154 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ February 34, 1863. 



had formerly grass-edgings, which from constantly sowing fresh 

 seeds necessitated freBh applications), and hare every reason to 

 be satisfied with it. 



Should the operator spill a little on his clothes a little ammonia, 

 such as a pinch of smelling-salts in water, will mate all right 

 again. 



It also exterminates worms. The watering-pot and pail must, 

 of course, be well washed afterwards, and be kept well painted. 

 — Lex. 



THE SEASON IN COENWALL. 



We have had so far an exceedingly mild winter in this county 

 (Cornwall), and it may interest you, perhaps, to know how far 

 our spring is advanced. Yellow Crocuses are in full Sower, and 

 have been for two or three weeks; Hyacinths are in very for- 

 ward bud — too forward a great deal for security from frost ; 

 the blue Squill covers the ground with its starry blossoms. In 

 fact, our borders are gay with the snow white IberiB semper- 

 florens (at least, I believe that is the correct name of the pretty 

 little perennial which the people call " Mountain of Light "), 

 scarlet double Daisy, and yellow and purple Crocuses, arranged 

 alternately, and all in full flower at this time. By the way, I 

 have omitted the Snowdrop from the above list, which con- 

 tributes in no small degree to the general gaiety of the border ; 

 and last, though far from being least in beauty, the bright blue 

 Squill. Some Humeas, which have been out all the winter, look 

 pretty well, though rather "leggy," and Scarlet Geraniums, 

 Calceolaria floribunda, and all sorts of Verbenas, are looking 

 strong and healthy, some against a south wall, others in the 

 beds. — S. L. J., Cornwall. 



PREVENTING THE GOOSEBERRY 

 CATEEPILLAE. 



A NEIGHBOUR told me the other day, when talking about 

 these pests, that in the month of March, on some damp morning 

 he dusts the bushes all over, and beneath them, with soot. The 

 bushes being damp the soot adheres to the wood, leaving a Booty 

 smell, which the moths and caterpillars do not like. By these 

 means he says he is never troubled with them. As it is so simple 

 and within the reach of everybody, I, for one shall test the 

 truth of the plan, leaving some bushes unsooted in the same 

 bed. I hope others will try it. It would be a great boon to us 

 if we could obtain some sure preventive. — G. Holmes. 



TREATMENT OE APRICOT TREES IN BLOOM. 



I venture to suggest that our veterans, Messrs. Rivers and 

 Pearson, are both right, but have overlooked the very important 

 faet of the influence of the atmosphere. Please to observe, that 

 in showery weather, such as Mr. Pearson named as a fine time 

 for setting the fruit, the barometer would be at 29.20, or there- 

 abouts, and the air consequently light, so that the pollen would 

 disperse easily ; in fact, giving us the dry atmosphere required 

 by Mr. Rivers. Should this solve the difficulty, I should hardly 

 think you will consider your space wasted. — George Burton. 



CONIFERS IN IRELAND. 



I teel great pleasure in giving my experience with regard to 

 the Pinuses inquired about by Mr. Robson. 



In so doing, perhaps, 1 cannot be more clear than by stating 

 the dimensions of a few Silver Firs now standing quite adjacent 

 to the Castle, and which, according to moBt reliable information, 

 were planted about the year 1803, and at that time were very 

 small, having been brought from Scotland by a Mr. "Webb, 

 landscape-gardener, in his travelling-bag. The height is taken 

 from the ground to the top of the leaders ; the girth, at 3 feet 

 from the ground level. 



GIUTH. 



1. 8 feet 3 inches. 



\- \ " 4 '• 



4. 7 4 



5- » „ 1) „ 



«■ 9 „ 8 „ 



HEIGHT. 



66 feet 2 inches. 

 70 „ 6 „ 



" „ „ 



67 „ 4 „ 



68 „ 3 „ 

 »5 „ 6 „ 



These are fair specimens from among a considerable number 

 growing singly, or in groups of not more than six in a group. 



.. 12 inches. 

