450 



JOUBKAL OF HORTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ December 7, 187L 



rest at that place as firmly as a rock against the wall?. Then, 

 according to the number of shelves yon place on these bearers, 

 you will need as many wedge-like pieces of wood fixed on each 

 bearer and fastened near the thin end with a email nail, so 

 that when one eide of the shelf rests on the cross bearer the 

 other side will rest horizontally on the wide end of the wedge. 

 The inexperienced will easily see how well the system will act 

 by making a cross section of a bearer for themselvee. When 

 Strawberry-forcing is over and the space is wanted for some- 

 Ihing else than very dwarf plants, all that is necessary is to 

 pull back the lights, remove the shelves to a place of safety, 

 give an upward stroke with a mallet to each end of the cross 

 bearers, remove them too with the wedges attached, and but 

 little room will be wanted for storage for another season. 



Let us add a few words of caution to inexperienced enthu- 

 siasts who intend to achieve great results by what they term a 

 rush of forcing high temperature. Be assured that a gentle 

 and gradual increase of temperature are the conditions of suc- 

 cess. The plants, likewise, should never be quite dry, though 

 they should be somewhat ao rather than wet, until the flower 

 buds and trusses appear, and anything like standiog water in 

 saucers or otherwise is the abomination of the plants. Avoid, 

 also, as much as possible keeping the bud of the plant or even 

 the collar of the plant wet. 



ORXAIIENTAL DEPAKTilENT. 



Most of the leaves of deciduous trees having now fallen, we 

 swept and cleaned the most prominent part of the lawn. The 

 sweepings are generally put in a heap to heat for present use. 

 Dry leaves we like to keep dry for future use, so as not to waste 

 much by fermenting. A heap of such leaves, with a little 

 litter thrown over them to prevent the wind blowing them 

 about, will keep out much rain if made in the slightest degree 

 rounded and pyramidal. Bat for their blowing about few ma- 

 terials would be a better protection against froEt. 



Auriculas, Polyanthuses, Carnations, &:c., require plenty of 

 air, bat in drizzly weather it is safest to tilt the sashes back 

 and front instead ot taking the glasses ofi. Mice must be 

 looked after where Crocuses and Tulips are growing. We put 

 the most forward Hyacinths in a mild hotbed. We gave 

 plenty of air to Calceolaria cuttings in a cold pit to prevent 

 anything like drawing upwards, and to keep them hardy, as 

 they can be kept with much less care if they do not strike 

 until after the shortest day is passed. Unlike other things, 

 mere moisture will not injure them, but dryness is their abomi- 

 nation. Calceolarias, large-flowered for pot-blooming, and 

 Cinerarias, will succeed best in a somewhat cool airy atmo- 

 spbere. If kept 5° or 10^ above freezing they will thrive better 

 with a cool moist surface to stand on than with much other 

 coaxing. The leaves soon suffer in a dry warm atmosphere. 

 Cinerarias, Chrysanthemums, and Camellias will delight in 

 clear weak manure water as the buds are swelling. 



Where ft great variety of softwooded and hardwooded plants 

 must be kept in one house, success will greatly depend on 

 keeping them in groups. Thus — florists' Pelargoniums will 

 require more air than Scarlets, and the latter will do with less 

 watering ; Chinese Primulas cannot have too much light, and 

 the watering should be given to sail round instead of coming 

 against the collar of the plant ; Cinerarias may have a damp 

 bottom, and be kept closer than would suit the hardiest winter 

 Heaths, which must have air to keep mildew from appearing, 

 and then the Epacria — the Australian Heath — will stand a higher 

 temperature and a closer atmosphere than Heaths. By thus 

 grouping the plants we can, even by the regulation of air in a 

 house 30 or 40 feet long, do something to make different 

 climates in the same house. A breeze of air that would be 

 the very life of Ericas would soon prove destructive to the 

 finer Hoveas, Gompholobiums, Boronias, &e. The position of 

 a plant in such a house, therefore, demands a great amount of 

 consideration. The greatest acquaintance with the physical 

 geography and the circumstances in which certain plants will 

 thrive, will all be required to make even the best arrangement 

 of plants in a small mixed house. — E. F. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 

 N.B. — Many questions must remain unanswered until next 

 week. 

 Small Farms (J. Taylor),— Yonr communication is not KuUable to onr 

 columns, wait nntil all the series bas been published, and then if you liko 

 to write nothing but practical notes we may be able to &pare space for 

 them. 



Marechal Niel Rose (L. G.). — If, instead of putting Marechal Niel 

 into a pot, you were to plant it oat in the border of the cold orchard hoase, 



and train it against the back wall, you would succeed with it better than 

 ID a pot. You can also have one in a pot for the conservitory heated 

 with hot air. For planting in a house or a pot, Marechal Niel does best 

 either on the IVIauetti stock or on its own roots rather than on the Briar, 

 Give plenty of well-rotted manure to the roots, as it is a strong feeder. 

 Do not shorten the shoots in pruning, but thia out and encoarago all the 

 strong gfowtli. Give plenty of air and water when growing, and syringe 

 to keep down mildew, red spider, and green fly. A little guano "water 

 will bo found most beneQcial both for watering and syringing with. Have 

 jou tried ilflrechal Niel against a south wall? We can see no reason 

 why it should not succeed against a wall out of doors even in the north 

 of Ireland. 



MADA3IE Sertot Rose (J. H".).— "We have had no experience with thi^ 

 Rose. From flowers we have seen exhibited it seemed very similar to, if 

 not identical with, Alba Rosea. We shall be glad of the opinion ct Rose- 

 growers who have tried it. 



Chrtsaxthemcms (B. G.)— The book is published by Messrs. Brad- 

 bury & Evans, Whitefriars, London. If you write to them they will give 

 you full information. It ongat to be advertised. 



