December 21, 1973. 1 



JOURNA.L OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



537 



nure between the rows, afterwards forking the manure and 

 small weeds under ground. 



CUCUMBER HOUSE. 



So far our plants have done well, and they will continue bear- 

 ing as much as we require through tbe winter months, but the 

 strain upon plants which have been in bearing for the last two 

 months is trying to their constitutions. We shall sow more 

 seeds or strike cuttings about the first week in the new year ; 

 and when the plants are stroDg enough to plant out, those that 

 are worn out by winter bearing will bo removed to give plac6 for 

 young plants. Oar houses are well heated, and itis not difficult 

 to keep up the temperature to 65° or 70^. In circumstances not 

 so favourable, and where it would be necessary to overheat the 

 pipes to maintain this temperature, it is much better to have 

 some covering for the glass. An ordinary canvas screen thrown 

 over it will make a difference of at least 5° in the night tempe- 

 rature. This will not only be a saving ic fuel, but give also a 

 more congenial temperature to the plants. About the shortest 

 day in the year is the time that the plaDts require the greatest 

 amount of attention. They must not suffer for want of water, 

 nor must too much of it be applied to the roots. At a time 

 when the Bun scarcely Bhines at all, or if it does it is only "to 

 blii,k a wee and 6ink again," its influence is scarcely felt on the 

 temperature of the house. Still, unless there is a cutting frost 

 wind we always manage to open the ventilators just a little at 

 the highest part of the house for a few hours at mid-day. This 

 daily change of air is very beneficial to the plants, and with 

 care it can generally be managed without making any appreciable 

 change in the temperature. We keep up a bottom heat of 85° 

 by two rows of 3-inch pipes placed about 2 feet below the sur- 

 face of the bed. We have found that by using all the evaporating 

 troughs the atmosphere became too moist and caused a weak 

 watery growth, but by using only one trough a more healthy 

 growth was apparent. Should any thrips appear have the house 

 smoked at once with tobacco. The leaves will not endure too 

 much of it, and it is best to fumigate moderately three times at 

 intervals of three days than to run the risk of injuring the 

 plantB by one very strong application of smoke. 



GREE5HOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. * 



When the Chrysanthemums go out of bloom there is con- 

 siderable difficulty to supply their place, but gardeners with 

 limited room will be glad to remove them, as they take up much 

 space and do some damage to hardwooded plants. Cyclamen 

 per6icum is~a useful and well-appreciated plant for producing 

 flowers from now until the end of March, and by that time 

 BpriDg flowers, consisting of Dutch bulbs, will also be over, to 

 be succeeded by different sorts of forced shrubs, Roses, &o. 

 Hardwooded plants of different species require attention now, 

 and time can be better spared for tying and trainiDg the plants 

 at this season than at any other. Plants of Azalea indica are 

 now shedding their leaves, and require to be gently shaken 

 occasionally to free the plants from those ready to drop off. 

 Thrips are very destructive to the Azalea. Persistent fumiga- 

 tion will destroy those insects, but in some cases it is not con- 

 venient to fumigate ; then they may be destroyed by dipping 

 the plants in a mixture which will also free them from any trace 

 of red spider, which no amount of fumigation will destroy. 

 Many of the mixtures advertised in this Journal will destroy 

 thripB if applied according to the instructions which are given ; 

 but those who do not find it convenient to obtain such will find 

 a certain remedy in the following: — To one gallon of rain water 

 add 6 ozs. of soft soap and half a pint of tobacco liquor; put it 

 in a pot and place over the fire until the water boils, let it 

 simmer for ten minutes, and when cool the mixture is ready for 

 use. With this syringe the plants after they have been laid ou 

 their sides, as the water runniDg into the pots, if the plants were 

 in an upright position, would injure the roots. 



The damp weather has been injurious to some plants, causing 

 mildew and mould. Sulphur, applied as directed in previous 

 numbers, quickly checks the spread of mildew, and destroys it. 

 The fires may be lighted by day, especially after watering. At 

 such a time the ventilators must be open to allow moisture to 

 escape. During the prevalence of dense fogs, so common at thiB 

 season about London, it is better not to open the ventilators at 

 all, and the application of artificial heat at such a time would be 

 injurious rather thau otherwise. All Boftwooded plants require 

 to be regularly looked over, picking off any decaying leaveB, and 

 in the case of plants intended for large specimens tyiog out the 

 growths. See that no insect pests form a lodgment on stage 

 or fancy Pelargoniums, Cinerarias, or herbaceous Calceolarias. 

 If these are thoroughly cleaned now, and kept clean during the 

 winter, the plants will be healthy and give little trouble during 

 the busy period of the year, when such work is apt to be 

 neglected. 



FLOWER GARDEN. 



In calm weather the lawn Bhould be thoroughly cleaned by 

 raking and sweeping the leaves up from every part of it. Those 

 that have found a lodgment in tbe shrubby borders must also 

 be thoroughly cleared out of the most difficult places, else gusts 

 of wind will on another occasion sweep them out on the lawn 



to cause extra sweeping, which would otherwise not be required. 

