s 



464 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



V 



L r JuLYl3, 



bloom, pall up all single or semi-double flowers, a* well as all 

 •« sells " unless the variety has some striking characteristic, 

 when i't may be worth while to propagate it ai a border flower. 

 Commence laying the shoots, taking those varieties first which 

 are in the greatest state of forwardness. Still tie up buds as 

 they advance; and do not let the plants in pots lack moisture 



-J-F. TV. mmm o 



IV.-PINERIES, VINERIES, &c. 

 Pineries.— Some of the Montserrats and Black Jamaicas for 

 a winter supply should now be showing. Give these every 

 encouragement by supplying them with liquid manure, and 

 keeping a brisk bottom-heat, with air as the weather permits. 

 Sprinkle the plants frequently, and keep a moist atmosphere 

 during the time that air is admitted. Ii they are tardy In show- 

 ing, give but little water till the fruit begins to appear Be at 

 tentive to watering and syringing the young ^stock, and I to .the 

 state of the linings of pits heated by dung. Much additio n to 

 them will probably not be required at this season, but it is well 

 to be always prepared, should dull or old weather occur. 



Vineries.-\n the late vineries, the Grapes which arei tended 

 to be ke.it till Christmas, or after (the best sorts foi which i are 

 the St. Peter's, Muscat, and Tokay), should be well thinned, to 

 prevent them from moulding in damp weather; and the shoul- 

 ders of the bunches should be well tied out, to «P°» e 'J** 5 *; 

 ries as much as possible to the sun, that they may be firm n 

 the skin. Repeat the washingthe walls and *™fW%'*** 

 a mixture of quicklime and sulphur, if the red spider istrouble- 



M °Pe e ach houses.-Look over the ripeningfruit daily, and gather 

 it before it loses its flavour, which it will sometimes do before 

 itdrops into the nets placed to receive it. . 



Fig. h ouse.- Syringe daily where the fruit is not ripening; 

 auui.ly water liberally to the roots, and admit air freely. 



2V#IVhu -Maintain a brisk bottom-heat by renewinc he 



July 



5 Very fina ; cloudy; OTIMMtl rain at niKhL 

 _. 6 Ov«rca»t and fine ; rain. 

 _ 7 Haxy and mild ; overcast and very calm. 

 _ g Hazy ; v*ry fine throughout. 

 __ 9 Light clouda and very fine ; clear at night. 

 _ 10 Light clouda, with heavy dew; very fine; cloudy." 

 _- 11 Very fine ihroughout. 



Mean temperature of the week 0.2 deg. above the average. 



«tat«» of the Weather at Chiawick during the last 18 years, for the ensuing 

 sta Week ending July 20, 1844. 



PrevairTnjTWindsi 



July 



Sun. 14 

 Mon. IS 

 Tuea. 16 

 Wed. 17 

 Thur.18 

 Fri. 19 

 Sat. 20 



Aver. 



Highest 

 Temp. I 



Mean 



Aver. 



74.8 



74 3 



76 



77-6 

 73.0 



71- 6 



70.9 



51.1 

 50-9 



50-3 

 550 

 53.0 

 51.7 

 51.7 



62.9 

 62.6 

 63.2 

 6G3 

 63.3 



61.7 

 61.0 



No. of 



Y^nrs in 



which it 



Rained. 





7 

 10 



4 



4 



9 



10 



12 



Greatest 



• * 1 







* 



quantity 

 of Rain. 



i 



W 



s 



* 



2 



X 



* 



• 



0.60 in. 



1 - 



8 5 



1 



1.46 



— — 



2 



1 — 



3 



9 ! 



1 



0.12 



l 



1 



2 



— 



2 



6 6 



— 



0.46 





I 



1 



2 



4 



4 



5 



1 



1.22 





— 



wm 



— 



6 



5 



5 



3 



0.60 



_i_ 



mm 



1 



61 3 



6 



3 



0.47 



i — 



1 





— 



1 8 



8 





The highest temperature during the above period occurred on the 17»b, 

 1831— therm. 94°; and the lowest on the 19th, 1832— therm. 41^. 



linings occasionally. In the pits heated by tanks, if constructed 

 on a good principle, there is the advantage of being always 

 prepared to meet any sudden rise or fall in the external tempe- 



iatUre vT-' H ARDY FRUIT AND KITCHEN-GARDEN. 



