April 7, 1363. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



267 



Pruning Cedar of Lebanon (M. i\".).— It is certainly wrong to cut 

 these trees at all ; bu; if it must be done when they encroach on a walk or 

 other place, then August is the best month for pruning them. It would be 

 advisable to cut-in some of the limbs to within a short distance of the bole, 

 and Leave others overhanging the cut part to conceal it. Do not shorten 

 all to one length, as a shorn look must be avoided j and if you can manage 

 without cutting them at all so much the better. 



Sowing Quercus phello^ (J/. A.).— Sow the seeds of this, the Willow 

 Oak, at once in deep pans or boxes, and do not moisten the soil too hastily 

 if the acorns have been kept dry. If you have a large quantity they might 

 he sown out-doors. It is always best to sow acorns when gathered, few 

 seeds suffer more from being kept dry then they do. "When it is absolutely 

 necessary to keep them some time before sowing they should be buried in 

 sand, and that neither too dry nor too moist. 



Various (£. A, S., Taunton).— Superphosphate of lime will be beneficial 

 to Geraniums and the other flowers you name. Sprinkle a dessert-spoonful 

 on the surface of the soil round each' plane. Syringe your Peach trees with 

 a weak solution of Gishurst compound or with tobacco water to kill the 

 green fly, as soon as the fruit is set. Pigstye drainage is too strong for 

 flowering plants unless much diluted— about "one gallon to eight gallons of 

 water, and we would not apply it at all to Strawberry plants; but it may 

 be given to Asparagus and Onions, between the rows, diluted— about one 

 gallon to four gallons of water. 



Flower-garden Plan (S. E. L.).— We purpose having it engraved and 

 published next week, with a brief note on the planting. 



Leaves of Cineraria Injured (Curragh Camp).— The leaf seemed to be 

 infested with a scale, that looked almost like young woodlice. We have 

 sometimes seen voungwoodlice on the leaves when the plants were grown in 

 old brick pits, but except making a few holes they did little harm. These, 

 however, we should imagine stick more closely, and should be syringed off 

 by the plants being placed on their broad sides. It is not common for Cine- 

 rarias to be thus infested, and it is more strange from being common in the 

 neighbourhood. With freedom from frost, coolness, and moisture, Cine- 

 rarias are little troubled with insects. Heat and dryness will bring them 

 in shoals. There are so many "Amateurs," 1 that looking back to such a 

 signature to find what we want, would require no end of trouble and time. 

 "We are anxious to oblige to the utmost, but when correspondents make 

 references, they will greatly oblige by giving the page and the volume. 



Pipes Required for Heating (A Subscriber). — We think that to keep 

 a conservatory 24 feet high, 4S feet long, and 22 feet wide, warm for plants 

 in bloom in whiter, if span-roofed, with much glass on the sides, and the 

 pipes as you say beneath the floor, you would require at least 600 feet of 

 three-inch pipe" instead of 370 ; but much will depend on the above matters. 

 It will require more heaing surface if the pipes are buried. 



Colecs Plants Damping-off (A Subscriber).— "We can oaly conclude 

 they have not had air and heat enough. They will not do much good under 

 60°. If we knew the treatment we might say more. Were they chilled 

 too much in the journey I 



Stringing with Clear Soot Water (H. M., Lyme).— "R. F." says 

 syringing with clear soot water is a great preservative against all kinds of 

 insects, but it will not kill them when there. It must not be used too 

 strong for Az ileas. He often makes it pretty strong, and dilutes as he uses 

 it But for general purposes a peck of good fresh soot will do for a hogs- 

 head of water. The following is the process of making it: — Place it 

 nicely sifted in the tub, mix it with enough of water to form a paste with 

 an old birch broom which causes it to mix with the water thoroughly and 

 intimately. Then pour in the water and stir with the broom as you pro- 

 ceed. This will give yon soot water but not clear, and about half as much 

 or so of fresh lime powdered, and stir all well together. In a couple of 

 days there will be a little film of chalk aDd soot on the surface of the water ; 

 remove that and the liquid is fit for use, as clear and bright as the best 

 sherry or the sparkling pale ale some people like so much. The lime so 

 clarifies the soot water that not a particle of black will be left on the foliage, 

 though smelling strongly of ammonia. For some things you may use it 

 stronger than the above/but it will be strong enough for Beans, Cucum- 

 bers, &c. 