 In large places this gathering-up of leaves takes up much of the 

 gardener's time at this season, and the leaveB collected are not 

 of much value, as they are frequently full of decaying wood, 

 which produces fungus. Only leaves that have been collected 

 from the open meadow or lawn should be used for leaf soil. It 

 is better to have a fire, and burn the rakings of the borders as 

 they are gathered ; the asheB can always be U6ed. 



A coating of manure ought to be placed over the roots of 

 Roses, to be forked-in after tbe bushes are pruned. A constant 

 watch must be kept over hardy herbaceous plants. The more 

 delicate species suffer from wet as much as from frost. We are 

 confident that the Bhallow bottomless panB made of the same 

 material as common garden pots would answer well to protect 

 the tender sorts, a square of glass being placed over the pan to 

 throw off the water, and this being tilted at one side to admit 

 air. 



Florist flowers, although they do not require much attention, 

 cannot be neglected. The leather-coated grub haB attacked the 

 Pink in a persistent manner, and we have only saved the plants 

 from its attacks by catching them feeding after dark at night. 

 Large earth worms also get hold of the tips of the leaves, and 

 they are strong enough to bend weak plants down and breab 

 them. It was necessary to Btrew the surface of the beds over 

 with quicklime to stop their "little game." A Bteady frost 

 would be much better for all florist flowers than bo much wet. 

 Tulips planted out early in November are now appearing above 

 ground. Should very severe frost set in we shall cover them 

 over with dry loam. Those planted later are more likely to do 

 better in the spring. Auriculas are passing through a trying 

 period. Every decayed leaf and trace of mould is removed a& 

 soon as it is observed. Should decay fasten on the centre of the 

 plant its loss is almost assured. Carnations and Picotees have 

 likewise certain severe trials to endure, even if the frames are 

 watertight, which is not always the caBe. Many varieties are so- 

 subject to spot on the leaves that the utmost care oannot bring 

 them through the winter free from this insidious disease, and it 

 is much aggravated by the smoke and damp of London. We 

 have this week gone carefully over the plants and removed all 

 affected, stirring the surface of the pots at the same time with sv 

 pointed Btick. Air is admitted freely on all favourable occasions 

 to the frames of both Auriculas and Carnations. — J. Douglas. 



TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 



Sutton & Sons, Reading. — Amateur's Guide, highly illus- 

 trated : aUo Price Current of Garden Seeds, Potatoes, Bulbs, 

 4c. 



James Carter & Co., 237 and 23S, High Holborn, London.— 

 Vade Mecum and Seed Catalogue, highly illustrated. 



Ernest Benary, Erfurt, Germany. — General Catalogue of 

 Vegetable, Agricultural, Flower, and Tree Seeds. 



Joseph Schwartz, 43, Rue do Repos, Lyons, France. — List of 

 New Roses. 



Eag. Verdier Fils Ainu, 37, Rue Clisson, Gaze d'lvry, Paris. — 

 List of New Roses. 



Louis Van Houtte, Royal Nursery, Ghent, Belgium. — Cata* 

 logu8 of Gesneraceous Plants, Caladiums, &c. 



HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITIONS. 

 Sbobetaries will oblige us by informing us of the dates on 



which exhibitions are to be held. 



Crystal Palacb (Artificial Flowerg and Fruit). March 17tb. 



Newoa6tlb-cpos-Tinb. March 21st aad 22ad. Msisn. J. H. Frenea, Ben- 

 well House, and J. Taylor, Rye Hill, Hod. Sees. 



Glasoow, March 28th and May 'iSrd. Mr. F. O. Dongal, Sec 



Lbeds (Spring Show). April 2nd and 3rd. Mr. A. Walker, Nerillo St., 

 School Cloee, Leeds, Hon. Sec. 



Wisbech. June 23th. Mr. Charles Parker, Hon. Sec. 



Tonbridob. July 18th. Mr. W. Blair, Sec. 



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



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



Wbllinstonia gigantea. — " X." asks — " What is the height and circum- 

 ference of the outaide branches of the largest Wellingtonia in England ?" 



Pruning Pear Trebs {Somtsrtet). — We cannot giye directions. Much 

 depends upon the state of the trees, which hare been greatly neglected. 



Boiler (A. AT.). — "We cannot recommend one. Consult our adrerbisemenii 

 columns and select the boiler that b-Btb iuiti your building, Ac. 



Psar Trees Diseased (A. A.). — They are attacked by canker, induced 

 probably by the roots haring descended into an unjenial soil. 



Best Clematises {H. Taylor). — Jackmanii, Gem, Alexandra, Mies Bats- 

 man, Lady Bovill, Lady Londesborough, Star of India, and Mrs. James Bate- 

 man. You ought not to cut them down after flowering. 



Camellia Forcing {Filix).— We think you may more the plants from the 

 greenhouse to the store, placing them in the cooler end of the latter, where 

 the temperature does not exceed 55 c , and using a little weak manure water. 



Supports eor Peas {Haekcnnt).— Galraniaed iron rods placed 6 feet 

 apart, and net of the same material with very wide meshes, answer well. 



Excluding Eabbits {N. J. M.).— We have exoluded them by placing near 



