March 9, 1871. ] 



JOUBNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB. 



185 



such sudden changes from dalnesa to brightness, a little 

 shading for an hour or two is often more beneficial than water- 

 ing when the roots are moist enough. The plants should never 

 flag, but in such sudden extremes from cloud to bright sunshine 

 the leaves cannot at once, though there may be moisture enough 

 at the roots, get the requisite amount of liquid to meet the 

 greatly increased evaporation. A slight syringing to arrest 

 evaporation will often be better than shading. We have even 

 sprinkled the outside of the sashes *ith clean water, as before 

 that was evaporated the rays of the sun did not pass freely. 

 It is always advisable never to allow a leaf to flag, whatever 

 mode be used to prevent it. The great evil of shading is not 

 so much shading when necessary by any simple mode, as that 

 the putter-on is apt to allow the shading to remain too long. 

 Every minute it remains on when not wanted tends to make 

 a plant weak, and to rob it of its natural robustness. E scept for 

 plants that naturally delight in the shade, the less shade they 

 have, sive in sudden extremes of dulness and brightness under 

 glass, the better it will be for them. 



Manure watering to everything in pots should also be given 

 with discretion ; it is seldom advisable to give it to flowering 

 plants before the flower buds appear and the pots are well 

 filled with roots ; for such things as Strawberries in pots the 

 flower truss should show boldly. For Melons it is best to have 

 the fruit set and swelling before manure water is given. There 

 would be fewer errors on this subject if we could always re- 

 collect that brandy and fine old port are different things from 

 small beer, however refreshing the latter may be. We once 

 knew of some young Vines with roots near the surface of the 

 border, and they never recovered after a copious watering taken 

 from the cesspool of a large stable, and applied just as it came. 

 The liquid was so strong that it would have stood well five or 

 six times its bulk of common water, and then been strong 

 enough for anything. 



OENAHENTAL DEPAET3IENT. 



There is still much planting, turfing, and alteration to per- 

 form in the pleasure ground, and for levelling and turf-laying 

 no weather could be finer. If we should have a good rain in a 

 short time all will be well, and the fresh tuifiug will never be 

 distinguishable in summer. Where experienced layers of turf 

 cannot be fouudmuch may be done by levelling well, and having 

 the turf cut of uniform width and thickness. Many old lawns 

 become uneven in the course of years, and taking them up, 

 fresh levelling, and relaying, besides other advantages, are next 

 to a death blow to the most staring broad-leaved weeds. 



A short time ago we noticed an inquiry as to the merits of a 

 chemically prepared sand for eradicating all such broad-leaved 

 jcec(fo on laicns, as Daisies, Plantains, &e. We have forgotten 

 for the present the maker's name. The great objection to the 

 free use of the material was its piioe, except for a lawn of the 

 smallest dimensions. We tried a little barrel of it, and found 

 that when freely applied all such leaves first became black, 

 then shrivelled up and disappeared, and the roots of Plantains 

 were killed to their extremities. Smaller doses killed the 

 leaves and part of the root-stems, but in a month or two small 

 stems came again from the bottom of the root. What seemed 

 to us, however, the most incredible part of the statement of 

 the maker and vendor was, that this sand powder would do no 

 injury to, but rather improve, the common grasses of our lawns ; 

 but we found this statement perfectly correct, inasmuch as 

 whilst it blackened and shrivelled up Plantains, &c., it did no 

 injury to the common grasses. On the whole, on the score of 

 economy, we satisfied ourselves that it would be cheaper to 

 grub up Plantains, &c., to the extremities of the roots than to 

 use the prepared sand. But there are many who would like to 

 get rid of the weeds without disturbing their lawns, and if any 

 of our readers have tried the remedy we should fce glad to hear 

 the results. We regret forgetting the maker's name, but we 

 have no doubt he has discovered the means cif at least tempo- 

 rarily putting Plantains and other large-leaved plants on a 

 lawn out of sight without injuring the grass of the lawn. More 

 decided effectiveness may yet be combined with more economy. 



