June 4, 1874. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



451 



Training Eoses for Exhibition (T. ff.).— They are not trained on wire 

 in a globular form, but iu the bush form with sticks leaniug outwards, to 

 which the branches are tied so as to exhibit the flowers aud fuliaye freely. 



Buds of Rose Trees Frosted (.4. J.).— If the buds are much injured prune 

 back by alt means. Roses will stand late pruniuR better than is generally 

 imagined, and it will most probably repay you to do so. All Rose bude that 

 look flat on the top, discoloured, or unhealthy, should be cut off. 



Plant Cases {A. Q. C.).— We know of none except those made by Mr. 

 Gray, whose advertisement is in our Journal. 



Myosotis alpicola (G. S.). — The specimen la that speciea. 



Rose Misnamed [R. Maitland).— The Rose is not Isabella Gray, but more 

 like La Biche, though not sufficiently tinged with flesh in the centre. If, 

 however, on a tall standard with short growth, it might be La Biche. The 

 foUage and shape of the bud are like it, but it is ditticult to name Roses for 

 certain without seeing them when growing. 



Grub— Bee— Plant (E. J. G.).— The grub that beneath the surface of the 

 Boil gnawed and destroyed your Lobelias is called by cardcners the " Leather- 

 jacket." It is the larva of the Daddy-longlegs, Tipula oleracea. The only 

 remedy is to stir the earth 2 or 3 inches deep round each plant with a knife, 

 and destroy the grubs thus found. The bees which have a nest near the 

 Nectarine roots will not injure it. The plant cannot be identilied without a 

 flower being seen. 



Grapes Scalded (J. Marfc).— The skin of the berries is scalded— that is, 

 injured by the sun shining on them powerfully before the dew upon them had 

 been dried ofE by good ventilation. 



Boiler Heating Water in Supply Cistern (Wm. A ).— Your note, also 

 eections, do not show so clearly as we could have wished where the supply 

 pipe is connected with the pipes or boiler. You show two sections, and have 

 references at foot which apply to both. In the upper section it is wrong to 

 have 1, the air pipe, on the lowest pipe at the angle of the return, for there 

 will not be any air there, but the air will rise to 2, where you have the supply 

 pipe ; and we do not wonder at the water boiling in the supply cistern, that 

 being the highest point, and where the air pipe should have been, taking it 

 np higher than the supply cistern. In the second or lower section — 1, the 

 air pipe is right, but 2 the supply pipe wrong, as it ought to have been on 

 the return pipe as near to the boiler as practicable, and at its lowest point 

 just before entering the boiler. 



Red Spider (A Constant Reader). — This pest spins a web which is easily 

 detected by the naked eye, and the animals may be seen actively run n i n g to 

 and fro along the threads. 



JEthionema marmorata fJrf^'m).— The ^thionemas are rock plants, suc- 

 ceeding in loam and peat with limestone intermixed, but the particular 

 species yon mention we do not know. 



Recently- PLANTED Vines (J. N.). — Having stopped at the sixth leaf two 

 of the shoots, which we presume are trained as side shoots for spurs, they 

 will not require further shortening until autumn, but from them will arise 

 laterals ; those from the lowest two leaves, if any, should be stopped at the 

 first leaf, and those from all but the upper leaf rubbed off ; that from the 

 uppermost to be stopped at the first leaf, and so on for each succeeding 

 growth. The leading shoot or cane should be taken up without stopping to 

 the top of the house. The laterals for half way up the cane should not be 

 stopped until the third leaf, and at the upper part of the cane stop to one 

 leaf, and afterwards keep stopped to one leaf. 



Tiger-spotted Calceolaria Seed Sowing (An Amateur). — The seed 

 should be sown in the first fortnight of July, and placed in a cool shaded 

 spot. The plants will flower in April and May. They are of the herbaceous 

 section. 



Removing Bulbs from Beds (Hj/(if(H(/t).— They must not be taken np 

 until the leaves have begu:i to turn yellow, and then you may take them up 

 and lay them in a shed to dry. ^\'hen dry they may be cleaned and stored 

 away on shelves in a cool dry place until planting time. If they are green 

 when this appears in print, you may take-up the Hyacinths and Tulips, and 

 lay them in in light soil, allowing them a moderate distance apart, but not 

 huddling them together, aud when the leaves are yellow take them up, dry, 

 and store. The Hyacinths which have seed-pods should not be moved, but 

 be left until those are yellow, as they will be when ripe, and should be kept in 

 a cool dry place until September, when the seeds may be sown in a sheltered 

 Bituation in light sandy soil, covering them half an inch deep with fine soil. 

