346 



JOURNAIi OF HORTICULTURE AN!D COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ November 2, 1871. 



Keeping Geapes on Vises (F. F.).— See pa^e S26 To beep Grapes 

 late on Tines, the honse must be dry and secure from frost. If cut and 

 kept with the ends of the shoots in roots, or bottles of water, with the 

 hole of the bottle stuffed up, they must be kept in a dry cool place, but 

 free from frost. 



Son. FOH Vines (A Suhseriber). — The soil being full of wireworms we 

 would have it sifted through a fine-meshed sieve, the rough remaining in 

 the sieve burnt, and then remised with that which had passed through 

 the sieve. Salt added to the soil will not kill the wireworms. 



RooT-PBtTNiNG (J. M. K.), — The tap-root of the Pear tree should be cut 

 through. 



Ctclajuxn Teeatsient (L. B.). — You do not say what kind it is. Place 

 them in pots twice the diameter of the corms, draining the pots well, and 

 nsing a compost of two parts turfy loam, one part leaf soil, and one part 

 peat, with a free admixture of sharp sand and charcoal. Pot so that the 

 corms may be just covered with soil. Place the pots in the sunniest 

 window you have, and do not water more than to keep the soil moist, but 

 when the leaves appear water more freely. 



Cyanophtt-lch aiAGNiEiccsi IN WiNTEK {C. ilf.).— Give it as little water 

 as it is possible to do without allowing the leaves to flag or become limp, 

 and maintain a moderate amount of moisture. It only loses the old 

 leaves in winter. A temperature of from 55'^ to 60^ at night, and 65° to 

 75^ by day, is sufficient, affording moderate ventilation. 



CucUMBEE AND Melon FOE Eaelt AND Late FORCING (Idem). — For 

 early or late winter or summer crops we have found Cox's Volunteer Cu- 

 cumber excellent, also Telegraph, and Masters's Prolific. If you want 

 two, have the first and last, or if one, the first, but all are excellent. A 

 good Melon for an early crop is ilalvern Hall, and for a general crop 

 Cox's Golden Gem and Heckfield Hybrid. This season, however, we cul- 

 tivated many varieties, and Eeechwood was the best. 



Labiandea maceantha Ccltuee (An Old Subscriber). — This plant in a 

 young state is not free-fiowering, though of very free growth, but when 

 3 or 4 feet high it produces from the terminal shoots a profusion of fine 

 saucer-shaped flowers, of a violet-blue colour. It requires to be grown in 

 a warm greenhouse or cool stove, should have a light airy position, and 

 onght never to be watered until the soil becomes dry; then before the 

 eaves cr growing shoots flag give a thorough supply. Pot it in March, and 

 give another moderate shift in June, using a compost of two parts loam, 

 with one-third of sandy peat, draining well. To form a well- furnished 

 plant stop the shoots in March, or if needful, cut-in the plant, and again 

 stop early in July. Libonia floribunda is not a stove but a greenhouse 

 plant. 



Planting Fecit Teees on Mounds (A Cottage Gardener). — The height 

 of the mounds must be regulated by the state of the soil. In a very wet 

 and heavy soil, with a subsoil of a similar character, mounds a yard high 

 are not too much, whilst if the soil is not wet nor heavy, planting on the 

 surface is sufficient, covering the roots with soil so as to raise a mound 

 of about 12 or 15 inches. The mound should fall outwards three times 

 the length of the height, so if the mound is 1 foot high it will run out at 

 3 feet all round. The junction of the stock and graft should not be 

 covered with soil, but all below it. The roots should be covered 3 inches 

 deep. Stable litter two weeks old will answer perfectly for mulching the 

 trees. The spirit lamp will not do any harm in a frame if kept burning 

 aU night during frosty weather, but may be a means of safety from frost. 



Feens fob Conseevatobt Recess (Cn/pio).— We presume the recess 

 will have the same temperature as the conservatory, or be safe from 

 frost. To have the water trickling over the stones is nof; desirable 

 as regards culture, but to produce a cool, moist, and pretty effect, you 

 may introduce water; but it must be conveyed in a cemented channel, so 

 that it may not run over the soil on the ledges and crevices of the rock- 

 work. You may have miniature waterfall streams, or dripping rocks, but 

 the, water should be kept clear of the soil for the plants, for few Ferns 

 thrive with the soil sodden by constant stagnant mois'ure. The follow- 

 ing will suit: — Acrophorus hispidus ; Adiantum assimile, A. cuneatum, 

 A. setulosom ; Anemia flexuosa ; Asplenium bulbiferum, A.flabellifolium, 

 A. Veitchianum, A. monantbemum, A. fceniculaceum, A. dimorphum ; 

 Blechnum australe, Cbeilanthes elegans, Davallia canariensis, D. dis- 

 secta ; Doodia Dives, Doryopteris p^ilmata, Lastrea glabella, Lomaria 

 Herminieri, Nephrolepis tuberosa. Niphobolus rupestris, X. lingua corym- 

 bifera, Platycerium alcicorne, Platyloma rotundifolia, Pteris serrulata 

 cristata, P. cretica albo-lineata ; and of Lycopods, Salaginellas apoda, 

 denticnlata variegata, formosa, and Wildenovi. 