Animal Manures from Various Foods {Agricolq). — We have seen in 

 the Supplemeut to the "Agricultural Economist," exactly what yon ask 

 for. It gives in a tabular form the ccmparativo fatteniog power of various 

 foods and the fertilisinGT power of the manures produced. 



Greenhouse {G. iiobfns).— A house with its slope facing the west, bat 

 with little sun in winter, would do for flowering plants in general in sum- 

 mer, and would keep plants and grow Ferns and Mosses well in winter. 

 We approve of the mode of using the gas air-stove, but you must bo par- 

 ticular in joining the joints of the zinc pipes. 



Cuttings of Evergreens (W. B. ^.\— Except a small number of the 

 commoner kinds, there are but few that will succeed in nursery rows 

 without any protection. The common Laurel, however, will do well if 

 the cuttings are taken ofl' with a short heel— about 1 inch of the two- 

 year-old wood. The Colchian Laurel will also succeed, as will the Portugal 

 Laurel, Box of the various kinds. Privet, the Double Gorse, and Aucnbas, 

 but the last should have a sheltered situation. Hollies should be put in 

 on the north or west of a hedge and covered with a close frame. 



CiPRiPEDiuM insigne CULTURE {C. C.}.— It succceds in a vinery or 

 greenhouse, and should be potted in a mixture of two parts of turfy peat, 

 and equal proportions of turfy loam, charcoal, and broken pots (crocks), 

 with silver sand, afi'ording more than a usual amount of drainage. It is 

 necessary for the soil ,to bd kept moist at all times, and when the plant 

 is flowering water freely, and in summer sprinkle overhead and give 

 shade from bright sun. Tho highest temperature from fire heat that yon 

 ought to have in your vinery is 40^^ at night, to 45^ during the day. The 

 Cypripedium will succeed in a greenhouse with a similar temperature, but 

 the Stephanotis and Gardenia should not have le?s than 50^ though we 

 have wintered both safely in a temperature of 40^ to 45"^, taking care to 

 keep them dry. To induce the Begonias to flower well, you should give 

 them a temperature of 50'^ to 55° from fire heat. 



Hedaroma tulipiferum and Anthurium Scherzerianum to Bloom 

 IN August [ Wakcjicld}, — The flower-buds of the former wi;l now be set, 

 and in order to have it in bloom at the required time it will be necoesary 

 to keep the plant very cool, just avoiding injury from frost. When March 

 is past place it in a cold pit, and retard the growth by placing it in a 

 north aspect after May, by which means it may be kept back so as to 

 bloom at the time required. The Anthurium should be grown in q brisk 

 moist heat from January up to June, and then kept moderately dry for 

 about six weeks, when it may again be encouraged with a good heat and 

 plenty of moi&tare, and wiU most likely fulfil your requirements. It is 

 a stove plant, and one of the finest-flowering ones. The Hedaroma is a 

 fine greenhouse plant. The large Fuchsias will winter in a cellar, giving 

 only sufficient water to preveot the wood shriveUing, should the air of 

 the cellar be very dry. 



Marantas in Winter (M. TF.).— The Marantas should not be kept drv 

 in winter like Caladiums, but should have the soil moist, and be sprinkled 

 overhead once a-day. They will not, of conrse, require bo much water as 

 when they are growing freely; but, nevertheless, the soil must bo so 

 moist as to maintain the foliage in good condition. Alocasia metallica 

 and A. zebrina also require to have sufficient moisture to keep the foliage 

 fresh. 



Bulbs to FLOwEa at she End of March (TT. F. if.).— Hyacinths, 

 Narcissus, and Tulips potted at the close of last mouth we should place on 

 a hard bottom, cover with fine, ashes, or rather cocoa-nnt refuse, about 

 an inch deep, and place over them a frame to serve as a protectian from 

 wet. There they may remain until the middle of January, and then yon 

 may put them on the bed of leaves, made so high as to raise a gentle 

 warmth, and with linings you may bring them into flower at the time yon 

 name. We should prefer moving them to a cool greenhouse in the middle 

 of February. They all succeed under similar treatment. 



Screen fob Hotbeds (R. J.]. — Arbor- Vit^e answers very well, and has 

 an advantage over evergreen Privet, for it can be had as high as is 

 wanted when first planted ; but as you do not require a higher screen 

 than 6 or 8 feet ultimately, we should plant evergreen Privet 2^ to 3 feet 

 high, and 6 inches apart. If the ground is in good heart you need not 

 give manure, though it may be mixed with the soil, and will assist the 

 growth. The hedge you may cut as you like, but what you need with 

 a screen 8 feet high we cannot comprehend, unless it is to shut out the 

 view of the dung. Arbor-Vitre should be planted 1 foot apart. 



Caladiums in Winter (T. R.). — All Caladiums die down in winter, and 

 should be kept dry. receiving only a Geutlo sprinkling from a syringe onco 

 or twice a-week. They would do better in a warm rather than a cool stove 

 or intermediate house, but they will succeed in the warmest part of the 

 latter. Marantas do not lose their loaves in winter, but should be kept 

 moist, and have a gentle sprinkling overhead once a day. The atmo- 

 sphere in which they are growing is too cold and dry. FitEonias will start 

 in growth again after losing their leaves, if kept only just moist. You 

 can have all the works you name frooi our office for the sum named, and 

 6d. extra for postage. 



Transparent Gage Plum and Figs in Orchard House (An Amateur). 

 — ^With root-pruning and summer-pinching there can be no doubt that 

 such Green Gage trees would be well stored with fruit buds. Are you 

 quite certain you have no fruit buds now, as these buds will yet be small ? 

 However, after the treatment receiyed, we haye no doubt the trees will 



