

 Bomewbat earlier. After flowering they should be cut-in to within about an 

 inch of the old wood, and the Ericas, if of the winter- flowering kindu, should 

 be trinimed-in so as tofoim compact plants, hut leaving some small shoots; 

 in fact, merely cut-in the long straggling growths. Water moderately, but 

 encourage giowth by a tolerably close and moist atmosphere, and if the 

 plants need potting it should be done when the young shoots are about an 

 inch long, merely loosening the sides of the ball, draining the pots well, and 

 keeping the neck or coUar of the plants high in the centre of the pots. Shade 

 from bright sun for a few days after potting, and after that admit air and 

 light, of which these plants can hartUy have too much. Water only when 

 the soil becomes dry, but before the plants flag, then give a thorough supply. 

 Sandy peat soil is the only suitable compost. The Camellias should be 

 repotted, removing any old soil coming away freely from the roots, which 

 must not be injured. Use a compost of the top inch of a pasture or common 

 where the soil is light and sandy, and turf tom-up rather fine but not sifted. 

 Pot very firmly, and finish-off with the finer portions of the compost. Tho 

 neck of the plants should be level with the rims of the pots, and tho soil 

 shoulfl fall towards the rim so as to leave space for water. Water abundantly 

 when the plants are growing, and at all times keep the soil moist, avoiding, 

 however, making it sodden by needless watering. In hot and bright weather 

 Camellias are the bettor of a slight shade. 



Peacfi Culture (A New Bcflinncr). — The stoning period is when tho 

 Peach has attained to about hajf its size, and the shell of the seed is forming. 

 The " Fruit Manual," price 4rf., and Pearson's " Orchard House," price Is, 6(1., 

 ■would suit you. Tbey can be had by post from our office. 



Heating Vineries (Cosmos). — The "large vinery" planted throughout 

 ■with late varieties, 150 feet long, 21 feet wide, and 15 feet of rafter, wrll be 

 efficiently heated by two rows up both sides of the house and across one end ; 

 and you should not have less, as it is not good for the Vines to heat the pipes 

 highly, and this is a waste of fuel. There is no gi-eater mistake than a 

 Bmall quantity of piping, which to maintain the required temperature requires 

 to be made vei*y hot. The pipes, we presume, are to be level, and 'J inches to 

 a fout clear of the border. We should arrange to have the valves all on the 

 side of the bouse next the boiler, and directly the pipes enter the houses, and 

 on the ruain flow and return pipe, in each case so as to completely shut off 

 the water: thus you will only need two valves for each tlivision. The main 

 flow should in this case be branched as soon as it enters tho house, as also 

 must the return pipes ; and after they divide you can put in the valves, and 

 you will thereby bo able to heat one house or the other separately or together 

 as wished, and without any piping being needlessly heated, as would be tho 

 case woro you to have the valves on the opposite side of the house to where 

 the water enters tho house, and as your sketch indicates. In other respects 

 the heating proposed is satisfactory. The other vinery in three divisions will 

 be best heated by 4-inch pipes (unless you wish to save fuel, when a less dia- 



meter of pipe with tho same heating surface would he better), as the Ham< 

 burgh house will be forced, and the Muscat house requires a good heat. The 

 Lady Downe's house ought also to have four rows of piping, as the Vines re- 

 quire strong beat, and we should heat somewhat differently from what you show. 

 We would branch from the main, directly entering the Muscat house, for the 

 Hamburgh house, and have valves on both the flow and return pipes for that 

 house, branching in the Hamburgh house as you show. We should not take 

 the pipes across the end of the Muscat house where the pipes enter, nor 

 across that end at all, but turn to tho right and take the pipe up that side to 

 the top, and continue it into the other house (Lady Downe's), but with an 

 elbow at the end of the Muscat house, and continue across the end and up 

 the other side, and thence return by the name route or alongside the flow pipe 

 by a return to the place whence the main flow branched or divided; and there 

 an elbow or branch must be introduced to take the return pipe from the Lady 

 Downe's house, and thence alongside the flow back to the boiler. Continue 

 the flow round the Lady Downe's house, and take a return alongside as in the 

 Muscat house, omitting in both cases tho end where the water enters. Ton 

 will need a valve on the flow and return of Lady Downe's house, and on the flow 

 and return of the Mut;cat house where it crosses tho end. so that you can reduce 

 the heat in the Muscat house to a minimum when the Lady Do^vne's bouse 

 is to be heated and not the Muscat house ; and you can have a valve on the 

 flow and retm'n pipes of the Muscat house directly on leaving the main, by 

 which you can keep both the Muscat and Lady Downe's houses cool when the 

 Hamburgh house is being forced. By the valves you can regulatethe heafc 

 to a nicety, but have good screw valves of the beat make. Our boiler's flow 

 pipes have 1 foot 6 inches rise direct from the boiler, but a foot is as good as 

 a yard. It makes no difference to the cii-culation of the water ; but we advise 

 you to make the water flow tho revers^ way to the general principle — let th« 

 pipes bo all flows, and, when the pipes fall, fall at once directly to the return 

 pipe of each house, and the main return direct to the bottom of the boiler. 

 This gives an impetus to the circulation, and better circulation with more 

 uniformity of heat throughout the pipes. Three-inch pipes will certainly 

 give you the heat you need, but you will at times require to heat the pipes 

 more than is good for the Vines; therefore we advise a large amount of piping 

 in preforence to a small amount and hot, both for economy in fuel and for 

 successful culture. We would further state, that fuel beint^ a great consider- 

 ation, we should seek to reduce its consumption, and therefore have to point 

 out that were you to use 4-inch pipes only for the main flows and returns, 

 and heat the houses with 2-inch instead of 4-incb piping, having four 2-inch 

 instead of two 4-inch, you would have the same amount of heated surface ana 

 only half the quantity of water. For instauce, a 4-inch pipe 15 feet long con- 

 tains eight gallons of water ; a 2-inch pipe 15 feet long contains two gallons. 

