June 23, 1863. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOEXICtJLTtTBE ANT) COTTAGE GARDENER. 



still, or washed pebbles or gravel, mostly from the size of beans 

 to that of early peas, and over that again we place a layer of 

 clsan moss to prevent the earth above washing into the drainage, 

 which it will be effectual in doing, if worms are prevented from 

 entering and making a quagmire of the whole contents of the pot. 

 This thorough drainage will be more secured if the compoBt of 

 soil is open and has some pebbles and pieces of charooal mixed 

 with it. Remember, however, that open rough material for 

 compost, and making the roughness proportionate to the size 

 of the plant and the size of the pot, are different things from 

 potting loosely. In all flowering plants the compost should be 

 placed tight round the roots. 



We commend these matters more especially to amateur and 

 window-gardeners, with some of whom we find we have got into 

 a scrape — rather a pleasant one, however, as we think we can 

 see the way of getting out of it. We are reminded — "You 

 have several times spoken of the impropriety of sowing and 

 planting when the ground was wet, why, then, bo anxious to 

 plant after the last rain ? " Again : " We have pretty well 

 analysed and stored-up all your directions and principles about 

 watering in-doors and out of doors, but we can hardly explain 

 them in unison with a practice we noticed — one of your assist- 

 ants syringing flower-beds in the afternoon of a hot sunny day." 

 Well, in the first place, we have, for reasons often given, declined 

 even digging ground when it is very wet. We would for similar 

 reasons decline planting in ground very wet, because it is almost 

 impossible to leave the ground behind you in a nice healthy 

 open condition. But the rain made our ground in a nice 

 pliable condition instead of dust-dry. It has never yet been 

 soaked, but it had aB much moisture as would render planting 

 easy, and yet not supersede the necessity of watering each plant 

 set out. There was, therefore, no likelihood of potohing the 

 ground, otherwise there would have been no planting. But as 

 it was, the water required for watering was reduced to a mini- 

 mum, as the surrounding ground was not in a dry heated state 

 to absorb it immoderately. In unison with the rule, water suffi- 

 ciently when wanted, and wait until your services are again 

 required, the word " sufficiently " should in the case of fresh- 

 turned-out plants be understood to mean not deluging, but 

 giving merely as much as is necessary, for much moisture will 

 cool the ground at once, and cool it more by an increase of 

 evaporation ; so that a little water and often will often be better 

 than a great deluging. Again, though the roots are moist they 

 will not grow and absorb moisture at once ; and in a hot sun 

 the leaves will suffer from an excess of evaporation over absorp- 

 tion, and though, perhaps, shading would be a good remedy, we 

 found the next best to be dewing the foliage gently from an 

 engine, by which means a few potfuls of water wili go over a large 

 piece, and the vapour that rises from the heated soil is also very 

 grateful to such fresh-turned-out plants. — R. E. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



*#* 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. Ail 

 communications should therefore be addressed solely to The 

 Editors of the "Journal of Sorticulture, fie." 162, Meet 

 Street, London, H.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, it 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. 

 Manuring a Vine-border (67. Morris).— Manure as soon after the fruit 

 s cut as you like. If you did it now and used much, water, most likely the 



Grapes would crack. 

 Monochjetum ensiferum Culture (W. X.). — From 55° to 60 3 will be a 



temperature quite high enough for the plants, with au increase during the 



day. Plenty of air will insure sturdy growth. Let them alone; if fresh. 



potted they will thrive in 66° until rooting freely. 



Vines in Pots (J2. C.).— Mr. Elphinstone published a httle pamphlet on 

 their culture, but it is out of print There is a good essay by Mr. Appleby 

 on the subject in No. 17 of this Journal, which you can have free by post 

 if you remit four postage stamps. 



Grapes Colouring [J. Price).— You must continue damping the floor, 

 bHt omit the syringing. Give abundance' of air, for depth of colour much 

 depends upon that. 



Seedling Strawberry (J5. J!'. Kni(jht).—Tiie fruit sent is very juicy 

 and of excellent flavour; but we can give no further opinion on the merits, 

 60 much depends upon whether it is really a new variety, its habit, pro- 

 lificacy, &c, all which can only be determined by a careful examination 

 of a growing plant. 



Insects {A Subscriber).— Wq found no caterpillar in your communication. 

 The apots on the leaves seem to have been produced by a vegetable mould, 

 and not by the action of an insect. Kollar's treatise on insects injurious to 

 fruit trees, was translated by Miss Loudon, and will suit your purpose.— 

 J.O. w. 



RHTAiNiifo Old Melons or Planting Fresh (TF. TT-). — Each is beat 

 under the different circumstances. Lf the plants have not borne heavily^ 

 and the vines are fresh, good second or third crops may be obtained from 

 the same plants ; but if, for securing fine flavour, the soil and the atmo- 

 sphere have been kept rather dry, the plants are apt to suffer a httle in con- 

 sequence, and in that case, replanting with fresh strong plants is the best 

 plan. It also gives an opportunity for cleaning the place, and at least re- 

 surfacing the beds. The plants must he pretty good to do well after the 

 middle of July, as late autumn Melons ara generally of little use if Septem- 

 ber and October happen to be dull and wet. 