 During winter they should be protected from frost, water being given early 

 in summer if dry. After the leaves die-down, an inch of leaf soil should be 

 sifted over the bed, and repeat in the second year the treatment of the first. 

 In the third year the bulbs may be takeu-up when the leaves turn yellow, and 

 planted in autumn, giving them the treatment of old bulbs, but not planting 

 deeper than 3 inches. The seedlings may flower in the fourth, fifth, or sixth 

 year. 



Auriculas (L. R. H.). — The Auriculas you have sent us are " Alpines," and 

 are good, but there are many better. Alpines are valuable for cutting, and it 

 is a pity they are not more grown. 



LiLiuM AURATUM LEAVES CoRLED (!(?''?»). — No wonder that your Lijium 

 has curled, small, and unhealthy leaves, having been exposed to the cold for 

 the past month under a wall, while it had been in a greenhouse or under 

 other protection during the winter. We think that now the plant is taken 

 under cover it will do better. See that it is clear of insects. Aphides are 

 sometimes troublesome. They may be destroyed by syringing with tobacco 

 water made of 1 oz. to half a gallon of boiling water, covered-up and allowed 

 to stand until cold. It will need to be strained previous to use. If the leaves 

 are dirty, clean them with a sponge and water holding 2 ozs. of soft soap to 

 the gallon. Afford a light airy position, and water as required; good supplies 

 are needful during growth. When it is in active growth, a month is a long 

 time for this to go without water. Ours in a greenhouse is now in flower. 



Violets out of Doors, and Lily of the Valley (Idem). — The Violets 

 will not do any good unless you thin them, which we should do to 1 foot 

 apart every way, and beep all runners cut off as they appear, giving them a 

 dressing of short manure or rich compost, which should cover them to the 

 neck of the plants, leaving the centre free. They should ba kept clear of 

 weeds, and watered in dry weather. Czar ought to commence flowering in 

 autumn, and continue to bloom during mild weather. We have now Mr. 

 Lee's Victoria Regina in flower, not having been without Violets since 

 September. If you have on east or other border of good, rich, light soil 

 partially shaded from sun, we advise you to make a fresh plantation, but re- 

 taining the old. Select well-rooted young plants, put them in in rows a foot 

 apart every way, leaving every fourth row out, which will give you an alley. 



The ground should be manured and dug. Water well if the weather be dry, 

 and clear-off all runners and weeds. We prefer April for planting, hut tho 

 present time will do. You will have Violets in plenty next winter and spring. 

 The Lily of the Valley may die-off in patches in consequence of its bein^ 

 attacked by cockchafer larvte, for which we know of no remedy but to take 

 them. Water well in dry weather during summer, and in November take-up 

 the plants and put them in in clumps of about half a dozen crowns at a foot 

 apaart, covering the crowns about an inch deep with fine rich soil. The soil 

 should be light and rich in vegetable matter, as leaf soil, and the position 

 shaded from sun iu the hottest part of the day in summer. 



Melons Setting (H. TT. S. C.).~To insure even-sized fruit aud certain 

 swelling, it is desirable that the required number of fruit be set as nearly as 

 possible at the same time on each plant. When fruit set with an interval ot 

 several days between the first and last, it will be found tliat the first set 

 attains the largest size, the others swelling very indifferently, and in many 

 instances not at all, and proving at best small fruit of indifferent qaality. 

 There are some exceptions, and some kinds do better with the fruit setting- 

 at intervals of a few days than others. Read's Scarlet-flesh is one. Have 

 the fruit set as nearly as possible at the same time. 



Canna Roots Wintering (/(/^m).— Take them up after the first frost, 

 lay them in a shed or other place upside down for a few days to dry, remove- 

 from them any soil, and store them in dry sand in a cool place, but safe from 

 frost. 



Holes in the Stems of Standard Roses (S. C.).— The holes, we presume,, 

 have been made by some insect, or they may be scars, both of which it would 

 be well to close with a mixture of beeswax and pitch, as you propose. It 

 would exclude wet, and may prevent further decay. 



Ants on Apricot and Nectarine Trees (Old Suh.tcriber).— Find oni their 

 nests and runs, and sprinkle with guano, which will drive them away; ammo- 

 niacal liquor from the gasworks poured on will drive away those it does not 

 destroy. The liquor must not be used close to the stems of the trees. For 

 the trees you may use a mixture of quassia water and soft soap, made by boil- 

 ing for ten minutes 4 ozs. of quassia chips in a gallon of water, and adding ta 

 it as it eools 4 ozs. of soft soap, and with this cool and strained the trees 

 should be thoroughly syringed in the evening of a fine day, and on the follow- 

 ing day syringe them with water. To prevent ants passing up the fence a 

 band of gas tar about 2 inches wide may be drawn along its base, and over this 

 the ants will not travel. It will need to be renewed as the tar dries and loses 

 its smell. 



