336 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENEJS. 



[ AprU 23, 1874. 



peating at intervals until the ants are driven away or destroyed. The guano 

 should also be Bpriokled round the stems of the trees. A 8piiaklin<; will 

 suffice to cause the ants to shift, repeatiog the application as it is washed in 

 by rains. 



Pear Trees for PrRAariDS (Reader). — On your soil Pears would succeed 

 on the Qoiuoe stock if plantei on the surface and the roots covered with soil 

 — the uppermost about 3 ioches deep — forming a cone flattened at the top, 

 and tt'p-dressing in surumer with short manure. Suitable varieties are 

 Citron des Carmea, Beurrc- Giffard, Baurre d' Amanlis, Williams's Bon Chretien, 

 Beurre Hardy, Foodaote d'Automne, Comte de Lamy, Louise Bonne of 

 Jersey, StJcLIe, Marie Louise, Thompson's, Beurr'- Diel, Jean de Witte, Zephirio 

 Gre^oire, lierj^jainutte E^peren, and Ne Plus Sleuria. They will all succeed 

 on the yuiuoe except Marie Louise, Jean de Witte, Seckle, Ne Plus Meuria, 

 and Thompson's, which are best on the Pear stock. 



Bedding PELARGONitnis OvERTiGoaotis (Idem). — It would materially 

 oheck their growth to plunge them in the beds with the pots sunk to the rim. 

 The soil is no doubt too rich and loose. If it were firm it is likely they would 

 make shorter growths and flower more freely. 



Ivy Leaves Eaten {J. IT.).— The leaves are probably perforated by the 

 caterpillar of some insect. Choosing a dry day, mix 1 oz. of white hellebore 

 powder with a gallon of water, and in the evening stir it well up, sprinkle the 

 Ivy through a rose watering-pot, making the leaves wet. It may be necessary 

 to repeat the application in the course of a week or ten days. 



FuaiiQATiNQ WITH HoME-GROWN ToBAcco (3. £.).— The tobacco must 

 not have been properlv prepared for fumigation, or it would not have proved 

 injurious to the foliage of Azaleas. The mode of preparation of British- 

 grown tobai;co is given at length in " The Gardeners' Year-Book " for 1874, 

 page 95. Dried without preparation it is not safe to use for fumigation, 

 being apt to injuriously E^ect the foliage. 



Turf Ashes — Red-leaded Peas Taken by Rats (Idem). — The turf 

 ashes may be advantageuusly employed on ground for vegetable crops. It is 

 valuableior Ouians, Potatoes, Cabbages— in fact all kitchen- garden crops, and 

 is especially valuable for heavy soil. A dressing an iuch thick or more will 

 do no harm mixed with the soil by forking before sowing or planting. Rats 

 occasii.mally take Peas that were red-leaded before sowing. Two years ago 

 they cleared three rows, removing the shell as you describe ; and again this 

 year they have taken a few here and there in a row 60 yards long, bat are 

 ■evidently anything but satisfied. These are the only instances in our ex- 

 perience that they have attacked Peas well moistened and thoroughly 

 coated with red lead. We should cover the row, say 8 inches wide and I inch 

 deep, with coal ashes. It is just when the Peas are appearing above ground 

 that the rats take them. We have tried covering with netting, but the rats 

 burrow under, and we find ashes more effectual. Trap them in their runs 

 and holes. 



Orchids (Notts). — Your Orchids are all Dendrobiums. That with two 

 flowers is D. nobile, the large single flower is D. Wardianum, the small one 

 D. pulohellum. The Cineraria is a very fine showj flower, but as far as we 

 can judge not deserving a name; it has a very large ceatre, whioh is a decided 

 fault. 



AoRictTLA (Inquirer) .—The Auricula with which you have been familiar 

 for nearly forty years, the plant being very common as an edging for the garden 

 walks of poor people, is a species differing from the common sorts used for the 

 flame purpose in cottage gardens. It is Primula viscosa. You give it a good 

 charai::terby saying it always maintains one uniform distinct colour, habit, and 

 period of flowering, in the latter respect being earlier than the others. 



Drying Fdngi for Herbarittm (Afac). — To dry and preserve the fleshy 

 fungi they must first be placed in a dry place for twenty-four hours, more or 

 less, BO that they may part with any superfluous moisture, then they may be 

 dried between bibulous papers like flowering plants. They, however, require 

 more frequent changing, and before the fungi are put away they must be well 

 washed with corrosive sublimate to prevent the attacks of mites, Ao. For 

 ■every practical detail regarding this somewhat difficult subject see " Science 

 Gossip," No. 93. Price 'id. Kent & Co., Paternoster Row. 



