278 



JOUKNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ AprU 1?, 1871. 



^oought all the best plants sent out every year, she had never 

 spent a single penny except on the mere wages of labour. 



Winter -'blooming Heaths pruned pretty freely will be bene- 

 fited by being kept in a cold pit rather close and warm until the 

 young shoots are progressing freely, when the plants must 

 have more air to escape mildew and secure robust growth. 

 Epacrises may be treated in the same way, but they will bear 

 more heat and rather more shade to induce them to break 

 freely. Care should be taken not to prune too far back ; only 

 the shoots of last year should be cut back. When once the 

 young shoots are made, expose them well to sun and air to 

 ripen the wood and set the buds, preventing the pot at the 

 same time from being too much heated. We pntted OalaiMums, 

 Gesneras, &c., and set them under the shade of Vines. — R. F. 



TRADE CATALOGUE RECEIVED. 



'William Paul, Waltbam Cross, London, N. — Spring Catalogue^ 1S71. 

 Neio Hoses, Pelargoniimis., Camellias, d-c. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



'*** ^e request that no one will write privately to any of the 

 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, t^x., 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. 

 ^.B. — Many questions must remain unanswered until nest week. 



Wages Insufficient {A Head Gardencr).~li they are not enougli to 

 sustain you and your family, then leave. Avoid any proceeding such as 

 you intimate. "What Chantrey said (and he could remember when he 

 -raowed an acre a-day to obtain a livelihood), is quite applicable to gar- 

 dening and gardeners—" A breach of truth or a subterfuge is not to be 

 endured amongst men who illustrate the beautiful and the pure." 



Poor Man's Pipe {J. B.). — This is the name in Lancashire of the Datura 

 Stramonium, or Thorn Apple. The seed is smoked by those who are 

 asthmatical or otherwise troubled by breathing with difficulty. It is a 

 iiative plant, and the seed may be sown now. 



Rhododendron Show at the Eotal Hoeticultueal Society's Gar- 

 dens {J N.). — It will be held in June, but thR date of opening will in a 

 great measure depend on the fo^war'^ness of the plants for blooming. It 

 lasts several days, and will be advertised in due time. 



Sidney Seed-sower (Inquirer). — We have used this extensively and 

 found it the best sower either in drills or broadcast that we ever em- 

 loyed . An alteration in the slide has removed the objection you mention, 

 that it would not sow Peas. 



Thrips on Azaleas (A Constant Reader). — You can do little with 

 Azaleas as respects thrips whilst ihey are in flower, escept sponging the 

 leaves with weak tobacco or glue water. When out of hloom smoke with 

 tobacco, and use clear soot water freely, with a close moist atmosphere. 



Palms (6f. W. T.). — There is no such book as you mention. 



Various (F. G.). — Auriculas and almost allkinds of flowers may be drietfi 

 and then gummed in books, but glue is better. The flowers should be 

 gfithered when thoroughly dry. placed between sheets of blotting paper, 

 and every day be changed to fresh dry sheets. They will need pressure 

 "to keep them tirm. This should be continued until they are thoroughly 

 dried, and they may then be placed in the book or on separate sheets of 

 paper. Magnolia grandiflora, 5 feet high in pots, is too small to flower. 

 Turn the plants nut in a sheltered situation out of doors, and they will 

 flower in due time. If your situation is exposed, plant against a wall 

 with a south or south-west aspect. The ground should be well drained. 

 Poinciana Gilliesii is only hardy in warm situations far south. A wall 

 witli a south or south-west aspect is required. We do not think Magnolia 

 glauca could be grown in large pots so as to flower satisfactorily. 

 Plant it out in a situation sheltered from strong winds, and it will thrive. 

 We do not perceive the propriety of dwarfing such subjects as these. 

 Enrya latifolia varieeata, so ffir as we know, has not tloweied in this 

 country. It is one of the finest nearly hardy evergreen variegated shrubs^ 



Hy-acinths in the Open Ground (P. i?.).— The spikos have no doubt 

 been eaten ofl" by thfl Inrvas of some insect, probably wireworms, which 

 are uncommonly active this season. Place a few pieces of Carrots in the 

 soil about an inch deep, and examine them daily for a time, and after- 

 wards at longer intervals. You may thereby clear awoy a great many. 

 They will be found eating into the baits. 



Queen Victoria Grape (F. Townscnd).—The Queen Victoria Grape is 

 the same as Victoria Hamburgh, which is a synonyme of Frankenthal. 