Rose Trees and Plants Failing (Amateur).— We cannot account for the 

 Roses and plants not growing, except by your soil containing something 

 deleterious to vegetable life. Is the ground wet and undrained ? If so, drain 

 it efficiently. Green fly would not cause the mischief you complain of, but 

 should be destroyed by syringing, or, if practicable, dipping the infested plants 

 in tobacco water, tho liquor of the shops diluted with six times its bulk of 

 water. The Roses and other plants should be thoroughly wetted in every 

 part. 



Forcing Apricots and Peaches (C. H. J.).— Affer stoning both will bear 

 a high temperature, but we do not advise this except when it is important to 

 have the fruit ripe at the earliest possible time. The Apricots, from what you 

 say, are not stoned but stoning. They will not swell perceptibly during that 

 process, but after it is completed the temperature for Apricots should be from 

 fire heat at night 65' to GU"^, aud by day 65 ' to 70- ; the lower temperature 

 in cold dull weather, and the higher in mild weather. Upon these tem- 

 peratures you may allow a rise of 1(J ' on cloudy days, but witli clear intervals, 

 and 15 to 2U=or more with eun and abundance of air. Peaches, after the 

 fruit is stoned, should have a night temperature of 60 ' to 65 , and a day one 

 of 70^ to 75 from fire heat, with a rise from sun heat of 10- to 15- or 20^ in, 

 proportion to the brightness of the weather. If you wish to bring on the- 

 fruit as rapidly as possible, the future of the trees being considered, you may 

 allow 5'^ on all the artificial temperatures named, but it is as well not to do 

 so. Our pot Peach trees are not watered with liquid manure, hut we top- 

 dress with sheep droppings, putting them on about an inch thick after tho 

 fruit is the size of small Walnuts, and adding more in three weeks or amonth.. 

 We form them into a dish, which altogether may he 2 inches thick, and those 

 two dressings are sufficient for the crop. Liquid manure may be applied, ani 

 nothing is better than one peck each of soot and sheep droppings to thirty 

 gallons of water, given twice a-week. Guano at the rate of 1 oz. to a gallon 

 of water is also good at every alternate watering. The same liquid may be 

 given the Vines, and thorough soakings at the same tc-mperature for the 

 liquid as that of the house, taking the mean of the highest aud lowest, at 

 intervals of ten days to a fortnight, the last being given when the Grapes ore 

 colouring. No liquid will make them colour well, and with your heavy crop 

 it is hardly to be expected they will do so. Encouraging growth and having 

 good healthy fohage will assist. 



ToDEA suPERBA (A Lady in Cheshire). — No one could state the value with- 

 out seeing the plant. If sent to Mr. Stevens, King Street, Covent Garden, 

 when he has a plant sale, you would obtain the market price. The flower you 

 enclosed is Hemerocallis flava, yellow Day-Lily. 



Seedling Apple (Richard Baker).— Your seedling Apple Wilkinson's Pippin- 

 is most excellent. The flavour even at this late season is rich and fine. 



Peaches from Nectarines (Henry Bedwell). — It is not unusual for 

 Peach stones to produce Nectarine trees, and Nectarine stones to produce 

 Peach trees. This has frequently been done, and some of Mr. Rivers' finest 

 Peaches have been raised from the stones of Nectarines. The Orange and 

 Lemon belong to the same genus, though not, as botanists say, to the same 

 species. We are not aware that Oranges have ever been raised from the seed of 

 Lemons, but we know that they interbreed, and we have seen a cross between 

 the two in which the rind of a Lemon was streaked with that of the Orange. 



Hollyhock Leaf- Fertilising Cucumhers (H.J. il.).— The Hollyhock 

 leaf is attacked by the fungus we fully illustrated last week. Pull up ani 

 hum each plant as soon as affected. You need take no trouble either to aid 

 or prevent the fertilisation of the bloesom ; the fruit will be serviceable in 

 either state ; and the plants will reiaain bearing as long as you need them. 

 If extreme length of fruit is desired for exhibition, non- impregnation probably 

 is best. 

 Wallflower Seed (J. L.). — Any seedsman will supply you. Sow at once. 

 Encephalartos AND ToDEA (Hcmc Hill). — All the species of Encephalai'tos 

 from the Cape of Good Hope will succeed in a greenhouse, but are most 

 luxuriant in a stove. They require a rich loam. Todea africana needs only a 

 greenhouse. Tiu*fy loam one part, and peat soil two parts, will suit it. 



Greenhouse Arrangements (H". r.).— We think you need a pit or house 

 in which to forward plants for the greenhouse, also one for wintering bed- 



