August 13, 1875. 1 



JOURNAL OF HOBTIOULTDBE AND COrrAGB GARDENER 



141 



tempted to notice them because the variety Tender and True 

 raised at Loxford has been exhibited badly at a time when 

 Cucumbers can be grown without difficulty. Wlien this is the 

 case the first thing is to blame the seed. Now until this year 

 the true stock has been grown at Loxford from cuttings, but the 

 stock was lost last winter, and we were in the same position 

 as any other gardener, and had to trust to seeds obtained from 

 Messrs. Veitch of Chelsea, and the Cucumbers obtained from 

 their seeds were not different from the original stock. It was 

 truly said by a good judge " that there are no bad sorts of 

 Cucumbers ; the fault is always in the culture." The miserable 

 specimens of Duke of Ediuburgh exhibited at South Kensing- 

 ton for Mr. Monroe's prizes go a long way to justify this ex- 

 pression. Cucumber plants in houses require to be kept free 

 from insect pests, and the house ought to be ventilated pretty 

 ireely all through the summer months. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



It a good supply of flowers have to be kept-up during the 

 •winter and spring months, the plants intended to produce the 

 supply must now be attended to. Of the most useful may be 

 named Ci/clamrns. These continue to flower freely from Christ- 

 mas until the end of March, and may now almost be said to be 

 indispensable for cutting from. We are now repotting them, 

 8-inch pots are the largest used, and our largest plants have 

 been in that size for two years, so that the corms are large. 

 The ball is reduced to allow of some of the potting material 

 being placed under it, and about an inch in width all round the 

 sides. Younger and smaller plants that are now in 5-inch are 

 repotted into G inch pots. It is not necessary to allow very 

 much pot room for the Cyclamen, but the pots are well drained, 

 and the drainage is protected by good fibry loam being placed 

 over it. The plants grow and flower well in a compost of turfy 

 loam three parts, one part leaf mould, and a liberal addition of 

 sand if the loam is not naturally sandy. A little rotted stable 

 manure may be added, but it is not necessary. The plants will 

 not succeed if they are not placed near the glass and slightly 

 shaded from scorching sun. 



Primula amcrna and its varieties serve to keep the houses 

 very gay in April, but the plants are frequently neglected after 

 the flowering period ; red spider, a desperate enemy of this 

 plant, being allowed to feed unmolested on the leaves. The 

 plants ought to be placed in a cool frame in a shady position, 

 and the leaves must be kept green until growth is completed. 

 They are also beiug repotted in similar compost to the Cycla- 

 mens, and the other treatment as to size of pots, &o., is not 

 materially different. Cinerarias are another useful class of 

 plants for winter and spring flowering. Plants raised from seed 

 grow most freely, and if the seeds are sown in April very large 

 plants may be produced by September ; a succession may then 

 be obtained from October until April. Specimen plants of 

 Chrysanthemums that have been allowed to grow without much 

 training until now are having the rambling growths brought 

 down. Those plants intended for cut flowers have the upright 

 leading shoots trained to sticks, and the side growths pinched 

 back. 



Fuchsias and Zonal Pelargoniums in endless variety now 

 serve to keep the show houses gay. — J. Douglas. 



HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITIONS. 

 Seoeetaries will oblige us by Informing us of the dates on 

 which exhibitions are to be held. 



National Carnation and Picotee Society. — August 13th and 14tb, in 



Manchester Botanic Gardens. Rev. F. D. Horner, Kirkby Malzeard, 



Hon.-Sec. 

 BuRNOPFlELD. — Aogust 14th. Mr. J. Hood. Sec. 

 Idle. — August 14th. Mr. H. N. lUingworth, Sec. 



Cartmel, North Lancashire. — August 14th. Mr. "W. Ci-agg, Hon.-Sec. 

 Coventry (at Coornbe Abbey). — August 17th. Mr. T. Wigston, 3, Portland 



Terrace, Sec. 

 Dover. — August 18th. 



Nortiileach, — AURUHt 18th. Mr. J. "Walter, Hon -Sec. 

 Chard.— August 18th. Mr. T. L. Brown, Hon. -Sec. 

