September 26, 1878. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
249 
HEATING GREENHOUSE (Jf, W.).—A stove is not a desirable mode of 
heating ; the dry heat and the danger of the products of combustion escap- 
ing into the house are disadvantages often proving disastrous. Have a stove 
boiler fixed in a shed at the back of the house with a 3-inch flow and return 
pipe along one end and the front of the house. The boiler may be placed 
within the house, but there is a danger of an escape of smoke, &c., and dust 
consequent upon stokering. We cannot name any particular wadesman. 
Consult our advertising columns. 
GRAPE CULTURE—LATE GRAPES (S. G. S.)—Thomson’s “ Treatise on 
the Cultivation of the Grape Vine.’ The best late Grapes are Lady Downe’s 
Seedling, Mrs. Pince, Black Alicante, Gros Guillaume (Barbarossa), West's 
St. Peter’s, and Trebbiano. 
PLANTS FOR DRAWING-ROOM DECORATION (/dem)—The most suitable 
are flowering plants haying some scent, but not too powerful, interspersed with 
foliage plants. Forced plants are particularly acceptable ; but you say nothing 
as to what are your means of production. consequently we are at a loss as to 
how to advise without giving the names of all plants that flower from 
October to March, which, with foliage plants, comprise half those in 
catalogues. 
TRANSPLANTING ROSES BUDDED IN THE SUMMER (A Lover of Rose 
Shows).—The plants may be transplanted in Noyember, planting them as 
deeply as they were before, not deeper, and they will start into growth very 
nearly as strongly as if they were allowed to remain in their present quarters. 
We prefer, however, to allow a season’s growth to be made before transplant- 
ing to their permanent position. 
MALY Dust.—*A Lover of Rose Shows’ wishes to know if there is a malt 
kiln near London where he can obtain the “ dust” that is recommended to 
be mixed with horse droppings to form a compost for dressing Roses, and 
how much a bushel he would have to pay for it. 
TEA-SCENTED ROSES FOR WALL (Clericus)—It will not be necessary to 
fhaye avy ventilators for your glass projecting coping at the upper part of 
the wall, for those would frustrate the object of the glass projection. The 
lights need not be moveable. Besides Maréchal Niel, Safrano, Sombreuil, 
Niphetos, Belle Lyonnaise, Cheshunt Hybrid, and Sonyenir d’Elise are suit- 
able for your purpose. 
STORING DAHLIA ROOTS (/dem).—We presume the plants were received 
by post and have been planted out. Take them up after the first frost, and 
after remaining a’few days in a shed to dry, store them away in sand ina 
place safe from frost, but the cooler they are the better provided frost be ex- 
cluded. 
HEATING GREENHOUSE (0. G. f.)—The great objection to heating by a 
stove is the vapour given off, and the gases escaping not being favourable 
to plant life, while stoves heated by paraffin and other oils are generally ex- 
pensive. Have a stove boiler, with two rows of 3-inch pipes along the front 
of the house, as advised for “M. W.” in to-day’s Journal. We have no 
experience of the boilers alluded to. 
ABUTILON FLOWER BUDS FALLING OFF (C. N.).—It is a result of imper- 
fect root-action, in most instances occasioned by the plants being root-bound 
or of a check given them by allowing them to become too dry. The remedy 
is to afford more liberal treatment—increased pot-room, or if that be unde- 
sirable, afford weak liquid manure. The plants should have a light airy 
position in arather warm greenhouse if expected to flower in winter. We 
strike cuttings about June placed singly in 3-inch pots, shifting them into 
6-inch pots in August, growing-on the plants in cold pits. The plants 
commence blooming in late September, affording a quantity of flowers 
through the winter in a temperature of 50° to 45°, 
CACTUSES FLOWERING (Jdem).—We presume they are Epiphyllums, now 
and onwards being their flowering season. They should be kept moist at 
the roots, but ayoid overwatering them or the roots will perish. 
ADIANTUMS (/dem).—It is usual for A. cuneatum and A.fulvum to lose 
a@ good portion of their fronds in winter when the- plants are in a cool 
greenhouse. Keep them rather dry but not dust-dry, affording more water 
when they start into fresh growth, as they will do about March. In a stove 
temperature they are evergreen from fresh fronds being made keeping up 
the evergreen character, but the growth of such is poor as compared with 
plants that are afforded a season of rest. 
MAKING ASPARAGUS BED (Old Subscriber).—The soil should be trenched 
2h to 3 feet deep, and manure be very liberally mixed in during the trenching. 