Dendrobium densiflorum (A Cheshire Lady). — With nine spikes of bloom 

 it is no doubt very handsome, but it is not unusual to see it produce this 

 number. 



Late-keeping Black Grape (G. TI'.).— There ia none better than the 

 Lady Downe's. 



Soil for Gentianella (Idem). — Any light garden soil will suit it. A 

 little peat mixed with the soil is an improvement. 



Yellow Carnations (Exeter).— Write to Mr. Turner, Royal Nurseries, 

 Slough, on the subject. 



LiLEUMS not Growing (H.). — We should consider the bulbs had lost their 

 growing parts or centres, probablv from the " good watering " given them at 

 potting. It may he that the soil is dry, and all the plants need is a proper 

 supply of moisture. Water them, not over the bulbs, but around the sides of 

 the pot, and place in the gieenhouse, where, if you keep the soil moist, you 

 will soon ascertain whether they will grow or not. 



Vines for Greenhouse (Jrfcni). — In your house, and with so narrow a 

 border, yon will not be able to have more than two Vines, which we should 

 plant 4 feet 6 inches from each end. We would take three shoots from each 

 Vine near the bottom of the rafter, train one upright, and the other two right 

 and left along the front of the house for a distance of 3 feet 6 inches, and 

 then up the roof, which will give you three rods to each Vine, at 3 feet 

 6 inches apart, and 18 inches from the ends. The border will need to be well 

 supplied with water, and after the first year frequently top-tlressed with rich 

 compost. A Black Hamburgh and Buckland Sweetwater (white) would be 

 suitable. 



Vegetable Marrow Failing (J. L., Preaton). — We think the failure has 

 arisen from the excessive quantity of stable manure, the moisture of the 

 soil, and the dull season. Plant on a raised hillock in a sunuy sheltered 

 position, and water freely in dry weather. All you need ia a warmer and drier 

 situation. 



Tea Boses for Conservatory Wall (L N.).~-U the wall has a southern 

 aspect, and the roof is not covered with climbers so as to shade the wall, it 

 will answer for Tea Roses; but a 3-feot wall is much too low for them to do 

 any good. We should have a border for climbers there, and a shelf for plants 

 next the glass, the climbers being taken thi'ough openings left in the shelves 

 at the required places. We do not recommend any particular form of house, 

 merely wishing to have a?i much light or glass as ponsible, no more woodwork 

 than is required for stability, and abundant provision for ventilation. 



Ferns (E. J.).— If you send us four more specimena, each numbered, wa 

 will name them. 



Fungus (A Reader).— Yonr Fungus belongs to Agaricas gambosus (St. 

 George's Mushroom*, a well-known edible species. 



Morels (Tdcm). — They are found at the present season in woody places. 

 A large dish was eihibited at the last meeting of the Royal Horticultural 

 Society. 



Pruning White Jasmine (E. M. Zlf.).— The proper mode is in the first 

 place to cut out any long, bare, oM branches, and train younger shoots, not 

 necessarily of last year's growth, but saeh as are well supplied with shoots, 

 if short and stubby all the bettor ; aud failing these, young well-ripened shoots 

 of last year should be takeu to replace old, bare, worn-out branches. Thioued- 

 out in this way, so that the shoots or branches may be about 6 inches apart, it 

 only remains to cut-back all the side shoots to within a couple of joints, or 

 about an inch of their base, and to shorten the young shoots tralued-in or 

 wanted for extension to firm ripe woorl, cutting away the soft unripe joints. 

 The flowers are produced on shoots of the current year, from spurs of the old 

 wood or the well-ripened shoots of the previous year, the latter affording the 

 finest flowers. 



Flowerbed Arranoement (Tulip Tr*'^).— We never venture to suggest 

 either the form or planting of a bed in a garden unknown to us. All that we 

 do is to criticise what is purposed to be done by the owner. 



Vines not Fruiting [D. B., E}ijield).—ln the first place the Vine rods are 

 too olose to each other. Nine Vines are too many in a house 1*2 feet long. 

 In a small house the rods may be closer to each other than it would be 

 desirable to have them in a large house, but Black Hamburgh and Muscat of 

 Alexandria should not bo closer than 2 feet 6 inches. The Vines have started 

 well. Remove all the shoots from each spur except the strongest, so that 

 the leaves may have space to develope thomselve-t. Get healthy young wood 

 well ripened this year, and a good crop of fruit will be certain next season. 



Wall-trained Plum Trees {Tyro*. — You do not say whether your trees 

 are young or old. If they are young and have not yet filled their allotted 

 space, when the young shoots have grown a foot or la inches you must nail 

 them in to the wall, spreading them in a judicious manner over the required 

 space, after having thinned them out where too much crowded. The trees 

 should be managed in the summer in such a way that but little pruning may 

 be required in the winter. They ought to be trained on what is called the 

 fan method; and as the fruit is borne on spurs, the object is to pinch and prune 

 the growths so that these may be regularly produced over the tree. Plum 

 trees do not require to be disbudded in the same way as Peach trees, which, 

 bear on the young wood. Instructions for summer treatment will be givea 

 hereafter. 



