November 35, 187B. ] JOUBNAL OF HOETIOULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. 



469 



painters ; Arbuthnot, the friend of Pope, Akenside, author of 

 the " Pleasures of Imagination," and the celebrated Sydenham, 

 physicians ; Gilray the caricaturist ; and Dodsleys, the eminent 

 booksellers, are only a few of those I noted. But there is no 

 marble monument to the memory of the friend of Isaac Walton , 

 Ro I obtained access to the parish register of burials, and there 

 found this entry, " 168G, February 10, Charles Cotton, M." 

 —that is, a married man ; and as the year then commenced 

 in March, we should now record the burial as being in 1087. 



JULES D'AIROLLES PEAB. 

 I AM obliged by your information respecting the identity 

 of Jules d'AiroUes with Liron d'AiroUes, of which I now 

 send you a section of a rather small fruit selected as exhibiting 

 letter than a larger specimen the type of the kind. The fruit 

 is large, with a smooth skin, bright green marked with bright 

 red on the sun side, the bright green changing to greenish 

 yellow as it ripens, the bright red being retained and height- 



Fig. 100. 



ened as the ground colour changes. Eye partially open, rather 

 deeply depressed. Stalk about three-quarters of an inch long, 

 rather stout, inserted in a rather deep cavity. Flesh white, 

 delicate, melting, very juicy, with a rich vinous flavour and 

 slight aroma. The tree appears hardy, vigorous, and a good 

 bearer. I have it against an east wall, upright-trained, and 

 on the Pear stock. The first fruits this year (1875) were ripe 

 Ootober 29th, and the last fruit used — it being over-ripe — 

 November 13th. It is equal to — I think surpasses— Napoleon, 

 which it much resembles. 



Have any of your correspondents noticed the dii^erence in 

 the size and quality of Pears on the Pear stock over those on 

 the Quince in a high cold situation ? The difference is with 

 me marked, and becomes more so every year; those on the 

 Quince, especially Louise Bonne of Jersey, Bergamotte Espe- 

 ren, Beurrt d'Aremberg, Alexandre Bivort, BeurrC d'Anjou, 

 and Z6phirin Grfigoire, though masses of fertility, have the 

 fruit so much spotted and cracked as to be worthless, whilst 

 the same kinds on the Pear stock exhibit none of those 

 defects. The cracking and spotting have been attributed to 

 cold cutting winds whilst the fruit was young ; but I am 

 inclined to think that whilst those on the Pear stock have 

 not the crack-aud-spot tendency, that the Quince being a 

 more tender subject than the Pear (a native), the latter is not 

 checked in its growth so readily as the Quince in a cold dull 

 period, and the fruit does not become skin-bound as a staying 

 of the feeding fluid would cause, with consequent splitting 

 when a return to mild weather causes the flow of sap to be 



free. The Quince is a native of South Europe, and must 

 reach its limit of hardiness, and with that its usefulness as a 

 stock in northern latitudes. I know Pears on the Quince 

 stock attain in some places in Scotland great excellence, but 

 some parts of the classic land are more favourable for fruit 

 culture than many high, bleak, exposed situations in England. 

 — G. Abbey. 



NOTES ON VILLA and SUBURBAN GARDENING. 

 The little forcing house, whether for Vines alone or for forcing 

 plants into flower as well, ought now to command attention. 

 In many, if not most, suburban Rardens there are many tender 

 plants, such as Ferns, Coleuses, Begonias, &o., which have been 

 grown during the summer in the greenhouse, and which, for 

 their usefulness to be prolonged, require a moderate degree of 

 heat, and in the absence of a separate plant stove it is necessary 

 to make use of a vinery in which many plants can be grown, 

 and generally a fair crop of Grapes also. 



