August 15, 1878. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
137 
and well damping the house by three o’clock in the afternoon, 
employing the shading only to prevent the sun scorching the 
foliage. Hyery encouragement should be given to Aérides, 
Phalenopses, Saccolabiums, Vandas, &c., as regards growth, any 
check being inimical to the growth of the leaves. See that the 
sphagnum in the pots or baskets of Phalzenopsis does not become 
sodden, or the leaves soon show symptoms of distress. Dispense 
with shading altogether in the Cattleya house ; they cannot have 
too much light to secure the thorough ripening of the pseudo- 
bulbs, upon which depends the flowering strongly. Some Orchids, 
as Dendrobiums, Oncidiums, Cattleyas, Leelias, Barkerias, and 
Epidendrums, &c., if not well ripened do not flower satisfactorily. 
Plants that are suspended should be over the pathway, or in such 
positions that the drip from them in watering and syringing does 
not fall upon those growing on the benches. Calanthes repot, 
employing a compost of turfy loam and peat in equal parts, adding 
a little old cow dung and some pieces of charcoal about the size 
of a hazel nut. Good drainage must be provided, keeping the 
plants about an inch below the rim of the pots. If the soil has 
become sour the plants should be shaken out carefully and the 
roots washed in tepid water. As flowers are becoming scarce 
every care should be taken of plants in bloom, keeping them from 
damp, those nearest the glass being most affected. Cattleyas 
Jabiata, Harrisoni, maxima, crispa, and the guttata type will 
flower from now up to autumn, and with Odontoglots will maintain 
an effective display. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
Francis & Arthur Dickson & Sons, 106, Eastgate Street, Chester. 
—Catalogue of Dutch Flower Roots. 
Lorenzo Racaud, Freule 4 la Puerta de Santa Encracia, Zara- 
gosa.—General Catalogue of Fruit and Ornamental Trees, Roses, Sc. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
*,* All correspondence should be directed either to “‘ The Editors,” 
or to “ The Publisher.” Letters addressed to Mr. Johnson or 
Dr. Hogg often remain unopened unavoidably. We request 
that no one will write privately to any of our correspondents, as 
doing so subjects them to unjustifiable trouble and expense. 
Is THE STRAWBERRY A FRUIT OR A BERRY ? (/. D.).—The Strawberry 
is neither a fruit nor a berry in the true botanical sense of theseterms. The 
true fruit of the Strawberry are the small seeds that are found sprinkled on 
the outside of the fleshy receptacle, the latter being popularly termed a berry, 
VINE LEAVES DISCOLOURED (Amateur).—The Vines producing them 
were extremely vigorous, and caused them to develope abnormally. Less sap 
is supplied to them now, and the excesssive growth consequently is defective 
in colour. 
WALTHAM CROSS VINE.—*“ A Gardener” wishes to have the opinions of 
practical men who haye cultivated this Vine. We will publish any opinions 
communicated to us. 
PEACH TREE DYING (Senex)—No one could decide which is the pro- 
bable cause without seemg the tree. 
FLOWER SEEDS AND ROOTS FOR TASMANIA (2. R. P.).—Of seeds send 
Potentilla, Aquilegia, Antirrhinum, Campanula, Auricula, Bocconia, Carna- 
tion, Pink, Picotee, Canna, Cyclamen, Foxglove, Dianthus, Delphinium, 
Geum, Fernla, Fraxinella, Helianthus, Lathyrus, Pentstemon, Polyanthus, 
Giant Cowslip, Pyrethrum, Sweet William, Viola, Wallflower—all fine hardy 
perennials, and most of them haying several fine varieties which any 
good seedsman can supply. Of bulbs and dried roots we should send a 
collection of herbaceous Ponies, some Ixias, Sparaxis, Tritomas, Tuberous 
Begonias, Gladioluses, Liliums, Ivises, Anemones, Ranunculus, Narcissuses, 
and Dabhlias. 