Peach-trees.— Proceed with thinning shoots where they are 

 too thick, taking off the laterals, and exposing all the wood you 

 mean to retain for next season, to the benefit of sun and air. 

 Plums and Cherries.— On old trees lay in a succession of young 

 wood in all parts of the tree, which being kept close to the 

 wall, will in a few years furnish finer fruit, and produce more 

 plentifully, than can be obtained from old unsightly spurs. 

 Currants and Gooseberries. -Shorten the side shoots if not al- 

 ready done. On plants previously shortened, the points of the 

 leading shoots may now be taken off with advantage. Straw- 

 berries.— Keep the late sorts, such as the ••Elton," well 

 mulched with Grass or Straw, to keep the fruit clean. Beds 

 that I covered early with Grass now want covering again. 

 Look after the runners of Keen's Seedling and other early 

 sorts. Where time and labour are not scarce commodities, it is 

 a good plan to lay each runner in a pot, and to cut it from the 

 parent plant when the pot is full of roots ; or rich compost may 

 be strewed between the rows to encourage the rooting of the 

 runners. The method I generally adopt is to choose a situa- 

 tion with a good aspect; dig it finely; supply it with a good 

 dressing of old Mushroom dung, or other manure ; cut off the 

 runners as soon as they have made two or three leaves, and 

 are beginning to protrude roots ; prick them out on the pre- 

 pared ground three or four inches apart ; shade until they begin 

 to grow, and lift with balls either for forcing or making fresh 

 plantations as wanted. The advantage ot this system is, that 

 you can clear away all the runners, and the superabundant 

 plants, almost as soon as a plantation has fiuished bearing; 

 thus affording free exposure to those buds which you expect to 

 produce fruit next season. Routine as before. — R. F. 



VI.— ARBORICULTURE. 

 OW Woods.— The directions previously given regarding sum- 

 mer management, aie still applicable for the present time. 



Coppice. —The same directions as stated above, are likewise 

 applicable here; but the advantages in regard to profit are 



greater. 



Yuung Plantations.— It is a great evil to young plantations to 



allow the hedges round them to gr..w to a great height 

 before they are cut, by which the side branches of the outside 

 trees are killed, or much injured, and the beauty of the trees 

 spoiled. When this is the case after the hedges are cut, the 

 bare stems are all at once exposed to the winds; therefore, if 

 you do not wish to see through a belt or plantation, and when 

 handsome and useful trees are desired, the hedges should be 

 cut at an early period— at all events frequently cut the inside 

 spray off the hedge next the trees; this will prevent much in- 

 jury to the lower branches, until the trees are of sufficient 

 height to admit of tho hedge being properly cut. On the sides 

 roost exposed to boisterous winds, the hedge might be kept 

 higher, and longer in that state, than on the sheltered sides, 

 provided the precaution is taken to trim the insides of them. 



Nursery -work.— Attend to previous directions, except that 

 watering and shading are not now wanted, as rain more or less 

 has fallen in most parts of the country, in sufficient quantity for 

 a time to suspend those operations. — W. B. 



VII.— COTTAGERS' CALENDAR. 

 Pelargoniums which are now going out of flower may be re- 

 moved to a situation in the open air, where they will be freely 

 exposed to the sun. In the course of two or three weeks the 

 wood will thus get thoroughly ripened, which will be known by 

 its assuming a brown hue, and the plants may then be cut down 

 and placed in a less exposed situation until they again start 

 into growth. In what state are the summer things sown in 

 the clumps or borders? Spring-sown annuals in many places 

 have come up badly, and in some instances have never appeared 

 at all. The warm and seasonable showers, however, which 

 have fallen lately, have caused the seeds which have hitherto 

 lain dormant to germinate and come up plentifully ; but where 

 this is not the case, small patches of such hardy things as 

 Collinsias, Poppies, Convolvulus minor, &c. sown now, will, I 

 have no doubt, flower soon and well, and, intermixing with the 

 herbaceous plants, will render the borders gay in autumn. A 

 correspondent writes—"! have just sown some French Beans, 

 and also some Early Frame Peas, as I imagine this sort will do 

 better than any of the late varieties, for it will come into use 

 sooner, and will consequently be less liable to be attacked by 

 mildew." If the cottager has a piece of spare ground, he had 

 better sow a small quantity of this or some other kind for 

 autumn use. Those who have Broccoli ready for planting had 

 better get them put in soon, as the ground is in good order for 

 their reception. Make room for them by removing crops of 

 Peas or Beans that have ceased to be useful. If sufficient space, 

 however, cannot be got in this way, plant between the rows of 

 Peas, but previous to planting let the ground be well forked up. 

