JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 



[ April 7, 1863. 



forced, there is no other plan for keeping-up a succession. Forked 

 the soil, and earthed-up Cabbages, and uncovered Potatoes 

 during the day, now about fit for table, those in pots lasting 

 out well. Watered Mushroom-beds, bearing still pretty well. 

 Ought to have made up another bed ; but just now there is such 

 a demand for extra heat from the little fermenting material that 

 falls to our share, that we could not spare any droppings. 



PEUIT GARDEN. 

 Some of the Strawberry-beds, having more rough leaf mould 

 placed between the rows in winter than they could manage, had 

 the ground hoed, and the rough extra material raked off and put 

 in the bottom of trenches that will come in for Celery some day. 

 Daubed buds of Cherries, Pears, &c, with a little weak Gishurst, 

 and soot and lime, partly to keep insects from them, but chiefly 

 to keep the vermin of birds from them. We had a row of dwarf 

 Plum trees as fine a sight as ever we would wish to look upon ; 

 but the fruit will be few and far between, as scarcely a bud was 

 left, even though a net was thrown over them. One dark even- 

 ing some boys batfolded and caught from eighty to ninety of the 

 gentry, and we asked no questions as to what they did witli them. 

 It is singular with what pertinacity they will keep to some things. 

 Some other Plums were not touched at all, and the same as to 

 vegetables. Two rows of fine Marrow Peas had to be sown 

 again, and now, in addition to trenches along the rows, a narrow 

 net is placed above the branches, and still through net and alto- 

 gether you will see the marks of their bills at the young sprout- 

 ing Peas, whilst there seem to be much more tempting rows of 

 other kinds close at hand, which have never been touched. In 

 this one would almost think there was more than the choice and 

 selection of instinct. And yet, for all that, did they moderately 

 only take their share, we would willingly forget and forgive, and 

 even do something more, so delightful now are their sweet notes 

 morning and evening. Regulated Strawberries less or more 

 every day, as when fruit is gathered every day, besides watering, 

 some pots will require taking out, and some others taking in. 

 Others of our attendants knew something in the way of selection 

 as well as the birds ; for if a slug or snail has scooped out a 

 small hole in a Strawberry, there is every probability thst it will 

 be in the beBt Strawberry in the house — just such a one as you 

 would like to have as the crowner to a dish. There is no method 

 of getting hold of these gentry except taking a candle at night 

 and looking for them, and they will be easier found if there 

 should be such tempting baits laid down after work hours as a 

 handful of brewers' grains, or some buttered young Cabbage 

 leaves. 



Further disbudded trees and thinned fruit in Peach-house, and 

 for a fortnight have seen no more of the brown beetle. We 

 found it taking hold on some small trees in pots in orchard- 

 house. The trees were placed in a small box-house ; half a 

 bushel of bruised laurel leaves were placed on the bottom of 

 the box, and the door shut close, and next morning there was 

 not one insect alive. For plants that we can put into this box, 

 we have found no kind of insects that can stand the fumes from 

 the laurel leaves ; and one advantage is there is no smoking or 

 dust of any kind thrown on the plant. A slight skiff with the 

 syringe afterwards makes the plant clean of all vermin. There 

 is just a chance of some eggs remaiuing in a corner. We think for 

 such purposes, having a stout calico cloth painted to make it 

 stiff to keep in fumes, and then wrapped round a plant, a few 

 laurel leaves would clear them more safely, often, than smoking 

 would do ; but a Bmall plant could thus also be easily smoked. 

 The great drawbacks of cleaning plants by syringing with any 

 washes are, that unless the liquid is clear a sediment is formed, 

 and the insects knocked down are apt to crawl up again. 



Potted Vines, smaller and larger. Regulated Figs swelling 

 fast, leaving those out of doors still covered with laurel twigs, 

 and thinned Grapes, reducing the number of bunches as well. 

 Planted out one bed of strong Melons; and the second bed 

 having been filled with Verbena cuttings, in semicircular drain- 

 tiles, which were struck, removed them, forked over the bed, 

 and introduced the soil to heat ready for planting. The minutiae 

 of our mode may be interesting to some. Our frames being 

 about 10 inches deep in front and 20 inches behind, the most 

 of the soil should be beneath the level of the bottom of the box. 

 For this purpose the frame stands on a wall or ridge all round, 

 a foot above the bottom of the bed. Supposing the bed inside 

 to be 5J feet wide, a space in the centre of 2^ feet wide is made 

 deeper still to the extent of 6 or 8 inches or more. A slab is 

 placed behind and in front of this ; and the extra dung is placed 



at the back and in front of these slabs, and between them and the 

 aides of the frame. This leaves a well or gutter in the centre* 

 between the Blabs, of 2£ feet in width, and li foot in depth for 

 soil. We find this all the length of the bed is generally enough for 

 Melons. When filled with earth the edges of the slabs are covered,, 

 and a couple of inches or so spread on the dung, back and front. 