CULTURE OF CLIANTHUS DAMPIERI (Australian)—Sow the seed in 
February or March, using 3-inch pots, and for soil a rich mixture of turfy 
Joam, leat soil, silyer sand, pounded charcoal, and a fair proportion of very 
fibrous peat if possible ; if, however, the Joam is thin and fibrous the peat 
may be dispensed with. Place one seed in the centre of each pot, plunging 
them in a lively bottom heat, lifting the pots up on the surface when the 
plants are visible and are growing freely. Water carefully. Repot as soon 
as the roots touch the sides of the pots, taking especial care to keep the 
bottom of the stem slightly aboye the surface, inattention to this causing 
the frequent losses of young seedlings. After repotting they may be taken 
to an intermediate house or vinery at work, and as the plants gain size and 
summer advances they may be removed to an ordinary greenhouse, where 
they should have plenty of light and air. 
FIG TREE IN Pors (A Young Gardener)—After the first crop of fruit is 
gathered the trees should be thoroughly cleansed by syringing, and if need 
be sponging the leaves with a solution of soft soap, 2ozs.to the gallon of 
Water, affording water plentifully to the roots: and syringing repeatedly, 
placing the trees in a warm part of the house with a view to accelerate the 
perfecting of the second crop, though to do so perfectly they should be 
placed in a separate structure, where with good treatment they will ripen a 
crop of fruit late in the season, which is yery acceptable. 
RAISING SARRACENIAS FROM SEED (If. E. Walker)—This seed soon 
Joses its vitality, and should be sown as soon as it is received. Half fill a 
pan with broken potsherds, and fill nearly to the rim with a mixture of half 
fibrous peat and half sphagnum moss with a little silver sand. On this sow 
“the seed, which leaye uncovered, and lay a sheet of glass upon the top of 
the pan or use a bellglass,and plunge the pan to the rim ina liyely bottom 
heat, such as Melons or Pines are growing in, taking care that it does not 
fall below 80°. The seed, if kept constantly moist, will germinate in about 
a month, and when the young plants haye made a few roots pot them in 
Similar compost in small pots. 
TRANSPLANTING A LARGE CAMELLIA (J. W.).—The best time for trans- 
planting your large Camellia is when the flowers fade, so as to have it 
settled in its new quarters before the new wood growth appears. As this 
quickly follows the fading of the flowers you must be prompt in order to 
give as little check as possible to the plant. Pay especial care to watering, 
syringing, and shading in the following summer. 
PRUNING RHODODENDRONS (White Rose).—It is too late to prune Rho- 
dodendrons this year, it should be done immediately after the flowers fade. 
Wild Cherries are budded just like a Rose. No more time should be lost, as 
\ it is getting somewhat late; the operation may, however, be done now 
successfully. 
GRAPES NOT KEEPING (C. W.).—Throw open the ventilators day and 
night now, and as autwmn draws on and the weather becomes dull and damp 
close the ventilators at night and employ alittle fire heat. Keep the bunches 
free from dripping moisture, let the air circulate freely among them, and the 
fruit will remain in excellent condition for two or three months. 
SHRUBS FOR A FENCE NEAR LARGE TREES (/. R&R. Willis).—There are 
no better shrubs for your purpose than Hollies and Rhododendrons ; both are 
handsome evergreens, and both answer well near and under large trees. 
Make a fence of strained iron wire outside your avenue with a permanent 
growing fence of common green Holly with a belt of Rhododendrons inside. 
If there are any spaces fully open to sun and air turn them to account for 
mixed groups of such choice shrubs as Bays, Laurustinus, Golden Holly, 
Ribes, Spireeas, Escallonias, Berberis, Arbutus, Daphnes, Skimmias, Per- 
nettyas, Lilacs, Weigelas, Box, and Portuguese Laurel. 
Buack APHIS (A. Jf.).—We think, upon examination, you will find the 
insect now infesting your Roses and flower beds is not a thrips, but is an 
aphis. Sprinkle all infested growth with clear tobacco water of an evening 
after the sun is set, using 2 ozs. of tobacco to each gallon of water. Repeat 
this a few times at intervals of a couple of nights, and you will have no 
further trouble. 
