November 30, 187G, ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



475 



Francis '& Arthur Dickson & Sons, "Upton" Nurseries, 

 Chester. — Catalogue of Forest and Ornamental Trees, &c. 



Robertson & Galloway, 157, Ingram Street, Glasgow. — Cata- 

 logue of Choice Gladioli, and List of Moses. 



HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITIONS. 

 Secretaries will oblige ua by informing us of the dates on 

 which exhibitions are to be held. 



Newcastle-upon-Tyne. March 21st and 22nd, 1877. Messrs. J. H. French, 



Benwell House, and J. Taylor, Bye Hill, Hon. Sees. 

 Isle of Thanet. August 30th. Mr. C. D. Smith, Hon. Sec. 



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 unavoid- 

 ably. We request that no one will write privately to any 

 of our correspondents, as doing so subjeots them to un- 

 justifiable trouble and expense. 

 Correspondents should not mix up on the same sheet questions 

 relating to Gardening and those on Poultry and Bee sub- 

 jects, 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. 



Books (Lady C.).— Robinson's " Alpine Flowers for English Gardens." 



Primulas {Mrs. Qillum).— Apply to any of the florists who advertise in 

 our columns. Amateurs do not like beiDg troubled. 



Lemon Tree Unhealthy [H. F. (?.). — What you call scabs are scale 

 insects (Coccus hesperidum). Treat them as directed in our number 81C. 



Dendrobicms (R. 5.).— D. Falconeri, D. Parishii, D. speciosum, and 

 D. Wardianum are evergreen or very nearly so ; the difference between ever- 

 green and deciduous depending in a measure upon the ripening of the 

 growths. 



Horticultural Directory [Idem), — Corrections should be made at otfee 

 to the Editor at this office, which has been repeatedly announced in our ad- 

 vertising columns. No authority beyond that of a gardener is neceBsaiy. 



Forcing Lily of the Valley (E. D. Lyon).— If you require Lilies of 

 the Valley early, the crowns are best forced in bottom heat. A bed of leaveB 

 about 3 feet high is usually required, and in this the pots are placed, covering 

 with about 6 inches of dry loose leaves. It is much better if a frame and 

 lights be placed upon the leaves, which throw off rains and maintain a 

 more equable temperature ; besides, it may be necessary in severe weather to 

 line the sides of the frame and bed should the heat decline, which ought 

 not to be less than 75°, nor exceed OCT. When the flowers have grown 

 4 to 6 inches above the pots, the covering should be removed, and the plants 

 be placed in a light position in a stove, where they expand and attain colour. 

 We have se^n them successfully forced by placing a rough frame of boards 

 around the pots, and over that some boards so as to form a cover, leaving G to 

 8 inches of Bpace from the surface of the pots to the boards, covering with 

 leaveB or litter about a foot to 15 inches deep, removing the Lilies to a warm 

 house when the flower spikes were 6 inches kng. 



Exhibiting Chrysanthemums (WMtehaven). — The blooms sent do not 

 belong to .the large-floweriDg section, and they are only admissible for ex- 

 hibiting in the classes for Pompons. The Ixora sent did not arrive in a fresh 

 state, but it appears to be I. Wiiliamsii, one of the best of the Isoras. 



Lapagebia rubra (Amateur).— Lapageria rosea is a native of Chili, 

 L. rubra being only a higher-coloured form of L. rosea, which originated in 

 this country. 



Repotting Dipladenias (Idem). — They require to be repotted annually, 

 removing most of the soil from the roots— all that comes away freely without 

 injuring them. 



Charcoal and Soot for Flower Beds (Epsilon).— Crushed charcoal is 

 good for flower beds. You may apply it at the rate of a bushel to 30 square 

 yards. Soot is a first-rate manure, and may be applied at the rate ot one 

 peck to 30 square yards. It is best applied t in spring prior to planting, 

 pointing it in lightly with a fork, or it may be applied as a top-dressing after 

 planting. 



Storing Salsafy (F. W. B.).— We have this little-esteemed but very 

 delicious vegetable up to June by taking it up now, cutting off the tops 

 about half au inch above the crown and storing in moist sand in a cool shed. 

 If you do not require it until April you may leave it in the ground until that 

 time, but we think the qualify of that stored is better than that left in the 

 ground, especially for late ubg. 



