Novemtor 18, 1876. ] 



joubnaij of hobticultdeb and cottage gabdeneb. 



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from the cold wiud by which it wa3 evidently affected. I at 

 length came to the conclusion that the cold air, driven with 

 great force npon the roof of the vinery, must then dash off 

 downwards at an acute angle, aa one sees rain do — hence the 

 mischief. A wooden screen was then promptly fastened upon 

 the end of the vinery, and a permanent and effectual check 

 given to the " scathing blast," which since then has done no 

 harm, this tree being especially remarkable now for its fine 

 foliage and strong growth. 



Having secured a healthy vigorous growth from spring till 

 autumn, the next point of importance is to remove the foUage 

 as soon as its hold upon the branches becomes loosened. It 

 has frequently been advised to do this with a broom, but I must 

 confess I do not like such rough practice, and more especially 

 when the work is entrusted to boys, as is frequently the case; 

 for I am convinced that the trees may then be so much bruised 

 as to induce canker, gumming, and premature decay. I like 

 to remove the foliage gradually and carefully, so as to admit 

 air and light among the branches to harden the sensitive 

 cuticle before it is fully exposed. So important do I consider 

 this, that I contrive, if possible, to pass a soft hair-brush over 

 the trees every day or two after the leaves begin to fall till the 

 branches are quite bare. Depend upon it we cannot be too 

 / tender in handling the shoots and branches. If greater atten- 

 tion were given to this now and when the pruning and train- 

 ing is done, canker and gumming would be much less common 

 than they are at present ; not that I would infer that bruises 

 are the sole causes of those evils, for I have shown in former 

 notes how it is possible for frost or hot sunshine to do much 

 mischief. 



Mildew. — This may arise from drought, and also from 

 superabundant moisture, such as the stagnant water of an nn- 

 drained border. Either cause bears its remedy upon its sur- 

 face, and I have no need to dwell upon them. There is, how- 

 ever, another source from whence this pest springs, and spreads 

 with greater rapidity and more deadly virulence than from any 

 other, and this is when blood or carrion of any kind is used as 

 a stimulant for the roots. Some years ago I had Peach trees 

 destroyed by mildew induced solely by pouring fresh blood in 

 a trench opened upon the roots. I could also tell of Grape 

 Vines, famous for the splendid annual crops which they had 

 borne for a lifetime, being ruined when they passed into fresh 

 hands by an attempt at renovating the border with garbage 

 from a slaughter-house. Never use fresh blood or carrion as a 

 manure ; mix it with soil, let it decay, turn the heap repeat- 

 edly, keep it for a year, and it will then be more valuable than 

 guano — perfectly safe, sweet, and free from all those crude 

 substances which are so unwholesome and dangerous. 



I append a note of a few select kinds placed in the order of 

 ripening, and invite discussion. It has been said that the 

 Peach has no literature ; let us make one for it in the pages of 

 the Journal. 



Early Beatrice. — This has fruit of medium size, bright red 

 on the exposed side, of a pleasant, agreeable flavour, but not 

 rich. It is one of our most valuable Peaches, ripening early 

 in July. The tree is moderately vigorous. 



Early Rivers. — A fine and distinct variety, closely following 

 Early Beatrice. The fruit is large, of a pale straw colour with 

 just a tinge of pink, and of most delicious flavour. I have 

 observed a tendency to stone-splitting in one or two fruits, 

 but have not found the bulk of the fruit so affected. The tree 

 is remarkable for its wonderfully vigorous growth and the 

 manner in which the strongest shoots are furnished with triple 

 buds, so that the new and absolutely rampant growth is really 

 splendid — plump, well-ripened, fruiting wood for next season. 



Rivers' Early York. — The fruit of this is very handsome, 

 round, smooth, and beautifully coloured, of a clear bright 

 red, occasionally mottled. It is large, and produced in great 

 abundance. The growth of the tree is remarkable for its short- 

 jointed wood and close compact habit, presenting a striking 

 contrast to the rampant vigour of Early Elvers. 



Dr. Hogg. — A distinct and valuable variety. The fruit is 

 large and very handsome, the colour being a brilliant deep 

 red, and so beautifully mottled with lighter shades of the same 

 colour that it invariably attracts attention ; nor does it thus 

 attract simply to disappoint, for ihe flavour is sweet, rich, and 

 excellent. The tree is vigorous, and the deep green foliage is 

 unusually large and handsome. 



Grosse Mignonne..~k fine old Peach, very prolific and good, 

 quite one of our best midseason varieties. So highly do I 

 value it, that if I were asked to recommend one kind as the 

 best lor an amatenr, this would certainly have the preference. 



