204 



JOURNAL OF HOKTICULTURE A2TD COTTAGE GABDENEE. 



[ ilarch 16, 1871. 



Reebon Border (G. Devon).— A.s you are short of Tom Thumb we woald 

 plant the border thus: — Cerastinm, Lobelia, and Mrs. Pollock Geranium, 

 Tvith the blooms removed; Brilliant Geranium, Calceolaria, d^rarf; Ire- 

 sine Herbstii, Christine Geranium, Flower of the Day, large plants ; 

 Stella Geranium, Ageratum mexicanum, and Purple King Verbena; or 

 Colecs could take the place of Iresine. 



Casnatioxs and Picotees { ).^We do not know of any such Ta- 



rieties. 



_ Seedling Violet (M. C.).— We do not detect any novelty in the seed- 

 iing, either in colour or form. It is the common Violet, Viola odorata. 



Bouquets (M. W.). — There is no book on the making oE bouquets. 

 There are man/ commmiications on the subject in our back volumes. If 

 you enclose twelve postage stamps with your address, and order Nos. 

 vS, 349, and 431 to be sent, you will in them find much information on 

 the subject. Chevreul's work is of no use. We shall publish some notes 

 by llr. Eobson as soon as we can spare space. 



Weae IIaxuee Watee fob Strawberries (J, B.).— The weak manure 

 Tvater for Strawberries recommended bv us was intended for plants in 

 pots under glass. Strawberry plants, however, in the open air. in ordi- 

 nary seasons, would be greatly benefited bv a manure watering when the 

 plants were in bloom and swelling their fruit, iE the ground were at all 

 dry. At ripening lime the less water the better. 



Plaktisg a Vinert (Reader). — The proposed plan will answer very 

 well if carefully carried out, otherwise you will want a larce space for the 

 development of ^o much growth. The more wood the Viues make the 

 first year the greater and healthier will be the root-action, and that after 

 all will lay the best foundation for future success. 



CUTTIXG Back Xewly-plakted Vhtes (J. H, G.). — You should have 

 pmned back your Vines before starting them. The cutting-back would 

 ■depend on circumstances. If you wished to ha,ve a clean stem inside 

 you could have left that length, rubbing off the buds which you did not 

 Trish to start. As you have cut them down you will have the young 

 shoot all the longer We would only allow one shoot to grow. 



Vikes Peehatcrelt Staetisg {Eittie).—V^e do not think it would be 

 safe now either to disbud or remove, or cut back the present growth of 

 the Vines in your greenhouse. Doing so would give such a check as 

 greatly to injure the Vines. If the Vines are old you might select some 

 shoots near the base, and train them as future stems, taking away other 

 shoots as the selected ones grow. As stated a short time ago, we saw 

 "Vines that showed little fruit cut back to make a fresh start, but the fresh 

 shoots were mostly without fruit, and very weak, and the Vines were 

 anuch injured. 



TuENixG-ouT Bedding Geraniums (Idem).— Yon can turn out your 

 Geraniums for bedding into frames as soon as you like, provided you can 

 protect them on frosty nights with mats, &c. 



Tane in Greenhouse (S. M.).—Yqu do not say what your tank is to 

 be. A mere lining with Portland cement will not do. If the tank is of 

 l>rick every brick should be soaked in water, then laid in cement, and 

 afterwards If a casing of cement be put over it, it will do. A very smill 

 saddle boiler will suit your purpose. For such a small place a pipe bent 

 over or in the fireplace ought to do. Could you not get bottom heat from 

 the flue without a tank or boiler ? 



Ventilating a Glass-covebed Wall fJV. R. B.). — We should not have 

 any fear of the perforated zinc as a conductor of heat ; but in all such 

 liouses, instead of mere squares of perforated zinc, it is better to have 

 front and top ventilation entirely at command, so that yon can give it 

 ireely in warm and shut it off in cold weather. 



House fob Cucuiieees, &c. (il. H. B. L.). — A bed 4 feet wide would be 

 ample for Cucumbers. If propagating in a 10-feet-wide house were your 

 object yon could have it wider, or you could have two beds Si feet wide, 

 one on each side. For each bed yon will need two 4-Lnch pipes' for bottom 

 heat, and for top heat you will require two pip*^s on each side. It will be 

 best to be able to give top or bottom heat separately at pleasure. We 

 "would not sink the pipes, but return them at the doorway. You will have 

 abundance of front air in the flaps, but you should have the means of 

 regulating them, so as to give a half-inch opening when necessary instead 

 of a 9-inch one. iluch front air will not be wanted. In a 6- feet pit we find 

 4^ inches in each light sufficient. You will want to more than double 

 your top ventilation, and even there half an inch all the way will often be 

 better than large openings far apart. 



