142 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ August 12, 1875, 



Plants for Gbeenhouse (P. F. S.).— We should provide a dozen at least 

 of Show, and half a dczen cf Spotted and Fancy PelarsoniuiOB, a liie number 

 of Tricolor, double-flowered, and Zonal PelargonioniB, a dozen Fuchsias, 

 Cjclamen pertieum vaip., Primula eineusip, Cineraria, Calceolaria, and tree 

 Carnation. These are all of easy culture, and after you have provided .tour- 

 self with them you will probably have little epace left ; or you may fo limit 

 the number of those named as to have space for othern, a few of which are 

 — Acacia armata. Chorozema cordata Fplendcnn, Correa Brilliant, Cytisusrace- 

 moEUs eleganp, Dracopbyhum gracile, Euiaxia fioribunda, Genetyllia tnU[,'i- 

 fera, Hydrangea liorteuBin, H. stellata flore-pleuo, Kalosanthes coccinsa 

 Buperba, Libonia floiibunda, Nfriuui rubium pk-uum, Pimelea decuesata, 

 P. spectabilia robta, Poljgala Dalmaisiaua. EhudodeEdrou jaeminiflorum, 

 Statice profuea, and YalUita purpurea. AzaleaR — Criterion, DucheHse Ade- 

 laide de Kaesau, Karcit^Eiiflora. Madame Van Houtte, Ferdinand Keceljan. 

 and Stella. CameUias— Alba-pleca, Fimbriata, Valtevaredo, Raffia, Matho- 

 tiana, and Mrs. Cope. Erica caffra, E. gracilis, E. byemaUe, E. melanthera, 

 E. bjbrida, and E. ventricoea Bothwelliana. Epacris Eclipse, E. The Bride, 

 and E. hyacinthiflora. I'roin the above you may select, as we have probably 

 named too many. 



Pelargonium Cuttings (Trffm).— Three parte light tnrfy loam, and one 

 part each of leaf noil and silver sand. Instrt the cuttings around the sideB 

 of pots well drained, placincr them in a cold frame and keeping close, but 

 avoiding damp. Our "Garden Manual" would suit you. It may bo had by 

 post from our office for Is. 8rf. Dixon's " Treatise on Tricolor Pelargoniums " 

 will meet your requirements respecting those plants. 



Lawn Unlevel iH. A. P.).— The only plan will be to remove the turf in the 

 autumn, and fill up the holes and make the surface even, and tben relay the 

 turf. The soil used for filliog-up the hollows sin uld be made firm, treading 

 ■well before laying the turf, for if only loosely filled the soil will settle, and 

 irregularity of the surface will again follow. 



Names of Ferns {Idem].— I, Pteris serrulata; 2. P. flerralata cristata; 3, 

 Adiantum formcsum; 4, Asplenium bulbiferom; 5, Polystichum angulare 

 proliferum ; the flower is a Kalosanthes. probably coccinea. All the speci- 

 mens are pcor, and not in character sufficient for correct identification. 



Pea (TF. .(4.).— "We cannot name a Pea from the pods. The varieties are 

 too numerous, and many too nearly alike. 



PELAHOONirMs AM) CINERARIAS (E. H/.).— The Pclargoniums you may 

 beep in your greenhoupe providing they have an abundance of light and air. 

 If this cannot be afforded stand them in the open air in the full sun. The 

 Cinerarias will be better in a coul shaded place out of doors than in the green- 

 house for the neit six wetkp. They must not be under trees or they will not 

 have the benefit of ni^ht dew, which is very refreshing to these plants. 



Pbopagating Clematis \An ^mfl(rur).— Layers made in September, or 

 cuttings now of fiim short-jointed side shoots taken off close and inserted in 

 light sandy soil under a handiight in a shady place, cr shade from bright sun. 

 The layers should be of the ripe wood of the cunent j ear~ehort- jointed wood, 

 and have a tongue or notch below the joint layered in the soil. 



Perpetuating Herbaceous Calceolarias (J. fl".).— The proposed keep- 

 ing of the plants that have bloomed, for next year's display, is not new, but is 

 now discarded from the fact that seedUngs are much more healthful, bloom- 

 ing stronper and better in every way ihan the old plants, or plants from 

 cuttings taken from them. We advise you to throw them away, and raise 

 plants from seed for nest season's flowering. 



