220 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



t September 7, 1876. 



advice -which you have quoted. Cuttings selected from shoots which have not 

 flowered strike readilj and make good plants. It is not necessary to cut 

 round the roots of Geraniums for some time before taking them up. An ex- 

 cellent selection of Geraniums may be found in the Journal for last week, on 

 page 186. 



Jtjsticia Unhealthy (J. Mark).— The leaf sent us is infested with the 

 scale (Coccns testudo). It may be destroyed by a solution of soft soap, 4 oze. 

 to a gallon of water, with the addition of a wineglassful of spirits of turpen- 

 tiue, and applied to the parts infested with a brush or sponge; or the plant 

 may be syringed with the solution, taking care to wet the under side of the 

 leaves where the insects will be principally located. We prefer to apply the 

 mixture with a brush and sponge, and afterwards syringe with water at a 

 temperature of 130°. The turpentine should be mixed with the soap in a 

 little boiling water, then add the remaining quantity of water, applying at a 

 temperature not exceeding 120°. 



Store-boom fob Apples and Peabs (J. P., junX—You could not have a 

 better aspect than north-west — that is, failing a doe north aspect. A south- 

 west aspect would not suit, as it would not afford such a cool and equable 

 temperature as a north-west one. Ton will require light to facilitate storing 

 and for examining the fruit from time to time. We should have a light in 

 the roof sufficiently large as to light the room thoroughly, and that should be 

 provided with shutters to exclude light when needed. Ventilation will be 

 needed, and a moderate provision for this will suffice. We should arrange 

 the shelving along the sides, with the pathway up the centre, forming the 

 shelves of laths about three-quarters of an inch apart, the laths an inch thick 

 by U wide. The Bhelves should be about IS inches apart. In addition to 

 wooden shutters for the -window and ventilators you will need straw shutters 

 in severe weather over those openings, it being desirable to employ as little 

 fire heat as possible. We have hot-water pipes in a flue, and let out the heat 

 as required by sliding ventilators. The lower the temperature the better will 

 it be for preserving the fruit, provided that froBt is excluded. 



Fuchsia Leaves Falling (E. R.).— The leaves sent are, or rather have 

 been, infested with red spider, which has destroyed their tissues and is the 

 cause of the leaves falling. It may be destroyed by syringing the plants 

 with a solution of soft soap 2 ozs. to a gallon of water, and could have been 

 prevented by syringing in the evening moderately in dry hot weather. 



Melons Falling (N. N.).-We do not see that your failure is attribut- 

 able to any cause except that of a too dry atmosphere, which has induced 

 red spider. The border ought not to be dry when the fruit is setting, and 

 the atmosphere, though moderate dryness is desirable, should not be devoid 

 of moisture. In dry hot weather we do not hesitate to syringe Melons 

 lightly in the morniDg when in flower, and in a heated house, the chief 

 points being to maintain a brisk heat, especially bottom heat, with thorough 

 moisture at the roots, to impregnate the flowers, and leave on a little air 

 at night as well as by day to prevent a close stagnant atmosphere. It is 

 only when the Melons are ripening that dryness of the soil and atmosphere 

 are needed. There is no reason why you Bhould not grow either Cucumbers 

 or Melons, the latter in summer if you wish, and the former in winter, with- 

 out any fear of red spider. 



Pbl-ntng Neglected Peach Tbees (O. R.).— The long shoots with 

 laterals upon them we should cut-back at once to where the shoots have eyes 

 at the base of the laterals, removing the laterals close to whence they pro- 

 ceed, or if the shoot has no buds at the base of the laterals, cut back the 

 shoots below the laterals. All forerights cut clean away to whence they issue. 

 Your unfruitful Noblesse we should lift in November, or bo soon as the leaves 

 have fallen, take out a trench so far distant from the stem equal to the 

 spread of the branches, cutting off all rootB beyond the trench, and after lift- 

 ing replant with the ball entire, and keeping a little higher than before,'but 

 avoid baring any portion of stem previously covered with soil. Make very 

 firm about and over the roots, and mulch with littery manure. In spring 

 thin-out the grossest wood especially if crowded, and with a season's growth 

 you will, no doubt, have promise by the presence of bloom buds of a crop in 

 the succeeding year. 



Changing Vines (IF. M. <?.).— We should transfer Foster's Seedling from 

 the late to the early house, it being an improvement on Koyal Muscadine; 

 hut the others are so good that we know not which to advise you to displace. 