Noblesse.— Ihis is a splendid kind. The fruit is very large 

 and handsome, and the flavour so delicious that to call a new 

 Peach equal to it in this respect is to give it the highest praise 

 in one's power. The tree is a somewhat dehcate grower, but 

 is perfectly healthy under good treatment. 



Belle Bauce. — A very fine Peach, with large handsome 

 fruit of a deep red colour and of delicious flavour. One does 

 not often meet with this variety, and yet it is most worthy of 

 a prominent position in every collection, the fruit invariably 

 attracting attention by its fine form and beautiful colour. The 

 tree is healthy, but it is only moderately vigorous ; and this 

 may in some measure account for its being so little known. 



Barring ton. — An excellent autumn Peach. The fruit is large, 

 somewhat elongated, and is remarkable for its point or nipple, 

 which is very prominent. It is highly coloured, of a deep red, 

 ia excellent in flavour, and continues good late in October. 



h'alburton Admirable. — A favourite autumn sort, and de- 

 servedly so. The fruit is large and of most delicious flavour, 

 pale yellow in colour, with a tinge of red on the exposed side. 

 It has been termed a shy bearer, but I have found it a moat 

 abundant cropper. The tree is very healthy and vigorous. 



Lord Palmerston.— This is a very late kind, bearing magni- 

 ficent fruit quite a foot in circumference and most brilliant in 

 colour, but it does not ripen well on an open wall. Its fruit 

 surpassed all other kinds in size and appearance this season, 

 but none of it ripened thoroughly. It was, however, most 

 useful for stewing. — Edwaed Lhckhokst. 



HERBACEOUS PLANTS FOR BEDDING. 



On reading your reply to " A. M. G." in the Journal for 

 7th of October I thought it needless to trouble you with any 

 remarks, the subject for consideration being so very limited 

 in its range — viz., the selection of some hardy herbaceous 

 plants of the same height, and to bloom at the same time, as 

 Geraniums ; and I could not help agreeing with your implied 

 opinion that there were no such plants in existence. Even 

 now I believe we have yet to discover a hardy plant equal in 

 all respects to the usual summer bedders in duration and pro- 

 fusion of bloom. 



But as it appears to me that the object of " A. M. G.," in 

 common with many other amateurs, is to reduce the trouble 

 and expense of keeping tender plants through the winter and 

 of propagating them in heat in the spring, I do not know of 

 any reason why we should confine our attention to hardy 

 herbaceous plants exclusively, there being many available sub- 

 jects, easy of culture and showy in their foliage or their 

 bloom, that may be raised from seeds or increased by cuttings, 

 and needing only the protection of a cold frame or temporary 

 shelter from severe frosts and continued heavy rains. 



I am in doubt whether it is proposed to mix hardy peren- 

 nials and Geraniums in one bed, or merely to have separate 

 but corresponding beds of each, but this is a matter of detail ; 

 and although there are few hardy plants which would asso- 

 ciate well with such sprightly companions — and I should advise 

 separate beds of each kind wherever practicable — a hint may 

 be taken, on the other hand, from a chaste and favourite com- 

 bination often seen in the public parks — a mixture of purple 

 Violas and silver-leaved Geraniums. 



The Clematis, though not herbaceous, is hardy and peren- 

 nial, and may remain undisturbed for years. Two varieties 

 planted alternately, 2 feet apart, one for spring and one for 

 summer and autumn flowering — say C. Standishi and C. Jack- 

 niani — wQl give a long and nearly continuous succession of 

 bloom of rich blue and purple hues, and may be pegged and 

 trained to any height required. Plants may be turned out of 

 pots at any time when the weather is open, and there is no 

 time like the present. They should not be pruned for this 

 mode of culture, except so far as may be necessary in cut- 

 ting away the dead wood and to prevent confusion. The bed 

 should be well dug and heavily manured, mulched in June with 

 2 inches of half-rotten horse or cow dung, and supphed with 

 liberal doses of liquid manure in dry weather. When the 

 flowering is over and the shoots have ripened, dwarf ever- 

 greens may be plunged in pots between the stools and wUl give 

 an agreeable change. About the middle of Jlarch the pots 

 must be removed, and the holes fiUed-in with very rich fresh soil 

 to meet the insatiable appetite of these Clematises. If a live 

 edging be considered desirable for this bed, try Santolinaincana 

 or Cineraria maritima, or any hardy plant of a stiff dwarf 

 habit having white or golden variegation in its leaves. 



The Tom Thumb varieties of the Antirrhinum grow about 



