October 5, 1871. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



2G7 



BicoLoit GEHANiirM {Bicolor; J. E. S. S.), — It is utterly impossible to 

 judce from the leaves sent* Send a plant to the Floral Committee, Eoyal 

 Horticultural Society. Habit is of much importance in judging the value 

 of a Bicolor, so that it would be misleading to give an opinion on a leaf. 



Rooted Cuttings (E. M., Dublin). — Probably Mr. Poulton, Fountain 

 "Nursery, Angel Road, Edmonton, Middlesex. 



Ringed Spots on Stkawbebey Leaves U. P.). — Aspecies of Septoria 

 does appear sometimes on these bleached spots, but most commonly, as 

 in this instance, there is no fungus. It is an open question whether 

 these bleached spots are caused by fungi; we rather doubt it. They do 

 little damage to the plants, as the season of growth is nearly closed. 



Stove for G-keenhouse iS. B.).— If one of Shrewsbury's pas-heated 

 apparatus is not enough, why not have two, one at each end of the jrreen- 

 house ? If you tell Mr. Shrewsbury the size of your house he will inform 

 -you what yoa need. (A Eeader).~-We do not knowwhat reply you referto. 

 "Tell us the volume and page. 



List OF Fruit Trees {Five-years Suhscriber).— Apricots : Shipley's, 

 Royal, Moorpark, and Peach- Nectariji^s : Hunt's Tawny, Downlon, 

 Elruge. Violette Hative, Pine Apple, and Victoria. Peaches : Early York, 

 Sarly Gro5<=e Migaonne, Royal George, Alexandra Noblesse, Bellegarde, 

 Gro=se Mignonne, Violette Hative, Princess of Wales, Walburton Ad- 

 mirable, Lord Palmerston, Lady Palmerston, nnd Salway. A north wall 

 is a very unfavourabie position for Pear and Plum trees, unless you are 

 ^n a dry and early part of the country ; it would be better to plant the 

 sorth wall with Morelio Cherries and Red Currants. You might try of 

 Pears, Doyenne d'Ete, Jargonelle, Williams's Bon Chretien, Louise B ^nne 

 of Jersey, and Marie Louise; of PZutks, Rivers's Early Prolific, Victoria, 

 ii.irke'3, and Jefferson. 



Wellingtonia gigantea (A. Kerr). — It has produced cones in many 

 places. The intention at page 221 was to inquire whether it has pro- 

 duced pollen and fertile seeds in England. We have heard that home- 

 grown seeds have been known to show symptoms of germination, but 

 that they never produced seedling plants. 



Various {An Am.ateur].~AspaTagxLS seed is fit to gatherwhen the berries 

 are red. We simply strip them from the stalks and store them in shallow 

 Doxes, using drv sand for packing, and keeping them in a dry cool place 

 until spriog. We eow early in April. The remains of a turf stack will 

 answer t&v liaclzing Qeraniuvis to be wintered in a spare room. We should 

 add one-third of loam and sharp sand. lu packing Geraniums in hoses, 

 'to be wintered in a cellar, use dry soil or sand, and remove all the leaves. 

 "They should not be watered, but ought to be, looked over occasionally, 

 -and any parts which have damped-off or decayed should be cut away. 

 Frost must be excluded. It depends in a great measure on the condition 

 of the manure, and the time of year at which it is applied; but some of 

 the fertilising properties will be washed down to the roots with the first 

 rains or waterings. 



Seedling Passiflora cerulea Treatment (B*?t?i?iner).— Winter them 

 in a greenhouse or other structure where protection can be given from 

 frost, and in March shift those you intend for the greenhouse into 9-inch 

 pots, draining well and using a compost of two parts turfy loam, one 

 'part leaf soil, and one part saudy peat. When they have filled the pots 

 with roots plant them out in a border if you alreadyhave or can form one 

 in the greenhouse, and they will grow more in one season than in three 

 years in a pnt. If inconvenient to plant out, shift them into 15-inch pots 

 •when the 9inch pots are full of roots. The plants you purpose planting 

 out may be turned out in April against a south wall, where they will 

 succeed in all but cold northerly exposures. For the first winter or two 

 -afford protection from severe frost by a covering of mats, which should 

 ■be removed whenever the weather is mild. 



Seedling Cyclamen Treatment (D. itf.).— Continue in the warm 

 house plants from seed sown in March, having corms the size of peas, 

 and two or three leaves, until the seedlings are coming into flower. We 

 "have some plants from seed sown in April that have been in frames all 

 'the summer and are now showing flower. Could you not give them 

 bottom heat? 



