176 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
{ August 29, 1878. 
warmth until the growth is completed. Similar remarks apply to 
Achimenes. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
William Paul & Son, Waltham Cross, London, N.—Catalogue of 
Bulbs, Camellias, §c. 
T. Bunyard & Sons, Maidstone, Kent.—Select List_ of Hyacinths 
and other Bulbs. 
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. 
Correspondents should not mix up on the same sheet questions 
relating to Gardening and those on Poultry and Bee subjects, 
and should never send more than two or three questions at 
once. All articles intended for insertion should be written on 
one side of the paper only. We cannot reply to questions 
through the post. 
REFERENCES (J. S.).—The writings to which you refer are scattered over 
along period. See page 158, vol. xxix.,and page 398, vol. xxxii.,as examples 
of what you require. 
CARPET BEDS IN BATTERSEA PARK (J. 7., Huntingdon).—We have seen 
the beds to which you refer, and have admired their chasteness and general 
high finish. Your suggestion shall have our attention. 
GRAPES SHANKED (A Young Gardener)—The shoulder of Trovéren Fron- 
tignan is seriously. shanked, the leaf of Mrs. Pince much scorched, and the 
berries, what few of them that have set,spotted. In all probability the roots 
of the Vines are in a bad state, owing either tostagnant or otherwise unsnit- 
able soil ; and we also think that you have kept the house too close and moist, 
and the temperature generally too low, the Trovéran Frontignan thriving 
best in what is known as Muscat heat. You cannot arrest the decay of the 
present crop, but you may improve the condition of the Vines and have 
better results infuture years. Presuming that the vinery is heated we advise 
you to keep up a minimum night temperature of 65° with a proportionate 
rise during the day, giving also abundance of air, and not entirely closing 
the house at night. This will accelerate the ripening of the Grapes and 
promote the maturation of the wood. As soon as the crop is cut we should 
renovate the border by first draining it well and then removing a good por- 
tion of the old soil, which is probably sour, and applying fresh soil to the 
roots. The best soil is turfy loam, but it is not always procurable, and it is 
Well to remember that good Grapes can be grown in ordinary garden soil, 
provided it is well drained and in a fertile state. If crushed bones, a bushel 
to each cartload, or wood ashes, or charred vegetable refuse, also a little soot, 
can be mixed with the soil they will greatly improve it. Raise as many of 
the roots of the Vines as you can without injury, and cover them 4 or 5 inches 
deep, placing a heavy top-dressing of rich manure on the surface of the border. 
If you can do this quickly while the foliage is still green you can induce the 
formation of fresh roots before winter, especially if you keep the house warm, 
close, and moist, so as to preserye the foliage as long as possible. Ifyou can- 
not renovate the border early in the autumn you may do it in fine weather 
after the Vines have been pruned. First secure healthy root-action, and 
then carry out the instructions as to temperature, ventilation, &c., that are 
given in “ Work for the Week,” and you will succeed in your attempts to 
grow good Grapes. 
FREEING POTTING SOIL OF WoRMS (A. 7.).—The most certain method 
is to subject it to heat—char it lightly over a good fire or heat it upon iron 
plates over a fire, but not so highly as to burn it; or the compost some time 
before it is used for potting may be turned over in layers of about 3 inches 
thick, sprinkling each layer with soot in the proportion of about a twentieth 
of that of the compost, and turning it overin abouta week. Lime water may 
also be applied, which will drive the worms from the compost. A peck of 
lime to thirty gallons of water, stirred well up, allowing to stand forty-eight 
hours, and then saturating the soil with the clear lime water. The soil will 
require to be placed in a shed to dry some time before use, as it does not 
answer to pot plants in wet soil. 
AMARYLLIS TREATMENT (W. 3f.).—They should be moved to a light airy 
situation in the stoye, keeping them moderately supplied with water. See 
notes in this week’s “ Work.” They will flower next spring or early summer 
provided the growths be well matured. Turfy yellow loam with a fifth of 
well-decayed manure will grow them well, good drainage being afforded. 