Pears not Succeeding on Heav? Soil (E. H. B.) — From the contents of 

 your letter it would appear that your garden is not drained. The soil may be 

 too heavy, in that case some turfy loam of a lighter character may be mixed 

 with the Soil. Leaf mould would also be of service. You might also lift the 

 trees that are cimkered and replant in lighter loam, keeping the roots near 

 the Burfaoe. The best time to lift the trees would be in November. 



Select Phloxes (J. A.). — The following are the best amongst the early- 

 flowering section (Phlox suffruticosa), but these are mire adapted for culture 

 in Scotland than in the south i^John Fairbairn, Mrs. Doig, Perfection, 

 Walter Gra?, William Kirkpatrick, Elvina, John AVutson, James Mitchell, 

 Pladda, Robert Hannay, The Deacon, The Queen, William Blair, and W. W. 

 Piatt. Of the late-floweriug section (P. decussata), which are by far the 

 beat for the south, the best are Countess of Eglinton, H. M. Simons, J. K, 

 Lord, Princess of Wales, Princess Louise of Lome, A. F. Barron, Amabilis, 

 Aurore Bort-ale, Chanzv. Comtesse de Chamburd, Edith, Lioivallii, Lothair, 

 Lady Hulse. Le Lion, Mi:>n9. Taillard, Muns. W. Bull, Mons. Marm Saison, 

 Mons. Linden, Mrs. Dombrain, Madame Domaje, Queen of Whites, Queen 

 Victoria, R. B. Laird, Roi des Roses, Venus, aud Vn^rge Marie. 



Vine Leaders Shrivelling { ). — The leaders you enclosed to as are 



scorched from the border being excessively rich and full of humas, and the 

 roots, probably, not supplying sap to meet the excessive demand of the 

 leaves and shouts in a hot dry day. The only remedy will be to keep the 

 house cooler by the admission of more air, and the floors aud other surfaces 

 moibtened three or more times a-day; but the best remedy would have been 

 a poorer border containing a greater proportion of mineral substances in 

 place of what we think there is — an excess of vegetable aud animal mattar. 

 You mit^ht afford the Vines a slight shade untfl they reach the top of the 

 house, and have the leaves and shoots of a firmer texture. 



Thinning Peaches and Nectarines (A. Y.). — The Peaches and Nectarines 

 set in clusters we should at once thin to two, or at most three, in every 

 square foot of surface, removing the smallest, and do not again thin until they 

 are the size of walnuts, when it is likely some will fall from failing to stone; 

 but we should then remove one-third of the smallest, and that is as many as 

 should be removed until the stoniugis completed. Then you may, if the tree 

 is very vigorous, allow two fruit to each square foot of surface covered; but 

 if weak in growth we should not aUuw m tre than one fruit to every square 

 foot. If they are bushes or pyramids, take the height and width of the tree — 

 the parts furnished with branches— aud allow nine fruit to every cubic foot. 

 The Vines will not sustain any injury, though the thermometer may fall to 

 45*' at night; but unless you have plants that would be injured by a higher 

 temperature, we should keep the house at 55'^ to GO ' at night, aud when in 

 flower have it 10= higher at night. If only the usual kinds of greenhouse 

 or cool-vinery Vines, you need not have more fixe heat than sufficient to keep 

 the temperature at 45 at night. 



RocKWORK Infested with Fungus (Lady Amateur). — The only effectual 

 plan would be to remove the roots or stumps of the trees used in the construc- 

 tion. Nothing short of this will free you of the fungus. We should at once 

 remove the plants and pot them, giving the required accommodation else- 

 where, until you have had the stumps of the trees taken away and the rook- 

 work reconstructed of stone. The fungus may be kept under to a great ex- 

 tent by having the stumps constantly saturated with moisture, but as long as 

 they remain they will be likely to produce fungi. 



Propagating Case (An Inguirt;r].— The best thing for you would be a 

 heated ease or frame, which you could place iu the greenhouse or a room in 

 your dwelling. The best that we know are thnse heated by a lamp burning 

 eolza oil, aud having a hot-air chamber and water tank. For raising seeds 

 and striking cuttings a shallow fi-ame is most suitable. 



Ivy Leaves Patched (T. P.).— The leaves you sent have the green colour- 

 ing matter of their upper suriface destroyed by a species of red spider 

 (Acaras), which is common to Ivy and the Gooseberry ; the latter this year 