Storing Seed Potatoes (A. E. F. C.).— " Pieing" is not so good as 

 placing the Potatoes on the floor of a granary thinly, and allowing all the 

 ■air and light you can. In frosty weather "it will 'be necessary to cover 

 >them with straw to keep them from frost, or if you cannot keep frost from 

 them in the granary, they may be •*pied" after they have been some 

 •time on the granary floor. The kinds you name are" good— viz., Skerry 

 Blues and Sutton's Red-skinned Flourball, fine for winter use, and not 

 nearly so liable to disease as many other kinds. This season with us 

 -three-fourths of the tubers of Early Oxford and Early Perfection are 

 diseased; one-half of those of the Early Rose, one-fourth of Lapstone 

 and Early Red Kidney; but Ashleaf, Myatt's Prolific, Mona's Pride, 

 Victoria, Red-skinned Flourball, and some seedling varieties are souod. 



Exposing Protected Apple Trees {An ^mafeur).— When the fruit is 

 gathered the glass protector would be best removed, as there is nothing 

 equal to winter exposure for defitro^icg insect pests, and inducing a 

 ■complete state of rest In planting cordon Apple trees to ffrow under 

 glass, it will be well if each group be of one kind, as then the uniformity of 

 growth and ripening willnot be interfered with, as it might be were several 

 3dnds planted in a group. It is not, however, imperative. The principle 

 that regulates glass is simply that thin glass is more liable to breakage 

 and does not keep heat in nearly so well as thick glass. Plate glass— 

 ■that IS, polished plate, is not suitable to horticultural purposes, being too 

 ^bright, so that plants have theirfoliage scorched in bright weather. Rou-^h 

 plate, however, ia good, probably the best of all. 26-oz. and 32-oz. glass 

 is not superior to 2I-02., only glass of these weights retains heat better, 

 and 13 not so hable to breakage. We use 26-oz. for fruit houses. 



LiLiUM ExiMiuar not Flowering {A Constant Subscrifirr).- We presume 

 your plants are m pots, in which we find they do Uttle good, making 

 httie beyond offsets. We should plant them out at once in rich light 

 soil, adding freely leaf soil and sandy peat, and sand if the soil is at all 

 ieavy. Cover th^ bulbs about 1^ inch deep, and with a Hke thickness of 

 partiaUy decayed hotbed dung. They should have an open sunny ex- 

 posure. They ought to flower in August. 



-.o'^^^^l^'^^^^?'*^- ^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^3 (TFO.— You may remove the trees, 

 12 to '20 feet in heigot, if they have not been grown very closelv together 

 and can be moved with good fibrous roots, which are essential to success 

 Move them this autumn as soon as the leaves have falien, and when 

 planted secure them against winds 



Potting Skimmia japonica (S. .4.}.— You may now take up the plant, 

 of wnich the berries are changing colour, taking care not to cut off too 

 many of the roots, otherwise the berries will fall. It is one of a few 

 plants which are very ornamental for window decoration in winter. 



Climbers, Ferns, &c., for a Small Conservatory {Flora).— Oi climb- 

 ing plants for the roof, Passiflora Comte Nesselrode. P. Countess Guiglini, 

 Mandevilla suaveolens, and Tacsonia Vau-Volsemi. These are fcee- 

 growers and should be planted in a border. Other climbers are — Sollya 

 linearis, Rhynehospermum jasmiuoides, Lapageria rosea, Kennedya ino- 

 phylla floribunda, K. Marryattse, K. bimacalata variegata. Jasminum 

 gracile, Hoya carnosa, Habrothamnus fascicnlatus, and Hibbertia volu- 

 bilis. Flowering plants are — Acacias armata, platyptera, oleifolia elegans, 

 pulchella, and longiflora magnifi^a; Acropbyllum venosum, Aphelexis 

 macrantha purpurea, A. Woodsii; Beaufortia spleudene, Blandfordia 

 Cnnninghami, Eoronia Drummondi, Cassia corymbosa, Chorozema cor- 

 datum splendens, Coronilla glauca, Correa Brilliant, Crowea saligna major, 

 Cypripedium insigne, Cytisus racemosus. Daphne indica rubra, Draco- 

 phyllum gracile. Eriostemon intermedium, Eutaxia floribunda, Genetyllis 

 fuchsioides, Indigofera decora, Ealosanthes Louis Napoleon Buonaparte, 

 K. miniata grandiflora, Imautophyllum miniatum, Libonia floribunda, 

 Lasiandra macrantha floribanda. Monochastum ensiferum, Nerium ru- 

 brum plenum, Phsenocoma prolifera Barnesii, Pimelea spectablis rosea, 

 Plumbago capensis, Polygala Dalraaisiana. P. acuminata. Rhododendron 

 jasmlniflorum, R. javanicum, R. Princess R-'yal, Sedum Sieboldi varie- 

 gatum, Statice brassiciefoha, S. profusa, Vallota purpurea, and Witsenia 

 corymbosa. Besides those you will, of course, have Camellias, Azaleas, 

 Primulas, tree Carnations, Cinerarias, Calceolarias, Pelargoniums, 

 Fuchsias, Cyclamens, bulbs, &c. For the back wall to plant along with 

 Camellias, Citrus nobilis will suit. After the bud of a Rose has taken, the 

 shoot on which it is budded should not be cut off close to the hud until 

 the following February or March. 



