158 



JOUBSAIi OF HOJmC.UMURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ February 24, 1863. 



Peuning Roses (if. H.). — If the weather continue mild it -would be 

 advisable to prune at once, but if frost set in, delaying vegetation, you 

 bad better wait until the frost be past. It is possible we may have mere 

 winter yet than we have had, and it would be as well to wait and see the 

 result. The progress of vegetation will be stopped if it continue cold, 

 and the pruning could be done just before growth commences again. 



Veronica (S. L. J".).— Your specimen seems a variety of V. Andersonii, 

 but they differ so much that we cannot positively say ; and as they seed 

 freely and sow themselves, and. in mild autumn flower admirably, only 

 varieties of unusual merit have of late years been distinguished by name. 

 "We expect it will do remarkably well in Cornwall. We know it to be 

 quite at home in Jei sey. 



Tftoae.a:oLuat tdbbkosum {Idem).— By all means occupy your hotbed with 

 something better than these, which do pretty well against any dry wall. 

 The nioi'e poor the soil the more likely they are to bloom, and we have some- 

 times planted them in flower-pots to check their growth. But it is generally 

 late when they bloom, so that they have falien into disrepute. In hot dry 

 seasons they bloom better ; but such kinds as Tropaeolum pentaphyliiua and 

 T. brachyceras hare been more popular of late years. 



Trjtoma Suemjngs (Idem).— You cannot do better than plant your seed- 

 lings amongst your American plants in bo? earth, especially if "the soil is 

 not already fully occupied by the roots of Rhododendrons, <fcc. If the latter 

 be the case, plant them elsewhere, as they ought to have a good depth of 

 earth to themselves, and the bulbs will advance apace. Do not plane them 

 too thickly. 



Ivr and Roses Agaihst a Fence, (A. JR. £f.).— Plant the Ivy out of 

 pots 2 feet apart. You can buy it so growing 6 or 7 feet high. In front 

 grow the Roses in large pots or butter-firkins buried in' the border close 

 to the fence. Felicity perpetueUe t Myrianthes, Princess Marii, and Princess 

 Louisa will do well for the purpose. Train the Ivy against the fence, and 

 the Roses in front of the Ivy. Both the Ivy and the Roses will be bene- 

 fited in summer by heavy waterings overhead from the garden engine, 

 and by manure-waterings to the roots. 



Decorating Public Rooms (J. 0. 67.).— You will find yonr inquiries 

 answered in our paper of to-day by an article from Mr. Robson, which we 

 think will meet your case, and that of others; 



Grafting Peabs on Ash Stocks (/. W. P.). — Your friend has con- 

 founded the- common Ash with the Mountain. Ash. Pear scions unite 

 freely with stocks of the latter, but they will not unite to the common Ash. 



Plants for the Seaside (A. A.).— We fear the starving character of 

 the soil on your north-west coast will not suit many of our ordinary ever- 

 greens, but we have seen the Laarustinu3 and Aucuba japonica do well in 

 the neighbourhood of Plymouth within reach of the spray. If, however, 

 these will not do, try the Tamarisk as you are advised, and Pinus niaritima, 

 and the various herbaceous plants which will endure the sea air, as Thrift. 

 Fennel, Evergreen Iberis, Alyssum, and the like; but avoid tbe cornier^ 

 excepting the above. In deciduous trees the Sycamore stands as well as 

 any. Perhaps some of our correspondents will give us their experience 

 on coast vegetation. 



Distinguishing the Stocks of Fruit Trees (J. M. C.).—A man well 

 versed in such matters might, perhaps, be able to tell you if he saw the 

 trees ; but he could not explain on paper the mode for you to do it, especially 

 with young trees. Generally speaking, Free Stocks grow and thicken faster 

 than the graft, while Quince and Paradise Stocks are the reverse; but this 

 is not discernible in the young tree so well as in the more adult one. 

 Cutting the hark of old trees of the kinds of stocks named, and comparing 

 that with the young, will enable you to judge better than anything that 

 can be written on the subject. 