MoNOCHLETUii ENSCFEHUM CuLTUBE (S. F.). — It does not require a 

 stove, but an intermediate house, or one with a temperature of 45- from 

 fire heat in winter. A compost of eqnal parts of loam, peat, and leaf soil 

 will grow it well, giving good, draiaase. When growing it requires a 

 moist atmosphere ; from now to August afford a moist atmosphere, 

 ■sprinMe overhead twice daily, and admit air freely. Water so as to keep 

 the soil moist, but allow it to become dry before giving moisture, and 

 then before the plants flag supply enough to show at the drainage. The 

 plant succeeds well in a pit in summer, or in an airy greenhouse ; but to 

 flower freely it should have a temperature of 45^ in winter. Be careful 

 not to overwater in winter. 



CYCLA3IENS NOT Flow-ebing (Idem).— We do uot perceive the advantage 

 of keeping them very wet when they had no leaves. Continue them in 

 -the house until May, then remove them to a cold frame, and in June 

 plant them in the open ground in a sunny situation. At the end of 

 August take them up and place them in pot6 twice the diameter of the 

 corms, using 'he compost you name, and affording good drainage. Place 

 'them in a cold frame on coal ashes, and in September remove them to a 

 shelf in a greenhouse, with a temperature of 40" to 45-. Shift into larger 

 pots in October, and if you can give them a gentle bottom heat, and a top 

 heat of 45^ to 50-, they will sooner fill the pots with roots, make a stronger 

 leaf growth, and throw up flowers more freely. Keep them near the 

 glass, and do not water until the soil becomes' dry. J5iaintain a tempe- 

 Tature of 45^. 



WoBMS IN Pots (if. S. B.). — ^Worms, from making the soil sour and 

 tending to choke the drainage, are injurious to Ferns and all plants in 

 pots. Lime water will not injure Ferns; lib. of lime is sufficient for 

 three gallons of water, which should be allowed to stand forty-eight 

 hours, and then, closing the holes in the pots, deluge them f jrthree hours 

 with the clear liquid. The worms will come to the surface or be destroyed. 

 Remove whatever is used to close the holes in the pots after three hours, 

 )o allow of the water nmning off. The roots are not in a healthy state, 



or the drainage is not giol. We would repot the plants, removing all 

 the soil parting freely from the roots. The Leptopteris superba, we 

 think, will recover, but we would keep it moist, and in a temperature of 



45' to 5u-. 



CALiDiuiT Cultube {Tdfim). — Calidiums succeed weU in a compost of 

 two parts of fibrous loam, one part sandy peat, and one part old cow 

 danff, with a free admixture of sharp sand. They require a night tem- 

 perature of from 60^ to 65-, and TO- to 75" by day, with a rise from sun 

 heat of from 10^ to 20'. Slight shade from bright sun is necessary, as 

 well as abundance of moisture. Repot the Gloxinias, and place them in 

 a hotbed of 70' to 75^, giving no water until they begin to grow, then keep 

 the soil moist, and when they are growing freely remove them to the 

 stove, assigning them a position near the glass, but partially shaded. 

 They will flower well. 



Cahellia Leaves Spotted {E.A. 31.).— The leaves sent are browned, 

 probably, from the plants being kept in a moist, cold atmosphere. We 

 would now repot the plants, and encourage growth by a moist atmosphere, 

 and a temperature of 50^. Shade from bright sun, takins care to have 

 the leaves dry by giving air early, before the son shines powerlolly on, 

 them. 



Lawn Patcht (H. H.}. — We wotild scratch the bare places with an iron 

 rake, sow over them lawn grass seeds rather thickly, and after sowing 

 rake lightly and roll well. Yon may now give the lawn a gooi dressing 

 of short manure or rich compost, let this remain till early in April, and 

 then, on the first rains, rake well, removing all the loose parts with an 

 iron rake, and sow the seeds on the bare places. Sow likewise over the 

 whole Trifolium minus, in addition to the grass seeds on the bare places, 

 aud roll well, and then do not mow until ilay, but both mowing and 

 rolling must afterwards be frequent. It is bad practice to cut lawn grass 

 at this season. Frequent rolling and mowing are the only means of 

 keeping a lawn in good order. 



Peach Tbee Leaves Falling fF.).— The leaves sent are blistered, we 

 think, by some destructive solution, but as you say there is an exudation 

 we should attribute it to gum, for which there is no known remedy. 