 In this way you would have a greater first-cost in pipes, but the money would 

 give a good interest in saving fuel by there being only half the quantity of 

 water to heat. 



Tan not Heating (J. H. L.).— The tan is probably old, and as you say 

 " refuse." Very likely it will not heat, for it ought to have done so in the time 

 you name. Part of it may be Larch bark, which is now much used in tanning 

 but is not nearly so good for heating purpostis as Oak ; indeed, some we had 

 has not heated at all. Tho only thing you can mix with it is some fresh tan 

 from the pits. This will, no doubt, cause a gentle heat. 



Pot Vine Pruning {Idem). — If you intend to keep the Vine in the pot 

 and BO fruit it, it should not now be pruned, nor, indeed, if you plant it out ; 

 but you may depress the cane so as to make it break regularly, and as they 

 show rub off tho shoots from the ground to where you want them, leaving 

 two or three for side shoots, and one for a loader to bo trained up the rafter. 

 The cane can be cut back without fear of bleeding when tho Vine has made 

 leaves. If you fruit it this year in the pot leave it at its full length. So 

 long as the wood is not broken the cane will not be the worse of being bent, 

 though if tvristed so as to splinter it will bleed at that part. 



Plants for Crags and Rocky Ground {E. 0. B.).— The foUowing are 

 rock or alpine plants, and will, no doubt, succeed with you if looked over 

 occasionally so as not to bo overgrown by the natural ve>;etation: — Alyssiim 

 paxatile and var. compactum, Ajuga alpina. Anemone apeunina, Antennaria 

 hyperborea, Antin-hinums, Arabis albida, A. alpina, A. beUidifolia, Arenaria 

 vema, Aubrietia deltoidea grandiflora, A. grteca, Campanula gargonica, 

 C. Jamiesoni, Cerastium tomcntosum, Cbeiranthus alpinus, Cistus formosus, 

 C. algarvonsis, C. ladardferus, Cyclamen Coum, C. neapolitanum, C. europjeum, 

 Daphne Cneorum, Draba aizoides, Erinus alpinus, Erythnta aggregata, Genista 

 prostrata, G. triquetra, Gentiaua acanlis, G. vema, Glechoma hoderacea varie- 

 gata, Helianthemum canum, Iberis saxatilis, I. Tenoreana, Lepigonum 

 rnpestre, Linaria alpina, Lithospermum fruticosum, Meconopsis cambrica, 

 Papaver alpinum. Phlox Nelsoni, P. vema, Lotus corniculatus fiore-pleno, 

 Saxifragas afiinis, aizoides, caryophylla, Cymbalaria, longifoha, palmata, 

 oppositifolia, and urabrorfa; Sediim acre, angUcum, kamtschaticum, Ewersii, 

 pallidum, roseum, glaucum; Silone acaulis, Sempt*rvivum arachnoideum, 

 S. cihfornicum, S. globiferum, Statice alpina, and Vincas horhacea, major 

 olcgantissima, minor, and minor plena. 



Alpine STRAwniEKRy Seed (Carohts).— Write to the seedsmen who ad- 

 vertico in our columns. 



Annuals for Cdt Flowers (TT.D.).— We presume you want hardy annuals 

 such as Alyssum maritimum, Asperula azurea setosa, CaUiopsis Burridgii, 

 C. marmoriita nana. Candytuft, crimson, sweet-scented, and AVhite Rocket; 

 Centaurea Cyanus major and minor; Centrantbus macrosiphon, Chrj-santhe- 

 mum Burridgeanum, C. Dunnet ti flore-pleno, Collinsia bartsu'e folia, Erj-simum 

 arkausanum, Gilia tricolor, Godetia roseo-alba, HeUchrysum bractoatum and 

 monstrosuiu in variety; Larkspur, Branching and Rocket; Leptosiphon den- 

 sifiorus and densiflorus albus ; Love-lies-bleeding, Lupine, blue, white, rose, 

 and yellow ; Lupinus nanus, Mignonette. Tom Thumb Troprr-olums, Inrincible 

 Kweet Pea, Double Dwarf Scabious, Scbizopetalon Walkeri, Scuecio elegana, 

 Sweet Sultan, purple, white, and yellow; and Wbitlaviagrandiflora. Collinsia 

 bicnlor may be sown rather thinly in light rich soil— in loam and leaf soil— 

 and placed in a cold frame, and the pUuits thinnod-out to an inch apart, 

 watering as required, and admitting abundance of light and an:. Rhodanthe 

 Manglesii sow in a smaller size of pot, say S-incb, placing about half a dozen 

 seeds in a pot, and using a compost of equal parts of fibrous loam, leaf soil, 

 and sandy peat. Put the pots in a hotbed and near the glass. Shift into 

 G-inch pots, keeping the ball entire, and not covering lower than the seed 

 leaves; water moderately and afford a light airy position in the greenhouse ; 

 or the plant may be tmned out of doors in a sunny exposure in light rich soil, 



Dendeobium hedyosmum Culture (Qlenhrook).— T:\io flowers are greenish 

 white when they first expand ; they afterwards.become almost pure white, and 

 are dnlicately fragrant. This species, like the majority of the Burmese 

 Orchids, requires strong moist heat to grow in, and consequently we fear,- 

 with only a cold greenhouse at your command, you cannot hope to be anc 



