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JOUBNAL OF HOKTICTJLTTJEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ August 10, 1876. 



should bs rich to grow them fine ; if not already eo, it ought to have thoroughly 

 decayed dang added to it. A portion of superphosphate of lime (hones dis- 

 solved in oil of vitriol) will be of great beneiit to them. 



Cujes (J. F.). — Its quality varies as much as that of wine, and the varia- 

 tion is occasioned by the soil and climate as well as the kind of Apple from 

 which it is made. Five centuries ago cider made from the Pearmain was 

 preferred. Thus in the reign of Edward I. " Walter de Heven held the manor 

 of Eunham in the county of Norfolk of the king, rendering to him two 

 measures (mutarum) of wine made of Permains." 



Seedling Gloxinia (J. W. A.). — The colour is crimson, but no one could 

 say it is meritorious without seeing the plant. 



Potatoes Sfbouting {Somerset). — Take them up at once and dry them 

 before storing. 



Woodlice on CucuiTBEES (W. P.).— Pat slices of potato and a little moss 

 in garden potB in the frame, and kill the vermin that resort to them. 



Petunia Cuttings (Idem).— Petunias are easily propagated by cuttings 

 from February to October. The best cuttings are the young tops of rather 

 weakly-growing plants. In spring the cuttings require a gentle hotbed, but 

 in summer and autumn they strike root readily enough in a cold pit orframe. 

 The cutting pots should be drained in the usual way ; then place a layer of 

 rich, light, very sandy compost noarly up to the rim of the pot ; and lastly, 

 fill up the pot with fine silver sand ; then give a gentle watering to make it 

 firm. For the cuttings choose yuung weak shoots, and cut them off close to 

 a joint, dress off the lower leaves so as to allow about an inch to be planted 

 in the sand, and not more than three or four leaves at the top. Plant them 

 with a short stick, pressing the sand closely to each. The pot may be filled 

 with cuttings in rows across it, or, if space is plentiful, place them out round 

 the edge. Observe that the holes made by the planting stick are filled up 

 with dry sand ; it ruDS more readily into the holes thanmoist sand would do ; 

 then give a gentle watering again, which firmly fastens thfi sand round each 

 cutting; leave them on the bench for an hour to dry off the surface moisture. 

 After that place them, if in spring, in a gentle hotbed, or if in summer or 

 autumn in a pit or frame; shade from bright sunshine, and water when the 

 surface becomes quite dry. Mind the watering-pot, and do not use it too 

 freely upon cuttings until they are fairly rooted and show evident signs of 

 having made roots and growth. Then give plenty of air and expose them 

 fully. The spring and summer cuttings should be potted-off immediately 

 when rooted ; but those struck late in the year may remain in the cutting 

 pots through the winter. When they are potted, whatever maybe the period, 

 they should be placed in a frame or pit where they can be shaded and kept 

 close for a few days until fresh roots are produced; let them then be gradu- 

 ally inured to bear the full light and air. 



Seedling Panstes foe Bedding-otjt (N. B.). — The Pansies which you 

 now have in bloom in a cold frame will not be available for making a bed for 

 nest year's blooming except by cuttiDg away the flowering shoots gradually, 

 which will encourage shoots from the bottom; but we should take cuttings 

 of the side shoots — not the old hollow flowering stems — at the end of this 

 month or beginning of September, inserting them in good light Boil with a 

 free admixture of sand under a hand-glass or in a cold frame, keeping 

 moderately moist and shaded from bright sun. Theymaybe potted off singly 

 in 3-ineh pots and wintered in a cold frame, planting them out in spring. 



Stopping Tomatoes (Alex. Boyle). — "With due supplies of water and liquid 

 manure every bunch of bloom and fruit now produced may remain. We 

 should allow all fruit settirjg up to the eariy part of September to remain, as 

 such will swell to a good s.ze, and the fruit, though green, will ripen in a 

 warm room. The fruit remaining after the plants go off from cold should be 

 so treated. After the early part of September we should keep closely stopped. 