 However, as Madresfield Court in the early house cracks we should transfer 

 it to the late house. Your arrangement in neither house is good. Muscat of 

 Alexandria in an early house with Hamburghs is not good, and Hamburghs 

 in the late house are undesirable, as the Hamburghs in either case will be ripe 

 before the others have well begun to colour. The object in your case has no 

 doubt been to afford successional fruit over a lengthened period, and in that 

 respect could not be better. Escholata is a confused namewhich may mean 

 anything. Muscat Escholata is Museat of Alexandria; Escholata, or an 

 early Grape under that name, is Marchioness of Hastings; and another form 

 of Escholata has splendid foliage and strong wood — this we have in an early 

 house, ripening three weeks after Muscat of Alexandria and six weeks behind 

 Black Hamburgh. It is a ehy bearer except it be pruned long, and is not dis- 

 tinguishable from Trebbiano, a late Grape, only in having more pointed 

 berries. We should work your Escholata with Lady Downe's, which will 

 hang much longer. Trebbiano to keep well requires to be kept rather warm 

 and dry. 



Aloes Unhealthy (A. D.I.— The plants from your description are beyond 

 recovery; they have probably been injured by frost last winter. We can 

 only advise you to remove them to a greenhouse, assigning them a light airy 

 position, seeing that the drainage is good and keeping rather dry. They 

 Bhould be kept from frost, but we apprehend that the plants are dead or 

 nearly bo. 



Bebds Tame in Gabden (J. C.).— Any bird that has one wing cut to pre- 

 vent its flying away will gradually become tame. Even feeding them regu- 

 larly and carefully avoiding frightening them will render them sociable. We 

 saw a blackbird sitting on her nest in Mr. Webb's garden near Beading that 

 was not at all disturbed by being closely looked at. 



Apples (Mrs. Bracebridge).— The Summer Golden Pippin can be obtained 

 of any nurseryman. We do not know the Noble Candle, at least not by that 

 name. " Nobthebn Gabdeneb " is not in the trade. 



Febns (E. Derwent).— Send specimens with spores on them; we cannot 

 name them without. 



Scabbobough Llly afteb Flowebing (Maria). — The bulbs of this, 

 Vallota purpurea, keep in a light airy position, and repot between now and 

 February, giving them a pot no more than H or 2 inches larger, providing 

 good drainage and removing the soil that comes away freely from amongst 

 the roots, using a compost three parts fibrous loam, and one part leaf soil or 



old dry cow dung, and a sixth of Bharp sand. In potting do not remove the 

 offsets, but let all grow together. They do not interfere with the larger 

 bulbs, and in time they will flower. If you wish for more plants, then, of 

 CDUrse, you will remove the offsets and put them singly in small potB. 



Planting fob Timbeb (W. H. C.).— We will answer your queries next 

 week. A book such as you require is " The Forester," by James Brown, 

 published by Messrs. Blackwood. 



Coleuses foe Exhibition (J. H.). — The Coleuses which are ordinarily 

 cultivated for their ornamental foliage are stove plants, and as such they 

 should be judged at exhibitions. 



Deaining a Walk (An Irish Subscriber). — We make small cuttings in the 

 grass at the sides and conduct to a drain with cesspools. It is important 

 to catch the water before it accumulates to form a run strong enough to wash 

 up the gravel. This may be rather costly, but is a much cheaper plan in the 

 end than makeshifts. The cesspools have dish-cover stones, with grates 

 let in to keep out anything larger than a quarter of an inch. The peaty 

 bottom of a lake would not be a good dressing for an old kitchen garden, but 

 formed into compost by an addition of a sixth of fresh unslaked lime, and 

 laid up for three or four months, aDd turned over midway of the time, it 

 would be a good application. Lilium bulbs will last any number of years 

 in a favourable soil and under proper treatment. 



Hardiness of Gnaphalitoi lanatcu, &c. (Mrs. Forbes). — It requires to 

 be wintered in a house or pit kept rather dry and safe from frost. Anemone 

 japonica alba and Primula japonica are both quite hardy, but both are bene- 

 fited by a light mulching around the roots and up to the crowns with leaf 

 soil or other light compost. All bedding plants would succeed in your soil 

 were it well manured and liberally watered in dry weather, except such 

 moisture-loving subjects as Calceolarias and Violas. Hardy edging plants 

 that would succeed are Antennaria tomentosa, silvery, very dwarf; Santo- 

 lina incana, eilvery ; Arabis alpina variegata aurea, yellow variegation ; 

 Aubrietia purpurea variegata, white variegation ; Enonymus radicans varie- 

 gata, white variegation ; Thymus variegata, white variegation ; T. citriodora 

 aurea marginata, yellow variegation ; Sempervivum californicum, and Golden 

 Feather Pyrethrum. 