Making Potty (W.Ruff). — It is more economical to purchase than to 

 make putty by hand. Ic is made by adding linseed oil to whiting in the pro- 

 portion necessary to form it into a dough-like consistence, taking care to 

 nave the whole thoroughly kneaded, so as to be soft and pliant without stick- 

 ing to the hand. You will require about 56 lbs. of putty, but the quantity 

 will depend in a great measure upon the size of the squares of glass, and the 

 rebate in the rafters and sashes for receiving it. 



Hotbed over Flue (Idem).— You will need to place some rubble upon the 

 flue, rather rough at bottom and finer upwards, the depth of rubble being 

 about 9 inches, and upon this you will need about 6 inches of plunging 

 material, as cocoa refuse, and another 6 or 8 inches' space for the cuttings. 



Ekve d'Or RosEfltus in TJrbe). — We fear the situation under the verandah 

 will be too dark and dry ; but as you say the plant is very healthy we should 

 give it another chance, not pruning, but merely thinning out the shoots if 

 too crowded, training them in their full length. The strong current year's 

 shoots of this Rose do not usually produce flowers, however, until the second 

 year. The Euonymus, of which you sent a leaf, is, we think E. fimbriatns. 



Culture of Mimuluses (A Reader). — We presume you intend to grow 

 them in a greenhouse. We also presume that you have plants— seedlings or 



cuttings, which Fhould be kept over the winter in a cool airy part of the 

 greenhouse, keeping them moiBt. Early in March they should have 7-inch 

 pots, well drained, for though the Mimulns delights in moisture it does not 

 thrive when the Boil is soddened and eour. CuttiDgs may be taken in March, 

 which strike readily in gtntlo heat, keeping moist and shading from sun 

 until rooted. They should be put into small pots at first, and shifted into 

 larger as they advance, giviDg the blooming pots in May. In June and on- 

 wards they will flower finely. They require a position near the glass and 

 abundant supplies of water, never allowing the leaves to flag, and when in 

 flower the plants should be shaded frc m hot sun. A compost of one half of 

 turfy loam, and the other half formed of equal parts leaf soil and dry cow 

 dung, the whole well mixed together, ib suitable. 



Potting Achimenes (Idem). — The tubers may be started at any time 

 from February up to June. They require a compost of equal parts of peat, 

 leaf soil, and turfy loam, and a temperature of 65° to 75°. The plants will 

 appear in about ten days or less if the soil is kept moist. 



Sowing Seeds (Idem).— Seeds of Carnations, Centaurea candidissima, 

 Eoheverias, Fuchsias, Pelargoniums, Acacias, and Canuas may be sown any 

 time after the middle of February in a hotbed. 



Begonias and Gloxinias (Idem), — They will succeed in a temperature of 

 45° to 55°, but will require to be Btarted in beat in spring. A few of the best 

 Begonias are Chelsoni, Model, Vesuvius, Stella, Sedeni, Acme, BolivienBis, and 

 Pearceiof the tuberous section ; and insignis, Saunaersiana, WeltonienBis, 

 andparviflora of the heibaceous class. Gloxinias. — Erect flowers: Duchess of 

 Edinburgh, Sir Stafford Northcote, Benjamin Disraeli, Fanny Wilder, Purple 

 Prince, Sunshine. Grand Monarch, Madame Courant, John Gray, Brilliant, 

 National, and Triomphe des Gloxinias. Drooping flowers. — The Sultan, 

 Duchess of Teck, Gamos, Sir J.-hn Lubbock, Miss H. de Rothschild, Patrie, 

 Lord Derby, Alsace, Madame Patti, Etna, Madame de Smet, and Hon. Mrs. 

 Yorke. 



Draining Small Garden (Delta).— lb is quite as important to drain a 

 small garden as a large field, but whether it be necessary to do so depends 

 upon the presence of water lodging in the Bubsoil or not. If the garden be 

 wet we should have a drain up the centre of S-inch drain tiles laid 3 feet 

 6 inches or 4 feet deep, and having a proper fall and outlet. If you drain 

 crosswise the drains must not be more than 18 feet apart. 



Canterbury Bells (N. C.).— Plant them out at once in light moderately 

 rich soil in an open situation, but sheltered. The plants being small we 

 Bhould not allow them more than 6 inches' distance apart every way, other- 

 wise they require a foot distance apart. They grow from 18 to 24 incheB 

 high, and flower from May to July. 