Moving a Large Pyrus japonica (M. S.).— You may enclose both the 

 Pyrus and Magnolia by your conservatory, and must not meddle with the 

 Pyrus now. If the house is merely to exclude the frost, and the back wall 

 is not to be shaded, and you can give plenty of air, it need not be removed 

 even in the autumn. The Magnolia will do very well if the heat is not 

 often at night above 40 ; in winter, and you can give air and light enough. 



Flower-garden - Plan (E. S.). — We would prefer lining 1 your b;ds 

 instead of diamonding them. Our chief objections would be, that with the 

 exceptions of 3 and 4, all the other five beds would have white or light 

 edgings, and in No. 6 the Pyrethrum would smother the Gazania. Sup- 

 pose you let 7 stop as it is ; Flower of the Day, Brilliant, Purple King, and 

 Ivy-leaf, white or variegated Alyssum, or Cineraria maritima as a broad 

 edging. Then we would plant all the rest in pairs— oppos'te and crossed. 

 Thus, 5 and 6 centered with Pyrethrum and Heliotrope, banded by purple 

 Petunia or Purple King Verbena and edged with Gazania. Then 1 and 



2 we would surround with Manglesii, with just a strip of Cerastium, and 



3 and 4, m*ke alike, Tom Thumb, Christine, Lobbianum, and that would 

 be infused with a string of purple or blue, as Ch.irlwoodii Verbena, or Lobelia 

 speciosa. 



Flower-garden Plan (5. £.).— We are sorry that we cannot recommend 

 a better rather dwarf Geranium than Brilliant," but Bijou, bounded by Cloth 

 of Gold, would make a charming bed at 9 ; or you might make a centre 

 of white, and two scarlets, and two oranges, all surrounded with an edging 

 of purple, as Purple King Verbena. Your second border will be nice if 

 you keep on Campanula carpatica to the autumn. In the first border 

 Calceolarias, after Perilla, will be more telling than Geranium Manglesii. 

 We have no fault to find with your balance pair of fancy figures; but the 

 whole would look better if 1 were in the same style as 9. Yon will get a 

 good hint by referring to the plan given page 224, and that from ,l S. E. L." 

 in our next Number. In these you will perceive what we consider a test 

 of good arrangement— that it is impossible to alter any figure in the group 

 without destroying the effect of the whole. Now, 3 r ou will perceive we 

 could change any two of your figures into ovals, circles, or squares, &c, 

 without making much difference to the plan as a whole ; but of course it 

 will look well when planted, and you have the best right to please yourself 

 even as to the forms of the clumps. — K. F. 



Gull {Sutton). — See what " G. A." says to-day. One gull would be 

 enough in your garden, and he would not object to a daily ration of raw 

 garbage. 



Culture of Trichomanes radicans (Boitghspring).— The fronds of your 

 plant are grown in air too dry for them, and the becoming brown and 

 dying is the result. We extract for your guidance the following from 

 Johnson's " British Ferns : " — " It may be successfully grown in a pot by 

 first filling a middling-sized pot one-third full of finely-broken potsherds 

 or sandstone, putting upon this a layer a little finer, and filling the remain- 

 ing space with a compost of fine loam, silver sand, and finely-powdered 

 sandstone in equal parte. This is to be pressed firmly together, and then 

 the caudex or main root very carefully arranged upon the surface, fixing it 

 by means of a few very small hooked pegs — the smaller in size and quantity 

 the better. Then strew a little sand and powdered stone over the surface, 

 just enough to cover and settle the roots. This being done, the whole is to 

 receive a liberal watering from a very fine-rosed watering-pot, and left for 

 a short time to settle. Place the pot in a saucer, the top of which is to be 

 below the level of the top of the first layer of stone in the pot. This saucer 

 is to be kept full of water, with a bell-glass turned over the pot, and to rest 

 in the saucer of water. Place the whole in a warm greenhouse or stove, 

 and by keeping the saucer filled with w.iter success may be relied upon. 

 Similar directions may be followed for cultivating this Fern upon a larger 

 scale. Be careful always to keep the atmosphere moist and warm, which 

 moisture will be secured by keeping the pan full of water." 



Anemones not Flowering Well (IF. Reed). — We have known Ane- 

 mones do very well for four years without removal, but in general they 

 are better when removed every two years, and either planted in a 

 fresh place, or the soil in which they arc grown exchanged for other soil. 

 Generally they do very well without any manure, but they are benefited by 

 liquid manure being applied while they are in a growing condition, or if 

 the ground were covered with rotten dung while they are at rest it would 

 benefit them much. 



