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JOURNAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDETIER. 



[ Febmary 2, 1871. 



hollow as possible with clinkers and brickbats, ptit one layer over the 

 flue likewise, and finieh all acrosB with fine-washed pebbly gravel, so as 

 to make the bottom for your earth bed. Before finishing the open rubble, 

 fix upright at CTery 3 or 4 feet a drain-tile of 3 inches in diameter, to be 

 supplied with a plug above the soil's level; when you pour water down 

 among the rubble it will rise again in vapour as you work, and you will 

 remark, by so doing, the water will never come directly on the flue. By 

 this means you can have top heat moist cr dry. The inside of the fine 

 will be for top heat, and the top and the sides nest the outside walls for 

 bottom heat. There can be no plan simpler and more economical under 

 the circumstances, 



Flowee Gaeden Plan (M, X, Clieshire).~V^c think your proposed 

 border would look better if the Cerastinm were continued on both sides, 

 though of uneqnal widths, interrupted now by the angles of the 

 diamonds. This would reduce the latter, but that would be an improve- 

 ment, as making all more unifoim in size. Making the connecting lines 

 of 2 (Lobelia) wider, would on the same principle be an improvement. The 

 Aurea floribunda Calceolaria, if young dwarf plants, will do very well. 

 Of the Nasturtium and Petunia in diamonds we are more doubtful, as 

 the one will need so much picking, and the other so much pegging. By 

 lessening the diamonds and the Cerastinm, and widening the Lobelia, 

 then having the diamonds of yellow and dwarf scarlet Geraniums would 

 look well. 



Hares Barking Fhuit Trees (Ladij Waterford). — Though the bark of 

 your fruit trees has been damaged by hares, in all probability the vital 

 portion or inner bark has not been so destroyed, but if properly pro- 

 tected at once, it will be able to perform its functions in the nest season. 

 For this pilose let all the wounds he covered as soon as possible with 

 the mastic L'Homme Lefort, or any sort of grafting-wax. The plaster 

 made of cow dung and clay applied to the wound and bound round with 

 old sacking, will answer very well in the absence of the mastic. The best 

 preventive we know against these ravages of hares and rabbits, is to dip 

 strips of- brown paper in gas tar, and when dry to bind them round the 

 trees. 



Parentage of Auriculas {G. S.).— " I believe it to be generally ac- 

 knowledged, that the parent of both the Alpine and florists' Auriculas is 

 Ihe Primula AuriculR. As to the two kinds cot crossing, so fanis that 

 froin being the case, that many Auricula growers will not allow any 

 Alpine near their florists' varieties for fear of deteriorating the seed, the 

 Alpine being more vigorous and exercising a very marked influence on 

 the seed vessels.— D., Deal." 



Begonia fuchsioides with Ssiall Flowers {A Lady in Cheshire).— 

 -■ The smallness of the flowers is owing to the growth being weak. The 

 only way to remedy the defect is to grow the plants in a mora airy lighter 

 structure, so as to secure strong, short-jointed, firm shoots, and then we 

 have no doubt the flowers will be larger, for as the wood is so are the 

 flowers. They would do better in a ^ inery in summer than in a close stove, 

 which is apt to cause weak shoots. Cut away the weak old growths and 

 encourage fresh shoots froaa the base. Ours are now sending up several 

 strong young shoots, and in about a month they will be in a vinery at a 

 temperature of 50° to 50'^ at night. When the plants are flowering, or 

 ralher when they begin to show flower, they are benefited by the appli- 

 cation of weak liquid manure two or three times a- week. 



Oleander Bare at Bottom (Idem).— There is no remedy but to cut it 

 down to within 6 inches of the pot, and we should do thie early in March, 

 keeping the plant rather dry, and then to encourage it to break freely we 

 would place it in a vinery or other house with a moist gentle heat. "You 

 may make cuttings of the upper parts. The points of the shoots, cut ofi" 

 from 4 to 6 inches long, strike freely in sajidy soil on a hotbed. The old 

 plant will not flower this year, but should have every encouragement, 

 being potted when it has made shoots a few inches long. If you have 

 room we would not cut the plant down, but keep it as a standard ; nothing 

 can be finer than a standard with a good head on a 6-feet stem. Ours are 

 busby plants about 6 feet high, with from sis to a dozen shoots starting 

 from near the soil. If you keep the standard, strike cuttings early in 

 summer, and grow the plants as dwarfs, by stopping them when 6 inches 

 high to induce side shoots, which should be again stopped ; you will thus 

 have plants feathered from the pot, but they will not be in a blooming 

 state for three years. 



