432 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ SoTem'o3r I", 1376. 



as being fatal to insec 1 , life, and a valuable dressing for fruit 

 trees : — " Take of soft soap half a pound, to which add a wine- 

 glassful of spirits of tnrp6ntiae, mixing thoroughly with the 

 soft soap, forming a paste. Have ready boiling tobacco juice 

 and add a little at a time, and stirring so as to incorporate the 

 whole. If the whole of the tobacco jaiee can be added without 

 the soft soap and spirits of turpentine being made to clot or 

 curdle it will not afterwards become separated, and is ready for 

 use at any temperatura below 120°. If, on the other hand, the 

 tobacco juice causes the soft soap to be separated or refuses 

 to combine with the tobacco juice, clotting taking place, only 

 add tobacco juice so as to render the separation complete. In 

 some cases the soft soap and spirits of turpentine will not 

 •combine with more than a quart or less of tobacco juice. 

 When the clotting takes place we have the quantity of tobacco 

 juice required, and we make up the quantity short of half a 

 gallon with boiling water, thereby effecting a thorough com- 

 bination of the ingredients." 



We are informed that at the Gloucestershire Root, 



Frett, and Gbaen Society's Show there was an unexpectedly 

 good collection of roots of excellent quality ; the fruit was fine, 

 if not so specially remarkable as at some previous exhibitions. 

 A small though exceedingly good collection of Grapes was sent 

 by Earl Dacie and Mr. Ganabier Parry ; and the place was 

 made bright and cheeiful by groups of Chrysanthemums and 

 baskets of flowers and ornamental plants. The class for 

 twelve of Wheeler's Golden Melon Mangolds, for which special 

 prizes of ten guineas were given, deservedly attracted much 

 attention. All the specimens exhibited were large, heavy, 

 clean, and well-shaped. 



An American writes as follows on dissolving bones : — 



I have a large water-tight hogshead standing outdoors near 

 the kitchen. In the spring I cover the bottom about 6 inches 

 ■deep with dry soil. On this I put a layer of bones of about 

 the same depth, and cover them entirely with unleached ashes. 

 On these another layer of bones, then ashe3, and so on till the 

 hogshead is full. I leave it then exposed to the rains all 

 summer and winter until the next spring. Then, on removing 

 the contents of the hogshead, I find nearly all the bones so 

 soft that they will crumble to powder under a very slight 

 pressure, and, mixed with the ashes and the soil, they give me 

 a small pile of most valuable manure ready for immediate use. 

 Any of the bones not sufficiently subdued I return to the 

 hogshead again for another twelve months' slumber. In this 

 way I have had no difficulty in transforming all the bones I 

 can get into bone meal. I buy them directly from the butcher 

 •for the purpose of turning them thus into manure, and con- 

 aider them the cheapest fertiliser I can obtain. 



The Cabnocba tbee of Brazil appears to be a vege- 

 table of some value, and, if the half that is told of it is true it 

 should be cultivated wherever it can be made to thrive. It is 

 a species of Palm, and flourishes without culture at Bahia, 

 Rio Grand do Norte, and other well-known localities, resists 

 drought, and always appears green and luxuriant. Its roots 

 possess properties similar to those of the Sarsaparilla. The 

 trunk furnishes a superior fibre. When the tree is young it 

 yields wine, vinegar, a saccharine matter, and a species of 

 gum closely resembling sago. Its wood is excellently suited 

 for the manufacture of musical instruments, as well a3 for 

 tubes and conduits for water. The pulp of the fruit is very 

 palatable, and the oily nut roasted and pulverised is a good 

 substitute for coffee. The trunk also yields a flour similar to 

 maizena. With the straw, hats, brooms, and baskets are 

 made, and over half a million dollars' worth of it is exported 

 to England yearly. Lastly, a wax used in the manufacture of 

 candles is extracted from the leaves. 



The late Mr. Edward Geobge Hendebson, whose death 



was announced in our last issue, was the eldest son of Andrew 

 Henderson, the founder of the Pine-Apple Nursery. Mr. E. G. 

 Henderson at the beginning of the present century commenced 

 business on his own account at the nurseries in Edgware Road, 

 known as Tine Place. In those days fruit-growing not being 

 nearly so extensively carried out in private places as at the 

 present time, both Pine-Apple Place and Vine Place Nurseries 

 were, in addition to the culture of popular plants, greatly de- 

 voted to the culture of fruit, which was supplied in large 

 quantities to the nobiiity and gentry in and around London ; 

 but it wa3 a well-known fact that the Pine-Apple Nursery 

 produced the best Grapes and the Vine Plac9 Nursery the best 

 Pine Apples. About forty years ago he left the Vine Place 

 Nursery and removed to the Wellington Road, at which esta- 



blishment he continued to cultivate an extensive and varied 

 collection of plants until about twelve years ago. when he 

 retired from taking an active part in the business. 