Select Violets {Weston).— The fix best Violets are— Bingles: Victoria 

 Regina, White Czar, and Devoniensis. Doubles: Neapolitan, Odorata pen- 

 dula (New York variety of Neapolitan), Marie Louise, and Queen of Violets. 

 If only six are wanted omit the Neapolitan. Prince Consort is the finest of 

 all single Violeta, but it is not yet in commerce. 



Chrysanthemums (W. B. H.).— Chrysanthemums are included in our 

 pamphlet on "Florists' Flowers," post free Ahd. Detailed cultural notes 

 from successful growers will shortly appear in our columns. 



Fungus in Vine Border (Subscriber).— We presume that the fuugua is 

 to be found in the border in patches. In that case the most effectual remedy 

 is to remove all the soil containing the spawn, and dust quicklime thickly 

 over the space from which it has been removed, replacing with fresh soil. 



Management of Pot Vines (A Constant Reader). — VineB which have 

 been cropped heavily do not succeed well the following season. It would not 

 be Bafe to shake the soil from the roots to repot them. We advise you to 

 surface-dreBS with rich soil those in 16-inch pots, and repot the two in 8 inch 

 pots, without disturbing the roots much, into 11-inch pots. 



Planis for Aquarium (Idem). — Equisetum fluviatile, Aponogeton dis- 

 tacbyon ; Nymphteas nitida, minor, and odorata ; Potamogeton nutans, Na- 

 phar pumila, Stratiotes aloides, MenjantheB trifoliata, Richardia rethiopica, 

 and Myriophyllum spicatum. 



Dwarf Plum Trees Barren (Ignoramus). — You do not say whether 

 your trees produce blossoms. If they do, it would seem that the varieties 

 are too tender to withstand the effects of the spring frosts. Reine Claude 

 do Bavay and Prince Englebert are the only sorts in your list which wo 

 have tried as pyramids. We never could induce them to bear when they 

 were removed biennially. We advise you to leave off lifting the trees. The 

 sorts we grow as pyramids are mostly kitchen Plums, and they bear enor- 

 mously — namely, Mitchelson's, Prince of Wales, Victoria, Pond's Seedling, 

 Diamond, Oileans, Goliath, Rivers' Prolific, and Prince Englebert. All the 

 finer sorts are grown on walls or in the orchard house. You will find all ^ the 

 necessary instructions for the culture of bush and pyramid trees in " Doings 

 of the Week." 



Treatment of Dendrobiums (Ashbury). — Remove the pseudobulbs that 

 form on the old growths as soon as a few roots are formed at their bases. The 

 best time to repot Orchids is when they begin to make roots. "The Orchid- 

 Grower's Manual " will answer your purpose, price 2s. 1UI. post free from oar 

 office. 



Wintering Cacius (Lady Subscriber).— They would do in your granary 

 with zoDal Pelargoniums. The Cactuses would not require any water daring 

 the winter months, and frost must be kept from the plants. 



Potting Lilium auratum {Idem).— You must not remove any live roots 

 from the base of the bulbs, but remove the flower stalks with all the roots 

 attached to them. It is quite time the bulbs were repotted. 



Marbchal Neil Rose Unhealthy (J. A, P.).— We fail to observe any 

 disease on the leaves sent. They are probably dying off in the ordinary 

 course of nature at this sea3on. If the roots are healthy we think the plant 

 will start well next year. 



Temperature of Intermediate House (S. H. C.).— During winter from 

 50° to 55°, it may even fall below 50° in cold weather. In summer no artificial 

 heat U needed, and the temperature will rise according to the weather. 



Carbolic Dressing for Peas.— Mr. Douglas, in reply to Mr. R. Foster 

 says that this dressing does prevent mice from eating the Peas after they are 

 sown. It is termed " King's Patent Carbolic Dreasing," and should be adver- 

 tised. We intend to try it on the seed Wheat, to prevent the attacks of rooks* 



Covering Vine Border (J. T. T.).— Yon would not err in covering the 

 border as you propose, but in the absence of data as to condition of the 

 border and Vines, and as to the timetbat Grapes. are required, we are unable 

 to give you definite advice as to the best mode of procedure. 



