June 30, 1863. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 



48X 



and altogether liavo set some ten or twenty more fruit than could 

 be left. We fear we have pretty well overdone the Cherries with 

 crops, yet the trees do not show it. We must try and get some 

 more plants another year. We hear that such kinds as we 

 have been growing in un opeu house, and gathering for three 

 weeks, and which in ordinary seasons would not be ripe for 

 nearly a month out of doors, are considered better flavoured 

 than when grown out of doors — such as Bigarreau, Napoleon, 

 Belle Magnifique, Reine Hortense, or even EmpresB Eugenie, to 

 say nothing of May Dukes now over, unless a few late ones. 

 These have scarcely been touched by an insect, though the 

 beetle was so troublesome on the Peaches. It is right to state, 

 however, that some of the trees of the Peaches were in rather an 

 unhealthy state before they were covered with glass. 



Gathered Melons from frames before they were too ripe, and 

 potted-oif others for succession, as we have kept the soil so dry 

 that there is no great chance of the old plants breaking strongly. 

 In planting afresh, will put in small drain-tiles upright, that we 

 may moisten the soil beneath without wetting the top as the 

 fruit approaches maturity. Placed the fruit thickly set in a 

 brick pit on saucers. They had previously been elevated in pots, 

 but we like the fruit to be shaded by the foliage instead of 

 exposed. Proceeded wish cutting-out bunches of Grapes, and 

 thinning those left in a late vinery as we could get at them, as 

 the bunched will have to hang through most of the winter. 



ORNAMENTAL DEPARTMENT, 



Proceeded with potting, &c, as detailed in previous weeks* 

 Ranunculuses ripening should be taken up. Tied herbaceous 

 plants; prepared for doing so with Hollyhocks. Hoed the beds 

 on lawn, and tied and pegged where necessary. Mowed and 

 machined the grass on lawn ; find that 'Green's single-man 

 machine of 16 inches is liked better than a two-man machine 

 of 22 inches. One of our neighbours works a twenty-two-iuch 

 one with one man ; but I should not like to be the man. The 

 lesser machines are so beautifully hung that one man uses the 

 sixteen-inch one with less toil than two men do the twenty-two of 

 most makers. We find that the objections we made a year or two 

 ago about the chains do not apply to the nice steel chains now 

 sent out. We are glad to say that our men prefer them by far, 

 and as being easier work than the scythe. At the same time 

 people who send men to cut long grass, and the ground is all up 

 and down and unlevel, need not be surprised if the machine is 

 thrust into a corner, and the men cannot and will not use it. 

 We must, however, pass this and a great many other matters 

 over to say a few words on 



SHADING. 



Owing to the extreme heat and force of the sun, we shaded 

 the upright front of our conservatory by painting the glass with 

 jelly size made hot to boiling, putting in a quart of jelly, a half 

 quartern of turpentine, and the same of boiled oil, and about 

 the size of a walnut of pounded whiting. This is put on pretty 

 hot and very thinly on the gUss when dry, and then a dry brush 

 daubs it, and it looks neat like ground-glass, and will keep on 

 until the dark days of autumn. Some pits needing a dense 

 shade had the same material put on with a whiting-brush, 

 and no nice daubing given afterwards. For a slight shading in 

 an extra hot day, we find nothing better than ju3t colouring 

 some water with whiting and throwing it on the glass with a 

 syringe; and thus the glass may be pretty well covered, or just 

 Slightly spotted to blunt the force of the rays. Some people 

 object to all such simple modes, and equally object to blinds and 

 rollers outside; but would like a neat permanent shade for their 

 greenhouses inside, so as to be independent of rains, winds, &c. 

 Well, the best we know for this purpose is bleached calico or 

 linen, or white canvass made into pieces to suit one or two 

 lights. On such pieces place small rings top and bottom, and 

 every 18 or 24 inches along the sides, and place these rings on 

 hooks at similar distances in the rafters and sash-bars. Such 

 nice blinds may remain up from the month of April to October, 

 and even then it would be easy to unhook them if required in 

 dull weather. If the material is thin and white, this unhooking 

 will seldom be necessary during the Bummer, and the method 

 nas much of neatness and even of economy in comparison with 

 outside blinds to recommend it. Of course, such blinds might 

 also be made to roll ; but that would increase the intricacy and 

 the expense, and for particular places we would prefer these 

 removable blinds.— R. F. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



We caunot reply privately to any communication unless under 

 very wpecial circumstances. 



Worms in Strawberries (Tyro). — The "worms" are Snake Millipedes 

 (Julus). AVe know of no mode of preventing them eating the fruit. They 

 breed in the soil, und the only effectual remedy would be to pare and burn 

 (i inches depth of the entire surface soil. 



Worhs on Gardening (A Young Beginner).— '"The Orchid Manual," 

 Is. 6d., "The Fern Manual," 55., und "In-door Gardening," Is. fid., are 

 all published at our office, and can be had free by post if sixpence additional 

 is sent. They contain all the information you mention. 



Seedling Verbenas {H. Barham).— They were totally shrivelled. 