We regret to announce that Me. Thoiias Patebsox 



died on the 12th inst. at the Royal Horticultural Gardens, 

 Chiswick. He was forty-two years of age. 



Notwithstanding all research^ and efforts, says the 



Annates Iniustrielles , the terrible insect phylloxera continues 

 and extends its ravages daily. All our Vines are now menaced 

 with an invasion by it. Ascending by the valley of the Rhone, 

 it is now on the point of reaching our large vineyards of Bar- 

 gundy ; and in the west, having invaded the whole valley of 

 La Garonne, Le Bordelais, Les Charentes, it has suddenly 

 made its appearance even iu the Loiret, in the heart of the 

 magnificent nursiries which are the fortune of the environs of 

 Orleans. It is not (this writer continues) that we have not 

 numerous means for destroying it, and we have no fear for the 

 vineyards that produce the better Vines of France; their value 

 is sufficient to meet the expense of suitable treatment. What 

 we are far from possessing yet is a treatment economical 

 enough to be applied to the Vines of less value, which produce 

 only vins ordinaires. Thus the sulphide of carbon and alka- 

 line sulpho-earbonates, now largely used, succeed perfectly ; 

 but these substances are still too high in price, and their ap- 

 plication involves expense for manual labour, which can only 

 be supported by vineyards whoae yield is of high value. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST AND WOKE FOB 

 THE PEESENT WEEK. 



KTTCHEN GARDEN. 



We have sowed Peas on a border facing south. The ground 

 was very dry, and the drills were drawn in the usual way. The 

 Peas were wetted with a carbolic solution, which is said not 

 only prevents the attacks of mice but also of sparrows when 

 the plants come through the ground. If this is so it will be a 

 great boon to us, as sparrows are a much greater pest than mice. 

 In wet soils some growers recommend sowing the seed on the 

 sarface of the ground and drawing the soil over them to the 

 depth of about 3 inches. Others draw the soil up into ridges 

 about a foot high, and sow on the top of the ridges; but this 

 last plan can only be recommended when the district is very 

 wet indeed. Beans ntay r.lso be planted now for the earliest 

 crop. 



After clearing away the stalks and outer decaying leaves from 

 Artichokes, the surface of the ground should be covered with 

 Btable litter to the depth of 9 inches or a foot. This is a very 

 good protector from frost, or the same material may be used 

 mixed with an equal quantity of decaying leaves. We have 

 never used spent tan after it is no longer useful for producing 

 bottom heat in tan beds, but have heard that it is well adapted 

 for protecting the plants from frost. All the late Celery ought 

 now to be secured from frosts by earthing it up in fine weather. 

 I A covering of littery manure may be placed over the soil to 

 ! keep frost out of it. 



Admit air to Cauliflower plants in hand-glassea and frames, 



I only letting the lights remain on during very severe frost. The 



lights may be tilted as much as possible in wet weather, but the 



plants must not be exposed to the rain. ThoBe who have not 



| yet pricked-out their plants shoald do so as soon as possible. 



All decaying leaves should bo removed from recently-put-out 



j plants, and the soil be lightly forked over between the rows, and 



all weeds removed. 



We have removed the old leaves from Seakale plants which 

 are intended to be forced, and should the plants not be taken up 

 and potted, which is our usual method, the ground will bo 

 covered over with rough manure, so that the plants may be 

 easily dug-up should severe frost Bet in. It is a good plan to 

 cover-up the crowns of all old plants either with ashes or 

 manure preparatory to covering the beds a foot or 15 inches 

 thick with leaves. 



The treatment recommended for Celery is applicable to Car- 

 doons, which must be finally earthed-np and protected from 

 frost. Some good growers of Cardoons recommend that they 

 be not earthed-up at all, but that some straw be placed in an 

 upright position against the plants, and be kept in its place with 

 hay or straw bands. 



It is quite necessary that all winter-growing crops be kept 

 free from weeds. The weather has lately been excellent for 

 allowing the Dutch hoe to be worked amongst rows of Onions, 

 Lettuce, Cabbages, &o. Lettuce plants in frames or anywhere 

 nnder glass require plenty of air. In fine weather the lights 

 must be entirely i-enaoved, and be tilted in wet weather. In 

 frosty nights the frames must be kept close. Remove all decay- 

 ing leaves, and loosen the soil between the plants. 



Let the kitchen garden be kept neat and free from all decaying 



