JOUENAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ October 21, 1S75. 



Vine Boots Diseased [d Subscriber, North).— V?e have no doubt what- 

 ever that the dieeaee ia dae to the pernicioua nature of the aubsoU, and we are 

 the more convinced of this by the fact that other Vines in the dintrict are 

 similarly affected. Fonr years a[?o we witnessed Vines precisely in the pame 

 state — that is, the bottom roots died, and it was only by the emiseion of 

 snrface roots that the Vines were snpported. In the enmmer the foliage 

 flagged, and the honee had to be shaded, and the few Hurface roots were fed 

 by a top-dressing of manure and copious supplies of water. In the autumn 

 the Vines weie taken up and all the lower roots were dead, the surface roots 

 being fresh and healtby. The lower portion wae cut off jobt beneath the 

 eurface roots, and the VineH were cut down and replantad, first, however, 

 removing the subsoil, concreting and draining the border, and placing-in 

 prepared soil to the depth of 2 feet. The remedy was complete, and the 

 A'ines which were nearly dead by the loss of their lower roots have since pro- 

 duced Grapes which have seldum been surpassed for size and quality, and no 

 better Grapes bave appeared in Covent Garden this year than the produce of 

 those Vines. We can only advise you to adopt the same treatment, and we 

 believe you will obtain good Grapes. Ualess you remove the subsoil your 

 Vines will never be satisfactory. 



FrEST-PBizE Dabk Plum at Stamford Show (C. E. Bracebridge). — We 

 are informed that it was the Goliath, and was exhibited by Mr. Ewart, 

 Apothorpe, W^ansford. 



Fbench Shears.— "H. C." and others would be obliged by being informed 

 where these can be purchased. They would pay for being advertised. 



Botanical Terms— Crystals ON Grapes {J. IT.).— Henslow's "Dictionary 

 of Botanical Terms," publinhed by Messrs. Groombridge. A saturated so- 

 lution of alum will deposit crystals on plants. 



Gatherinq Pears (B. H. F., Tbrfc).— There is no special time for gather- 

 ing any Pear. Pears are fit for gathering when their stalk parts from the 

 spray if they are raised a little above a horizontal position. Store them in 

 single layers in a cool dark room. 



Ferns— Vines (iJ. J. S.).— We stated that we could not name the Ferns 

 because they had no spores on them. Any queries about Vines will be 

 answered as scon as wo receive them. 



Camellias Casting their Buds {A. H. fl.).— We should attribute the 

 casting of the buds to the check consequent upon the potting just prior to 

 placing outdoors, and this it seems also entailed loss of leaves, and a second 

 growth resulting we are not surprised at the first buds falling, but cannot 

 account for those on the second growth faUinp, unless it be from the drier at- 

 mosphere of the houFO, tlio buds not being sufiiciently developed, nor the 

 wood ripened. Nothing that you can do now will save the buds from falling; 

 bat by careful watering through the winter, and by having the buds well 

 formed before placing outdoors, or better not at all, keeping in a cool airy 

 house and shaded, a recurrence of the evil may be avoided. 



Bulbs Planted-out in Greenhouse (B. B.).— They would succeed ad- 

 mirably, and Liliums auratum and speciosum vars., with Sparasis, Tri- 

 tomas, and similar plants would answer. Geraniums would not do until after 

 March, but Mignonette would do sown early. 



Climbing Plants fob Conservatory {Rob IJo i/).--BIgnoma jasminoides 

 sp'endida, MandeviJla suaveolens, Passiflora Imperatrice Eugenie, if mode- 

 rately warm, or if c3ol, P. Comte Nesselrode, Tacsonia Van Volxemi, Habro- 

 thamnus fascicularis, and Bignonia Tweediana ; and if you have a north ruof 

 Lapageria rosea and L. alba. The Lapageria does best in fibrous rough peat, 

 and requires extra drainage, as the watering is required to be very liberal. 

 All the others succeed in a compost of tliree parts fibrous loam, and a part 

 leaf soil, with half part sandy peat, and the same of old cow dang and sand. 

 They do very much better planted-out In borders than grown in either pots 

 or tubs. 



Climbers fob Unheated Greenhouse (B. B,).— The following, though 

 not climbers, would, trained to wires, answer: — Ceanothug flonbundus, Chi- 

 monanthus fra'^rans, Eugenia Ugni, and Pittosporum Tob'ra; or climbers 

 Caprifolium Inteom, Clematis Henryi, Jasminum revolntum, and Lardiza- 

 bala biternata. Solanum jasminoides and Passiflora ccemlea would also 

 succeed. 



Pears Grafted in Bpbino {W. Tr.).—Kemove the bandage at once, and 

 prune when the leaves hav-a fallen, heading-back to about a foot. They will 

 not require any protection in winter, for they are hardy. 



Outdoor Vines {F. /.).— Count the first eye at the base of the shoot, and 

 cut at the one nest above it. Do not take out the eyes now or at pruning, 

 but leave all and rub off the shoots you do not want. Dissolved bones will 

 answer, but are not so lasting as crushed onesj and theway you propose apply- 

 ing them and the stable litter is right. 