 If we wish to give more earth we have only to lift up the slabs 

 and take out the dung at the sides, but we very seldom do so. 

 We think that the plan has two advantages. The earth in the 

 centre is kept warmer with a less proportion of dung, owing 

 to the dung at the sides inside being almost as high as the surface 

 of the earth : and again, the roots being mostly confined to the 

 narrow space between the slabs, there is less encouragement 

 given to an excess of mere luxuriance, whilst there is enough 

 of vigour to secure well-flavoured handsome fruit. Weight for 

 weight, Melons grown in large pots will generally be richer thaa 

 those grown in a large bed of earth ; and this curtailing of the 

 feeding-ground in a pit or frame secures some of the advan- 

 tages of the pit, and dispenses with much of the extra and con- 

 stant attention that pits require over common beds. 

 ORNAMENTAL DEPARTMENT. 

 Besides potting, regulating, and moving, the chief work has- 

 been placing tubers of Achimenes in heat, bringing tubers of 

 Dahlias to the floor of a vinery beneath a stage — that is, the 

 general bulk, moving the Verbena cuttings referred to under 

 calico to harden, planting out struck Verbenas singly in a bed 

 to grow for six weeks, putting in more cuttings, potting-off 

 variegated and Ivy-leaved Geraniums, planting lots of Scarlets in 

 earth pits ; and bo little are we yet thinned, that more trenches 

 must be dug for them. Watered slightly those Calceolarias, &c, 

 in earth pits for the first time ; most doing very well, and root- 

 ing nicely. — R. F. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



* s * We request that no one will write privately to the depart- 

 mental writers of the " Journal of Horticulture, Cottage 

 Gardener, and Country Gentleman." By so doing they 

 are subjected to unjustifiable trouble and expense. All 

 communications should therefore be addressed solely to The 

 Editors of the " Journal of Horticulture, $c." 162, Fleet 

 Street, London, E.C. 

 We also request that correspondents will not mix up on the 

 same sheet questions relating to Gardening and those on 

 Poultry and Bee subjects, if they expect to get them answered 

 promptly and conveniently, but write them on separate 

 communications. Also never to send more than two or 

 three questions at once. 

 We cannot reply privately to any communication unless undeir 

 very special circumstances. 

 Skimmia japonica Blooming but not Fruiting (Elba).— We are sur- 

 prised at this, as with us it seems to set and perfect its fruit in greater 

 abundance than we wish it, as we think by so doing it retards its growth. 

 Perhaps you keep it too warm. We treat it much the same as Cape Heaths, 

 inured to strong currents of air every day. The thermometer is above 32°. 

 The soil we grow it in is a mixture of peat and loam, with more than a 

 usual proportion of sand. Too much coddling is its bane ; and treated 

 a stove plant, we believe it may have refused to fruit. 



Liciuid Manure toe Boses and Tsnder Shrubs {Idem).— The drainage 

 of a farmyard is the best of all liquid manure for Hoses, but it ought to be 

 given clear and not thick and muddy. Tender shrubs "Will not want it, as 

 rampant growth is not so advisable with them as a good ripening of the 

 shoots. Ordinary soil is therefore quite good enough for them; and in 

 some cases a ttery poor sandy soil is advisable for tender shrubs, manure 

 water being only wanted for swamp plants, and, if they be tender, most 

 likely clean water will be more beneficial. 



Annuals and Perennials tor a Smoky Atmosphere (Idem).— Most 

 of the common annuals, as Candytuft, Convolvulus, French Marigold, and 

 the like do pretty well. Asters do not do so well. Of perennials, Chrysan- 

 themums are unquestionably the best— in fact, it has often been a question 

 if they do not succeed better in a town than in the country. Dahlias grow 

 not amiss ; and if the ground be moist Phloxes succeed pretty well. If the 

 soil be good and the atmosphere free from all other noxious impurities 

 excepting coal smoke, most of plants will do; only it is not advisable to 

 plant many -white-flowered, as .Rockets, Stocks, &c, as they s'o quickly 

 become soiled. 



Meyenia erecta and Yinca rosea Leaves Turning Yellow [F. /.). — 

 There must be something wrong, or the leaves of your plants would not 

 turn yellow when the plants are in flower. Tho Vinca especially is an 

 evergreen shrub in its way. If the plants have been forced hard to flower 

 thus early, and perhaps placed in a draughty greenhouse, they would suffer 

 at once, or even if kept in the stove. Very hard forcing, and perhaps 

 something the matter with the drainage, will occasion the sudden falling- 

 away of the leaves. Your plant is Saxifraga sarmento6a, and probably the 

 variety cuscutiformis, a favourite plant with some cottagers, and called by 

 them "Mother of Thousands," but we could not be certain without seeing 

 the flower. 



