Mar 12, 1863. ] 



JOCHNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTIAGE QARDEJTER. 



351 



Tall Trl^s foe. a Busd (S. £.).— You will find it no easy task to move 

 tree? 50 feet high with the care requisite to insure their success even in 

 an:i: :.n. You live so near to London that you had better visit some of the 

 large nursery grounds and, select Eor yuurselt. We have found, even on a 

 chalk, soil, thai :ue White Poplar established itself the most readily, and 

 forme I a bliud in summer the most speedily. We have answered another 

 com ? pendent about lawn mowers. 



Flower-garden Pus [£>.— We like your flower-garden arrangement. 

 The mixtures will do for the borders if "they please you, but we have no 

 doubt that the plants would look best by themselves — tiat is, Koniga, 

 Flower of the Day, and Manglesii. instead of mixed any way with each 

 other. We once saw a variegated border chiefly of Geraniums, but it was 

 a poor affair. We thou* ht the plants wasted. 



Tasiocs ,i?. Q.).— Coleus Yerschaiieltii may be nipped to keep it dwarf, 

 in-door* or out of doors. We think that out of doors it will onh do welt in 

 warm, sheltered places. Gazania splendtns rather prefers sfciffisfi loam ; 

 but we have seen it thrive in all manner of soils. We presume your beds 

 were too good and rich, and hence the extra luxuriance. We would leave 

 the two shoots ou the Vine at the spurs in the circumstances indicated— 

 that is to say, if we wished the two bunches. 



Use of a Cold Fkajle (IT. Zi.). — The best advice we can give you is 

 to buy and read " Window-Gardening for the Many," and if you go no 

 farther back, read " Doings of the Last Week " since January. Meanwhile, 

 for your encouragement, we would say that you can do all you piopose 

 with your frame 2u inches at back and H inches in front, and consisting of 

 three lights, but not merely " by putting stable-Litter inside of it and shut- 

 ting is up close,"' for that would most likely kill all your cuttings, and 

 seeds too, as soon as they were above ground, even without putting in 

 renewals of fresh Utter. The first thing y«u must do is to have your litter 

 made sweet— that is, all the daugtruus gases that smell somewhat like 

 hartshorn must oe driven of? ; or, if you use the dung a little fresh, yon 

 must cover with, old dung, or earth, ur ashes, to a sufficient depth to prevent 

 these gases coming through. Mow, for such, a case as yours, we would 

 throw some dozen or a score of good barrowloads ol litter together, 

 ■watering it where dry. In a week or ten days tarn it over, placing the top 

 to the bottom and the sides to the centre. In another week it will be 

 partly wrought or sweetened, but not enough, to put plants among it. For 

 that, most likely, ic would require other eight days ; but, to save time and 

 litter too, we will make the bed with it as it is— larger than the frame by 

 1 foot eacn way, which, will leave t> inches at tnds, back, and front. 