WINTERING ALLAMANDAS, CLERODENDRONS, AND BOUGAINVILLEAS 
(idem) .—They are deciduons, losing their leaves in winter, and should now 
have the supplies of water gradually lessened, and when the leaves fall afford 
no more than to keep the wood plump. Prune in February, removing the 
Weak wood, cutting the Allamandas and Bongainvilleas back to two joints 
if the plants are as large as desired, or shortening the strong shoots so as to 
induce shoots for the covering of the trellis. The Clerodendrons must not 
haye more than the weak shoots thinned, and any of the unripe points of the 
long last-year growths shortened to firm wood. ‘Turfy loam, with a fifth 
part of well decayed manure, will grow them perfectly. 
PRUNING PASSIFLORAS (Jdem).—Prnne them in spring or before they 
commence growth, cutting back the side shoots to within two or three joints 
of their base, and any shoots required for extension should be cut back to 
firm well-ripened wood. The flowers are produced upon the current shoots, 
soe au producing cymes of flowers from the old wood, as P. princeps and 
b onna. 
CLIMBERS FOR GREENHOUSE (An Old Subscriber)—We presume you 
require them for the roof or rafters. Habrothamnus fascicularis, Jasminum 
grandiflornm, Kennedya inophylla floribunda, *Passifiora Impératrice 
Eugénie, *Tecoma jasminoides splendens, and *Tacsonia insignis; Rose 
Maréchal Niel, *Clematis Lucie Lemoine, *Lapageria rosea, Rhynchosper- 
mum jasminoides, Plumbago capensis, *Mandeyilla suaveolens. Those 
marked with a star are the most suitable for roofs, the others for pillars or 
short rafters. 
SELECT PHLOXES (J. Pearson).—The following will probably suit you, 
but to do well they require liberal treatment :—Jessie Laird, D. P. Laird, 
Croix d"Honneur, Sonvenir de Berryer, Mrs. Balfour, William Blair, Madame 
Marie Saison, Roi des Rose:, Mons. Hock, Madame Ladonette, Lamartine, 
and Lothair. 
LILIUM AURATUM NOT EXPANDING (F. W.).—We do not think the slight 
shade from the Pear tree will account for the buds not opening, but should 
attribute it either to the drought at the early part of August, which, for 
want of a surface dressing, destroyed the stem roots ; or the potions of cow 
dung, one-third to two-thirds water, having caused the roots to decay. The 
fungus on the Elm stump is Spheeria mammillaris. 
CLEMATIS JACKMANNI MILDEWED (/dem).—This is a result of the late 
drought—dryness at the roots. Water copiously at the roots in dry weather 
and overhead before flowering, dusting with flowers of sulphur for the 
destruction of the mildew. Clematises are not particularly subject to fun- 
goid attacks. 
MARECHAL NIEL ROSE NOT THRIVING (J. V. U.)—The Rose planted 
in March and allowed to flower freely the same season has become exhausted. 
It ought to have been cuit back for the purpose of encouraging the growth 
of young wood. Keep the plant healthy by watering it as required and 
syringing, and early in the spring prune it rather severely, and you will 
probably obtain healthy growth. 
WASPS EATING GRAPES (C.J. W.).—Stretch the hexagon netting made 
by Haythorn of Nottingham over the openings of your ventilators, and so 
exclude the wasps from the Grapes. You may obtain the netting direct 
from the maker or through any nurseryman. 
PROTECTING PEARS FROM WASPS AND FLIES (£.).—There are two ways 
in which this can be thoroughly done—either erect a light framework of 
timber over the pyramidal trees and stretch some of Haythorn’s hexagon _ 
netting over it, or tie a loose bag of gauze over each fruit. The netting 
is altogether preferable, because you can more readily watch the progress 
of the fruit. We consider this the best of all garden netting, excluding 
as it does insects as well as birds from fruit, and it is very durable, lasting 
nine or ten years with care. 
TRANSPLANTING PYRAMIDAL FRUIT TREES (Jdem).—They may-be re- 
moved as early as September, removing their leaves at the same time, but, of 
course, you would not touch the roots of a tree till its crop of Imit was 
gathered, and some sorts require to hang much later than that. 
