118 



JOUENAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAaE GAEDENER. [ Febrnary 7, 18G5. 



Books (A Conji(au/ Subscriber). — The first book you meution is very 

 good, but HofTR's •* Vepeuble Km^<loiu *' is I'ar superior to the other. 

 {J. C).— Henfrey's ** Rudiments of botany," and Hope's " Vegetable King- 

 dom " will giTe you ample iDSlructlcns, They are both small in price. 



PusnsG ViSKS OS A Fluk [Delta). — If we understand you aright, your 

 flue, along the bitck wall, is so lou-, and so close to the wall, that you cannot 

 well have a border of any sort there, without going over the top of the flue. 

 If 80, then, the coverinK the flue at each end, where you wish to plant a 

 Vine, with a flagstone is a pood plan, as it will give a little bottom heat. 

 Three feet squire is not Urge for a Vine, but it will do far several years. 

 Place 6 or 8 inches of drainage over the flag, with a hole to let out eslra 

 moisture, and from 20 to 24 inches of good loam over it, with half a bushel 

 of broken boiled bones, and a bushel ot horse-droppings to each place, 

 nicely incorporated with the soil. After two or three years, if the Vines are 

 continaed, you will have to top-dress with rich munure, such as best cow- 

 dung, or 4 ozs. of KU4no, or 1 lb. of superphosphate of lime at a time. A 

 white Grape, planted in such circumstances, oiii;ht tu be in two or three 

 weeks before the Hamburghs planted in front, if you plant such kinds as 

 the old Dutch Sweetwater (the eirlicst Grape), Buckland Sweetwater, or 

 the Royal Muscadine. The two last are early Grapes, but not so early, in 

 our experience, as the Dutch Sweetwater; but the latter requires mote 

 trouble in setting, but there need be no dilB^ultv, if, as slated lately in 

 "Doings of the Last Week," you Just Rontly draw a dry hand over the 

 bunches when tliey are in bloom, for several diiys in succession, and espe- 

 cially if you happen to get an hour's sunshine. These are all sweet Grapes, 

 of what we may cill the sugar and water kinds ; but if you wish in 

 addition a very rich aroma and .Mu'Cat flavour, we would reeommend the 

 White Frontignan as a free bearer and earlv ripener. To our taste, though 

 the berries are small, it is far richer than 'any ot the Muscats. We have 

 mentioned none of the latter, because, under the same circumstances, the 

 Fronti^an will ripen Irom a month to six weeks before the earliest we have 

 met with. We are glad our former answers were Sound useful. Such 

 information makes duty a pleasure. 



STASnARD Vines in Pots (iiiif/i/).— Vines can be grown as standards in 

 pots by disbudding the lower part of the Vine-stem, and leaving three or 

 four bads at the tjp to break ; but to keep them in continuous bearing two 

 ithlngs are necessary— rich feeding and moderate cropping. 



Oechahd-hodse in Scotland {J. i5«tcf()-— We quite approve of a flow 

 and return pipe in such a house ; but then that takes away from the cha- 

 racter of an orchard-house and makes it one of a general character, as an 

 orchard-house, properly speaking, should have no heat but sun heat. That 

 extra heat must neutralise to a certain extent the low position of the house. 

 In fact, with such heat to counleiaet vapours, the low position, 80 or 100 

 feet below the surrounding ground, ought not to have told much against 

 the site if there was a free opening to the sun's rays. With fruit trees on 

 walls the position would have been bad withiut extra protection, but in a 

 heated house the position would tell less unfavourably. We think there 

 must have been something besides the position. What about ventilation ! 

 A little at the apex roit'bt be necessary, or at least an opening at the apex 

 over each doorway. Probably too much air was given at the sides at once. 

 Though we would have liked a better site there seems nothing insurmount- 

 able to anxioas effort 



Plastino Vines (^M-ifewr). -There is no objection whatever to planting 

 the Vines in the middle ot the house, either two tosethcr or one, and then 

 train that one up and down, ^omo time ago we desorib»d a splendid vinery 

 at Wrotham Park, where the Vines are so planted. We have also mentioned 

 several cases where, in such a house, with the border inside, the Vines were 

 planted against the back wall, and also a yard or so from the front wall. 