 Place on this 4 inches of rotten dung or leaves, or 3 inches of earth, and 

 beat or tread well, and then 3 or 4 inches of cinder ashes. After you set 

 the frame on the bed, presuming that the dung is ota cepth of Ironi lo to IS 

 or 20 inches, Lhe heat will last a gojd while after the middle of March, and 

 you can plunge your plants in the ashes ; but even taen, to make sure, 

 leave a little air, though not more than a quarter of an inch, at the top 

 at night. Wnen the heat aeclines, and you wish for more, move the ashes 

 and the rotten dung. Turn the bed ovc-r, patting the fresh at the bottom 

 and replacing the rotten dung or ashed, &c-, on the top. If neatness be 

 your object, you might sink, a hole for tae dung, and the frame would look 

 as if it stooa on the surface. All seeds, seedlings, and all potted plants 

 such as you allude to— and, in fac r - ail plants except those needing more 

 heat — will be benefited by being plunged in such a miid hotbed, because an 

 impetus will be given to root-action ; but one thing you must look alter, 

 and that is that the encouragement may not be so great as to lead the roots 

 through, the hole at the bottom of the pot and into the bed ; and then, ii cue 

 roots have travelled far, the plants will receive a check when you move 

 them. To prevent this, after ten days or so you should lift the plants up, 

 and do so frequently to prevent them rooting beyond the pot. In fact, 

 when they begin to do so, yuu could remove the pots where tney had no 

 hotbed beneath them. Then to the question, " if seeds and cuttings should 

 have air and light, or either, or neitaer," we must just say that seeds need 

 no light until tae seedlings appear, and they wi.l most likely get air if the 

 seeds were not burled, and in that case there Mould be no seedlings. Alter 

 the seedlings oome they must have air and light too, or they would undergo 

 the fare of our countrymen in the bkieknole oi Calcutta; but, as they are 

 tender, ;he air must be given judiciously, as you would give it to a young 

 infant, and the light must be proportioned to their breathing power, as a 

 powerful midday sun might shrivel them up, especially ween under glass, 

 and therefore a little shade would be useful in the brightest part of the day. 

 Then, again, if you take o:f a cutting witli leaves, the more air and light 

 the catting will stand the more roDust it will be and the sooner it will 

 strike; but if air and light are given in such quantities as to make the 

 leaves nag and wither, you will either delay the rooting of the cutting or 

 kill i: altogether. Unless we could write a Number to suit your case, we 

 most refer you as above for details, and, perhaps, more especially to the 

 little book, which you can receive trom. the office by post for ten penny 

 stamps. 



Melons scorched (A Constant Reader),— It the roots are burned much 

 you will do more good with young plants. If only a little, water well after 

 you have pat tresh soil on the surfjje. We have not much faith in the 

 plants doing well if much injured. Remove the soil from tne sunace of the 

 Fern plant as dee • as you can we'd do. Better repot in fresh at once. If 

 you do not like that place some lime oa the surface, but remove belore you 

 water much. 



Desirable Knowledge (D. 5., a Yov.ng Gardener).— Tour letter is very 

 creditable, and we will think ic over. It is honourable to wish to know 

 what most deseives study. In the meantime we would say in all kinuliness, 

 do not plume yourself on your Latin, or any other extra knowledge, oat 

 get thoioaghly indoctrinated into the minutiae ot gardening, and read the 

 article by Mr. Fish bearing on the subject some time ago. 



Kalsua sot Flowering (A Subscriber). — If the Kalmia is kept moist 

 enough in summer, and has plenty of light, there is almost certainty that 

 it will :orm flower-buds. 



Hota Culture (Idem). — The Hoyas require a very open compost, and 

 plenty of light. We suspect the buds of Paxtoni fall off from too much 

 moistare, or deficiency of drainage. Peat, a little loam, and broken bricks 

 and lime rubbish grow them well. Hoy a imperiaiis requires much the 

 same treatment, and plenty of light, and an sverage temperature of from 

 6o 3 to 75*. Rhododendron javanicum wiildo very well in a cool greenhouse 

 or coll pit. Such things as a shoot dying will take place, and the best 

 doctors will do nothing but taik. as to the reasons. A vinery will be too hot 

 and shaded* 



BoTTGAXtrviXLSA speciosa (A Subscriber since 18561. — We can only inform 

 you that this most beautiful creeping plant is a native of Brazil, ana appears 

 to have been first ponrt rayed under that name by Schnitzlein, in his work 

 entitled " Icones Fauiiliarum Naturalium." The first record of its flower- 

 ing in this country is that it did so in 1853, at Alton Towers, under the care 

 of Mr. Whitaker, then head crardener there. It has since been bloomed 

 elsewhere, and the requisites seem dryness and high temperature to the 

 roots, and training it close to the glass also in a hot, dry atmosphere. 