VARIOUS (Jdem).—Cherries for a succession are Early Purple Gean, May 
Duke, Governor Wood, Elton, Kentish, and Morello. The best red Raspberry 
is Prince of Wales, and the white so called is Yellow Antwerp. The good- 
ness of Asparagus depends solely upon culture. Procure strong roots of the 
sort common to gardens, such as respectable nurserymen supply, afford it 
high culture, and you will have what you require. The Ivy, if kept within 
moderate bounds, will not injure the Elm tree. 
TECOMA RADICANS MAJOR NOT FLOWERING (A. B.).—Encourage the 
formation of stout shoots by a judicious system of pinching and prnning. 
Keep the shoots well apart,so as to admit plenty of light and air among 
them. Let your plant have ample space to ramble, and you will in due course 
be rewarded with rich bold flower clusters. The most flowers we ever saw 
of this upon a single plant were obtained by letting the growth run wild 
along the top of a wall. 
ROSES MILDEWED (/dem).—Encourage new strong growths by giving 
liquid manure to the roots plentifully and scatter flowers of sulphur upon 
the affected foliage, renewing it again and again if washed off by ram 
before a cure is effected. The malformation of the flowers is, we think, an 
indication of debility. Well shorten and thin the wood at the time of prun- 
ing, and apply a heavy dressing of rich manure to the soil as soonas possible. 
MATURING GLOXINIAS (4. A. M.).—Place the plants on the shelf of a cool 
stove or warm greenhouse, and water them just sufficiently to prevent the 
foliage flagging. The leaves will gradually decay, when the pots may be 
placed in any dark place having a temperature of about 45°. The plants 
that are now showing flowers must be watered regularly. They should be 
grown in a house where the minimum temperature is not below 60°. When 
they have ceased flowering gradually reduce the water supply and mature 
the corms as above described. : 
FERNS IN ROOMS (Constant Reader)—Planis of Maidenhair Ferns will 
continue fresh for a considerable time in the window of a living-room, espe— 
cially if the plants are shaded from the sun and are copiously watered. 
They will be further refreshed by placing them outdoors during an occa- 
sional gentle shower. If no rain falls sprinkle them once a week through 
the rose of a watering pot, so as to keep the fronds free from dust. A 
window haying a north aspect would be a suitable position for the planits- 
The soil must never be dry. 
GRAPES CRACKING (IW. Dinsdale) —The cause of your Grapes cracking is 
an undue quantity of water at the roots after they are colouring or approach- 
ing ripeness. Never let your Vine roots suffer by want of water while the 
berries are swelling, and when they are fully grown keep the border rather 
dry till the fruit is cut. Let there be no mistake, however, abont the 
watering, but when it is done always let it be thorongh. If you cannot 
give and withhold water at will, then cut down your Muscat Champion and 
replace it with a Black Hamburgh. 
CUTTING AND PRESERVING EVERLASTING FLOWERS (Ff. R. D., Cardig). 
—Cut off the flowers when they are not more than half open, tie them up 
in small bunches, and suspend upon a line in a cool dry shed, and when 
thoroughly dry keep them in a box or drawer to preserve them from dust, 
and see that they do not suffer from damp. Xeranthemums are best dried 
in a dark closet, and afterwards kept from the light till required for use, as 
they are apt to lose colour. The same precaution may be adopted in arying 
your Helichrysums and Rhodanthes should you experience any difficulty in 
fixing the colours. 
FUCHSIA FLOWER TUBE SPLIT (Ecce)—Splitting of the tubes usually 
arises from the atmosphere being too moist or from moisture coming in 
contact with the flower, and often follows a period of very bright weather, 
and as arule is confined to the white-sepalled varieties, “especially those of 
robust growth. There is no remedy but more uniformity of temperature 
and atmospheric moisture. 
STORING VEGETABLE MarRows (F. J. 7.)—They should be cut as soon 
as the rind becomes hard and yellow. Choose a dry day for collecting them, 
and store them away in any dry but not very warm place. 
LiguIp MANURE FOR RosEs (£. B.)—Yon may use guano at the rate of 
1 tb. to twenty gallons cf water. Soot also makes a good application at the 
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