Tom Thumb Geranium [T. Bolton).— -The flowering of Geraniums out 

 of doors depends more on the character of the season after they are planted 

 and the position they are in than on any treatment they receive before- 

 hand. It the plants be good and can be turned out with good balls they 

 will flower quickly if the season is a dry hot one. If, on the other hand, it 

 is moist, they will likely run more to leaf in the early summer and not 

 flower until late. Soil, however, has a little to do with this, and situation 

 also. 



Camellia Leaves Spotting {A. K. &.).— "We cannot perceive any trace 

 of insect on the leaves you have sent, but as you say you keep your plant 

 in your drawing-room, may the discolouration not arise from the plant being 

 so far from the light? or has it at any time been watered with anything per- 

 nicious, as salt in the water, or soda or any like chemical substance that 

 might cause the disease 1 So many causes might give rise to the injury, 

 that without being more fully acquainted with the particulars we are at a 

 loss to define the real one. 



Seedlings from Newtown Pippin Apple (IT. P. B.). — It is very un- 

 likely that any of the seedlings from the pips of this Apple will come like 

 the parent, but you may obtain one or more good useful kinds perhaps, as 

 new varieties are obtained this way. It is, therefore, the best way to let the 

 seedlings be transplanted out into the open ground by the middle of May, 

 choosing damp weather for the job, and as they advance an experienced 

 hand will be able to tell by the foliage which are Apples and which are 

 crabs. The former may be made to bear sooner by their tops being taken 

 off and grafted upon fruit-bearing trees. The others being only crabs 

 may be used as such. 



Cineraria and Primula {Southampton).— We cannot undertake to re- 

 commend seedsmen ; but we would say, if you really want good varieties of 

 them, send to some one who advertises in our columns, and say you want 

 the best they have, and would rather give an extra price to insure its 

 being good. Lapageria rosea does not generally prosper from cuttings. At 

 least we have never seen it do so. 



Transplanted Old Apple Trees (H. B.).—ln transplanting a young 

 tree it is better not to cut it much down, because that reduces the chances 

 of leaves forming in sufficient abundance to perform the functions of 

 nature. This, however, is not the case with an older tree, for in the pro- 

 portion between top and root there is an undue preponderance of the former, 

 when it is taken into consideration that the roots are invariably injured 

 more or less in the operation of transplanting. It is, therefore, better to 

 cut down partially ; otherwise thin the branches at once before the sap 

 advances much, taking care to retain as many branches as will maintain the 

 shape and character of the tree. 



Bat Trees Injured by the Winter of 1360-61 (S. i?.).— If you do 

 not object to the appearance the dead and dying shoots present, it is often 

 as well to leave them on as to cut them away. If, however, they are very 

 unsightly a part may be cut off at once, and it is to be hoped the ensuing 

 season will restore them ; if not, the worst had better be destroyed at once, 

 and young ones planted, not in the same place unless the soil be exchanged. 

 Cutting down evergreens entirely seldom answers ; it is betterat all times to 

 leave a portion of the old foliage on, even if it be diseased. It serves in 

 some respects to perform the functions required ot it. Whatever cutting you 

 make had better be done at once. 



Ltcopodium Lyalli not Prospering (Southampton).— -It is now the 

 season for this class of plants resting, or rather it has lately been the season 

 for that purpose, and if you had allowed it to occupy a place in a warm 

 greenhouse and kept it neither too wet nor too dry, it would have been 

 ready in a week or two to start a fiesh growth. All herbaceous plants die 

 down at one period or other of the year, unless their growth be kept up by 

 unnatural excitement, which in the end bring3 on disease. No doubt but 

 your plant will start and grow again by-and-by; but until it shows signs 

 of doing so, keep it cool, and after it begins to grow increase the heat and 

 you will find it come all right afterwards. 



Hardy Large-flowering Chrysanthemums ( ).— Some one, whose 



letter is mislaid, asked for a list suitable for growing far north, so we 

 publish the following : —Alfred Salter, Aregina, Auguste Mie\ Brno, 

 Bossuet, Caractacus, Cassy, Diadem, Duchess ef Wellington, General 

 Harding, General Slade, Golden Hermine, Jardin des Plantes, Little Harry, 

 Lord Ranelagh, Madame Poggi, Madame Domage, Orange Brilliant, Plutus, 

 Progne, Queen of England, Snowball, Striped Queen of England.. Trilby, 

 Yellow King, and Yellow Perfection. 