Paxton Hothouses — Sikkisi Rhododendrons (An Irish Subscriber). — 

 We beieve those who have tried such houses for common purposes have 

 found the ventilation sufficient, when air was given early. We think that 

 for some things the air would hardly be enough, unless the doors or the 

 triangular space above them were also opened ; but it i3 easy to obtain any 

 amount of air by setting the sashes farther apart We think the chief re- 

 commendation of the plan is the ease with which the whole can be put up 

 and taken down and sent from Land's End to John o' Groats. We are glad 

 the Rhododendrons do so well with you in the north-west of Ireland; they 

 seem quite at home in Ireland. The best time to graft them is just before 

 the shoot-scion begins to move. The keeping rather close afterwards will 

 soon cause the union to be effected. 



Error.— In my article of May 5th, page 326, you print, " Simply 'cecause, 

 if carried to any distance, the pressure on the bottom of the boiler and 

 flow-pipe is so greit, &c." This should bs " return-pipe."— J. E. L., Jdn. 



Xaues of Plants (F. C.).— Asphodelns luteus ; Spinea laevigata. 

 (JVorthumbrian) — Oncidium pulvinatum. (21. D.}. — 1, Cbeiranthus 

 ochroleucus; 2, Saxifraga hirta. (J. F.).— 1, Kothochlaena chryeopbylla ; 

 2, Erica pubescens ; 3, Pleurandra (apparently) ericajfolia. 



POTJLTEY, BEE, and HOUSEHOLD CHRONICLE. 



BATH AND WEST OE ENGLAND POTJLTEY 

 SHOW. 



I AM much pleased with your excellent remarks in last 

 week's Journal of Hobticuxtttee, respecting the contemplated 

 arrangements for the Bath and West of England Poultry Show. 

 I quite concur with the statement as to the high popularity it 

 has for many years enjoyed in the poultry world, and very 

 deeplv regret that the rules which hare hitherto guided this 

 Society should be so changed, or at least so complicated, as to 

 place a real sturnblingblock in the way of its future well-doing. 

 That all specimens of poultry and pigeons committed to the care 

 of the managers in years past have received the greatest care 

 and attention I feel certain no one will deny ; but the complaint 

 has alwavs been raised of the needlessly protracted time the 

 birds are "confined prior to the adjudications. True it is that the 

 rules, when first issued, fixed Friday June the 5th as the latest 

 period of receivins poultry, and to meet the above general 

 objection, an extension of time to the evening of the day 

 following is consequently allowed : yet this by no means meets 

 the requirements of those exhibitors who, possessing the best 

 of specimens, feel a natural reluctance to hazard the possibility 

 of a delay during their transit that might either place them 

 beyond acceptance in the showyard at all, or cause them, if 

 returned, to remain neglected at some roadside station, and 

 compel them to be forwarded to their respective owners without 

 any refreshment whatever, solely on account of the next day being 

 the Sabbath. 



This feature will compel many other breeders as well as myself 

 from feeling as strong an inclination to support the Bath and 

 West of England Society as we have previously done, although 

 the prize list Is remarkably liberal. It is in contradistinction to 

 your remarks in last week's paper, officially stated, the fowls will 

 not be judged until Monday morning, and that then "open 

 judging " in the actual presence of all parties, whether interested 

 or otherwise, will be practised. On the worse than impolicy of 

 "open judging" I will not add one word to your observations ; 

 but I earnestly protest against the probable difficulty of poultry 

 beino- so miscarried as to be forced to remain without any care 

 or attention, if by any neglect of the railway the fowls do not 

 arrive at Exeter at the appointed time, and that for a period so 

 lone as to inevitably insure them permanent injury. If 

 they were judged on the Saturday all this might be obviated.— 

 CocHDf. 



CKOOE'S PATENT PHEASANT FEEDING- 



TEOUGH. 



These is no doubt that this is a very ingenious contrivance, 

 if pheasants will resort to it— they open it by merely perch- 

 in" on a handle, which they would be tempted to do by seeing 

 the food through a small glazed aperture in the lid. We feared 

 that the noise attendant upon the lid opening, and the lid touch- 

 ing the bird's breast in opening would drive the birds away, and 