 It 18 a mistake to suppose that the mere place of planting is a matter of so 

 mnch moment. Vines raised from a single bud are generally preferred; 

 and if, instead of grumbling at 3s. 6d per plant, you obtain strong plants 

 at 5»., or even a little more, you will have made a better bargain than if yon 

 had paid 2i. for a small plant from a layer, the wood of which is likely to be 

 poorly ripened. 



Cl.vEEAEiA Stems and Achimenes Decaying [Ah Amateur).— We can 

 only account for the stems decaying through drip falling upon them, or the 

 supply of water being in excess of the requirements of vegetation, which 

 will cause a eoddened sour soil, ar.d consequent decay or the roots, and 

 ultimately of the stems and leaves. It may be due to something pernicious 

 in the soil; but, without data on which to form an opinion, we can only 

 hazard an idea of the cause. Send us a leaf or two, and part of the decayed 

 stem, and thetc, with further particulars, may enable us to give a more 

 decided reply. We may stale that the temperature is too variable for 

 Cinerarias. A temperature of from 45° to SO", at this season, is quite 

 sufficient for blooming plants ; 6i° from fire heat Is hot enough lor a Pine 

 Apple. The Achimenes are destroyed through bad packing, and their being 

 subsequently kept in paper packets. You have done well with those remaining 

 sound; and yoa would have done belter had you placed them all in sand, 

 or any light, dry, or but slightly moist soil, as soon as reeiivcd. They may 

 be kept In a dry place, free irom frost, until potted. The cause of the 

 root* roUIng is their being Insufficiently ripened before you hud them, or 

 their being kept in wet soil, 



Hkatiso bt Gas {Idem).— We have known a house, 33 by 1.5 feet, econo- 

 mically heated by hot water, the hiat being furnished by gas, It being 

 kept tl greenhouse temperature at a cost of 3>. 4rl. per week ; and the 

 plants did well in it, bc.l.le<i being so cleanly In operation. This apparatus 

 wa« Clarke > .New Gas HoUwotcr Apparatus, and we have no doubt it would 

 answer your purpo«c well. We also hear gooil accounts of Jlussett's 

 Patent Hot-watcr Apparatuj, which will heat cither with lamps or gas. 

 Onr practice l« not to recommend dealers. Vour best plan would i c to 

 consult those who advertise In our columns. Write to them, staling your 

 wanUi, and they will furnish estimates, stating how much ihev would 

 farnlsh the apparatus for. 



Watxe FfjwiMo OUT OE SurpLT-cisiERK lA Subr,crib<r).—Vn(ieT such 

 GlreamitaDccs It would be as well If the supply-clstorn communicated with 

 tbe bottom of the boiler. We presume It niw Is In connection with the 

 aow-plpc, and the pipe In the house to be healed is considerably below it. 

 The alr-plpo should be at the highest point o( the pipe iliat goes round the 

 house. We confess we do not quite understind your dcscriplion nearly so 

 well u a section of the boiler, cistern, and heating-pipe would have enobled 

 Ui to have done. At present wu would cither tako the pipe from thosupply- 

 ^tcrn to the bottom of the boiler, or make the cUtern double or more In 

 tat to allow for the expanilon and contnuitloa of tbe water. 



Pei,augoniu.m Leaves Spotted (7". U. rAor/Js).— The leaves were spotted 

 from an excess of damp air, and the parts spotted have had moisture on 

 them for some time. You have no doubt done the best to remove the evil 

 by giving an abundance of air, but this, in a cold fiame, during muggy 

 weather, is often the reverse of a source of dryness. Your only remedy 

 rests in keeping the air drier by applying a gentle tire during damp weather, 

 accompanied with air. Keep the leaves dry and they will not spot. 



WooDl^lCE {A Tormented Subscriber). — We hare nothing to add to what 

 we said last week, page 97, on this subject. 