Sheubet Calceolarias Baising (J. D.).— Between the present time 

 and March you may sow the seed in pans well drained, and filled with a 

 compost of light turfy loam two part?, and one part leaf mould, with a 

 sixth of silver sard. Mis the soil well, and sift it fine, make the surface 

 smooth, Fcatterthe seeds evenly over the surface, and sprinkle with silver 

 sand lightly. Place the pans in a hotbed, keep the soil moist, and when 

 the plants are large enough to handle prick them oS" singly about an inch 

 apart in pots or pans. Continue the plants in the hotbed, and when they 

 meet pot them off singly in 3-inch pots ; at. the end of May remove them 

 to a cold frame, gradually harden them tfi", and finally plant out in 

 June, or when they are bushy plants. They may flower in autumn, but 

 will be of no use for flower garden purposes. Could vou not now procure 

 cuttings of some neighbour ? They would strike freely in gentle heat, 

 and be good plants by beddiDg-out lime. It is as much as the seedlings 

 will do to make plants fit for planting out by autumn, and unless you get 

 seed of a good strain it is not worth the trouble of sowing. 



Vabieties of Grape ( ).— You will see by our columns that atten- 

 tion is being drawn to this subject, and we have no doubt that Grape- 

 growers will favour us with their esperience ; but we do not see what 

 greater information wonld be secured than we possess already in Dr. 

 Hogg's " Fruit Manual." Neither of the authorities you name grows for 

 fruiting more than half the Grapes described in Uiessrs. Eivers's cata- 

 logue, to which we think yeu refer, in dividing Grapes into three classes 

 — viz., Muscats, Frontignans, and those not Muscat nor Frontignan. 

 There is no best black or white Muscat suitable for early forcing. As to 

 Frontignans, the "White is excellent for early forcing, but is superseded 

 by the Troveren, and of the Red none is equal to the Red or Grizzly 

 Frontignan for early forcing, though Purple Constantia is good. Fron- 

 tignans are better suited for early forcing than Muscats, which cannot 

 be well ripened before June or July, but the others may be ripened in 

 May or earlier. Of Grapes neither iviupcatnor Frontignan, thero is nono 

 so good as the Black Hamburgh. Black Champion is good, but not equal 

 to Frankenthal or the old Hamburgh, though in an early vinery we should 

 plant it for its earliness along with both the others. It is very doubtful 

 ■whether the Early Black Bordeaux will retain its early -ripening proper- 



ties. Royal Ascot is excellent for early forcing, especially forpot cnltnre. 

 We should include it In an early vinery, for we agree with you that it is 

 well to plant more than one kind, so as to have a succession. Mill Hili 

 Hamburgh, in our opinion the best of all the Hamburghs, requires a 

 higher temperature than the Black Hamburgh and Frankenthal, and 

 ripens a fortnight later. Of the white kinds not Muscats nor Frontignans, 

 Foster's White Seedling must supplant the Royal Muscadine, and of other 

 white kinds Buekland Sweetwater is the best, for though there are some 

 that ripen earlier, as Early White Malvasia, they are so small in berry 

 that it is worth while to wait a few days. With us the White Frontignan 

 is a fortnight earlier than Buekland Sweetwater in the same house. Of 

 grafting kinds for early forcing we have but little esperience, but we have 

 no doubt it tends to cause enrlier ripening, for grafting has a tendency 

 to produce that result irrespective of stock, as you will find if you have>^ 

 a Hamburgh grafted on a Hamburgh stock, and another growing on its 

 own roots, the grafted ripening earlier than the non-grafted. For acce- 

 lerating the ripening, were we to graft at all, we should try Due de 

 Magenta, a vigorous grower, ripening several days earlier than the 

 Hamburgh. 



ThEOPHRASTA I3IPERIALI9 CUTTING DoWN AND PROPAGATION (E. C). — 



As you have not room for the plant, there will be no alternative but to 

 cut it down, unless yon dispose of it for smaller plants. The best time to 

 cut it down will be the middle of February ; afterwards keep it rather 

 dry at the root, but encourage it to break by a brisk heat and moisture. 

 The young ripe shoots may be made into cuttings, which should be in- 

 serted singlyin small pots filled with sandy peat, surrounding the cutting 

 with silver sand. Plunge the pots in a hotbed, keen moist, and cover the 

 cuttings with a bell-glass or hand-glass, keeping them close and shaded 

 from bright sun. The cuttings may be from 3 to 6 inches in length* 

 Trim ofi" the leaves of the part inserted, and cut transversely below a. 

 joint. The cutting will be rooted in about sis weeks. 



Inarching VrNES{SH6s£rrfbfr).— The best time to do this is after the 

 stock has made shoots a few inches long. There are then leaves tO' 

 appropriate the sap, and with them there is nothing to fear from bleed- 

 ing. The operation should be performed near the bottom of the rafter, 

 choosing a smooth part of the stock there, or as near its base as possible. 