Grafting Peab Tbee (F. J.).— The pyramid and espalier trees you wish 

 to graft with more desirable kinds should have the heads cut off at the time 

 or a short time only h^fore grafting. Whip-grafting we consider the most 

 desirable mode, and you may cut off all the branches to within 6 inches of 

 the main stem, and graft all those as well as the leader. Make the eurface 

 SBQOoth by paring with a knife after sawing-off the branches. Place the 

 ecions on the upper preferably to the under side of the branches. The scions 

 should be removed from the trees before their buds begin to swell, and have 

 their lower ends inserted in moist soil. The scions will have three or four 

 buds in about 4 inch of shoot, and you will hardly be able to have tliree buds 

 in a b-inch length, with one bud near the lower end, and the scions will need 

 to have one, better two buds, clear of the grafting-wax or clay. The scions 

 are not to be dipped into the graftiog-wai, but securely bandaged with a 

 ligature of matting, and then apply the was so as to effectually exclude air. 

 Graft when the Pear trees generally are commencing to grow, or from the 

 middle to the close of Murch. We do not know the grafting-wax to wliich 

 you allude, but the following given in the " Yeir Book" has the advantage of 

 not being required applied warm : — "Yellow wax 1 lb., turpentine 1 lb, Bur- 

 gundy pitch H ozs., mutton suet 4 ozs. Melt all together and mix thoroughly, 

 and leave them to cool. Form the mass into email balls, as it will not stick 

 to thci fingers, and use them when opportunity offers." For your purpose we 

 consider the usual clay covering would answer and be cheaper. 



Heating Gbeenhouse, &c. {B. 0. J.).— We do rot approve of your pro- 

 posed mode of heating, for though water will circulate on a level below that 

 of the boiler, it is idways slugpiMh, and would in your case we think boil over 

 or be blown-out in the cihtom or tank fi-om which the supply of hot water is to 

 be drawn for domestic purpfses. The return pipes shoiild be on a level uith 

 the boiler above rather than below the roturn-pipe of the boiler. In your 

 «aso the mojority of the piping is below the boiler and almost all return, and 

 nnless you can lower the boiler to the level of the pipes In the greenhouse and 



hothouse we should not advise its adoption. Could you not have the boiler in 

 the greenhouse or in some place adjoining? The plan, othorthan the levels, 

 would answer well, the boiler from tho dimensions given is capable of heating 

 the piping required. It appears to us you would have too little piping and a 

 giea*, deal of it uselesn, being taken-np in connection between the houses ; 

 but as you give no dimensions we may be in enor on that point. 



Wintering Geraniums (M. TF.).— Not having a greenhouse you may 

 safely winter the plants in a room from which frost is excluded, and we can 

 ooly account lor your former failure by boing in a room too cold. Now 

 if you will take-up the plants and strip from them every leaf except any at 

 the points of the shoots not larger than a shilling, and trim-in the roots so 

 tha' they may be potttd in 4-inch pots in moderately moist, rather light, and 

 moderately rich loam, giving ao water, or only a little to keep the shoots 

 from shrivelling, until March, and admitting air freely whenever the tempera- 

 ture of the room is over 50", and not so as to lower below 45'', avoiding a 

 draught, and not allowing the temperature to fall below 38^, better 40" for 

 safety, we guarantee greater part of the plants will survive the winter; and if 

 you cut-in any irregularities of growth in March, and water as required 

 afterwards so as to keep the soil moiKt, we consider you will have nice plants 

 for plauting-out in May. Another plan is to have some wood boxes made of 

 hilf-inch deal, planed on tha outside and edges for neatness, the length and 

 width of the window-sills, and 4 inches deep, the bottom being bored with 

 about half a dozen holes half an inch in diameter, and a red hot iron run 

 thniugh each, the holes being to let out superfluous water, and overeich 

 inside may be placed an oyster shell or a piece of pot, and then an inch of 

 the sittings of the soil used for filling the boxes, which is best of sandy loam 

 without admixture. Place a little suil over the rubble, introduce the plants 

 all the leaves stripped off, and the routs cut-in to about 2 inches of the stem, 

 placing them closely together, and fill-in between and over the roots, leaving 

 about half an inch from the top of the box to admit of watering. These 

 boxes placed in any window of a room fmm which frost is excluded will 

 winter safely, treated as above described. Th't box will rot or damage 

 the window-sill if you do not place under each a piece of zinc, and il 

 this be tumed-up at the edges no water can possibly come upon the window 

 except of neglect. The plants may be potted-off from the boxes in March, 

 the plants grown-on in frames or elsewhere, as we have seen planted-out 

 from the hoses in May, and do remarkably well. Where the boxes are no gas 

 must be consumed, or the plants will suffer. A third plan is to strip the 

 plants of their leaves, not to trim-in the roots or only any very straggling 

 ones, and to place the plants buried in dry sand in a cellar, from which they 

 should be taken in March, potted, and grown-on in frames. The plants 

 should be cut-back in March or early in April if they are straggling ingrowth, 

 so as to form bushy plants. 