COTONEASTER MICROPHYLLA LOSING ITS LEAVES (P. M.}. — It IS difficult 



to account for your plant losing its leaves, as we have it in almost all 

 situations, moist and dry, in sunshine and shade, yet it thrives in each. 

 We find, however, that the leaves of C. Simonsii, a much stronger growing 

 species, have fallen very much this winter, whereas C. microphylla is as 

 densely clothed as ever and loaded with fruit of a rich rose colour. It 

 would be well to ascertain if there be nothing pernicious in the soil it is 

 growing in, as an escape of gas or a mixture of some poisonous chemical 

 ingredients. Yourplant, ofwhich you enclosed a specimen fruit, is Ceratonia 

 ailiqua. 



Heating a Melon-pit (W. D.). — If you meant to keep your present 

 lining and a bed of tan inside, then you might heat yonr house sufficiently 

 ■with two four-inch pipes. We should prefer the wall at the front to be 

 close instead of. pigeon-holed, and then you would have the heat without 

 damp and steam. If you preferred having no tan, except perhaps a sur- 

 facing, and not to depend much or at all on the lining, then the best plan 

 would be to have a small furnace and boiler at the west end, low enough 

 for the top of the boiler to be below the lowest pipe in the house, and then 

 take a flow and return for bottom heat and the same for top heat. This 

 can be done and regulated by valves ; or, as described the other week, take 

 tbe flow to a cistern above the boiler, and from that regulate the flow ior 

 top and bottom as wanted. 



Planting Tuberous-rooted Trop^eolums (M. A.). — We presume your 

 Tropeeolums are the small-flowering tuberous kinds. The shoot generally 

 comes from the smaller end, but not always. If you just cover the bulbs 

 with light soil, and give no water until they shoot, there can be no harm. 

 It is quite as well to keep the tubers covered with soil in a shallow tray 

 until they do shoot, and then pot them into their floweriug-pots at once. 

 Training is a matter of taste. Some like wire trellises flat or balloon 

 shaped. We think nothing is more graceful than the top of a Larch tree, 

 and the shoots entwined among its branches. Much care is necessary in 

 training— in fact, when growing freely the shoots will want looking to 

 every day, so that they be not permitted to grow in big wreaths and bundles. 

 We have forgotten to say that sometimes the tubers will take a freak and 

 rest for a year or two, and then come all right. 



Heating Pit for Camellias (A Learner near Bradford).— If your 

 Camellias and Azaleas are healthy they will not need youp hotbed of 

 leaves and duEg, but the heat from the pipes would be enough. However, 

 if you think a little moist heat below would be advisable, be sure that the 

 dung ia sweet;, and when you cover with ashes do not plunge the pots so 

 much as half their depth. A sweet hotbed in such a place would be the 

 thing for Melons, Cucumbers, and seeds of very tender plants, &c, but not 

 so much for Azaleas, Their small roots are easily injured with much 

 bottom heat. 



Sowing Gloxinia tubiflora (Subscriber).— Sow in hotbed. Sprinkle 

 the seed on the surface, and then tfee least of white sand over it. Cover 

 the pot with a piece of glass, and shade until the small dots of seedlings, 

 appear. Give them rich light soil. 



Sowing Anagaxlib (Idem).— Sow at any time before March in gentle 

 heat. They should have sweet fresh loam and a little leaf mould. 



Sowing Balsams (Idem).— If you have plenty of room and a cool place 

 to take them to alter their second potting you may also sow now; but if not. 

 you will obtain better plants by deferring until April, and then, after the 

 first potting, keeping them in a window-sill, or a cool greenhouse, or plant- 

 ing them out of doors. After the first potting the soil for Balsams can 

 scarcely be too rich. 



Chrysalis (Nesci Brown).— It is the chrysalis of Pieris rapce, the small 

 cabbage butterfly. 



Cocoa-nut Fibre Dust {Golden, Fleece).— Mix it with light loam in the 

 proportion of one part by measure to two parts of loam. 