Insect on Cucumber Leaf (C. P., St. Margaret's).— It is a small crab- 

 spider (Chelifer caneroides), which, doubtless was among the red spiders 

 on the Cucumber leaves for the purpose of devouring them. , 



Improving a Light Soil (A. £., Birmingham).— Clay, chalk, marl, and 

 bricklayers 1 limy rubbish are the only additions to your light soil that will 

 permanently improve its staple, and thus enable it to retain moisture better 

 in summer. In the absence of those improvers cocoa-nut fibre dust, half- 

 decayed tanners' bark, and the vegetable mould you mention, would be good 

 additions. If you cannot permanently improve the staple of the soil the 

 best compensation is mulching the surface. If this were done between the 

 rows of croDS and over the roots of trees with spent tanners' bark, or, still 

 better, cocoa-nut fibre dust 2 inches deep, we believe that with liberal 

 manuring any hardy plant may be well grown on a light soil. 



Guano Water (.A Cottage Oard ener). —Half an ounce to a gallon of 

 water is strong enough for potted plant?, and one ounce to the gallon for 

 plants in the beds. 



Camellia Soil (Idem). — Turfy loam and sandy peat in equal quantities 

 form the best soil for Camellias. What is written in " Work for the Week," 

 and "Doings of the Last," except as to the stove and greenhouse depart- 

 ments, are as applicable to the cottage as to the mansion, and we are always 

 prompt to answer queries. Amateurs should have our " Garden Manual," 

 and our " In-door Gardening," and "Out-door Gardening." In them will 

 be found all the usual routines of culture for common plants; and with 

 these and answers to queries in our correspondent columns no one need 

 find gardening difficulties frequent and never insuperable. 



Mowing Machine (Ciois).— Any one of the machines will do its work 

 well. We cannot recommend any maker. 



Apple Blossom (John Shaw).— The Apple blossom is a fine semi-doublo 

 flower, which we suspect is not permanent. Has it come so be'ore 1 If it 

 has, graft the shoot which produces them on an Apple stock, and you may 

 be able to secure this new form. 



Management of Anemone-bed (W. S.). — If the foliage of the Ane- 

 mones be quite yellow, take them up at once. When left in the ground 

 the matured root is prone to start into growth. Choose a fine day to take 

 them up, dry them ia the sun, and keep them in a dry cool place until 

 October, when they may be planted in the bed again. After the Anemones 

 are taken up add a little fresh soil to your bed, fork it in, and you may then, 

 plant, any kind of bedding plant in the bed, as Geraniums, Verbenas, &c. 

 If you do not like the trouble of taking up the Anemones every year, and 

 have not the convenience to keep bedding plants, we would advise sowing 

 some of the showiest annuals oetween the Anemones the last week in May, 

 scattering a little tine mould over them. Any of the following make good 

 beds: — Blues. — Nemophila insignis, Nolana atriplicifolia, and Convolvulus 

 minor. Reds.— Centranthus macro-ipbon, Saponaria calabrica, and Candy- 

 tuft. Yellows. — Venidium caleudulaceum, Erysimum Peroffskianum, and 

 Bartonia aurea. Whites. — White Candytuft, Sweet Alyssum, and Nemo- 

 phila insignis alba and maculata. The best plan, however, would be to 

 take the Anemones up and plant Stocks, Asters, French Marigolds, or any- 

 thing of that kind immediately. 



Seedling Peach (Alice.) — After waiting so long, it would be a pity to 

 destroy the Peach tree now ; but you might insert a number of buds in it 

 near tht; base of the shoots. It may be worth nothing when you get it; 

 but to prove what the fruit would be, we would thin the wood of the tree 

 liberally, so as to give sun and air to the shoots left, and thus induce the 

 ripening process. Then, in the middle of September, we would either 

 root-prune, or replant this tree, and keep the tree shaded from sun until 

 the leaves would stand without flinching. This would also encourage 

 ripening of the wood, and lessen mere growth the next season. 



Cross-bred Geranium (Christine).— We discovered only a small leafi 

 of which we can say nothing; but, from the description, we should have 

 doubts as to its being a cross with Geranium. We can, therefore, as yet 

 say Lothing as to the hopes entertained. 



Cross-bred Verbenas (Idem).— As to the crossed Verbenas, we expect 

 something of the kind took place that our valued coadjutor, Mr. Beaton, 

 demonstrated as respects Verbenas. Perhaps, however, your dwarfs might 

 be made to grow. It not, like the pigmy Geraniums, they will be more 

 interesting than useful, Such facts, however, are most valuable for 

 enabling us to form correct theories. Your deductions from this and 

 general facts are quite correct ; but the more care in hybridising, the 

 better may the results be expected to be. We earnestly hope that our 

 friend Mr. Beaton will be able soon to enlighten us on all such matters. 



Grubs on Vine Leaves (X. T. Z.). — It is useless sending a leaf with 

 insects wrapped up in an open letter. They ought to be securely enclosed 

 in a box, or, at least, covered up securely with oiled paper. There were no 

 insects on the leaf, hut marks as if thrips had been there ; but then we are 

 doubtful if it was thrips from your saying that they eat into the leaves and 

 the berries ; for, though the thrips will soon suck the juice out of leaves and 

 render berries very unsightly, it is seldom they make holes that can be 

 easily seen. Your best remedy is to persevere with the smoking, unleBB 

 you would go over the lower side of the leaves with a sponge and water, 

 when you would most likely catch them. 



Holes in Vine Leaves (A Subscriber, Kilmarnock). — We think the 

 leaves are injured by a caterpillar or some kind of weevil. Watch the 

 place with a lantern at night, wrap the stem round with wool and oil, and 

 that may keep them off. 



Error.— At page 416, last line of first column, for "5 inches" read 

 "5 bars." 