In the first place, the Vines must be pruned at once and 

 cleansed of all loose bark, but no more than will part easily from 

 the rods. Drees the Vines over with a composition of 8ozb. 

 of powdered sulphur, 2 ozs. of Giehnrst compound dissolved in 

 warm water, adding one quart of juice from tobacco paper, to 

 be mixed with clay and soot sufiicient to make it of the thick- 

 ness of paint. Apply it carefully with a small brush, taking 

 care to reach the bottom of every crevice, and thoroughly cover 

 all the wood and especially round the spurs where the insects 

 mostly secrete themselves. When the Vines are dry suspend 

 them to the wires about half the way up the roof, letting the 

 upper part of the Vines hang down ; this assists them to break 

 more evenly— that is, the uppermost buds will not be so much 

 in advance of the lower buds, which will then become stronger. 

 The house itself must be well cleaned by limewashing all brick- 

 work, and washing, if not painting, the woodwork. 



If there is a bed or pit in the centre to be filled with material 

 for bottom heat let it also be done, whether with tan or leaves, 

 or a mixture of dung and leaves ; whOe the heat is rising it will 

 be well to prepare the plants which are to occupy the places. 

 These usually consist of Azaleas, which must be tied to their 

 proper shape and the pots cleaned. Lilacs and Ghent Azaleas 

 should be potted, if not already done, and those already done 

 will no doubt need top-dressing with a similar mixture to that 

 in which they were potted, but not unless the pots are full of 

 roots ; such plants rarely need potting every year they are 

 forced. Then there are the Deutzias, gracilis and flore-pleno, 

 which require similar treatment. Next come different sorts of 

 Koses, which ought to be one-year-potted plants to do well ; the 

 same may be said of Weigela rosea, Forsythia viridissima, and 

 Dielytra spectabilis, which are all excellent forcing plants. 

 Rhododendrons, too, must not be omitted, nor Camellias for 

 advancement. None of the above plants need hard forcing— in 

 fact it is injurious to them, for the colour will be pale and the 

 growth much weakened, and the supply of flowers shortened. 

 Then there are different kinds of Dutch bulbs ; those that were 

 first potted must be first taken, using the common single Hya- 

 cinths and Tulips first. A few of the forwardest Cinerarias 

 should be introduced, as well as a few pots of Lily of the Valley 

 and Solomon's Seal, but do not introduce Heaths and Epacrises 

 into such a place. The above are all common plants such as an 

 amateur need not be afraid to grow, and which, if the following 

 conditions are attended to, may generally be expected to do 

 well. 



Plunge the deciduous plants named above into the pit when 

 the bottom heat has subsided down to about 05°, or not more 

 than 70°, and let the top heat be very mild, say not more than 

 50° at first ; this will suit both the Vines and plants and will 

 assist the roots to make progress in advance of the shoots— a 

 point always to be studied in successful forcing, because then 

 the growth is stronger, and consequently the flowers are larger 

 and more plentiful. The deciduous plants will need but little 

 water until there is some growth upon the bare shoots, increas- 

 ing the quantity as growth proceeds ; but Rhododendrons and 

 other plants with foliage must have a regular supply. Atmo- 

 spheric moisture must be also provided ; if dung and leaves are 

 used for bottom heat there will be nearly moisture sufficient for 

 a week or two on account of steam beiug given off; but if dry 

 heating is used, a syringing overhead once or twice a-day 

 according to the weather will be necessary. 



Airing is another important matter. If I say that the heat 

 not to exceed 45° or 50° by night, and be kept at 50° or not above 

 00° in the day with sun heat, air must be given to keep it at 

 that, excepting in the afternoon, when if the house is closed 

 early, say by two or three o'clock, it does not matter if the heat 

 increases to 70°, which will be beneficial to the plants. 



There must be no neglect in watching for the green fly, for the 

 genial atmosphere produced favours their growth and increase, 

 and on the young shoots especially they soon do irreparable 

 injury. If the house instead of having bottom heat has only a 

 stage on which to stand the pots, there must be greater care 