Spotted Gjeraniuiis (P.). —You have a bad case of the spot. It is 

 very difficult to eradicate. Your only chance is to cut off every affected 

 leaf, and keep the plants drier with abundance of air and a little more 

 heat. The chief causes of this disease are a close muggy atmosphere, roots 

 too damp in winter, pots standing on a moist close bottom, aa sand or ashes, 

 and allowing the sun to strike on the foliage before it is lined by heat and 

 air. By giving the plants the advantage of the opposite treatment yon may 

 succeed in, making your plants all right, but some plants most likely will 

 beat you. 



Ceoss-brehding Pelargoniums ( ;.— Mr. Beaton is too unwell to 



reply to your queries at present. If you refer to ilie indices of our three 

 last volumes you will find a muss of information on the subject, and the 

 whole is epitomised in " The Science and Practice of Gardening," published, 

 at our office. 



Pillar-Kose Pruning {A Four-y»ars Subscriber).— ■You may cut out 

 some of the very gross shoots to the bottom, and leave the others as they 

 are, as some Roses flower but at the tips. Yours planted ouly last year may- 

 be encouraged to grow until they occupy their allotted space, while by 

 cutting out some of the gross shoots tha bottom will be furnished. 



Budding Roses (Idem). — Use worsted string, or yarn very loosely 

 twisted, to tie on the buds, and tie them gently, but at the same time suffi- 

 ciently firm to close the opening. Matting or any flaxen tie bands expand 

 and open in dry weather and become inconveniently tight when wet, and 

 are consequently not so good. Articles in our previous lumbers have 

 explained this. 



Peach Trees Cracking at the Collar {Idem)..— Some varieties aire 

 prone to this, but it does not seem to be attended with any had conse- 

 quences, as we have seen excellent fruit from a tree whose collar was 

 entirely decayed, except a sort of spiral band that united the top with the 

 root. If the top be healthy the stem is of less consequence, especially in an 

 old tree. Attend to the instructions given by Mir. ifish and others from 

 time to time, and success will crown your efforts. 



Slugs Eating Worms ( Worcester).— Slugs will resort to and eat any dead 

 animal matters. The live worm you saw them leeding upon must have 

 been weakened by disease or accident, or it would have easily writhed 

 away. 



Names of Plants (W. 0.).— 1, Chorozemavarium ; 3, Berberis Darwihii. 

 Ifc is impossible to name plants from such scraps as the others are. (A. A.). 

 — 1, Aspleniuiii rutaefolium; 2, A. splendens. 



POULTRY, BEE, and HOUSEHOLD CHRONICLE. 



DOTTINGS AT DEVIZES. 



I spent a few hours at the Poultry Show lately held in this 

 town. Few towns boast so convenient a spot for a Show — 

 light, airy, and hitherto sufficiently large for the purpose. 



There was a capital collection of poultry, but Game was pre- 

 eminently at the head. A splendid lot of birds must have given 

 the Judge some little trouble. Even with the arrangement of 

 cock and one hen, it appears difficult to satisfy these pugnacious 

 birds. I noticed especially that Mr. Fletcher's beautilul first- 

 prize Brown Red bird treated his temporary partner in a shame- 

 ful manner. In these classes it is absolutely necessary to make 

 some greater provision against battles than was made at Devizes. 

 A piece of wood 5 or 6 inches in width would prevent many 

 squabbles if nailed on the outside of the divisions. It was a 

 constant source of anxiety to the indefatigable Secretary. 



I was delighted to see large Kose-combed Dorkings prizetakers. 

 Though I no longer breed them, I am very pleased to see that 

 you are urging breeders not to make them birds of feather. In 

 Spanish an accident shifted the prizes. The third-prize cock of 

 Mr. Kodbard was very nearly blind from the size of the white 

 face. I do not think he could see with his right eye ! In some 

 unnoticed pens the trimmer seemed to have been at work ! 



Cochins were few but good. There was a splendid pen of 

 Whites, and the Buff single cock was a magnificent bird. 



Some of the Brahmas were good ; but. it is quite useless foe 

 breeders to show a pen with pea and single combs. Tears ago 

 they might have passed muster, now they must be uniform. I 

 think I should have reversed the judgment in the Bingle cock 

 class. 



Some Malays- were there, most conspicuous by their ugliness. 

 Bantams were firat-rate, and mustered iu large numbers ; so,, 



