May r>, 1863. ] 



JOURNAL Or? HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



333 



We also request that correspondents will not mix up on the 

 Bame 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 under 

 very special circumstances. 



Seedling Petunia and Verbena (Inquirer).— Send them to the Floral 

 Committee of the Royal Horticultural Society, Kensington Gore, directed 

 to the Secretary, T. Moore, Esq. The next meeting of that Committee is on 

 the 5th of May. 



Seedling Geranium: (Hortus).— Too much depends upon the habit of 

 the plant for us to give an opinion upon it as a bedder. In colour it is like 

 Christine. Cannot you induce your near neighbour, I he Rev. H. Domb'-ain, 

 of Deal, to look at it? 



Verbenas, Planting out from: Cutting-pan (TV. P.).— You may plant 

 them out of the cuttin g-pot with perfect safety at the proper time and. in moist 

 weather ; but they will be later than those which have been potted-off and 

 established some time in small pots. When, however, space is scarce it is 

 often necessary to plant direct out of cutting- pots. 



Azalea indica— Cutting Down Old Plants (TV. P., Camborne), — It 

 your plants are old and unsightly naked, it would be better to plant them 

 out of doors in some favoured spot and procure some young ones, as they 

 rarely do well by cutting down; whereas by planting-out they may possibly 

 make good u&eful shrubs in a few years. 



Cineraria, Cutting Down and Sowing Seed (TV. P., Camborne).— 

 If Cinerarias be allowed to ripen their seed, many of tlie plants will die 

 afterwards. Thus it is better to cut down the plant before the flower be 

 entirely faded, and by the appearance of the collar of the plant you will see 

 if there be any suckers rising; if not, the plant will likely die. It is, there- 

 fore, better to sow a quantity each year, and the earlier in May the better. 

 Sow in a pan of randy soil made somewhat firm, and place it in a shady 

 situation; prick the plants out when they are large enough to handle, 

 and pot when required. 



Seedlings (M. Er'rington).— Tour seedling Cinerarias and Tropseolum, 

 though good flowers, are not sufficiently novel and distinct from other 

 varieties in cultivation. 



Melon-leaves Spotting (An Early Melon-grower). — Are you sure the 

 leaves are affected by disease, and not by scalding, by having a powerful 

 sun shining on moist foliage, and air not given early enough? 



Arrangement op Stages in Greenhouse (A., Glasgow). — We would 

 certainly narrow the front stage to 2 feet, and make the back one 4£ feet. 

 You could have that flat, or raised in a series of four or five steps 10 the 

 back wall. If the floor is paved, hirge pots would be best for the climbers, 

 otherwise you might have a border at back for the purpose. 



Heating a Pit for Bedding Plants (IF. Cobb).— The best would be 

 hot water and pipes. The cheapest to be effectual would be a brick Arnott's 

 stove lighted from the outside, placed in the middle of the pit near the 

 back. It is a pity you cannot make the pit a loot or two wider. 



Camellias not Flowering [H. Y. 67.).— Your Camellias, we presume, 

 are all right. Continue the same process, and give more light and air in 

 July and August. You do not expect them to bloom now, surely. Nov- 

 ember and January would be early enough. 



Flower-garden Plans [A Novice, Yorkshire).— Boih borders will look 

 well. 



Moles in Vine-border— Cissus discolor Losing its Leaves {Constant 

 Reader). — We should not like moles in our Vine-border— they would be apt 

 to cnt the roots that came in their way. If the top of the Cissus is alive, 

 it will break in heat and moisture. Syringe it well, and do not water 

 heavily until it break. If the top is dead and the bottom alive prune it 

 back, and give but little water until it break. Then shake away part of 

 the old earth, repot, and give bottom heat if possible. 



Fungus on Pear-leaves (D., Newcastle).— There is a fungus on the 

 leaves, the result of imperfect root-action, and, we think, rather much 

 moisture or deficient drainage. Stir the surface soil to let the air into the 

 soil, and water only as wanted. 



