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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



( November ly, 1875. 



HoRTiCQLTURAx Cu4R4EEs (Atinie).—Vf6 koow o( mauy superior to yours. 

 For example: If two flowers could marry, which would they be? .Ton-quil 

 to Mari-gold. There ia also the apothegm, If you desire Hearts-ease do 

 not endeavour tomary-sold. 



pRONi-xciATioN OP Trop.eolum (PoIZ|/).— The accent ought to be on the 

 diptbong. 



Grass-growino (J. Qreenaivay). — Oar native species will grow at any 

 temperature above the freezing point of water. 



Phizes for liosEs (A Youn;} Bcginney). — "We qaito agree with you that 

 nurserymen and amateutri ou-^ht not to be compelled to exhibit in the same 

 classes. Neither are they so compelled, for in all properly arranged classes 

 there are open classes alsc — classes for nmserymeu and classes for amateurs. 



Notice of Intention to Leave (Inquirer). — A week's notice to an 

 employer is nufllcient from a weekly-paid servant. 



Pruning Autumn-fruiting Raspberries (C^am). — They do not usu- 

 ally beai* good fruit on last year's canes, or if they do it is in July like our 

 summer-fruitinj; sorts, and the yield in aiiturau is but small. It is good 

 practice, as advised by Mr. Rivers, to cut down all tbo canes close to the 

 ground in February, and in May pull up all but three or four of the strongest, 

 leaving them about 1 foot apart. Except in the eonth, and warm sheltered 

 situations in the midland and northern counties, they do not always ripen 

 their fruit well in autumu. 



Coals (J. H.).-—Vie cannot give the analysis of the different varieties. 

 "Cannel" and "Scotch Cannel " are not the same. Cannel coal will not 

 heat water so rapidly as caking coal. If you have any kind of coal near you 

 we advise you to use it; the cost of carriage from a distance would exceed 

 any superiority in a coal's heating power. 



Rose-growing {Montr Chrhto).—'\;Ve cannot tell the best locality near 

 London. Anywhere if the soil is a rich loam and the subsoil not chalk. 



An Oval Bed.— A ready way of forming a bed of this agreeable shape is to 

 place two pegs in the ground at any given distance apart (say for exami^lo 



3 feet), and then take a piece of twine 7 feet long and join the ends ; place 

 this hoop of string over the pegs, and then with a nail or stick, as though you 

 ■were describing a circle, keep the twiue extended round both pegs, and your 

 oval is complete. The size or the shape of the oval can be regulated by 

 moving the pegs closer to or farther from each other.— R. H. 



Temperature of Conservatory and Drawing-room (J. li. TT.).- "A 

 lady wishes the conservatory to be kept as warm as her drawing-room; the 

 gardener states that that would bo injurious to the plants." We know one 

 lady wlio will not tolerate a temperature below 60= in her drawing-room, and 

 another who cannot endure it to exceed 5iR Suppose we take tho mean of 

 these bgures— 55 , which is alike healthy and comfortable; then we say, pro- 

 vided there are no permanent plants in the structure such as Camellias 

 planted out, that there are a sullicient number of decorative plants which 

 would not only endure that temperature but which would enjoy it. If it is 

 too cold to be comfortable for a lady we adviso that it be made' warmer, and 

 that a class of plants be employed which will bo suitable to tlie temperature 

 required. We put it at f>5". Now, that is a temperature which will admit of 

 beiu;,' placed in the conservatory many attractive plants. Poinsettias, 

 Gesnenis, many Orchids, Epiphyllums, Eucharises, Uesonias, with such 

 oruamental-foliaged plants as Palms, Coleuses, even DraciF/nas, and most of 

 the choice Ferns may all be placed in structure, having for its minimum the 

 teraperatiu-e above named. Furthermore, tho same temperatm-e will be en- 

 durable by Cyclamens, Mignonette, Primulas, and Cinerarias, only they 

 would not last so loo^' in beauty as in a cooler house, and larger stocks would 

 require to be grown. The same remark applies to Roses, Azaleas, Deutzias, 

 Hpirrcas, and almost all winter and spring-llowering plants, and we are not 

 certain that it would really injure Camellias in pots, but if planted-out we 

 should consider it too exciting, and if a house had been kept cold and was 

 suddenly raised 10- or 15- there would be danger of the buds dropping. 



Vines for Glazed Verandah (W. C. F.).— There is no saying how many 

 Vines you will have accommodation for, as you say the house is 40 to 50 feet 

 long. We will take it at the latter, which will give you room for Vine rods at 



4 feet distances, and we should train each Vine with two rods, planting from 

 eai!h end 4 feet, aud the Vines afterwards 8 feet apart. We should cut each 

 Vine back to a foot of its base, and when the eyes break select two shoots of 

 equal strength, aud train to the right aud left respectively for 2 feet, and then 

 upright, and up to the top of the roof. You will require six Vines, and these 

 may be two Black Hamburgh, one Trentham Black, one Duke of Buccleuch, 

 one Foster's Seedling, and one Buckland Sweetwater. Plant in spring, 

 when the Vines are beginning to grow. 