 The leaves are so small that we suspect the tree is in a very unhealthy 

 state. We do not think the mischief is caused by ants, but they may 

 feed on the exudation. Besides boiling wa^er and guano, a solution of 

 Clarke's Compound, 2 ozs. to the gallon, will destroy every ant it comes 

 in contact with, and not injure the plants. 



Covering for Peach Trees (Q. Q.).— "Tarletan" would not be too 

 thick as a covering for Peach trees, but we fear it would not be strong 

 enough. Nothing answers better than canvas. The bush Plum and Pear 

 trees would be benefited by placing the branches of Fir trees over them 

 when in blossom. They need only be used in frosty weather, and should 

 be removed whenever the weather is mild. In frosty weather they may 

 remain on day and night. We do not see the objection to fron for the 

 vinery you contemplate. If well painted it is not more objectionable 

 than wood. In the matter of repairs, none will be required for many 

 years, but there is one objection — viz., the expense. We, like your friend, 

 prefer wood to iron, mainly on account of the expense. 



Lawn Babe (Subscriber). — The horse manure we would leave on until 

 the early part of April, and then we would clear it away with an iron 

 rake, and sow over the lawn Trifolium minus at the rate of 12 lbs per 

 acre, raking lightly after sowing, and afterwards giving a good rolling. 

 If in forming the lawn yon took care to secure a good covering of soil 

 all over the surface, we have no doubt that it will come right this season. 

 If the lawn is thin of grass you might advantageously sow over it a mix- 

 ture of lawn grass seeds, say 12 to 20 lbs. per acre, along with the Clover 

 seed. If the lawa is poor you may give a dressing of bone dnst at the 

 time of sowing. It would improve it much in appearance, being the best 

 known manure for grass. 



Annuals foe the Geeenhouse i.fffnri). — Balsams to be sown early in 

 April in gentle heat ; keep the plants near the glass, pot them off when 

 ! the rough leaves show, and shift into a larger size as they fill their pots 

 ' with roots, until you have them in 8 or 9-inch pots. They require light 

 j rich loam. Celosia pyramidalis alba, atros an guinea, aurea, and coccinea 

 — sow in a hotbed early next month, pot the plants off singly when large 

 enough to handle, and continue them in the hotbed, transferrinET them 

 to 4^-inch, and finally to 6-inch pots.' and when these are full of roots 

 transfer the plants to the greenhouse. Loam with ons-third peat will 

 grow them well. Cockscombs may be grown in the same way as Celosias. 

 Browallia elata, and its varieties alba and cffirulea grandiflora, sow in a 

 hotbed, pot off three in a pot, shift into larger pots when those fill with 

 roots, and ultimately into 7-inch pots. Amaranthus bicolor aud tricolor 

 miy be grown in the same way as Celosia. Gomphrena globosa, vars. 

 alba, carnea, purpurea, and striata, require similar treatment to Balsams. 

 Sensitive Plant, sow in a hotbed in peat, pot off singly when the rough 

 leaves appear, and shift into larger pots as those they are in fill with 

 roots, and finally give 7 or 3-inch pots. Thanbcrgii alata, and its variety 

 alba, sow in a hotbed in light rich soil, pot off when large enonsh, and as 

 often as the pots fill with roots shifc into larger pots ; S or 9-inch pots 

 are not too large. Being climbers, they require support. A compost of 

 light loam two partii, leaf soil one part, and lime rubbish one part, will 

 grow tbem well. For autumn you may now sow Primula sinensis in a 

 hotbed, pot off singly when the rough I'^aves appear, remove to a cold 

 frame in June, shiEt into 4i-inch pots in July, and into 6 inch or 7-inch 

 pots in August, aud remove them to the greenhouse in September. 

 Cinerarias may be sown in May, and having similar treatment to the 

 Primulas will flower early in spring. Sow Calceolarias in July in a cold 

 frame or under a haud-ligbt, pot off when large enough, and remove 

 them to the greenhouse in September. Pot in October and again in 

 February in their blooming pots. C.tclameH persicum may be sown now 

 in a hotbed ; potted off siusly in small pots, and grown in heat they will 

 flower next winter and spring. Particulars of their treatment were lately 

 given. 



Vines Planted this Season (Jtfem). — Planted now they will need to 



be trained with one shoot, selecting the strongest, and rubbing off all 



others, they being pruned, we presume, to the boitom of the rsiters. The 



shoot is to be trained up to the top without stopping, and all the laterals 



I or side shoots should have their points taken out above the first leal. 



I They will push again ; let them make three or more leaves, then stop 



them again. After August stop all side shoots to one joint, and do not stop 



' the main shoot until it reaction the top of the house lu autumn, after 



1 the leaves fall, cut back to S feet, and the following season you will have 



