76 



JOURNAL OF EOKTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEK. 



[ July 27, 1871. 



Bear the surface, puttiog them 6 or more inches apart, and 

 ^vhen the groDnd is ready lifting the plants with balls and 

 planting them firmly in the ground prepared for them. 



With regard to preparing ground for Strawberries out of doors ; 

 the duration of the plantation, according to the plants used, 

 or the treatment given, may be fixed at from two to three, or 

 four, or more years. During that time it is advisable that no 

 spade should interfere with the roots, and that the mere break- 

 ing of the surface, to prevent caking and cracking, should be 

 done with the hoe or the points of a fork. Hence the import- 

 ance of deep-stirring the soil at once, and the importance, too, 

 in proportion to the length of time the plantation is to con- 

 tinue, of having some manure at the bottom of the trench, and 

 also of having manure incorporated with the bulk of the soil. 

 The plan we like best is to place a layer of manure not much 

 decomposed on the surface, and trench that down, the greater 

 part of the manure being at the bottom. Then when the piece 

 is thus trenched, to place a layer of sweet decomposed hotbed 

 or other dung, and with spade or fork to incorporate that with 

 the soil for a spit in depth, so as to give vigoor to the young 

 plants at once. 



Before turning the plants out it is well to solidify the sur- 

 face soil. If the soil is inclined to be stiffish loam — the very 

 soil for Strawberries — then a tramp and a light roll will be 

 enough before planting; but if the ground is of a light, sandy, 

 open texture, it can hardly be made too firm before planting, 

 or tramping round the plants afterwards. In either case any- 

 thing like surface-caking or cracking must be avoided by sur- 

 face-stirring and surface-mulching. We have known cases 

 where Strawberries had done little good in light open soil, that 

 bore immense crops when the ground was consolidated, and 

 ■where, instead of lightening the surface of the ground in spring, 

 men trod up firmly to the plants between the rows, the point 

 of a fork just being drawn along afterwards to give free access 

 to water, mulching to prevent all caking and cracking. 



In choosing young plants it will be prudent, as far as- pos- 

 sible, to take them from fruiting fertile plants. 



We must leave other matters just to say a word about cutting 

 the leaves from Straicherry plants when they have done bearing. 

 Some practise the cutting system, others stigmatise it as hor- 

 rible and barbarous. Now, each plan may be the better accord- 

 ing to circumstances. For instance, in good loamy soils, where 

 the plants grow strong but dwarf and compact, and the leaves 

 continue pretty fair as to greenness, the mowing or cutting cff 

 such foliage would not be advisable or defensible. The chief 

 thing in such cases would be to clean the plants of runners, 

 clean, surface-stir, and mulch, and let well alone. Even in 

 light land, but consolidated and mulched, there would not be 

 much necessity for doing more than the above in cleaning, &e. ; 

 but in very light sandy soil, and where, though we may mulch, 

 we either have not or cannot consolidate the soil to suit the 

 Strawberry, it may often be the best plan to cut the leaves, or 

 the greater part of them, leaving only the small ones near the 

 heart untouched. We have seen the leaves under such circum- 

 stances with nearly double the length of footstalk they would 

 have in st'fEer soil, and by the time the fruit was gathered the 

 foliage would often be getting brown and spotted, and therefore 

 could do little in the way of perfecting the buds for a future 

 year. Under such circumstances in July, or even to the first 

 week of August, we would not hesitate to remove such exhausted 

 leaves, and encourage f fesh ones to spread out near the ground, 

 and thus perfect buds and encourage free rooting. In good 

 loamy soil we would remove no leaves, and never use a spade 

 between the rows. — E. F. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS, 



*#* We request that no one "will write privately to any of the 

 correspondents of the *' Journal of Horticulture, Cottage 

 Gardener, and Country Gentleman." By doing so they 

 are subjected to unjustifiable trouble and expense. All 

 communications should therefore be addressed solely to 

 The Editors of the Journal of Horticulture ^ d'Cy 171, Fleet 

 Street, London, E.G. 



We also request that correspondents will not mix up on the same 

 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. 



EooK3 Mrifta).— Loudon's " Villa Grardener " i3 the only book tto know 

 of that will suit yoo. 



Gaekenees' Exasitnations {John Jones). — We belicTe there wiU be no 

 summer examination by the Eoyal Horticultural Society this year. 



Geeaniusis (James Koon). — This is merely a sport of foliage to which 

 many seedling Geraniums are liable. 



BoTTSTA GiGAKTEA fW. X.). — We presume you are aware that Bovista 

 gigantea is a large Pnff-bali — a fxmgus. We do not know that it has ever 

 been cultivated." 



Weights of Pine Apples at NoTTiNGHAir Show. — " In reply to your 

 correspondent 'A^nccs' respecting the weights of the Pine Apple's at 

 Nottingham, I exhibited two Queens in my collection of fruit weighing 

 respectively 5 lbs. 14 ozs. and 6 lbs. 1 oz.— G. T. Miles, Gardener to Lord 

 Carrington." 



EosE Leates Diseased (TF. If.). — It is difficult to decide what occa- 

 sioned the damage to the Rose leaves. I have examined them with a 

 glass, and can see no fungus spores. It never occurs under glass. I 

 believe it was occasioned by a severe frost which we had a few days ago ; 

 or it may be attributed to atmospheric causes. There is no cure for it. 

 The leaves will drop. Glass is the only sure preventive. — W. F. Rad- 



CLTFFE. 