 EAsrEoORNE— in the Devonshire Park. — August 19th. H. A. E. Bumble, 



Esq., 2tj, Hyde Gardens, Sec. 

 Glastonbury. — August 111th. Eev. E. Handley, Hon.-Sec. 

 PoNTYPOOL. — August 19th. Mr. Ernest Deacon, Hon.-Seo. 

 Ulverston.— August 2Jth. Mr. Geo. Higham, Hon.-Sec. 

 Coniston. — August 24th. Mr. Jas. Dickinson, Hon. Sec. 

 Hartlepool, — August 24th. Mr. Councillor H. Magoris, HoD.-3ee. 

 Newbury. — August 24th. Mr. H. Seymour. Hon.-Sec. 

 BuETON-nN-TRENT.— August 25th. Mr. W. Shave, See. 

 Isle of Thanet (St. Peters). — August 25th. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 

 All cDrrespondenee should be directed either to " The 

 Editors," or to " The Publisher." Letters addressed to 

 Mr. Johnson or Dr. Hogg often remain unopened nnavoid- 

 ably. We request that no one will write privately to any 

 of our correspondents, as doing so Bubjecta them to un- 

 justifiable trouble and expense. 



Correspondents should not mix up on the same sheet questions 

 relating to Gardening and those on Poultry and Bee sub- 

 jects, and should never send more than two or three 

 questions at once. All articles intended for insertion 

 should be written on one side of the paper only. We 

 cannot reply to questions through the post. 

 Heaviest STRAwnERuv (S. IF.l.— Wo have no remembrance of the state- 

 ment you mention. An experienced gardener informs us that he once knew 

 two berries ot the Oscar weighing 10 ozs., the largest of them weighing 

 5^ ozs. 



Tray of Pot-herbs {J. ifir.^/).— Not knowing the exact terms in which 

 the prize is offered, we can only say that Angelica, Borage, Chervil, Mar- 

 joram, Mint, Pennyroyal, Purslane, Sage, Savory, Tansy, Tarragon, and 

 Thyme are pot-herbs, and that the prize probably will be given to the most 

 numerous and best-grown collection of thotn. 



Early Bfvers Peach with Split Stones (P. P.).— This variety is 

 peculiarly liable to be affected in this way. We have fruited it annually for 

 the last live or sis years in the orchard hous^, and seldom have less than half 

 of the fruit with split stones. This year only two or three fruits were sound 

 and the tree had a good crop. We do net know any remedy. The cold wet 

 season is probably the cause of it being so bad this year. 



Peach Leaves Glazed (<3. S.).— We believe that the syringing is the 

 cause. You say the trees are not syringed after being removed to another 

 house, but they must surely have been syringed previous to this, else how 

 are the leaves free from spider? If " tte roof is freiiuently syringed with 

 whitewash," this would be washed into the tauki, if you have any; or if you 

 use hard water, the sediment might be in that. H this is not the case ws 

 cannot account for it on the data you have given us. 



Peas Failing {A. .4.).— The stems and leaves become yellow because the 

 roots cease from supplying them with sap. If the surface soil over the roots 

 was mulched, and water given copiously in dry weather twice weekly, there 

 would be no such failure. 



Bricklayers' RuHnisn ( Jona.s).— The limy portion of it is a useful ma- 

 nure, but the briokhiits are useless except to fill underground drains or to 

 add to the subsoil of Vine borders. 



Grapes Decayed (Mrs. C.).— The Grapes sent are in a deplorable state. 

 If they are a fair sample of the crop we can only say that it is valueless. 

 Grapes so extensively diseased are incurable. Cut out all the worst bunches 

 and relieve the Vines of their burden by way of preparing them to bear better 

 fruit next year. The fruit appears to be affected by shanking, rusting, scalding, 

 and we suspect also the attacks of thrips. If they are infested by insects 

 (of which we ca'hnot absolutely determine without seeing the foliage) smoke 

 the house and syringe thoroughly— almost violently. Remove also the surface 

 soil from the border, and replace with 5 or 6 inches of rich manure to afford 

 nourishment to the roots. Admit air fresly yet judiciously— that is, do not 

 close the house entirely at night, and increase the ventilation very early in 

 the morning. If the growth is thick and overcrowded remove a portion, so 

 that all the principal leaves can have the benefit of light. By this practice 

 the Vines may be restored. Free root-action, pure air, light, a genial tem- 

 perature, and freedom from insects, must all be provided to insure healthy 

 Vines and satisfactory Grapes. 