Transplanting Manetti Stocks— Briars and Roses (St. Edmund).— 

 Transplant now oreai-ly in December, and plant firmly. The Briar stocks 

 require no preparation, only to he cut with about 4 to 6 inches of root stem, 

 and planted at once in good rich rather strong soil. Now is a preferable tune 

 to plant Roses than spring. The buds recently started into growth will, 

 should we have severe weather, from then- unripe growth be liable to sufter, 

 but you may protect them by a Uttla dry hay wrapped lightly around them, 

 remoriog in mild weather. 



Raising Briar Stocks from Seed {R. B.).— Sow the seed now, or you 

 may keep the heps in sand until spring, and now, or then, dividing the heps 

 intii as many parts as there are divisions sow in drills about an inch deep 

 and (5 inches apart, and cover with liue soil. Tho seeds should be scattered 

 about an inch apart. Some of the plants will t_-ome up the first year, but a 

 majority not until the second, taking-up the growth of each year in autumn 

 after the leaves have fallen, planting 6 inches apart in rows 2 feet apart, and 

 the following season many if not all will be fit for budding as dwarfs. 



Trees in Orchard House (I/K/Kirt-r).- We should prune the trees as 

 soon as the loaves have fallen, and as the trees are planted out remove the 

 surface soil without disturbing tho roots, giving a top-dressing "2 or 3 inches 

 thick of equal parts of turfy loam and rotten dung, making it firm. Remove 

 the Vines if they are likely to shade the trees. " Hints on Orchard Houses " 

 may be useful to you. It may be had free by post from our office for 2s. 74(^ 



Prar and Apple Trees Unfruitful lldciii),~The soil is evidently coor. 

 Burning tho clay and mixing it with the soil with a liberal dressing of manure 

 would improve it. Mulching around the trees as far as the roots extend with 

 :^hort half-rotten manure would attract the roots to the surface, and tho 

 trees would be more healthful and fruitful. 



Erratum.— In the article on Clapp's Favourite Pear, on p. 897, second 

 paragraph, for "last year" read "last used," my object being to show the 

 continuance in season of the kinds nanaed, and not the ripening of last 

 year.— G. A. 



Keeping Fruit (Mechanic). — It may be true that the old gardeners took 

 prizes for two years and for three years with the same Apples, their mode of 

 preserving them being among dried sand in air-tight jars covered with 

 bladder, but the judges could not have tasted the fruits. 



Dwarf Roses in Greenhouse (A Sji/i.).- We should not advise you to 

 plant 80 close as you intended: 18 inches is much too near for Rose trees. 

 In a border 32 feet long and 10^ wide we should not recommend more than 

 ten, or at the outside twelve, in the length, and tliree, or if both sides are 

 quite free, possibly fiuir rows in width, but 3 feet is generally better than 

 2| feet. We should recommend all on Manotti, planting twelve sorts, two 

 and two, in the two back rows, and twelve kinds of Teas in the front row. 

 This would give thirty-six trees — i.e., three rows of twelve each, planted first 

 Teas 2 feet from edge of border, then two rows of Hybrid Perpetuals, the last 

 being 2^ from the vinery. Varieties — llijhrid Perprtuah : Charles Lefobvre, 

 John Hopper, Alfred Colomh, Marie Baumann, Marquise do Castellane, Mar- 

 guerite de St. Amand, Princess MaiT^ of Cambridge, Victor Verdier, Countess 

 of Oxford, La France, Bar()neps Rothschild, Boule de Neige, to which you 

 may add Dupuy-lamain, Emihe Hausburg, Mdlle. Eng-nie Verdier. Dr. 

 Andry. Teas: Madame Wilteriiioz, Souvenir d'un Ami, Adam; Gloire de 

 Dijon, La Belle Lyonnaise. Celine Forestier (Noisette) — these three arc 

 strong growers; Catherine Mermet, Madame de Vitry, Cheshunt Hybrid, 

 Souvenir d'Elise, Madame Bra vy, Marie Sisley, and for a wall Marechal Niel. 



Defei t in Heating (L. F. G.).— We fail to detect any defect in tho 

 arrangement of the flow and return pipes, and as you complain of an insuffi- 

 ciency of beat we conclude you have too little piping, necessitating the 

 driving of the fire, and causing much of the heat to pass away by tho chim- 

 ney. Not knowing the size of the houses and the quantity of piping we are 

 unable to arrive at an opinion. 



Wintering Fuchsias (L. H.).— They will not pass the winter safely in a 

 cold frame unless covered with straw or other protective material, so as to 

 exclude frost. They require to be kept dry, but not so as to caase the wood 

 to shrivel, and if in a temperature of from 40- to 35" all the better ; they will 

 endure 45- without being unduly excited into growth. 