Skeletonising Leaves (A. B. C). — Nearly all leaves may be skeletonised, 

 but some require a longer time than others to become macerated. For in- 

 stance, the seed vessels of the Winter Cherry, Henbane, and Poppy require a 

 fortnight or three weeks if the weather be hot. Leaves of Ficus elastica 

 (Indiarubber Plant) and Magnolia grandiflora require Beveral months ; leaves 

 of the Tulip Tree, Poplar, and Maple a fortnight ; leaves of the Holly and 

 Ivy two or three weeks. Ferns require a long time, and so do the leaves of 

 Beggars' Broom, Butchers' Broom, the Orange, Lemon, and Camellia. Great 

 care must be taken in choosing the leaves, as the smallest speck spoils one. 

 Many more should be placed in the water than are needed, as not more than 

 one in twenty will be perfect. The time required depends on the weather. 

 BeginnerB examine them too soon. The leaves should be put into soft 

 water in a sunny situation, taking care that they are covered with water. 

 Evergreen leaves may be skeletonised at aDy time, but deciduous leaves not 

 before the end of Jane or beginning of July. Seed vessels must be operated 

 upon when nearly ripe. When quite ready for skeletonising put the leaves 

 into boiling water to remove the offensive smell. Remove the scum from the 

 water. Brush off the pulp with a rather hard brush. H the leaves are 

 tender bump them gently, which removes the pulp without disturbing the 

 nerves of the leaves. Pour clean water over them until quite clean ; put 

 them on blotting paper to' dry — a piece of glass is useful to bmBh them on. 

 Tender leaves should be floated in water and caught on a card, as are fine 

 Seaweeds. Bleach with chloride of lime and then wash them thoroughly 

 with clean water, otherwise they become yellow. It is better not to bleach 

 them until required for setting up. Thistles and Teazles look well when 

 bleached, and aid much in arranging a group. The plant bearing the red 

 berry is Physalis edulis, the Cape Gooseberry. 



Fobming 'a Bed of Heatheb iEdwd. Wlieeler). — The beBt plan is to 

 provide the proper soil — i.e., peat, though Heather will succeed in all soils, 

 except, perhaps, limestone. Pare off the Heather when but a few inches high, 

 the dwarfer the better, securing about S inches thickness of soil, and either 

 plant in clumps of about 9 inches Fquare with that distance between each, or 

 place them together as in turfing with grass turves, making firm. We have 

 some which were made in both ways a few years ago, interspersing the larger 

 clumps with double Gorse, which were masses of golden blossom in spring, 

 and the Heather is now aglow with rosy purple. 



Jabgonelle Peab TTnfbuttful (Idem).— It may arise from too close 

 pruning, the bloom buds not unfrequently being terminal on shoots 6 or 

 more inches long, but those you may distinguish bow. They should be 

 retained. The root-pruning must-have been insufficient. We Bhould again 

 resort to it in autumn, allowing the trees to extend if you can. 



Insects on Apple Tbees (Idem). — The specimen leaf shows the trees to 

 have been infested with aphis, the skeleton of one remaining, and the appear- 

 ance of the leaf is a consequence of the aphides covering the upper surface 

 of the leaves with a sweet glutinous substance resembling if not identical 

 with honeydew, and forming a nidus for the fungus, with which the leaves 

 are now covered. Syringe the treeB now with a solution of soft soap, 2 ozs. 

 to the gallon of water ; and if this had been applied upon the appearance of 

 the aphis, it being most prevalent on the under side of the leaves, and re- 

 peated occasionally, the leaves would not have been in their present state. 

 The syringing with the soapy solution should be followed by a thorough 

 washing with the garden engine to cleanse the foliage of the obstruction 

 caused by the fungus. 



Destboying Wlbewobm (David Sykes). — It is a difficult pest to deal with. 

 Nitrate of soda is good against wireworm and other vermin especially slugs, 

 applying it at the rate of 1 lb. per rod, S0£ square yards ; but a more effectual 

 mode of riddance is by a dressing of gas lime pointed-in with a fork at the 

 rate of twenty bushels per acre, or half a peck per rod. It should be applie'd 

 in spring at the time of planting or sowing. 



Insects in Vlneby (West York). — Thrips may be destroyed by fumi- 

 gating with tobacco smoke, but the smoke will not kill red spider. See Mr, 

 Douglas's remarks on destroying this pest in this week's "Doings." 



Febn (O. McD.).— It appears to be a variety of Cystopteris fragilis, and is 

 very elegant and graceful. 



Names of Plants (E. S. H.). — It appearB to be Funkia subcordata; 

 but we cannot name plants from leaves only. ((?. McG.). — 1, Bog Pim- 

 pernel (Anagallis tenella) ; 2, Atriplex hortensis. (Caroline). — You are 

 quite right, it is the wild Guelder Bose (Viburnum opulus). (Constant 

 Reader). — 1, Heterocentron roseum; 4, Centrostcmma mcltiflora; 6, Bon- 