AaiAEVLLis CcLTUEE IN A CooL HoTTSE (Novice). — "We presume by a 

 cool house you mean a cool stove. If so, place them on a shelf near 

 the glass until February, giving no water; then repot, and place them 

 in a hotbed or the warmest part of the stove, and water as the growth 

 advances, giving abundant supplies of moisture whilst they are making 

 fresh growth, and when this is complete keep them less moist and 

 afford ail the light you can command. If you place them in a hotbed 

 remove them as soon as they have well started into growth, gradually 

 withdrawing them from the hotbed so as not to cause a check. The 

 principle on which you are to decide the character of the soil required 

 for plants we cannot explain, but the " Cottage Gardeners' Dictionary " 

 states the soil required for the plants enumerated. 



Vaeious (E. G, 7.).— There is no objection to your heating the small 

 stove and vinery with a flue for each, and a separate fireplace and 

 furnace, provided the flues are sound, and the atmospheric moisture you 

 want is obtained from the floor and from evaporating-basius placed on 

 the flue, and not from sprinkling the flue it=elf. In the stove at any rate 

 we would have 6 feet of the flue next the furnace brick-on -bed, instead of 

 bricU-on-edge, and strong tiles for covering, or even bricks for that dis- 

 tance. The only objection against flues is allowing them to become fool 

 from not cleaning them often enough, as they are then apt to take fire, or 

 slight explosions will occur, which will be apt so to disturb the flue as to 

 allow of the escape of dangerous gases into the house. For small places 

 there is no cheaper mode of heating than by a good built flue. For an 

 early vinery you would need as substantial a flue, but for a late one a 

 flue brick-on-edge would do, say 2 feet from the fnmnce. For all small 

 places hot water would be more expensive, but it would be safer and more 

 cleanly, and one small boiler costing about 70s. would heat both houses. 

 For the stove you would need about 90 feet of piping 4 inches in diameter, 

 and you would need nearly as much for the Grapes, to come in, say, 

 in August. If you wanted it much earlier, say May aad Jane, you would 



need from 20 to 40 more feet of piping, A doorway from one house to 

 another would be a great conveniecce and advantage, as you might often 

 move plants from one place to the other without taking them out of doors. 

 The border will be all right if there is a drain to take away what may 

 collect beneath the rough rubble. The tnrf stacked-up will do, so will 

 the turning, if you keep it dry, and so will the mode of filling the border, 

 but filling half the border at j&rst would be best. The woollen rags used 

 should be chopped small, other rags and paper we would care nothing 

 about. When thoroughly decomposed they are of little value, and before- 

 they are decomposed, like rank manure and carrion, they do more harm 

 than good. A little fowls' manure with feathers may be used, but it is so 

 strong that it is safest used moderately as a surface-dressing. As to pro- 

 portions, to ten parts of your good pasture loam add two of old lime 

 rubbish or plaster, one of charred wood, one of horse droppings sweet 

 and dried, three hundredweight of broken bones that have been boiled^ 

 and one hundredweight of horn shavings if you can obtain them, with a 

 moderate quantity, say one hundredweight, of chopped rags, as you seem 

 to have them. These may be mixed and turned over before using them, 

 but must not be sodden. If you wanted the Vines in the new house 

 chiefly to be late kinds, we would recommend Trebbiano, Lady Downe's, 

 and Kempsey's Alicante. If, however, you wish the house to alternate 

 with the other, then we would choose similar sorts, as Hambnrghs, Mus- 

 cats, &c. You may treat the Vines as you say. using each vinery as a 

 greenhouse every alternate year in winter, giving the other a complete 

 rest ; but in no vinery will any injury result from keeping plants in it 

 after the Grapes are cut, if the temperature from artificial heat be not 

 above 45°. For the Sweetwater, the Golden Champion we should think 

 would do, but a Sweetwater ripened well is still a fine Grape. 21-oz., or 

 fourths, will answer, bat thirds will be better. If you bed on putty, yon 

 must also place putty above the glass. Beard's system requires no putty, 

 and grooves do not require it. These have been described. 



Wintering Geraniums in Boxes in a Cellar (E. 17.).— It is suitable 

 for those which have been planted out. When taken up they should be 

 set for a few days in a sbed. then stripped of all the leaves, sparing none^ 

 and afterwards placed in boxes, covering the roots well with dry sand. 