Maeechal Niel Eoses not Floweetsg (T.E. C). — There is, we fear, 

 no royal road to make Marechal Niel bloom. Leave all strong shoots 

 unpruned, and tbin out the weak. If one of the standards coild be trans- 

 planted and trained against a south waU it would be almost sure to bloom 

 the first year after transplanting. 



Roses Mildewed [Ladij King). — TourEose leaf has been attacked by 

 mildew, often caused by drought at the root. Most probably the bud was 

 eaten by the earwig. The Antler Saw-fly's grub will also eat tbe msirgics 

 of leaves and perforate the leaves with small holes. — W. F. Eadclyffe. 



Leafing of the Oae and Ash {Fincastle'\ — The popular opinion, in 

 the midliind counties is, that if the development of the leaves of the Oak 

 precedes th it of tbe Ash the weather during harvest will be fine ; but tbat 

 the weather will be wet if the Ash-leaflng precedes that of the Oak. The 

 rhymed form of the proverb is — 



"If tbe Oak's before the Ash 

 Then you'll only get a splash; 

 If the Ash precedes the Oak 

 Then you may expect a soak." 

 The leafing of the Oak usually precedes that of the Ash. 



Pottixg, Stopping, and Striking CHEVSANTHE^nms (Proto). — The 

 plants in 4-inch pots sbould be at once placed in 9-inch pots, using a 

 compost of two parts turfy loam, one part lea! soil or old manure, and 

 one-sixth of sharp sand. They should be stopped now to induce bushiness, 

 at)d maybe again, but not after the second week of August. Cuttings 

 of the points of the shoots put in now, and placed in a gentle heat, will 

 root freely, and if not stopped but potted in 5-inch or 6-inch pots, will 

 make nice plants for late flowering. 



Clehbees foe a Dwelling-house (Flora). — For the south aspect we 

 would have Cloth of Gold, Lamarque, Climbing Devoniensi^, Gloirede Di- 

 jon, and Marechal Niel Eoses; Berberidopsis corallina, Wistaria chinensis, 

 Lardizabala biteraata, Passiflora cferulea, Jasminum grandiflorum, Mag- 

 nolia grandiflura (Exmonth variety). Ceanothus azureus, C. Yeitchianus, 

 Punica Granatuc], and its doable red and double yellow vai'ieties, or you 

 may omit the last two. Plant 4 feet apart for so high a wall (30 feet). For 

 the east wall, you may have Aristolochia Sipbo, Cydonia japonica, 

 Japanese Honeysuckle, Clematis Jickmanni, G. Fortnnei, C. Standishi ; 

 Crataegus Pyraca-^tha, Cotoaesster microphylla, and Cydonia japonica 

 alba. On the north aspect Ivies are most suitable, the Irish and Eiegner's 

 are good. We would plant Virginian Creeper (Ampelopsis hederacea), 

 alternately with the Ivy at 3 feet apart to insure the speedy covering of the 

 wall. 



Peach Stones not Vegetating (T. G.). — Ton will not facilitate their 

 vegetation by grinding the edges of the stones, but you can cleanse them 

 and place them in sand at once, and in February plant singly in pots at 

 about an inch apart in light loam. Cover them about an inch deep, and 

 place them in a hotbed ; or you may sow the stones in Oc!.ober in pans, 

 keeping ihem in a cool house free from frost, in February place them in a 

 hotbed, and when well up remove them to a cool house. 



Ananassa sativa taeiegata Treatment (IT. G. C). — It is a stove 

 plant, and from October to February would succeed in a temp.-rjture of 

 50^; dnriug tbat period keep it dry at the roots. The minimum tempera- 

 ture should be 55^ in Mqrch, 60" in April, and 65^ in May, and 65- should 

 be the minimum up to September, when the temperature may fall 5^ per 

 month until 53° be reached. A temperature of 40- will not injure tbe 

 plant, but is not desirable. We question whether it can be grown satis- 

 factorily in a greenhocse. We have known it grown in a vinery with a 

 winter night temperafnre of from 40- to 45°, the Vines being started in. 

 February, and from March there is no material difference in tbe tempera- 

 ture of a stove and vinery. 



Peach Tree Heading-back (A Learner). — You will not gain anything 

 by cutting back the tree which is blighted and has its shoots at tbe top of 

 the wall, unless there are young shoots at the base ; then by all means 

 cut away any long bare branches ; if not, defer headjng-back until nest 

 February. 



Melon Leaves Witheeing (C B.).— We hardly think your plants are 

 infested with red spider, nor by thrips. If you had had an attack of those 

 pests the plants would not have recovered unless remedial measures had 

 been adopted Send us a leaf and we shall probably be able to give yon 

 some information. 



Evergreen CLniEEES foe a Fhady Conservatoey Wall [K. P.), — 

 For the situation nothing would do so well n^^r look so neat as the small- 

 leaved Ivies, of which the following are good: — Hedera Helix digitata, 

 Donerailensis, and lobata with green leaves; and marginata Cnllisi, 

 elegantissima, and palmata aurea. They could be grown in pots, but 

 are best planted out. On the other wall on which the sun strikes after 

 twelve o'clock, we fear Marechal Niel Rose would not do. We advise 

 Habrothamnus fasciculatus, H. elegans, Luculia gratissima, and Camel- 

 lias. There is nothing better than Camellias. They would succeed in 

 boxes, but best planted oat. The plants may be obtained of any of the 

 principal nurserymen. 



Lady Downe's Grapes Mildewed (J. S.). — They are afiected with 

 mildew. Probably tbe atmosphere of the house is too cool, too moist, 

 and not sufficiently ventilated. The berries sent are past ctire. The 