Thrips and Red Spider on Melons (TF*. D.) — The atmosphere of your 

 pit has been kept too dry. Smoke two nights in succession with shag 

 tobacco ; syringe lightly the following morning ; shade from bright sun, 

 and keep the air of the pit moist. The foliage must be dry before smoking. 

 This will destroy thrips ; but no amount of tobacco smoke will destroy the 

 eggs ; therefore, whenever thrips appear smoke again, and continue to do 

 so until the pest is thoroughly exterminated. Choose a fine day to deal 

 with the red spider. Dissolve as much gum arabic as will lie on a penny 

 in a pint of rain water, and when that is done mix half a pound of sulphur 

 with it, forming the whole into a paste-like substance, which is put into 

 three gallons of rain water heated to 120°. Have the hot-water pipes heated 

 to 160* by 4 p.m., then shut up the pit, and syringe the Melons with the 

 sulphur solution, wetting every particle of the infested leaves and steins, 

 and all the available evaporatiug-surface— as walls, &c. Syringe the hot- 

 water pipes with the same mixture until the pit is full of steam. Gradually 

 lower the temperature of the heating-surface; keep the pit close and shaded 

 from bright sun for a few days, when the Melons will be clear of red spider, 

 and no fear being entertained of its return (for the sulphur left on the 

 walls, &c, will act as a preventive), treat them in the usual way. This 

 will not only kill red spider, but the moisture by which it is accompanied 

 will materially aid in exterminating thrips. 



Sulphur-dredger (Orchidophilus). — We have used it for some years, 

 and can confidently recommend it. You can have Indexes of nearly all the 

 early Volumes of The Cottage Gardener. 



Yoong Vines not Flourishing (An Amateur, Nanticich). — We have 

 nothing to add to our recommendation last week. The Vines are weakly, 

 and this probably arises from their being planted too deep. 



Destroying Gooseberry Caterpillaes (Mrs. F. S. A.). — We believe 

 the most effectual mode is to have the caterpillars picked off by hand. One 

 or two women will clear a large plantation in a day. A comprehensive 

 mode of destroying these pests is to dust the leaves thoroughly with fresh 

 white hellebore powder. Cover the surface of the soil 2 inches deep with 

 spent tanner's bark, removing it in the autumn and burning it. This will 

 prevent the occurrence of caterpillars next year. 



Forhan's Crew Apple (^1 Subscriber). — We have made every search 

 for the origin of the name " Crew," but have failed. Can any of our cor- 

 respondents inform us 2 



Seedling Calceolaria (3. Major). — Very fine as to size— l|-incjb, 

 across— and good as to colour and marking. 



Names op Plants (A Lady Subscriber). — Nos. 1 and 2, forms of Selagi- 

 nella Martensii ; 3, S. Galeottii ; 4, S. cfflsia. Cfi. W. B.).— Escallonia 

 grandiuora, a hardy shrub. (Homo). — 1, Lastrea Filix-mas; 2, Elechnum 

 boreale ; 3, Lastrea dilatata ; 4, Scolopendrium vulgare ; 5, Athyrium Filix- 

 fccinina. (D. 0. B.).— 1, Euonymus europiEus ; 2, Philadelphus coronarius ; 

 3, Staphylea pinnata ; 4, Lychnis diurna. (T. S.). — 1, Chenopodium Bonus- 

 Henricus; 2, Veronica serpyllifolia ; 3, Hieraceum pilosella; o, Rumex, 

 too young to determine— looks like sanguineus. (A Subscriber, £.). — 

 .Eschynanthus ramosissimus. (B, £.).— 1, Corydalis lutea; 2, Gompho- 

 carpus fruticosus. 



POULTRY, BEE, and HOUSEHOLD CHRONICLE. 



POULTRY SHOWS. 



Jose 27th to 30th. Sheffield. Sec, Mr. H. Warhurst, Cremorne 



Gardens, Sheffield. 

 July 2nd. Prescot. Sec, Mr. James Bccsley. 

 July 20th to 24th. Worcestershire. Sec., Mr. J. Holland, Chesnut 



Walk, Worcester. Entries close June 20th. 

 August 29th. Halifax and Calder Vale. Sec, Mr. W. Irvine, Halifax. 

 September 2nd. Cottinghaji. Sec, Mr. J. Brittain. 



JAPANESE FOWLS. 



Hate any efforts been made for the importation of the new 

 breeds of fowls seen in Japan by Mr. Fortune ? 



At Nagasaki, he says, " I observed some striking and beautiful 

 kinds of 'fowls. These were rather above the ordinary Bize, but 

 were remarkable for their fine plumage. The tail-feathers were 

 long and gracefully curved, and fine silky ones hung down on 

 each side of the hinder part of the back. Bantams were also 

 plentiful, and bold independent-looking httle fellows they were." 



At Yokuhama Mr. Fortune again remarks, "The different 

 varieties of fowls struck me more than anything else. The kind 

 which I had seen at Nagasaki was here also, and, in addition, a 

 pure white bird with a fine long arched tail, and long silky 