If the soil be light and open nothing more will be required, but if heayy it 
should have sand added and charred vegetable refuse, so as to bring it into a 
friable state. If very heavy take out the soil to the depth of 3 feet, rejecting 
all that is not in an ameliorated condition, which may not be more than the 
top spit, and mix with this.an equal quantity of turfy light loam, vegetable 
soil or refuse at least half decayed, or leaf soil and well-decayed manure, the 
whole being thoroughly incorporated and a fifth part of sand added, and with 
this compost fill up the space intended to be planted a foot higher than the 
general ground leyel to allow for settling, Plant one or two-year-old plants 
in spring in beds 4 feet wide with 2 feet alleys between them, three rows to be 
in a bed and the plants 1 foot apart. If large heads are wanted plant in rows 
3feet apart, and the plants 18 inches asunder ; or seed may be sown in April, 
thinning the plants to the above distances. 
CROWN IMPERIALS NOT FLOWERING (Jdem).—They are probably grown 
in a shady position, which will account for their not flowering, otherwise we 
should consider the plants had not attained sufficient strength. Without 
data we cannot advise. 
DESTROYING “ KECKS”’ (Jdem).—No tap-rooted weeds can withstand the 
effects of sulphuric acid, not eyen “kecks.” We apprehend the vitriol has 
not been applied in quantity proportionate to the size of the weeds, or not to 
their centres. Perhaps it is another generation or plants not previously 
acted upon that you are now troubled with. We never knew the vitriol fail, 
and know no other remedy but grubbing up the weeds. 
PREPARING HOME-GROWN TOBACCO FOR FUMIGATION (A Young Gar- 
dene7’).—When the leaves have attained their full size and become of a yellow 
hue they are taken from the stalk, tied together in small bunches by the 
footstalks, hung in a dry airy room to dry, and left there until dry and crisp. 
The first damp weather after this the leayes will become soft, and they should 
be watched to ascertain when this,occurs ; then pack them in a box evenly 
With the butts or stalk-ends of the leaves all one way. They are then to be 
pressed moderately, and in a few days a slight fermentation will take place, 
when the bunches should be taken out and shaken to let the heat escape 
When this has been done repack lightly. The leaves will not reheat, but it 
is best to let them remain for a few days laid lightly in the box, and when 
all fermentation is over pack lightly in a barrel and keepinadry place ready 
for use. As the leaves of British-grown Tobacco are not all mature at one 
time, they must be successively gathered as they ripen. The circumstance 
of the leayes not being all mature at one time has led to the adoption of 
another mode—viz., when the leaves have attained their full size pull the 
plants up, tie them two or three together, and hang them, root upwards, in 
a dry warm room, if with a temperature of 90° all the better. When dry 
sprinkle them with water, and then hang up again to dry. Allow them to 
become dry again, and then wet them again; dry afterwards, and let this 
wetting and drying be done thrice. When the leaves become dry, but not so 
as to break, strip them from the stalks and lay them in boxes evenly, and 
quite close and tight, pressing for that purpose, then keep in a dry room. 
This latter process gives the leaves a colour which they will not possess if 
treated according to the first plan. Leaves prepared in this way will be 
green, while those treated according to the first mode will be of a pale brown 
and be fit for smoking. Leaves prepared in both ways are alike useful for 
fumigating for green fly, thrips, &c., and equally as effective as foreign 
Tobacco. Previous to use the Tobacco should be chopped like hay and straw 
or made into rough shag. 
DESCRIPTIONS OF PLUMS (C. IW. M.).—Coe’s Golden Drop—Fruit very 
large, being generally about 2} inches long and 2 inches in diameter, of an 
oval shape, with a short neck at the stalk, marked by a deep suture extending 
the whole length of the fruit; skin pale yellow, marked with a number of 
dark red spots; stalk about an inch long, stout, and attached withcut de- 
pression ; tlesh yellowish red, sugary, and delicious, adhering closely to the / 
stone. Jefferson—Fruit large, oval, narrowing a little towards the stalk, 
and marked with a very faint suture ; skin greenish yellow, becoming ofa rich 
golden yellow, flushed with red on the side next the sun, and dotted with 
red dots; stalk an iwch long, thin, and inserted in a shallow cayity ; flesh 
yellow, firm, and juicy, rich, sugary, and delicious, separating from the stone. 