VINEGAR PLANT (4..A. M).—The Vinegar Plant is a species of fungus 
which comes upon the surface of stale vinegar in the guise of a film. Now 
is an excellent time to obtain it by leaving a little vinegar in the bottom of 
a cruet or small bottle and throwing in a little coarse brown sugar. The 
film will soon make its appearance, and must remain undisturbed till it be- 
comes sufficiently thick to bear removal. Dissolve half a pound of coarse 
brown sugar and half a pound of treacle in two quarts of boiling water, and 
when it is cool put the plant into it. The plant will float andsoon cover the 
entire surface, and the liquor will become vinegar in about two months. It 
answers best in a jar with a lid to exclude air, and the jar should stand upon 
a shelf in the kitchen or in a warm cupboard. The vinegar is strained and 
bottled when ready, and the entire plant or portions of it again used for 
making a fresh supply. 
SUMMER MANAGEMENT OF LIBONIA FLORIBUNDA (Jdem).—After Libo- 
nias have done blooming in spring they should be gradually hardened, so 
that by the end of May they may be pruned, shaken out of the pots, and 
planted for the summer in an open border. Here they make a strong bushy 
growth, and are taken up and repotted about the third week in September, 
or a little earlier in the north, placed in a close pit or frame for a week or 
tivo, and then taken to their winter quarters in the greenhouse. The answer 
to “ Australian” contains the information you require about Clianthus. 
TRAINING MARECHAL NIEL ROSE (W. W. B.).—We do not quite under- 
stand your sketch, but presume that A is the top and B the bottom wire, the 
wires being stretched horizontally one above the other like those of a fence. 
If you stop the shoot when it reaches the wire A we do not think it would 
put forth laterals to furnish the lower wires ; it would certainly not do so 
this season, but would simply produce shoots at the top. So far as we can 
understand the position of the plant and wires we are inclined to recom- 
mend that the shoot grow this season without being stopped. We would 
then depress it considerably before fresh growth is made in the spring—in- 
deed, would bring it to a horizontal position along the lowermost wire, and 
would shorten it then at the point you propose, stopping it now. The shoot 
being horizontal the buds would break regularly, and would supply laterals 
for each wire, which could be occupied by placing the parent shoot in the 
vertical position required. By allowing the plant to grow freely this year 
you will encourage root-action, which will induce a correspondingly strong 
growth next year. If, however, the plant is very strong you may stop it 
now about the wire C,so as to produce laterals for furnishing C, D, and E 
this year, leaving wires B and A to be occupied next year. It all depends on 
the strength and vigour of the plant as to which is the preferable plan to 
adopt. Your great point to aim at-is to have the growth on wire Ein ad- 
vance of that on the wires above it, or your trellis will not become covered 
at the bottom. The easiest and perhaps the quickest way of coyering the 
space you require would be to let the shoot grow unchecked, then train it 
along the bottom wire, and from it train shoots vertically across the wies 
to the top. 
DESTROYING RED SPIDER (MV. G. Mf.).—The mixture is not neutralised 
by the lime sinking to the bottom; it usually sinks, a film rising to the 
surface. The quantity of lime you use is not material. 
BULLOCKS’ BLOOD FOR ROSES (Jdem).—Dilute one gallon of blood with 
seven gallons of water, and apply to the roots when the flower buds are 
showing. 
SOWING CARNATION SEED (4. A. 1/.).—The seed may be sown now, but 
we doubt if the plants will tlower next year; they will, however, make fine 
plants for flowering in 1880. Sow now in rich light soil, either in pans or 
in the open border, and keep the soil moist and shaded until the seedlings 
appear, and then keep them well protected from slugs. Dianthus Hedde- 
Wigii, if sown about the middle of the present month and the plants are 
protected during the winter, flowers early in the summer following ; but 
seed is usually sown in the spring, the plants tlowering the same season. 
MUSHROOM BED NOT PRODUCING (Jdem).—Hither the spawn was not 
good when inserted in the bed, or the bed was not in the right condition for 
the spreading of the mycelium. It was either too hot or too cold, too wet 
or too dry. You must make a new bed and insert fresh spawn. You will 
find full instructions in “ Work for the Week” in the present number. The 
withered fiower and leaf appear to be those of a Lantana. 
CUTTING MELONS (/nquirer).—As soon as the fruit commences cracking 
round the stalk it may be cut. If the aroma is powerful the fruit may be 
severed from the plant even if no cracking is perceptible. 
NAMES OF PLANTS (J. Crick)—1, Yucca filamentosa; 2, Leycesteria 
formosa; 3 is, we think, a Cornus, and 4 a Mahonia, probably M. japonica. 