Amaranthus melancuolicus— Zelinda Dahlia (Q. Q.).— The Amaran- 

 thus melancholicus is not so hardy as Orach, nor does it break so well. It 

 will bear nipping if the season is warm, and will mix well with Bijou if it 

 grow freely enough ; but we did not get on well with it. Ours needed no 

 pegging-down. We think it needs a warm place and a hot season, but we 

 would wish to know the general result last year of those who tried it. 

 We would not stop Dahlia Zelinda. You cannot get the flowers too early. 

 If at all much taller than you want, plant sloping, or peg the plants down. 

 The leaves were much injured; but the one with the moat yellow we should 

 say was Golden Chain and the other Golden Fleece, but cannot be sure. 



Cineraria mafitima Treatment — Bedding Plants (S., Hampton 

 Court).— For the Cineraria maritima seedlings, nip the points out by all means. 

 You can do nothing to increase the silvery appearance, except, perhaps, 

 by growing them in poor soil. They will be more silvery as they qefc older 

 towards autumn. Then we would advise you to keep the best plants over 

 the winter, and propagate from them by cuttings instead of by sowing seeds. 

 Seedlings will not compare with plants so raised, J hough they will look 

 very well if you have none of those raised from cuttings of the old plants 

 near them. The Sultan Calceolaria is a better pot than bedding plant. In 

 a bed, for a month or six weeks it will be everything thut you could wish ; 

 but in most cases, unless great care and attention are given, it will be 

 patchy afterwards. Your edging with Flower of the Day Geranium, and 

 bounding with Lobelia speciosa, will do well. Were we to depend on 

 Sultan we would plant thickly, say 7 or 8 inches apart, and when the plants 

 were growing freely we would cut over every other one so as to obtain a 

 succession of bloom. It is doubtful what the beginning of May may bring with 

 it. Instead of planting out at once we would plunge the pots, or rather 

 turn them out, without breaking the balls, into a sunk bed anywhere where 

 you could give them a little shelter if necessary. It you can do that in the 

 beds you may plant at once ; but having things thick together enables 

 protection and watering to be easily given. See "Doings of Last Week." 



Seedlino PoLYANTnus ( TV. TV.). — Not knowing the habit of the plant, 

 or whether it is an abundant bloomer, we cannot give a decided opinion on 

 its worth as a bedder. Polyanthuses generally are not good for the pur- 

 pose, and such a combination of yellow and crimson renders it still less 

 decided in tint for bedding. 



Bottling Gooseberries {A. TV. A.). — Gather the fruit dry and when 

 little more than half grown ; pick clean, put into wide-mouthed bottles, 

 and shake gently down till the bottles are full Cork these tightly, put 

 them in a moderate oven, and let them remain till heated through. Beat 

 in the corks tightly, cut off the tops, resin them over, and keep in a dry 

 cool place. Wood-ashes form an excellent manure. For the best mode of 

 using thein consult "Manures for the Many,' 1 which will shortly be pub- 

 lished at our office. 



Hardy Annuals (T. 67.). — You may sow in pans, and keep close, 

 warm and dark until the seedlings appear, and then give light and air by 

 degrees. We would sow some in this way, and sow the rest in the open, 

 air, as the ground is now getting warm. In sowing Portulacas and Meseni- 

 bryanthemums, it is best to water the pot, let it dry a little on the surface- 

 Sow the seeds, then sprinkle with sand or fine soil, presb down, put a square 

 of glass and a piece of paper over the pot, or the paper alone, and allow the 

 paper to lemain until the seedlings appear. So managed, they will generally 

 come up without watering. If you have occasion to water before or after- 

 wards, soil the pot instead of watering overhead. The easiest way to do 

 this is to hold the pot in a pail of water, allowing the water to rise from 

 below to the surface. Zinnias require an ordinary amount of water. To do 

 well they must have no stoppages in their growth. For more particulars 

 we refer you, "C. W. H.," " G. T.," " N. O.," *'X. Z.," and others to an 

 article to-day on Annuals. 



Science of Window-gardening (A Subscriber, Sivatisea). — Mr. Bosan- 

 quet's work is published at our office, price 6d., or free by post Id. 