 Plant Celery, and get in amain sowing of Turnips; likewise 

 plant out in drills upon rich ground as manv Leeks as may be 

 wanted. Let the drills be about 12 inches apart, and the plants 

 6 inches in the drill. Brussels Sprouts, Savoys, and German 

 Greens ought also to be planted out about this time. Cucum- 

 bers planted oat of doors under hand-glasses will now be 

 growing vigorousl y, and will require strict attention.— J. McH. 



State of the Weather near London tor the week ending July 11 1844 a» 



observed at the Horticultural Garden, Chiiwiok. * ' 



TlIKBMOMirrmft. ~ 



Notices to Correspondents. 



Ants.— 4 Subscriber.— We know of no effectual remedy fcr 

 these troublesome little pests. Some recommend arsenic and 

 sugar • others, a solution of corrosive sublimate and treacle j 

 while a third party says lime-water or powdered quicklime 

 expels, but does not kill them. Boiling water has also been 

 tried, and this certainly will destroy them where it can be 

 applied ; but that is not often. Perhaps the remedy of most 

 general application is flowers of sulphur. This, says a cor- 

 respondent, effectually expels them, but does not appear to 

 kill them. After its application, however, he says that they 

 invariably leave the spot, and are not again to be found in 

 the neighbourhood of their late locality. He adds that it 

 affects equally the black and the red Ants.* 

 Bkbs.- A Lady.— There is no necessity for having the dis- 

 coloured combs cut from the centre box ; the operation 

 would inflict a serious injury on the brood ; and it is not 

 from that part of the hive that pure honeycombs are to be 

 expee'ed. You need not be afraid that old combs will produce 

 weak or small bees. I have a prosperous hive eight years 

 old However, when the bees happen to die, the bad combs had 

 better be cut out. As the slide was left out, most likely the 

 dead bees found in the drawer died during the winter or 

 spring, which is a common occurrence. But, supposing that 

 was not the case, and that the hive had not swarmed, the old 

 bees would die in the beginning of summer. This applies to 

 the straw hive also, even although it was a first swarm this 

 season ; for it would contain old bees from the stock. In 

 some cases intruders cause the slaughter. J. Wighton. 

 BunniNo.— A Constant Reader.— Plums are budded in the 



autumn when the bark runs, and exactly like other plants. 

 Emigration.— A Reader. -The West India Islands are in want 

 of good gardeners; but it is doubtful whether good wages 

 can be had. A mere routine gardener would, however, be 

 useless there. If a man would succeed he must thoroughly 

 understand the principles of his business. A man who had 

 been a gardener in the West Indies for two or three years 

 would be of more value when he returned than when he 

 went, provided he contracted no bad habits. 

 Grafting.— What do Ants live on ?—\t is absurd to suppose that 

 these creatures have hurt your grafts. The work is well 

 done, and the loss of so many of your scions has arisen from 

 the excessively dry weather. Nobody is to blame. 

 Grapes.— J. TV.— Your very old Vine is probably getting worn 

 out, and its roots may be too dry. It is therefore more likely 

 to suffer from a hot sun than are the more vigorous kinds 

 growing beside it ; and such has evidently taken effect on the 

 young bunch of fruit received. j| 

 Insects. — Onkly says, *' Having sown some Swede seed in a 

 flower-pot wirh some guano, and finding that it grewvery slow- 

 ly, I examined the pot, and found many seeds on the surface in 



farm-yard dung, dug into the grouiv* 'as tar Irom the bole &i 

 the ends of the branches. 

 Variegated Beeches.— J. H Hrtfcroft.—ThH is very distinct 

 from the old Variegated Beech, and desirable if constantf , f or 

 the gratification of those w-™ admire variegated plants', which 

 we do not in general. 

 Whitney's Compositi*?"-— «'• G - H.— Good calico is the best 

 for this material. An Arnott stove will keep the frost out of 

 a small house ; but you must take care not to work it without 

 a pan of water on the top. 