Cosipost foe Cyclamens— Seedlings [H. 8.).— Three parts of turfy loam, 

 one part of leaf soil, one part of sandy peat, and half a part each of small 

 charcoal and silver sand, will form a suitable compost. The loam and peat 

 should be broken up small hut not sifted, though it may be passed through 

 an inch sieve, and the rough portion used for placing over the drainage in- the 

 pots._ The plants may now be potted, the size of the pots being regulated by 

 the size of the conns. The pots should be sufficiently large to admit of an 

 inch to H inch of space from the corms to the 6ides of the pot. They should 

 be placed in a cold frame, kept moist, and shaded from bright sun, with 

 moderate ventilation. The seedlings should ba pitted off singly and placed 

 in a gentle heat in a frame kept moist and shaded, or in a cold frame kept 

 rather close, removing them to a greenhouse in September or early October. 

 Potted singly in 3-inch pots they will need a shift in the autumn into pots a 

 size larger, and the strongest wiilflower next spring; but to do this the plants 

 will require a warm greenhouse. 



Culttjbe of Beetolonia scpeebissima (A Novice). — It will only succeed 

 without a glass in a moist and warm stove. If the stove be very airy it -will 

 be desirable to continue the glass, as this plant is impatient of a dry atmo- 

 sphere. Bright light is also prejudicial to it, a subdned light being necessary 

 to bring oat its colours. It is one of the most beautiful of flue-foliage plants, 

 and we have never eeen it so well grown as under a bell-glass in Mr. Bull's 

 nursery. 



Pine Plants not Showing Feutt (C. B.). — The reason that your Pines 

 do not show for fruit is either tbat you have grown them on without a resting 

 period or overpotted them. If the'bottom heat is kept up at the highest 

 point the plants have no resting period. They ought to be kept rather dry 

 at the roots, and in a temperature of about 55° for six weeks or two months 

 before starting them into growth. Ten and eleveu-ineh pots are quite large 

 enough for Qaeens. This sort is about tbe worst for fruiting in winter. 

 Smooth-leaved Cayenne and Black Jamaica are the best. 



Vines not Fbuittng (A. Q.).—If the growth is very strong this year and 

 the wood well ripened you will have plenty of bunches nest season. It is 

 not good culture to allow the laterals to grow as much as they like; you 

 should pinch them back, as has been so frequently recommended in this 

 Journal. When there is too much lateral growth the eyes from which the 

 fruit will come next year have a lean and starved appearance instead of being 

 plump and well developed. 



Vines Attacked by Ked Spidee (A.B. Y.).— This pest can be destroyed 

 in two ways— either by washing it off by syriDging the Vines, or by painting 

 the hot-water pipes with flowers of solphur mixed in warm soapy water to 

 the consistency of thin paint. The pipes should be heated so hot that the 

 hand cannot be held on them more than a second or two; bat the right 

 degree of heat mast be learned from experience. Thomson on the Vine is 

 the best practical treatise for a young beginner. 



Faibt Ring (N. J, 3f.J. — As you propose to remove the turf, if you remove 



2 or 3 inches of the soil beneath it also, that will eradicate the fungus which 

 canses the ring. If you sprinkled common salt over the ring it would destroy 

 the fungus ; it would make the grass brown also, but this would gradually 

 become green again. 



Names of Feetts (B. C. C.).— The Pear is Doyenne d'Ete. 



Naiies of Plants (L. JA— Funkia grandiflora. (Harry Vidler). — Sedum 

 purporeum probably. (Climber). — Boussaingaultea baselloides. (T. B.). — 1, 

 Pellffia cordata var. flesuosa; 2, small cristate var. of Filix-f cemina ; 3, Ly- 

 godium japonicum; 4, Nephrodium decursivo-pinnatum ; 5, Nepbrodium 

 Filix-mas var. abbreviatum; 6, Scolopendrium vulgare. (G. H.). — They are 

 Begonias, but there are too many varieties for us to name them. 