Vabious {It. F.).—ln frosty weather yoa can command a temperature of 

 from 50^ to 55'^; but to do that in very severe weather the water will 

 require to he heated to upwards of 200'^, or nearly boiling. Good Scarlet 

 Geraniums for bedding are Bayard, Blackband, Blazer, Cramoisie 

 Superieure, Crimson Perfection, Little Excellent, Queen of Nosegays, 

 Sunlight, and Waltham Seedling. The best plan to secure a stock is to 

 grow the plants in pots, take off the cuttiogs as you can secure them, 

 strike them in heat, potting and growing them on. In this way you will 

 have cuttings froui both old and young plants. Good pink or rose kinds 

 are Christine Nosesay, Arthur Pearson, Amy Hogg, Pink Stella, and 

 Qaeen of Roses. Whites are— The Bride and White Perfection; Alex- 

 andra is a good Geranium, also Waltham Bride. Silver-edged are — Prince 

 Silverwings, Picturata, Snowflake, Bright Star, and Bijou. There is 

 much similarity between many of the Tricolor Pelargoniums, hut Sophia 

 Dumaresque and Lady Cullum are, as you say the journals describe, 

 *'very dii-tinct," and we add "good." It is when they are of specimen 

 size that their markings are most fully developed. In a young state they 

 are much alike. For bedding purposes we have no experience of the 

 Geranium you name. It is well to propagate Carnations, Pinks, and 

 Hollyhocks every year, but it is not necessary to prevent degeneration, 

 which does not occur. Hollyhocks are propagated by cuttings, the short 

 stubby shoots at the base of the plant being taken off closely, pjtted in 

 sandy soil, and placed in a gentle hotbed. A young Carnation plant with 

 one stem will put out side shoots in due time, but if it grows very tall 

 take out the centre at 6 inches. 



Vines and Gooseberry Bushes.— (J. L.I.— A strong one-year-old cane 

 will be better than an old unfruitful rod. The young cane will be sure to 

 show for fruit, and larger bunches will be obtained from it. The old rod 

 will also bear fruit next year, if the lateral shoots are strong and well- 

 ripened. Is there not room in your house for both ? An ordinary vinery 

 attached to a house like yours should have space for more than one rod. 

 If you have no plants underneath the Vines in summer, the rods may be 

 trained to the roof at 2 feet 9 inches apart ; if there are plants in the house 

 they should not be closer than 6 feet. Gooseberry bushes may be trained 

 as standards. It is not necessary to strike the cuttings in pots. Now is 

 the best time to put them in ; take off the strongest young shoots with a 

 heel attached, and pick out all the buds except three or four at the point 

 of the shoot. Plant the cuttings firmly in ordinary garden mould. When 

 the cuttings begin to shoot in spring, place a stick to each plant, and 

 train only one shoot up to the required height, pinching out all side 

 shoots. 



Red Spider on Vines (ITest CumberZanii).— Now that the Grapes are 

 ripB shut up the house closely, and having made the hot-water pipes as hot 

 as you can, coat them with sulphur brought to the consistency of thin 

 paint with a solution of 3 ozs. of soft soap to the gallon, going over the 

 pipes two or three times. In addition to this you may go over the leaves 

 and brush off the insects, destroying their webs with a dust brush. 

 Beyond this we do not know what you can do, for to introduce water 

 would be fatal to the keeping of the Grapes. 



Vines not Thriving {Henri). — Unless the wirewonn has eaten the 

 roots we cannot conceive how the Vines did not grow, if you did not 

 starve them for want of water. Sometime ago we stated how we were 

 called upon to see some Vines that would not grow, planted inside too ; 

 the top soil seemed all right, but the roots were as dry as if planted over 

 an oveB. We would prune back the 6-feet Vine to 3 feet or so, and nip 

 out the buds not wanted. We would leave the otherweak ones as long as 

 you could, provided you had a fair bud at the point. Whenever the buds 

 swelled we would rub off, not cut. all except the best and most promising 

 ones. We would examine the soil as to moisture. Trap by every means 

 the wireworm, and sprinkle a little tar where there is no chance of the 

 roots penetrating. Place a half-barrowload of horse droppings over the 

 roots of each Vine, then some dry litter, and adopt some mode for throw- 

 ing off snow and cold rains, and next spring we hope the Vines will push 

 strongly. Until then we would not think of destroying and replanting. 



Forcing Lifted Vines {S. L.'Cuzner). — You will not succeed with 

 forcing Vines in November that you intend to lift and replant now. As 

 you have cropped the borders and mean to force, your best plan would 

 be to remove as much of the effete soil from the surface as you could 

 do without much injury to the roots, not minding if you exposed a few 

 fibres ; then cover with a couple of inches of fibrous loam mixed with lime 

 rubbish, then with from 2 or 4 inches of similar material enriched with 

 superphosphate, and a good sprinkling of bones. Cover with some 

 littery manure for a foot in depth st once, so as to keep the heat in the 

 ground, and about the middle of November add as much more as would 