 Take from the stock a slice of bark and wood about l^ inch long, and an 

 equal portion from the scion, and in such a manner that the cuts fit 

 exactly; then make a downward cut in the stock about three-quarters of 

 an inch long and half an inch deep, and a corresponding cut upwards 

 in the scion, and about half or three-parts through. Introduce the cut or 

 tongue of the scion into that of the stock, and so unite tbem that th& 

 bark of both may fit exactly, if not on both, at least on one of the sides. 

 Bind firmly with a ligatui'e of cotton or bast matting, and cover with 

 grafting wax so as to exclade air. A little clay will answer, but to keep 

 it from cracking it should be covered with a little moss lightly secured 

 with matting. You may inarch on the wood of last year, or that of 

 several years' growth, cr you may operate on the present year's wood after 

 it has become rather firm, yet quite green or unripe. In about six weeks 

 the union will be complete, then cut away the part of the st^ck above 

 the scion, and detach the scion from its parent, but make sure that the 

 union is complete. The ligature will need to be loosened when the union 

 is effected; you will notice this from the increased growth of the scion 

 Replace it, but loosely. 



EvEEGRBEN Hedge FOB GARDEN (C. N. B ). — The quickost-gTowing 

 and cheapest is evergreen Privet. If for a boundary fence. Privet will 

 not be formidable enough ; in that case plant two evergreen Privets, and 

 four Thorns or Quicks per yard. Berbeds Darwinii and Thorn make a 

 beautiful hedge— two plants of the Berberis and four of Thorn per yard. 



Select Amaetllis — Eucharis A3j:azontca Culture (A Lover of 

 Flowers). — Meteor, Rosalind, Jupiter, Reticulata, Victoria, and Amazon 

 have crimson, white and red, scarlet, and white and crimson- striped 

 flowers, and are very beautiful. They require stove treatment, and if 

 obtained now they should be plunged in a gentle hotbed, or failing that 

 be placed in the warmest part of the house, and they will flower in May. 

 After flowering encourage a good leaf growth by an abundant supply of 

 water and moisture, and when it is made afford water only to keep the 

 leaves from flagging, giving the plants a light position. From September 

 to February they may be kept on a shelf in the stove. Eucharis ama- 

 zonica, we presume you now keep dry, giving but little water. When it 

 begins to grow water fi-eely, and afford plenty of moisture. When good 

 growth has been made, or after July, keep it but moderately supplied with 

 water, and place it in a light airy position in the greenhouse, and in Sep- 

 tember remove it to a light position in the stove. If it do not throw up 

 flowers keep it dry over the winter, and it will throw up its spikes in 

 spring or early in summer. The main point to be attended to is to secure 

 a good growth, then ripen it well by exposure to light and air. Afford it 

 a season of rest, and when it is introduced to heat the flower-spikes will 

 be thrown up. 



Growing •Onions (A Lover of our Journal).— Theie may be different 

 means of attaining results, and in growing Ooions there are the plan 

 adopted by your gardener and that which you describe. Good Onions are 

 grown both waj's. One is as good aa the other. We prefer sowing them 

 in beds 4 feet "wide, with 1-foot alleys between, sowing in drills about 

 6 inches apart. The alleys afford ready access to the beds for weeding 

 and thinning, without in wet weather treading on the beds. The main 

 points, however, are to have ground well dug and manured in autumn, 

 to turn the ground over in dry weather, in spring to dress with lime and 

 soot, or charcoal, to keep ofl grubs {lightly pointing-in these materials), to 

 tread the ground firm, and to sow as early in March as the ground is in 

 good working order. Keep the plants clear of weeds, and then thin out 

 before they become crowded. Those matters attended to, it is little con- 

 sequence whether Onions are sown in beds, or in drills continuously with- 

 out alleys. 



Holly Hedge Neglected {T. H.). — Unless you can bring some of tho 

 smaller branches down, or lay them into the thin parts, you have but a- 

 small chance of making a 12 to 14-feet Holly hedge of any use against 

 cattle. Wo would, however, lay-in as many of the small branches aa 

 possible, and then take off the top to 4 feet. We would leave a few of the 

 Thorns and Hollies having the best heads. They are very ornamental, 

 and if not more frequent than 20 yards apart, would not interfere with 

 the growth of the hedge. The best time to cut the hedge dov.n would be 

 at the end of March. 



DiSA GEANDiFLORA VIGOROUS (Amatcur). — Wc have no doubt that your 

 very vigorous plant will reward you nest summer with flowers. We 