Forward bulbs out of doors will req aire a little protection from 

 frost and heavy rains if these come. We find great difficulty in 

 keeping such bulbs as Crocuses without being well protected. 

 We have even had the shoots cut over after showing flower. 

 We are almost inclined to give way to envy when we see lines 

 and combinations of Crocuses without a seeming break in the 

 whole, as if the mice disdained to touch them. We may trap 

 by scores, but still the corms of the Crocuses are eaten up. 

 We have thought of several modes of doctoring the corms ; but 

 then that would be of no avail as a preventive against having 



the shoots cut over and mangled when above ground and show- 

 ing bloom. 



We took the opportunity of turning up empty flower beds 

 and leaving them rough, as we prefer what manure we give to 

 be chiefly confined near the surface, to encourage early rooting 

 after planting. 



Violets are now coming plentifully in the open air. Our 

 Czar protected with glass has been very fine. Our Neapolitans 

 this year have not been up to the mark during the winter,- 

 though showing well now. The reason is, that owing to the 

 dryness of the summer, and our inability to water them, the 

 plants Buffered much from red spider. We kept them alive by 

 shading them with evergreen boughs, but the shading helped 

 to weaken them. We trust that they will all be secure next 

 season, as though we may be prejudiced, we still think a fine, 

 large, Neapolitan Violet the king of Violets. For making-up^ 

 nothing equals the Czar, owing to the long footstalks or flower 

 stems, as well as the size of the flowers. We have not had an 

 opportunity of seeing some new and diiierent-coloured Violets, 

 single and double, and inquiries have been made about them 

 which we could not answer. We should be glad it correspon- 

 dents would state the results of their experience, and more 

 especially if there is any white, pink, or reddish variety, either 

 single or double, that for general utility will equal the Czar. 

 We have had some good gatherings of this kind from our 

 open border towards the end of February, and now it is be- 

 ginning to show from a row at the base of the north side of 

 a wall. We put it there hoping to have it later than in the 

 open ground, and we shall continue this practice. No plant is 

 more easily multiplied, for, not to speak of runners, a small 

 plant of last May may be divided into a good number as soon 

 as it has done blooming. Like other Violets, it is improved 

 by dividing and moving. It should not bloom more than two 

 seasons in one place. We rather think it does best when 

 planted every year, as a small plant in April or May becomes a 

 strong plant before the autumn, if there are showers in the 

 summer. 



Much work has been done in potting, cutting-striking, &e... 

 and the great object now is to find room and conveniences for 

 the plants required, without injuring general crops. Many 

 of us must put every house to a number of purposes. Potted- 

 off a good batch of the brown and other Coleuses, Iresines, 

 &j., but must top them several times to obtain the number 

 required. With a little bottom heat, however, such plants 

 strike and grow very fast. Speed will also be obtained by 

 potting all such tender plants in a warm place, using warmed 

 water, and well-aired warm soil. The less check a plant or a 

 cutting has the better, and the more likely will a healthy 

 growth and freedom from insects be secured. Tne great secret 

 of striking cuttings is to secure the cutting feeling as little as 

 possible its severance from the parent plant. When we see 

 cuttings from a warm plsce lying welted and flagging in a shed, 

 or left in a cold place after being inserted, we often wish that 

 the cuttings had a voice, and used it in remonstrance. — B. F. 



TRADE CATALOGUE RECEIVED. 



F. & A. Dickson & Sons, 106, Eastgate Street, and Upton Nurseries,, 

 Chester. — Catalogue of Farm Seeds. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



* j, * We request that no one will write privately to any of th& 

 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-c, 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. 



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



EOTAL HORTICULTURAI. SOCIETY'S EXHIBITIONS (PomoIW).— If yOU Write 



to J. Richards, Esq., ABsistant Secretary, Royal Horticaltural Society, 

 South Kensington, he will send yon full printed particulars. 



Vine Manual (H. IFJtitaitcr).— No new edition ia about to be issued, as- 

 Buch is not required. It is the "Fruit Manual " which is in preparation. 



DiNNER-TAELE Decokation (ff; C.).— We Shall readily receive your 

 notes. 