Nectarines and Apricots for Mid- Yorkshire (S.).— Of Nectarines you 

 mention— Balgowan, a Scotch-raised variety; Hardwioke, very hardy; and 

 Ehuge. 01 the Apricots the Large Ked. 



Grapes Partially Shanked (d. B.).— The roots do not supply BUffieient 

 sap to sustain so heavy a crop. Water copiouily with tepid very weak 

 manure water. We advise you farther to remove entirely the bunches which 

 are the most affected, even to the extent of one-half of the crop, not only 

 for the sake of tiiose remaming, but in the interests of the Vines, which are 

 greatly overcropped. 



Insect Preventive (E. M. Jf.).— Two ounces of soft soap dissolved in a 

 gallon of water, and this mixed with another gallon which has been poured 

 when in a boiling state on 2 ozs. of strong tobacco, wiU provide the liquid 

 you require. If it is warm, say at a temperature of lOCI^ when used, no 

 sediment will be left on the foliage. You cannot do better than follow the 

 advice which you quote, and you will not be troubled with insects. 



Cucumbers not Swelling (X. Y. Z.).— The atmosphere of the house is 

 too cold and moist. Give them more air, to do which you will probably have 

 to afford more heal, and especially bottom heat, keeping that steady at from 

 75= to 80= ; the top heat 65= to HP at night, 70 to 7S= by day without sun, 

 and 85= or 90= with sun and a full amount of air. Leave a little air on at 

 night and in dull weather, and shut-up early in the afternoon, damping the 

 hou!6 two or three times a-day, and especially at closing time, so as to main- 

 tain a congenial atmosphere. The bed should be kept well watered, bat 

 avoid making the soil sodden. 



Lord Grosvenor Apple (E. N., navibu,rgh)—li is known in England by 

 the name of " Jolly Beggar" also. The following is the description of it in 

 Dr. Hogg's "Fruit Manual": — "Fruit, about medium size, '2A inches wide, 

 and 2 inches high ; roundish. Skin, pale joUow, with an orange tint next the 

 son Eye, large and open, set in a plaited basin. Slalk, half au inch long, 

 rather deeply inserted. Flesh, white, tender, juicy, sweet, briskly and plea- 

 santly flavoured. A first-rate early cooking Apple from Ausust tiU October. 

 The great merit of this variety is its great fertility, the smaU bush trees pro- 

 ducing an abundance of fine yellow fruit. The tree bears very early, and la 

 one of the most useful for garden culture." 



Hardy and HiLr-BABDT Plants for Bbddino (L. lIcO.—Aa yon wish 

 for foUage more than flowers, our list is framed accordingly— Alyssnm 

 (Koniga) variegata, 'Antennaria tomentosa, for edgmg ; ^Arabis alpina va- 

 riegata aurea, 'A. mollis variegata, Centaurea candidissima, 0. ragusina com- 

 paota *Cerastium tomentosum, 'Cineraria maritima, Coprosma Baueriana 

 variegata ♦Dactylis glomerata elegantissima, 'Euonymus radicans variegata, 

 Iresine Lindeni, I. Herbstii, Mesombryanthemum cordifolium variegatum, 

 Polemonium csemleum variegatum, -Pyrethrum Golden Feather, »3cmper- 

 vivum eaMfornicum, Senecio argenteus, Stcllaria praminea aurea. 'Thymus 

 citriodorus aureus, ♦T. citriodorus marginatus, ♦Thymus Golden Fleece, 

 •Vinca elegantissima, and Dell's Crimson Beet, and PeriUanankinensis, which 

 may be raised from seed. Those distinguished by an asterisk are hardy. 

 Pelargoniums Annie Keeler, Miss Batters, and Prince Arthur. Those hava 

 golden leaves with bright zones. Silver-variegated are Bijon, Bright Star, 

 and Queen of Queens, Prince Silverwings being effective; and in the Goldou- 

 leaved we shall only name Crystal Palace Gem. 