Constructing Hardy Fernery (Old Subscrifisr).— There is no objection 

 to the Oak trees providing the situation be sheltered from cutting winds, for 

 a bleak exposed po&itlon is nnt good for Ferns. The essentials of a hardy 

 fernery are shelter, as that of a hollow, rock, or raised ground, shade from 

 ^ scorching sun, and constant but not stagnant moisture, for Ferns are not 

 bog plants, the water being required to percolate freely. If you do not 

 propose to Lave rockwork. we should at least form a bank or earthwork, 

 which will answer for the stronger-growing, but not for the smaller kinds of 

 Ferns, which require rockwork, for the which you may possibly find some 

 boulders, and these cropping out here and there will add immensely to the 

 appearance, the form bticg given by any kind of rough material, as clinkers, 

 fitonep, rubble, &o. You should provide drainage suflicient, and 9 inches to 

 a foot thicknesa of soil, but where you have ruck it will soffice to have a 

 less tbicknesB of soil; or if the boulders he large you will not require 

 Boil before placing them, but merely fill the interstices, and place in any 

 openings or upcn ledges that may be formed by the rock. Two parts fibrous 

 brown and f andy peat, with one-third yellow fibrouR loam, will grow hardy 

 Ferns well except a few kinds, which require limestone. 



Seeds from Siam ( ).— From the description you had with the seeds 



the plant IB probably Ilolmekioldia Bcandens, a climber with scarlet flowers. 

 We should sow the eeeds at once in pots, covering them with soil about half 

 an inch deep, and place in a brisk bottom heat, as that of a hotbed ; or they 

 may germinate in a warm part of a stove. They should be kept moist, and 

 when the seedlings thow the second leaves transfer to single small pots, 

 returning to the bctbed. and keep rather close and shaded until established, 

 and then transfer to the stove. We should advise you to only sow a portion 

 of the seed at this time of the year, retaining a part for spring sowing, as 

 the plants are more likely to fail sown now from damp, Ac, than were they 

 sown in spring. Equal parts of sandy peat and light fibrous loam, with a 

 eisth part of silver sand and good drainage, is a compost to giow the plants 

 well. 



TiTis 0D0RATIS8IMA CULTURE (S. £.).— Train tbo shoots about 18 inches 

 distance apart — that is, the permanent shoots, and the laterals from them 

 stop at one joint. These shoots or canes will push numerous shoots next 

 year, which should be rubbed off, so as to leave them a foot apart on opposite 

 sides of the cane, or rod as it is after a year old, and have tbe shoots neatly 

 trained to the wall. Stop each shoot at the sixth leaf if no flower appear 

 ■when that length of growth is made; but thtro will be at that or there- 

 abouts if the wood he ripe. Keep the laterals moderately stopped, for upon 

 them, 9s well as upon the first shoots, will appear clusters of fragrance; 

 reducing them in autumn, so as to admit air and light for the ripening of the 

 wood of the principal shoots, which should be cut back to two eyes after the 

 leaves have fallen. 



DucHEssE DE Caylus Kobe (Wcm).— Place it outdoors in an open sitna- 

 tioD, and keep well supplied with water, potting at the close of September; 

 and in October place in a cold frame, with the pot plunged in ashes, and in 

 January prune and place in a light airy position ic the greenhouse. 



Banksian Roses not Flowering (A'. Y. Z.).— Train the shoots rather 

 thinly, so that they may be full., exposed to light and air, and the wood 

 thereby thoroughly ripened. The situalion or aspect should be a warm one- 



south or scnth-west. Prune but little, merely cutting out any wom-ont 

 ehoots and the unripe points of the shoots of last year's growth, the pruning 

 being deferred until spring. 



Wintering Alternantiteras (Idem). — Take up before frost, pot singly, 

 and place in a house having a temperature of 50^ to BS'^ from fire heat, 

 watering bo as to keep fresh, but on the other hand avcid too much moisture 

 at first, or the plants will damp. They are beet upon a cool bottom, and 

 after the turn of the year encourage with more moisture and heat, so as to 

 footer prowth for cuttings. The Lobelias should be potted in the same way, 

 and be kept in a light airy position in a house from which frost is excluded, 



LiLiDM auratum Flowering Outdoors (E. T.). — It is not unusaal, or 

 only so because this beautiful kind is not more generally planted outdoors, 

 where it thrives remarkably well ; it and many others thriving well in the 

 open spaces iu Bhododendron beds or anywhere, the soil being rich and 

 hght. 



BosEs Mildewed (Idem). — The leaves show mildew, and is unqnestionably 

 a result of a poor soil and the want of moisture. Water freely in dry hot 

 weather, and, after the buds show, with weak liquid manure twice a-week, or 

 sprinkle guano lightly around the bushes, and wash in with water. It is 

 necessary in the evening of hot days to water overhead, except when in 

 bloom. The soil would be the better of a gocd dressing of manure. The 

 mildew is a consequence of the dry east winds that prevailed Eome time ago. 

 followed by the heavy rain. 