HlPPEASTHUM reticulata STRIATIFOLIA TREATMENT (Q. I> (.S,S ).— The 



offset s'iut us is of the above, and is very pretty were it mUy from the clear 

 white baud in the centre of each leaf, but it has iu addition rose-coloured 

 llowcrj with white network, which aie produced in early summer. The plant 

 ought niiw to be kept on a shelf near the glass, and without water or only so 

 much as to keep the leaves from flagging, and this should be continued until 

 it again commences to grow, when water should be given more freely, and 

 copiously when in free growth both at the roots and overhead, continuing it 

 until the growth is complete, and then reduce it, placing the plant in a light 

 position, giving water only to keep from flagging, but not drying-off. Potting 

 is best done when the plant is in free growth, and keeping under rather than 

 overpotted, being careful not to iojare tho ro:jts. It is a stove plant. 



Repotting Azaleas and Rhododendrons (A Siihscribir).—']Lho plants 

 being intended for forcing ought not to be repotted until they have flowered. 

 The most likely cause of the leaves falling is want of water, the check 

 having been given some time ago, rather than a few degrees of frost, though 

 that would be sufficient to induce their falling. Hydrangeas, Myrtles, and 

 Cytisus may, if kept dry aud the pots protected from fro.-t so that the roots 

 are not affected by it, be wintered in a greenhouse without lire heat, but they 

 are better kept in a house from which frost is excluded, for in very severe 

 weather the plants often suffer and are sometimes killed. 



Poinsettias Losing their Leaves {A Coit.itant Rtadrr). — Tho plants 

 being allowed to become very dry at the beginning of September, and also 

 being old, we are not surprised at their losing tho old leaves, which old plants 

 usually do. They do not at any time require heavy watering, only to be kept 

 regularly moist, with a moderately moist well-ventilated atmosphere. The 

 temperature (60 — 70-), is rather high, 5^ less would be better. The loss (tf 

 roots we should attribute to the keeping of the plants dry and the subsequent 

 moisture. AU peat soil is not good. Good fibrous loam three parts, one part 

 old cow dung, and a part leaf soil or sandy peat, and a sixth of silver sand is 

 a preferable compost. 



Training Wall Pear Trees {Kitl'i). — Nothing is more easy than to 

 train wall trees on what is termed by gardeners the horizontal system, but 

 the foundation must be laid when the trees are young. To make a handsome 

 specimen of your tree it ought to be cut down to within 18 inchos of the 

 ground, and the two side branches should be cut back to tho bifurcation. If 

 you do not hke to cut it down, then the branches marked b and h must be 

 raised higher, allowing about 9 inches between tho lowest pah" and those 

 above, g must be brought down to c, and be out back to 6 inches. F and d 

 must also be brought opposite each other, and the leading growth to be cut 

 back to tHnches. As soon as one pair of brtiuchcs is formed the leader mast 

 either he cut or stopped at 9 inches above them, ho that another pair may be 

 formed, and this is carried on until the wall is covered ; if any side branches 

 (as some have done on your tree), should grow too strong for the others they 

 must be stopped. 



Aphis on Fruit Trees (L. I. K.). — The trees being unnailed from tho 

 wall, leafless and pruned, dress the trees with o composition formed of 8 ozs. 

 of soft soap thoroughly dissolved in a gallon of tobacco juice, and with this 

 thoroughly apply to every part with a brush, reaching well into every crack, 

 angle, and crevice, taking care not to dislocate the buds. As you allude to 

 "fungus'" the trees maybe infested with mildew, in which case ad i to the 

 above-named compound of soft soap aud tobacco juice, sulphur and soot in 

 equal proportions, so as to forma compositiim of the consistency of paint, 

 and apply with a brash. We know of no " now remedy " for the Potato 

 disease to be apidied at the time of planting, and have no faith in such 

 nostrums. The long Pear is Van Mons Leon Leclerc ; tho round green one 

 Susette de Bavay. The two long green Pears we not know. 



Insects on Geraniums (E. M. P.). — We do not think you have rod spider 

 at all. If you have it upon such plants as Geraniums iu a greenhouae it will 

 soon disappear with syringing every morning with water only. It is more 

 likely to be thrips, and those you may destroy by fumigation with tobacco, 

 selecting a calm evening for the operation, having the foliage of the plants 

 dry, and with the house shut-up close, filUng it with tobacco smoke so that a 

 plant cannot bo seen from the outside through the glass. Do not remove the 

 plants and burn sulphur iu the house, but send us a leaf or two infested vriih 

 the insects, and we may probably tell you what they are and what remedy to 

 apply. 



Pine Plants Infested with White Scale {A Comtani Rt-adcr).'- 

 Take of tobacco juice a gallon, and in this dissolve 1 lb. of soft soap and 

 1 lb. of gum arable, adding when thoroughly dissolved a wineylassful of 