Names of Fruit (/. >Sanflt/).—2, Carlisle Codlin ; 3, Very much like 

 Flower of Kent; 4, Dumelow's Seedling ; 5. Chauraontel. We cannot make 

 out No. 1. It it an excellent Apple. (D. y.). — 1, Woriusley Pippin; 

 2. Dumelow's Seedling; 4, Lewis's Incomparable; b, Ord's Apple; li, Augustus 

 Pearinain; 7, lleiuty ot Kent; 9, Iluntbouse; 10, Northern Greeutng; 

 14, Cockle Pippin ; Iti, Flower of Kent ; 18, 10, and 20. Augustus Pearniain ; 

 21, Scarlet Noupai-eil; 22, Winter Hawtbornden; 23, Margil; 25, White 

 Nonpareil ; 26. Norfolk Beefing ; 27, Winter Queening ; 28, Is not this the 

 same asS 2 29, Golden Winter Pearmain ; 30, Northern Greeuing ; 31, Londou 

 Pippin. 



Names of Plants (A. B. C.).—Yo\it Fern is Stenochltena tenuifolia. 

 (Fred .bi/ffl).— Yours is Asplenium palniatuni crlstatum. but not quite so 

 -well crested as the specimen you meution. Y'ours may improve as it gains 

 strength. {3!. D.).— It is Cyauotis vittata, often called by gardeners Tradcs- 

 cantia zebrina. It is a trailing stove pcrenninl of the natural order Spider- 

 worts, and requires the same cultivation as the other stove species. It is a 

 native of Mexico. Does well for hanging over the edges of suspended 

 baskets in which other plants are growing. {A. Broadcli&ter). — Erica 

 colorans. (C. i^.).— Eleu-Miie indicii, a widely-distributed grass, found la 

 warm countries of both hemispheres. 



POULTRY, BEE, and HOUSEHOLD CHRONICLE. 



POULTEY SUPPLY for the LONDON MAEKET. 



I HAVE sometimes envied the writers in your columns ; 

 some, because they seem to have such well-regulated minds 

 that they are always cheerful; others, because they seem well 

 informed, and have quotations always ready ; and another 

 class, because they seem masters of the subject they treat on. 

 I have doubted whether anything is requisite to justify an 

 appearance in print beyond the last qualification. 



On reading your article in last week's Journal I felt that 

 many would read and doubt, because the consumption of 

 poultry is large in London, and it is always to be had. It 

 must then be produced, and it is produced. Living in the 

 midst of it, I can speak jjositively on the subject — 1 see the 

 whole process daUy. Sussex is our largest poultry-producing 

 county, so far as fowls are concei-ned. It not only is an 

 article causing large returns, but it is important in the 

 accounts of the railways ; yet if you were to ask me to take 

 you to any place where the operation could be seen on a 

 large scale I could not do it ; nor could I take you to any 

 place entirely devoted to poultry breeding. The trade is in 

 the hands of higglers. They attend all the markets, and 

 they have besides regular liouses where they call, and where 

 they take all the fowls. There are many of them, and there 

 is great comjietition among them. Many of these men have 

 work enough to employ constantly two, and sometimes three 

 horses'. They do not breed, but they buy fowls, sometimes 

 fattened and iit to kill, at othei's lean. These latter are 

 taken homo and fattened. It is not an uncommon thing 

 for one to have thii'ty or forty dozen at a time undergoing 

 the process. 



These would be the most numerous stock I could show in 

 a small space. These higglers in order to keep up a regular 

 sujiply of some dozens weekly, travel hundreds of miles, 

 and go twenty, sometimes twenty-five, miles from home to 

 secure three or four dozens ol' good fowls. They are mostly 

 bought in small lots of from twelve to eighteen, and it is 

 not an uncommon thing for the higgler at a known good 

 house, when he is taking away birds ready for market, to 

 buy all the chickens he sees running about at a certain age 

 for a fixed price. 



It is tlius the large supply of the London markets is main- 

 tained throughout the year. Those wlio breed the fowls are 

 certain of a market lor them, and can nearly tell beforehand 

 the price they will make. — Sussex. 



POULTRY CLUB. 



Will you ask what the Poultry Club mean by the follow- 

 ing passage in their circular? — "That the Club has for one 

 of its main objects the discountenancing of the appointment 

 of dealers as judges at any show." If Mr. Douglas is not a 

 dealer, who is ? Only lost December he stated at Leede, 