 Miscellaneous.— Icenus.— Certainly, Berberisfascicularis is no 

 twiner; nor can we find any statement that it is so in the 



page to which you refer. F. X. 0.— Your Erica tetralix 



aurea is uncommonly ugly. Do you mean to say that the roots 

 of your Teasel plants have contained three pintsof water each 



One shilling each will be given for No. 7, 1842, and No. 2, 



1843. A. AT. -When your seedling Strawberry reached us 



it was quite rotten, and consequently in an unfit state for 



forming any opinion in regard to its merits.* R. Chilo.— 



We shall give our opinion on the merits of your Picotees if 

 you send them.*- — Querist.— Gentianella may be increased 

 by dividing the plants early in autumn. The cutting of 

 Asparagus should never be continued beyond midsummer; 

 apply salt to the beds when the summer shoots are growing 

 (see p. 444 of last week's Paper). Where seed is not wanted, 

 the seed-vessels should always be taken off Rhododendrons 

 as soon as the blossoms drop, for reasons previously given. 

 Daphne Cneorum is propagated by layers. Annuals do not 

 flower better for being sown in autumn, but they flower 

 earlier next spring. Crops are benefited by having the soil 



stirred up between the rows in dry weather. J Conifera.— 



Abies Smithiana and Pious Cephalonica are both perfectly 



hardy, i Delta.— Trap the blackbirds with rat-traps, baited 



with Cherries. The mode of preserving Gooseberries, Currants, 

 &c, mentioned at p. 821, 1842, is as follows -.—Take wide- 

 mouthed glass, or, if possible, stone bottles; fill them by 

 shaking, or even, if you like, by pressing them or mashing 

 them with a round stick like a ruler. Then cork them tight 

 with the best corks (for good corking is more than half the 

 battle), using good deep chives, as they arc called; wire down 

 the cork strongly, and insert a small slip of wood between the 

 wire and cork. Place the bottles upright in a boiler, filled with 

 cold water, up to their necks; heat the water until it boils; 

 keep it boiling ten minutes, and then withdraw the fire, or 

 move the boiler off it. When the water is cool take out the 

 bottles, and they will keep for years. They may be rosined ; 

 but with good corks it is needless, and is afterwards trouble- 

 some. A. E.—We most beg to refer you to the numerous 



statements made on the culture of the Double Yellow Rose in 

 previous volumes, particularly in a Leading Article at p. 811, 



in the vol. for 1841. t Anne.— Your specimen of a Carex 



piercing the root of Gymnadenia conopsea is curious. We 

 have such a case with Couchgrass and Potato. 





July 



Frid. 



6 



Sat- 



6 



Sun. 



7 



Mon. 



8 



Tues. 



9 



Wed. 



10 



Than. 



11 



Mcwn'i 

 A Ke- 



M 



<L 



22 



23 

 24 

 26 



Max. 



».656 



29B7S 



29995 



29.931 



29.906 



29.967 



29.Q80 



AROMKTKR. 



MmT 



29.576 

 89. 809 



29.929 

 *<J.856 

 29.850 

 29.880 

 29.864 





70 

 08 



•a 



77 

 74 

 79 



n 



29M7 ' *9*& | 7*8 



Min. 



Mean. 



60 



00.0 



H 



69.5 



53 



00.6 



68 



67.6 



49 



61.5 



60 



69.0 



V* 



670 



5U 



63.5 



Wind. 



the state which you will sec in No. I, and on opening one, 

 the small fly in No. 2 came out." No. 1 is not Swede seed, 

 but Millet seed ; No. 2 is the Thrips, which has no relation to 



either. Is our correspondent quizzing us ? B. Chilo — We 



are obliged for the satisfactory packet containing the wasp, 

 flies, fie. R. All the questions that have reached us have 

 been answered; but we cannot undertake in all cases to reply 



on the instant. 

 Names of Plants.— J. M. — We do not recognise the leaves yon 

 have sent. Your Ferns are, 1 , Aspidium Filix mas (?), in a young 

 state ; 2, Polypodium Dryopteris ; 3, Aspidium lobatum ; 



4. Polypodium Phegopteris § Peter Mackenzie. — Your 



Rubus seems a remarkable variety of the common Raspberry. 



