128 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



greenhouse. It may be cut down after blooming and must be safely preserved 

 from frost. A clever article on the plant appeared in the Floral World for 

 May, 1870. We should not advise pruning the oleander, the best time for 

 pruning is immediately after the summer bloom. 



Variegated Ivies. — P.B., Nantwich. — We have not space to enumerate all 

 the beautiful varieties of the ivy ; but the following are very attractive : Hedera 

 helix nigra ; H.h.aurea; H.h.lucida; H. grandiflora pallida ; H.g.maculata ; 

 JET. h. chri/sophylla ; H. h. marginata grandis. We should advise you to consult 

 Mr. Hibberd's exhaustive treatise on the subject, any bookseller will supply it to 

 you. It is probable that your vine was insufficiently fed while in full vigour of 

 growth, and by a deficiency of water the berries got hard and were unable to 

 expand when a large supply of juice was thrown into them. The evil you 

 complain about will be best remedied another season by judicious treatment while 

 the vine is growing. 



Asparagis Bed. — M.S., Aylesbury. — You do not tell us the age of your bed. 

 It is not desirable to cut until the third year. 



Gourds. — W.H.A., Shaftesbury. — The best gourds for summer use are 

 Moore's Vegetable Cream, and Hibberd's Prolific Marrow. The best as a winter 

 vegetable is the Bound Warted Squash. For further information we should 

 advise you to consult Mr. Hibberd's new book on The Kitchen Garden, which has 

 lately been published, and which contains a large amount of new and valuable 

 information. 



Hyacinth Bulbs. — C.B.G., Acton. — The bulbs imported into this country 

 are usually sent here in their third year, that being the period at which 

 the bloom generally attains its greatest perfection. Subsequent to that period 

 the energies of the bulbs are more devoted to offsets than to bloom, and 

 consequently the flowers suffer. The offsets can be grown until their third 

 vear, when they, under proper cultivation, should attain their greatest perfection, 

 but they should not be allowed to bloom until their third year. We anticipate 

 yours are imported bulbs, and therefore you may expect offsets from them next 

 year instead of good bloom. We do not recommend painting the inside of 

 flower-boxes, and Mr. Mollison in his work. The New Practical Window- Gardener, 

 speaks decidedly against the practice. We are glad to hear that the magazine 

 has been of service to you, but we must be proof against your compliments and 

 preserve our incognito. 



Deformed Cyclamen and Geraniums.— if. T. Humshough.— Your plants 

 are evidently infested by some insect. Try a good fumigation. 



AsrARAGUS. — C.S., Chepstow. — The mould applied in autumn should be 

 forked over j and if more than six inches in depth a part may fall into the alleys. 

 The manure in the alleys must not be disturbed ; in the course of the summer it 

 will be filled with strong roots, which will much improve the shoots in the spring. 



Tomatoes. — Ignoramus. — Tomatoes should be raised in heat ; they may be 

 planted at the foot of a dry bank cr against a trellis where they are not exposed 

 to currents of cold air. 



Tines Shanking. — B.S.T., Hants. — The shanking in your case appears to 

 arise from your vines being allowed to bear more branches than they can carry. 

 This affection arises, however, from so many causes that w r e cannot undertake to 

 say whether we are right or not in our conjecture. 



Theips. C. Neal. — The odour from bruised laurel leaves is said to kill 



Thrips. The leaves should be dispersed all over the frame, but they must not be 

 allowed to touch the plants. Shut up your frame and allow it to remain closed 

 for two hours, then give a little air, but allow the laurel leaves to remain for a 

 few hours longer. After the laurel leaves are removed syringe the plants with 

 warm water. 



Orange Leaves. — Amateur. — Judging from the appearance of the leaves 

 your Orange-trees are in a bad state at the root. Imperfect drainage is probably 

 the cause of the evil. We should advise you to repot them now into a compost 

 of fibrous loam and peat well mixed together, adding pretty liberally rough 

 pieces of charcoal. They like the very strongest manure, but be careful to have 

 the pots well drained. 