POULTKY, BEE. AND PIGEON 0HB.0NI0LE, 



HEDGEHOGS v. CHICKENS. 

 I can give a similar experience with regard to hedgehogs as 

 " W. W." has detailed on page 83. For some weeks past 

 one old and two yonng hedgehogs had established themselves 

 in my garden. Thinking they might be of service in killing 

 sings, &c, I carefnlly protected them from the attacks of my 

 terrier, which used to hnnt them ont and carry them on to the 

 lawn for my approval. At last they seemed thoroughly domes- 

 ticated, and might be seen any evening about dusk patrolling 

 the lawn in search of worms. A few nights ago just before 

 going to bed I heard a great commotion in my fowl yard, where 

 a hen used to brood her ten-weeks-old chickens in a corner on 

 a heap of rubbish. On rushing out with a light I found chickens 

 squatting all about the yard in a great state of fright, and the 

 hen groping her way to the hen house with some of her brood, 

 the rest being huddled in the corner where they slept, screaming 

 vigorously. Close to them on the heap stood one of my young 

 proteges, so ashamed of himself at being caught in such an 

 ungrateful act that he forgot to roll himself up. I killed him, 

 and on his forepaws I found evidence of his guilt. They were 

 quite covered with mortar and rubbish from scratching to get 

 under the hen, while his hind feet were quite clean. There 

 could be no slugs or food fitted for his palate in a heap of broken 

 bricks and lime ; and the hen was a particularly bold and fond 

 mother, and I am sure would have never stirred unless a direct 

 attack had been made. It is needless to say that the mother 

 hedgehog and her surviving child were hunted out next night, 

 and safely transferred to a field on the other side of the river, 

 where they can indulge their useful propensities and do no harm 

 to anyone. A neighbour has since informed me that some years 

 ago he also found a hedgehog with a dead chicken in his fowl 

 house. I have often' argued with keepers for their preserva- 

 tion, but I am afraid now I must include them among the foes 

 to game. — C. K. E. 



HEWOETH SHOW OF POULTRY, &c. 



This was held in connection with the horticultural exhibition 

 in the grounds of Tang Hall, which had been kindly placed by 

 Mrs. Starkey at the disposal of the Committee. The poultry, 

 besides being more numerous than last year, was also superior 

 in quality. Last year the entries numbered 106, while this year 

 they increased to 212. A commendable class of Cochin-Chlnas 

 was penned, the other varieties being well up to the mark. A 

 large number of commended cards were required when the 

 Pigeons were judged. The class for Pouters or Carriers was 

 generally commended, while many cages in the Barbs were 

 similarly ticketed. The class for Fantails or Trumpeters, though 

 a small collection, contained some pretty birds, while the show 

 of Antwerps or Dragoons was a very fair one. The Rabbits were 

 good. Amongst the class for buck or doe of any vatiety as 

 many as nine commended cards were distributed. The Cage 

 Birds were, on the whole, not a first-class lot, though the Dark- 

 crested Canaries were very good. The evenly-marked Canaries 

 were only moderate, but the Clear Yellow and Buff were supe- 

 rior birds. The prize birds in the class for Crested Yellow or 

 Buff richly deserved the honour awarded them, as did also the 

 two birds which formed the Bullfinch class. Though a success 

 in the number and quality of the exhibits in each department, 

 the financial success of tie Show was considerably marred by 

 the unpropitious weather which prevailed in the afternoon. 



Judges. — Poultry: Mr. Joseph TValker, Birstwith, Eipley, 

 Pigeons: Mr. George Fletcher, Acomb Landing. Babbits : Mr. 

 E. Dobson, York. Cage Birds: Mr. George Clarke, Scarborough. 



DRIFFIELD AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY'S SHOW 



OF POULTRY, &c. 



This was a good Show, and the greatest improvement had 

 been effected by securing Turner's pens in place of the dirty old 

 skeps which had been used previously. Unfortunately the 

 weather was wet, and there being no covering the birds were 

 sadly wetted while judging, and it would be well to secure a 

 tent for future shows. 