 Do not cut the plants down but leave them entire, minus the leaves, and 

 give no water from the present time up to JJIarch. They may be kepi; 

 well ia the dark dry cellar, if frost be excluded. In March take theiD 

 from the cellar, pot them, and place them in a frame or hotbed, giving 

 no water, but using moist soil. When they have made fresh roots and 

 are growing freely, water copiously. They will be good for planting out 

 in May, 



Eeecting an Orchard House (Inquirer). — If you had a wall we woulii 

 say have a lean-to, as 60 feet by 16, would be a good house, divided in the 

 middle so that you could have one compartment earlier than the other. 

 Where there is no wall the span-roof with low walls at the sides, and a 

 gable end to the north, would be the best. If, then, your honse were 

 20 feet wide, you could have a 3-feet bed all round, a pathway 3 feet wide, 

 and a bed of S feet in the centre. 



Wintering Plants in a FEA:irE (R. V.). — Mussett's portable hot-water 

 apparatus would suit, with a tube to carry off the products of combustion, 

 and so would Joyce's, or any other small stove, but not witkout a pipe 

 going through the roof to carry off the smoke, however little. A pipe 

 2 inches in diameter would do. We have always considered that iron 

 stoves should have their fire-box lined with fire-brick. If an iron stove 

 ever becomes nearly red hot, all plants near H; will suffer. Hence we 

 should prefer a brick or cement stnve, when it could be used. If the 

 frame were near the house, two or three two-gallon bottles filled with hot 

 water would do unless on the coldest nights. The difficulty in all such 

 modes is, that in the case of frames you must lift a glass to get at a 

 stove. In a small house with the same glass, you could open a little door 

 and go in and light either a fire or lamp. 



Water Rats {It. G.). — We know of no mode of destroying them whole- 

 sale but by poison. Gas tar poured into their holes ejects them, but 

 only causes them to change their residence. 



Preparing Bones for Manure (Hampshire Highlunder). — The least 

 troublesome mode for you is to have the bones broken into small pieces 

 by a hammer, and lay them in tiers, alternating with caustic potash in a 

 sugar-hogshead. After a while they will be easily crumbled. 



American Blight Desteoting (Gardener.— Diess the trees now with 

 paraffin oil, applying it with a brush to every part of the branches and 

 shoots, and in summer syringe forcibly with water from an engine, and 

 on its first re-appearance with a solution of 2 ozs. of soft soap, to a gallon 

 of water. 



Mussel Scale on Apple Teees (C). — Your Apple trees are infested 

 by the mussel scale, an insect the presence of which always indicates- 

 want of vigour and health ia the tree, caused by poverty of the soil or 

 injury to the roots. The way to remedy this is to cut-in the branches, 

 removing all those shoots that are affected, dress the whole tree with 

 Gishurst compound, 4 ozs. dissolved in a gallon of water, and applied 

 with a stout rough brush. Uncover the roots, and replace the soil taken 

 out by good loam in which well-rotted stable manure has been incor- 

 porated, and with such treatment your trees will recover. The pyramidal 

 trees you refer to had better be pruned judiciously, so as not to induce 

 the production of too much wood, by merely removing those shoots that 

 assume too great vigour. 



Names of Fruits {J. M. Du&Zin).— Pitmaston Nonpareil. {A. S, M.^ 

 Cambridge). — It is Baronne de Mello, one of the finest October and 

 November Pears. (J. Walsh). — It is impossible to name Grapes from so 

 small portions of a bunch. The white one is some of the forms of 

 Chasselas Musqne. (W. K., Angm(ring). — Your Grape is Pineau Noir, or 

 Black Burgundy. (A. M. E.).~'So. 1, Beurre d'Aremberg; 2, deckle; 

 3, Easter Beurre; 4, Beurre Clairgeau ; 5, Easter Beurre j 6, Seckle. 

 (A. S.). — 1, Monsiegneur Affre ; 2, Van Mons Leon Leclerc. 



Names of Plants (H. C. E.). — Viburnum Opulus, the Gueldres Rose. 

 Propagated by layers or cuttings in the autumn, in sandy soil, and a 

 shady border, where they ought to remain two years unmoved. (S. E. W.). 

 Salvia Hormiuum, very ornamental. Native of the south of Europe and 

 the easi, and especially frequent in Greece, Asia Minor, and Syria. 

 (W. H. Af.).— Either Lastrea dilatata (the Broad Fern), or its close aUy^ 

 L. Foeuisecii, the Hay-scented Fern, probably the latter. (Inguirer). — 

 Selaginella Kraussiana (S. hortensis of gardens), and Clitoria Ternatea, 

 a common plant in Southern India, (i?. C, Buxtcd Park).~The Honey- 

 sackle is Lonicera chinensis. As to the Fern, you are quite wrong. li 