Aen. — Genista tinctoria, var. hirsuta. •J. Inscius. — 



Canary Grass. J. K. S.—\, Carex paludosa; 2, Carex 



remota; no number, Mitella nuda. § H. E. B. — Grewia 



orientalis. P. — Epidendrum odoratissimum. We ^iave 



nothing from you unanswered. Censorius. — 4. Orobus 



niger; 1, Cistus salvifolius. Nobody can tell the names of 

 the other fragments. You should remember that plants 

 cannot often be named unless good specimens are supplied. 



F. C. B.-We really must once more decline naming 



foreign seeds. You cannot be aware of the enormous d>fn- 

 culty of doing so. Two days would not be enough for the 



task you propose. S. W. IT.— Datura Stramonium. 



Pelargoniums.— V. S.— We can hardly explain your case. We 

 should not refer it to the action of bees or insects ; it is most 

 likely to be connected with dryness of the air. We presume 

 you have not described all the circumstances of your case, 

 although no doubt you have intended to do so. 

 Potatoes.— S. IF.— The sooner the Potato-blossoms are re- 

 moved, the better. It is bad physiology to say that if the 

 berries are prevented forming their poisonous matter, that 

 matter will be transferred to the tubers. The materials out 

 of which the fruit forms its poison will be transferred to the 

 tuber, but in another chemical form— namely, that of starch. 

 The Fig-tree bears sugary fruit; if you pull off the Figs, you 

 will not, on that account, get sugar in the branches. The 

 Cherry is red and pulpy ; if you remove Cherries, you will 

 not make the branches red and pulpy— and so on. 

 Rhododenorons.— An Amateur.— The following are very good 

 free bloomers, and are tolerably hardy : — Russellianum, 

 scarlet ; Altaclerense, scarlet ; Arboreum roseum, bright 

 rose; Victoria, deep red; Venustum, pink; Angustum, pale 

 flesh, spotted ; Pulcherrimum, scarlet ; Grandiflorum (Cun- 

 ningham's), pale flesh; Macranthum, rose; and Knightii, 

 scarlet. Rhododendrons may be grafted with success in 

 August or September. After the scions are put on, the plants 

 should have a little bottom-heat to set the sap in motion. t 

 Soil.— W. H. B.— Provided your soil is stiff enough not to 

 burn, l'ght enough to admit air into its crevices, and tho- 

 roughly drained, it does not much matter what its composi- 

 tion is. Equal parts of peat or leaf- mould, loam, and sand, 

 make a good mixture If a little calcareous matter, such as 

 the plaster and. mortar rubbish of old buildings, be added, it 

 will be an improvement. 

 Strawberries.—/. O. £T.— In preparing ground for these, 

 trench it well two spits deep, *»nd manure on the second 

 spit. The beds may be mulched in autumn. Spread the 

 manure on the surface. The autumn rains will wash the 

 substance of it down to the roots, and it will form a clean 

 surface for the plants. t 

 Tulip Trees.— X. Y. Z.— These are propagated by seeds im- 

 ported from North America. If your tree is in health, why 

 I manure it ? If you will not let well alone, employ good rotten 



SEEDLTNG FLOWERS. 



Calceolarias.— Thos, A.— Your seedlings are small, and infe- 

 rior in the marking to the seedlings of the present day. Gip- 

 sey is the most uncommon.* 



Fuchsias.— J. B., Durham.— Your seedling is a finely-formed 

 flower ; tube and sepals of the most delicate pink, approaching 

 to white ; corolla rose, with a slight tinge of purple : a clear 

 and brilliant flower, the best of its colour we have yet seen. 



H. M.— None of your seedlings are improvements upon 



varieties already in cultivation, and they are all deficient in 

 the colour of the corolla.* O „ noar 



Gladioli.-*. H. Krelage, Haarem.-Yoar seed W JPP^J 

 to be crosses between G. cardinal* and G. blandus, .the 

 former variety predominating most in th %°**P™*'™' 

 are very beautiful, like all such crosses. The colours ran ge 

 from very pale red to a deep rich vermilioi i. M an> how- 

 ever, bear too strong a resemblance to each other theduTer- 

 ence of colour being very trifling; and « ^° °' ££ "J^" 