Wintering Fcchsias and Heliotropes (Zifm).- Without a greenhouse 

 lay the plants on their sides in front of a south wall, and before severe 

 weather, taking care the plants are not frosted, place in a cellar from which 

 frost is excluded and keep dry, but the wood is not to be allowed to shrivel 

 from overdrynesa. In March or April remove the plaats to a window and 

 prune, repotting when the young shoots are about an inch long. Cuttings of 

 Heliotropes should be of the young wood, the points about 3 inches long in- 

 serted in sandy soil, and placed in a cold frame if in summer, or in spring 

 and autumn, affording bottom heat, shading from sua. 



Black Hamburgh Grapes Deficient in Colour (JT. T.). — The caneee 

 of the Grapes being red instead of black are probably defective root-action, 

 not having the bunches well shaded by the leaves, and insufficient ventilation. 

 A good supply of weak tepid liquid manure during the time of colouring, 

 ^es3 thinning of the leaves, and more air, are the obvious remedies. 



Select Fruit Trees {W. Seymour Fraser). — We have selected and set 

 down the varieties in the order of ripening. Apples: Irish Peach, Kerry 

 Pippin, Qravenstein, Golden Winter Pearmain, Cux's Orange Pippin, Golden 

 Reiuette. Plums : Do Montfort, Transparent Gage, Coa's Golden Drop. 

 Ckfrries : Black Tartarian, Duchease de Pallnau, Mary. 



Seedling Cyclamen Culture (H. ^.).— The seedlings sown about two 

 months ago pot-off singly in small pots, and as you have only a cr:ld green- 

 house, place them on shelves near the glass and keep them moist during the 

 winter. In May move them to a cold frame, and there keep them duly 

 watered, but rather sparingly in June aad July. In August they may be 

 shifted into larger pots, and being kept rather moist, close, and shaded from 

 bright sun they will start into free growth, and should be moved to the 

 greenhouse in October, placed on shelves near the glas''. Keep them moist, 

 but not overwatered. They will flower during the winter and spring. Frost 

 must be excluded. The soil most suitable is three parts light fibrous loam, 

 one part each leaf soil, sandy peat, and silver sand, well mixed, with good 

 drainage. 



Site fob Feuit-boom (J. £.}.— Of the two sites submitted to ns we 

 should prefer that of No. 1 from its northerly aspect. The slight warmth it 

 would derive from the dining-room fire on the opposite side of the wall will 

 probably exclude frost. No 2 would answer, and appears to give the greatest 

 accommodation for fruit shelves, but it doei not appear how you will be able 

 to keep out frost in severe weather. There is also the same objection to 

 No. 1, the heat from the wall not being sufficient in severe weather to main- 

 tain the temperature in the fruit-room above freezing-point, and the heat at 

 other times may cause too dry an atmosphere, and so cause the fruit to shrivel 

 or unduly ripen. We have, however, a room similarly situated as No. 1, and 

 it answers very well, but we have a window, or rather skylight, and by 

 raising this we con admit air, having a shutter to insure darkness and keep 

 out frost. 



Late-keeping Dessert Apple (TT. B.I.— Ton cannot have a better than 

 the Sturmer Pippin. Add to your Pears Beurre Hardy. 



Names of Fruits (Z. A. B.).—l, Beurre Diel : 2, Brown Beorrt^; S, not 

 known; 4, E*ster Beurr^. (Harry). — 1, Forelle; 2, Calebasse Gro-ise ; 

 3, Beurrtj Diel; 4, Fondante de Noel; 5, Beurre Bo^c; 6, Beurre Clairgeau. 

 [li. Calvert, Clapham). — 1, Bedfordshire Foundling; 2, Kepwick Codlin; 



3, Hawthomden ; 4, Dutch Codhn; 5, not known; 6, very like Jargonelle; 

 7, Marie Louise ; 8, Winter Nelis ; 9, not known ; 10, Betm-e Bnsc ; 11, Louise 

 Bonne of Jersey. (O. P.).~2, Dutch Codlin; 3, Beauty of K^nt; 5, Aston 

 Town; C. S^iffolk Thorn; 7, Thompson's. [R. B. L.).—l, Green Tiffing; 

 2, Braddick's Nonpareil; 8, Baxter's Ptarmain; 4, not known; 5, Hoary 

 Morning; Pear not known. {T. A. Biekley.). — We cannot came Peaches 

 unless we know the characters of the leaves and flowers. {0. F. Barrell). — 

 1, ilmile d'Heyst; 2, Beurre Sterckmans, a fine specimen; 8, not known; 



4. Striped Beefing; 6, Beurre Diel; 6, Uvedale's St. Germain, small speci- 

 men; 7, Miliot de Nancy. (John Bmmeraon).— Delaware. The smaller is 

 Nonesnoh. 