Sea-kale.— Would our correspondent " T. W. B.," whose communication 

 appeared in No. 106", oblige " W. M." by staling in what month he covered 

 his Sea- kale with scawued, and the date of his first gathering 1 



Kalmia latifolia Buds not Opening {Constant Reader, Dublin). — 

 This may be owing to the check caused by your plants being taken up and 

 planted in a balcony ; or perhaps their roots were very much reduced to 

 get them into pots. This, we know, will occasion the flower-buds to refuse 

 to open, and manure water will not repair the injury done. The buds of 

 RhoGodendrons open more easily, as it would appear that the effort required 

 on the part of the plant to expand them is much less than that necessary in 

 the case of the Kalinia, and unless the plant be in health it is unable to do 

 so. When growing in tne open ground, it sometimes does not open its 

 flowers as you describe. 



Verbena Cuttings Failing {Constant Reader, Dublin). — We cannot 

 well account for your cuttings damping-off, after being in about three 

 weeks, in March and April. They are often ready to pot-off in that time, 

 and the sooner that is done the better after they are sufficiently rooted. If 

 they are very much drawn, and then sudaenly exposed to cold chilly 

 blasts, they will succumb ; but, generally speaking, nothing does better 

 than Verbenas in spring. Write us more particulars, and we will give you 

 more advice. 



Wellingtons Turning Brown {Ada).— If your Wellingtonia exhibits 

 greater brownness than it has done during former winters, and if there are 

 evident signs of weakness in its growth, treat it as you say with fresh loam 

 and leaf mould. 



Names of Plants {A. Fylde Fulmer, Slough).— Helleborus Yiridis. 

 (TV. 0.).—\, Helleborus fcetidus ; 2, someCanna; 3, Boronia polygalactia; 

 4, Dolichos speciosus. (t\ G. S).— You must send better specimens. 1, 

 Ajuga reptans ; 6, Luzula pilosa. The rest nothmg but leaves. (F. J.). — 

 Eutaxia myrtifolia, and apparently Dacrydium excelsum. (Flora). — 

 Apparently one of the Holboellias, but the specimen was insufficient to 

 determine which. Perhaps H. acuminata. {A Reader, Dumbartonshire). 



1, Cheilanthes pteroides apparently, but there is no fructification ; 2, some 

 Marchantia. (A. B. C.).—\, Myrcus pimenta, or something very near it ; 



2, Rhynchospermum jasminoides; 3, Polygala myrtifolia ; 4, Aphelexis, 

 without foliage ; 5, Hovea Celsi ; 6, Eriostemon scaber. (/. G. Tierbutt). — 

 The leaves are those of Myoporuin acuminatum. The Fuchsia is not equal 

 to many others in cultivation. 



POULTRY, BE E, and HOUSEH OLD C HRONICLE. 



COMING POULTRY SHOWS. 



Those who have bred good and early chickens this year, and 

 we believe they are many, are beginning to view them with 

 reference to their capabilities as exhibition birds. A may be 

 convinced he has better birds than B ; but it is satisfactory to 

 have his judgment strengthened or endorsed by the awards of 

 acknowledged judges, and he likes to see them fairly pitted 

 against all comers. 



All do not care to enter for the blue ribands at Birmingham 

 and the Crystal Palace. They rather seek shows of less pretention 

 and shorter duration. We would eay to Buch there is an 

 agricultural Show at Basingstoke at the latter end of May. It 

 is held in connection with the Show of the Hampshire Agricul- 

 tural Society. Full particulars can be had of Mr. Downes, 

 Secretary, Basingstoke. It is near London, and the birds are 

 only two days absent from home. 



Then we have the Agricultural Hall Show at Islington, and 

 the Bath and West of England in June. The latter is always a 

 pleasant Show. It is held in summer in a lovely part of the 

 country, and is a general holiday. Temporary avenues of trees 

 are planted in the streets ; flowers and evergreens stretch from 

 window to window ; all the bands of music in the country are 