 stances the form of the flower is not good the peta hi b, ing 



very narrow. Eclatante frappante » an « a 3Xmct co- 

 form. Seedling No. 41 is a nch, splend ul, and distinc t co 

 lour; and Lord John Russell, Prince Albert and Queen v 

 toria are very good varieties of a pale co our. We wo 

 say that seedling No. 41 is the cream. »f he btf ch distinct 

 wonderfully well grown. A selection or ui 

 varieties would be acceptable to »»* K arQ £"' . substance , 



Pansies.-T. C.-No. 1 * * flower of ^ form and s e> 

 but the faint and uncertain colour in Ahe >.w P ^^ 



tionable. 2, white pure, eye clear and well oe f » fl 

 flat, edges are a little too »neven. 3 » » n ^J lete tne eye. 

 and wants the blotch on the side pe tal i to com ^ 



4-the shield, or centre, of. this flower wants dear g, 

 lip is too small, in proportion to the .other peta ^ 



best flower-round, flat, and of f^'^n of the petals 

 petals meet closely above the eye the propc rtion^ 

 is very fine, and it is more novel than ^e others. ^ 



Pelargoniums. -/. D. J., Brussels.- -Your * 

 generally deficient in one property,] ^^ Jn 



day as essential in constituting a fine fl lo*e J^ o{ the 

 substance they are very good, and in cc i coloar3 of 



varieties are fine, such as 480 «»; « d ** Lood. 2S5 is w 

 these arehigh and fine; 415 is also clear anu | ^ ^ 

 improvement in the form; the under petals yoUf flower s 

 broad, but the colour is poor and u "** en c # ormi aredto the 

 generally are small, and wanting in ^^KF.-There 

 varieties raised of late years in this country. are commo a 

 is nothing remarkable in your seedlings, i n > ^^^ 



in colourf with the top petals rather P"»» ted ' ft % e latter is a 

 ones too narrow. 12 and 10 are the two best. , ^ bftS ^ 

 repetition of Matilda, with a fine .spot ^ ^ pretty 



the petal.* R. VT.-Rembrandt is » &»* " J B we ll adapted 



seedling; from its colour and firmness oj :peta ^ < 



for bouquets; it is deficient in form, comp 8eedU ng3 arc 



varieties.* W. R., near Demzes -Both y on fi top 



pretty flowers: No. 7 *■ the better form . i boh are 



petals, but the bottom ones are rather to o a p l( g 



Snnd in colour.* J. W.-Yonr seedling* from fteBl 



good in colour 



are pretty in colour, but the flowers wan 



desirable.* 



t size to render 



are preuy m uuiuui, u«v *~~ — • 



desirable.* . _. , nr se edlings, No. a 



Petuxias—TT. R.,near Bemzes-Oiyonrsee flower ^1 



the best ; the colour is_ rich and fine " <* }*«^ 



formed: ' n£ 1 , Though ^^P^d 

 n»rt thP divisions in the corolla are too deepiy t 



Cora- 



and the divisions in tne co J°"* % Cfc "Vand "s are n°i jsre. 

 pare the form of this with No. 2. 3 ana DCta taisa 



though rich in colour ; and 4 is common, r 

 variegated variety.* ^i:„ M can only beregardeo.** 



Picotkes.-P. W.-Your two seedlings can on y 



5ff "^■Mff-JESSS ratherToU aiidthelacu* 



of Toor Jg£ 



well formed, white pure, colour 



perfect. m — If the supposed origin - - he* c,va " 



P ^^ K^chV^a is' true, th.J it-^yfiS^ °* 

 between it and P. atrosanguinea. Is it any 



the latter? .«.- /i-iij^, named^JJJpact 



Roses. 



beinP 



W IF*. * S.— Your seedling Gallica 

 JMTlTft handsome variety-fine in oroi. - - d , ^ 

 and verv double, with the outside P e * a, s ^'^titul ting*. 

 Colour it is of a purple rose of a pecu ^""exSended ; «»■ » 

 it is fragrant, and at its best when fully exp ^ne or 



owing to the bud not being handsome in form b ^j 



tZ of the petals having a bruised appe^nce^ ^^ „ 

 probably arise from the season, or a c cl( '^ e> « 

 SPa deep, rich green, short, and very hftndS ° mC d to0 1*. 



* # *As usual, many communications hare heen re 