Oleander Propagation (A. T. W.). — Take cuttings of the current year's 

 shootB when they are about half ripe, and insert them siL^ly in smaU pots 

 in pandy peat and loam, and place in a bottom heat of ^0", and cover with a 

 bell-glass if in ahonse, but in a shaded hotbed the moisture will be suflicient 

 to maintain the leaves freeh without resorting to the bell-glass. In inserting 

 the cuttings let the base of each rest on and be surrounded by silver sand. 

 Cuttings of the firm young shoots root freely in phials of water placed in 

 heat. Either mode may be practised now if your plants have the wood of 

 the proper degree of ripeness. 



Poppies {LU-m). — The kind with large scarlet flowers 9 inches across is 

 Papaver hracteatum, and the yellow the Iceland Poppy, P. nndicaule. Seed 

 of the first-named maybe had of most seedsmen, but of the latter seed is 

 not, that we are aware, sold, but plants may be obtained of most nurserymen 

 at a very moderate price. 



Grapes Cracking (J. E. W.). — We should not attribute the cracking to 

 the dryness of the border now ; but from its having been dry during the first 

 Bwelling of the berries, and now they are taking the second swell the border, 

 from the excessipe raius, beiog very wet, the atmosphere also moister, would 

 appear to us the cause of the cracking. Apply more heat, so as by freer air- 

 giving to keep the atmosphere less close and drier. 



Pomegranate not Flowering (E. D. B.). — It does nnt flower becaaso 

 the wood is not thoroughly ripened. Against a south wall in your climate it 

 would probably flower well were you to encourage the pmall twiggy growths 

 and restrict the stronger shoots. If you wish to keep in a pot, place it in a 

 light airy part of the conservatory, afford water only to keep it from flagging, 

 and in winter keep dry. When it begins to grow in tpring repot, and en- 

 courage growth in a moist growing heat, as that of a vmery, and when th© 

 pot is full of roots remove to the conservatory, assiguiog it a light and airy 

 position. It is not neceasary to place iu heat it the plant is not disrooted, 

 which we advise, so as to keep in a moderate-sized pot. Pruning is to ba 

 done in spring, preserving a majority of the twiggy shoots. 



Destroying Ants (Subscriber's Daughter). — Trap them, saucers of salad 

 oil being placed so as to allure and druwn the industrionn but annoying and 

 destructive creatures. Tbe cil will need to be renewed occasionally, as the 

 ants will not enter to partake of it when rancid. The White Mullein (Verbas- 

 eum Lychnitis) is not rare but local in its distribution, jours being a new 

 locality for it. 



Names of Plants [Crat^Egus). — Escallonia macrantha, introduced from 

 ChUoe in 1847. It requires a south wall and the protection of a mat in 

 severe weather. (J. Kfr.sluke). — Tbe Michaelmas Daisy (Aster tripolium, L.). 

 (E. J. 8.). — Your second btttch of Ferns does not correspond altogether with 

 that previously sent, which we named in Jouriialof Hortiriilture for Aug. 5th. 

 No. 2 of last lot is Asplenium viviparum. {Mrs C/itfl'H^ ;/).^Yes, a Spircea, 

 hut we cannot determine the species from specimen sent. {Tkos. O'Qrady). 

 — Rubua odoratuB. (G. B). — 1, Lepidium Draba; 2. Geranium dissectum; 

 4, Beta maritima. Remainder quite unnameable- Grasses apparently dyed 

 for ornamental purposes. (O. P.). — Escallonia macrantha. 



POULTEY, BEE, AM) PIGEON OHEONIOLE. 



MOULTING. 



Feathers everywhere — in the honees, in the rues, in the dust- 

 baths. We are glad to see them. We watch onr birds becoming 

 daily more ragged and more naked with the greatest pleasure. 

 We delight iu early moults, and we believe they will be general 

 this season. These hot suns succeeding the late severe rains 

 seem to have had a wonderful effect upon the birds, and the 

 moult is feathers everywhere. 



Last year the moulting was a late one. We had birds not 

 ready to show till January, and it was a recognised fact that at 

 the Palace the majority of the old birds wanted five or six weeks 

 more to attain their full plumage. To have valuable show birds 

 well over their moulting is a grand thing to accomplish, for the 

 winter successes depend upon it to a preat extent. It is not a 

 very easy thing somehow to have highly-bred fowls well over 

 their moulting, for many a good bird succumbs in inexperienced 

 hands. We have known people buy-up valuable birds, exhibit 

 them through the summer, and then expect them to come out 

 as fresh as ever in the autumn dressed only in fresh feathers, 

 Alas ! they are often disappointed, for the bird is perhaps two 

 or three months perfecting his plumage, and when it is fully 

 grown it often looks patchy, or many of the feathers come dis- 

 colotured, and the whole effect is rough. 