 .. 14 „ 

 - 22 „ 



Chiefly surrounded by Oak and Sweet Chestnut, and under- 

 cover for game, Larch, Spruce, and Scotch Firs have grown 

 equally -well. 



With respect to the newer kinds, those here are of very recent 

 planting. In looking over the growth of 1862, I find the 

 leaders of several as follows. 



Pinus excels* 20 inches, Abies canadensis ... 



in3igois 36 „ Nordmanm&na. 



anstriaca 34 „ Wellingtonia gigantea 



Abies Douglasi 24 ,, Cupressus Lambertiana 



Cedrus, Libocedrus, Thuja, and Taxus, all do well in sheltered 

 situations. Among all the Conifers, here and around here, I 

 find that the south-west wind at this season of the year browns 

 the leaves, causing a great check to the plants in spring, unless 

 they are partially sheltered by other trees, or something, es- 

 pecially while young ; while a breeze from the north appears to 

 have very little effect upon them. 



Perhaps I should state that the locality lies between two chains 

 of mountains leading east and west, so that the wind comes 

 very strong from the south-west. — George Beckett, Skanbally 

 Clogheen, Ireland. 



GRAFTING DEODARS ON THE LARCH. 



There was a mistake in the description of Woodstook, con- 

 cerning a Deodar grafted on the Larch, which it is necesBary to 

 rectify. It was planted some thirty-seven years ago, and five 

 yearB ago was nearly 34 feet in height. It grew somewhat 

 spindly, was deficient in robustness, and shed its leaves partially 

 in the autumn. On examining the roots they were found to be 

 unhealthy, and a closer examination proved that the tree was 

 grafted on the Larch. No improvement taking place, Col. Tighe 

 at length ordered the tree to be cut down, and when the roots 

 were grubbed-up they were found to be affected with a bad case 

 of the larch rot. We say nothing on the theory of grafting, but 

 the above case was misapprehended, and, therefore, we give this 

 statement of the facts. — R. F. 



PRUNING VINES. 



I have a vinery about 60 feet long by 14 feet wide containing 

 at the warmest end Muacats, and at the cool end Black Ham- 

 burghB. The Vines are about six years old. For the last four 

 years I have had fair average crops. Being desirous of keeping 

 them back as long as possible, I have deferred pruning them, 

 and the question now arises, How am I to prune them ? The 

 wood is well ripened and the thickness of one's little finger, but 

 the eyes close at home are by no means bold. The fourth and 

 fifth are very plump and evidently fruit-buds. By pruning 

 down to the fifth eye the spurs soon become too long; but 

 should I prune down to two eyes ? I am afraid there would be 

 little or no fruit, at least, if I am to believe that the small eyes 

 are generally unfruitful. The Muscat eyes are bold throughout, 

 and I prune short accordingly. — D. W. 



[If your wood is well ripened you may safely prune back to 

 the small buds. Everything depends on the ripening of the 

 wood. A crop, however, is a better thing than any adherence 

 to a system, and if there were any doubts we would leave a 

 portion of the wood in the short-rod style. The prominent 

 pods will be best ripened ; but the small buds at the base, if 

 fully ripened, will be equally fruitful and come strong if those 

 before them are removed. Were we in your case and in any 

 doubt, we would prune for a crop and leave plenty of wood ; 

 by stopping the shoots you can make the back buds break, and 

 the shoots from these you can keep for next year's spurs. Your 

 delaying the pruning will not at all serve your purpose in 

 securing late Grapes — that must depend on keeping the Vines 

 cool. If you have forced previously, the pruning should not be 

 delayed, or you may have bleeding. When once a Vine is in 

 leaf you may prune as you like, provided you do not take too 

 much away at a time so as to weaken the energies of the plant.] 



FEATHERED HELPS IN A GARDEN. 



For want of a better phrase I thus designate a subject upon 

 which some practical enlightenment will oblige me. I am led 

 to it by the references to bantams in a garden, and especially by 

 your own remark, that a particular sort does very little harm in 

 a garden, which somewhat surprises me. 