POTTING LILIUMS (Survey Amateur).—Pot them immediately after the 
flower stalks become yellow, and instead of taking the bulbs entirely out of 
the soil, turn the plants out with the ball entire. Remove the surface soil 
down to the crown of the roots, and cut the stalk or stems off at that point. 
Next remove the drainage and any soil that comes away easily. Clean the 
pot inside and replace the drainage with an inch of the rougher parts of the 
compost over it, then a little compost, then the roots, working the soil care- 
fully around them, and cover the crowns about an inch deep. If the work 
be done well the pot will be about three-parts full; the remaining space 
should be filled with compost when the shoots are sufficiently high for the 
purpose. Give a gentle watering after potting. We use a compost of two- 
thirds turfy loam a year old from decayed turves cut 3 inches thick, and one- 
third leaf soil or turfy sandy peat, with a free admixture of sand. 
LAMP OIL FOR A SMALL GREENHOUSE] (W. H. Summer's).—Petroleum 
will suit your purpose. 
NAMES OF FRUITS (Mr. Killick)—Court of Wick. (W. B.).—1, Court- 
pendu-Plat ; 2, Gravenstein. (2. C.).—Robinson’s Pippin. We are doubtful 
if you can procure “our Journal” from the beginning unbound. (S. ¥.).— 
2, Barton’s Freebearer ; 5, Yorkshire Greening ; 6, Alfriston ; 9, Hollandbury 5 
10, Selwood’s Reinette. Pear Baronne de Mello. (#. McLennan).—1, Haw- 
thornden ; 2, Cockpit; 3, Keswick Codlin ; 4, Blenheim Pippin. (Croydon). 
—We are sorry to say we cannot assist you. You had better haye some 
trees grafted from your present one. It is the surest way of securing the 
true variety. (W.H. W.).—Pears: 1, Bad specimen ; 2, Beurré Capiaumont ; 
3, Calebasse; 5, Williams’ Bon Chrétien. Apples: 1, Scarlet Nonpareil ; 
2, Hawthornden; 3, Sam Young. We neyer name more than six fruits. 
(W Henry Ashwin).—1, Beurré d’Amanlis ; 2, Duchesse d’Orleans. 
NAMES OF PLANTS (Mrs. H.).—The larger-flowered Fuchsia is corallina, 
and the smaller is, we think, an inferior variety of it. The Oxalis is 
O. Deppei. (Jfrs. Poole) —Saponaria officinalis. (/. W. S.).—Balsamina 
hortensis. (Southland).—Pyrus intermedia. (Young Bolanist).—1, Nolana 
prostrata; 2, Buddlea globosa; 3, Tamarix gallica; 4, Santolina Chamecy- 
parissus. (Jfrs. B. Brandon).—Crategus Crus-galli ovalifolia, native of 
North America. (Ramalho).—Adiantum amabile. If you examine it care- 
fully you will find that the indusium is connected with the margin of the 
pinna. (A. W. B.)—The numbers on your plants were displaced in transit. 
The herbaceous plant is Convolyulus mauritanicus. The Maidenhair is 
Adiantum trapeziforme. The other Fern we cannot determine; it has no 
spores. (Warwick Subscriber).—1, Alonsoa incisifolia’; 2 has no flowers; 3, 
Artemisia vulgaris. (Manchester).—1, Rivinia humilis; 2, Aucuba japonica ; 
var.; 3, Tradescantia zebrina; 4 is a Platyloma, and 5 a Pteris; but as 
the fronds have no spores we cannot determine the species. (W.H. F. B.).— 
No. 1, Mirabilis Jalapa, belongs to Pentandria Monogynia of Linnzus ; 
No. 4, Geum rivale, belongs to Icosandria Polygynia. 
THE HOME FARM: 
POULTRY, PIGEON, AND BEE CHRONICLE. 
THE CULTIVATION OF WHEAT. 
(Continued from page 233.) 
WE will now refer to the cultivation of wheat upon loamy soils. 
As these are various we must name those which require at present 
particular notice, such as sandy loam on brick earth, hazel loam 
on grayel, grey loam on chalk, and the dark or peaty loams of the 
fen districts, as well as some red loams of the western counties. 
Assuming that upon nearly all these soils the land is dry enough 
for wheat, we consider that the natural power and fertility of 
much of the above-named loams will justify a departure from the 
Norfolk or four-course rotation, especially when the land is highly 
manured, in order that a better return may be made by the sale 
of crops and stock than the simple four-course usually, affords. 
These soils are for the most part subject to couch or running 