 The bunches and berries are large and black. 



Grape for Inarching on Barbarossa (A. J.). — Barbarossa (Gros 

 Guillaume) is a strong grower and makes a good stock for almost all the 

 late kinds. It answers well as a stock for Alicante, Lady Downe's, and 

 the Muscats. 



Aucdbas Impregnated— Peach Tree attacked with Red Spider 

 (XV. H. S.). — It is not unusual for them to be naturally impregnated. The 

 male plant near the female is sufficient to account for it It is now too 



late to dress the Peach tree liable to be attacked by red spider with any 

 composition as a preventive, but we would after May syringe forcibly on 

 the evenings of hot days, and give copious supplies of water at the roots in 

 dry weather, continuing to do so till the fruit takes its second swelling. 

 If red spider attack it. syringe the tree, so as to wet both sides of every 

 leaf, with a solution of 2 ozs. of soft soap to the gallon of water. The 

 watering and syringing will improve the health of the tree, and improve 

 the size and quality of the fruit. 



Plants for a Conservatory (A. P.). — We presume you wish for plants 

 not only for summer, but also autumn, winter, and spring ; we shall 

 therefore name some of the most desirable plants for a greenhouse or 

 conservatory, such as we have in ours found the most free both in growth 

 and flowering. Acacia armata, nulchella, oleifolia elegans, Dmmmondi, 

 and longiflora magnifica; Acrophyllum venosum, Beaufortia splendens. 

 Cassia corymbosa, Chorozema cordatum splendens. Citrus japonica, 

 i Corvea Brilliant, Cytisus racemosus, Eiitasia floribunda. Kalosanthes 

 coccinea superba, K. miniata grandiflora, Lilium auratum, L.lancifolium, 

 Libonia floribunda. Myrtus communis, M. communis angustifolia, Nerium 

 rnbrum plenum, Polygala Dahnaisiana, Rhododendron jasminiflorum, 

 R. Princess Royal, R. Princess Alexandra, and Vallota purpurea. Camel- 

 lias Alba plena, Fimbriata, Bonomiana, Bealii fLeeana superba), LaPace, 

 Leopold I., Mathotiana, Mrs. Cope, Storyi, Valtevaredo, Wilderi, and 

 Rafia. Azalea indica Admiration, Brilliant, Chelsoni, Criterion, Due de 

 Kassau, Etoile de Gaud, Fxtranei, Gledstanesi formosa, Kinghomi, Mars, 

 President Claeys. Queen Victoria. Stella, and Vesuvius. Epacrises Car- 

 minata, Eclipse, Hyacinthiflorn, Miniata splendens. The Bride, and Vis- 

 countess Hill. Of plants with variegated or ornamental foliage — Aga- 

 panthus umbellatus fol. variegatis, Agave americana aureo-variegata, 

 Arundo Donax variegata, Chamrerops excelsa, Dracrena australis, Hy- 

 drangea japonica variegata, Isolepis gracilis, Phormium tenax, Sednm 

 carneum variegatura, S. Sieboldi variegatum, Veronica Andersoni varie- 

 gata. Yucca aloifolia variegata, Y. filamentosa variegata. Fuchsias Ava- 

 lanche, Beauty of Clapham, Blue Boy, Empress, Enchantress, Heather 

 Bell, and Sunshine. Pelargoniums, Show — Archbishop, Charles Turner, 

 Congress, Consul Cameron, Emperor, Lady of the Lake, Menilek, Trou- 

 badour, Mr. Rassam, Elvira, Envoy, and Lord Napier. Fancy — Belle of 

 the Season, Brightness, Fanny Gair, Lord of the Isles, Mrs. Mendel, 

 Princess Teck. Spotted (French and English) — Argus. Boileau, Cybele. 

 Monsieur Le Play, and Monsieur Prevot. You perhaps have the Gold 

 and Bronze-leaved variegated sorts : if not, they are fine for house work — 

 Achievement. Edward George Henderson, Excellent, Lucy Grieve, Jetty 

 Lacy, Lady Cullum, Mabel Morris. May Queen, Mrs. John Glutton, Sophia 

 Dumaresque, Sunray, Italia Unita. and Picturata. Some of the Zonals 

 are also fine for their flowers, which you no doubt have, but we never- 

 theless name a few— Beauty of Dulwich, Blazer, Crimson Perfection, 

 Duchpss of Sutherland, Duke of Edinburgh, Fire King. International, 

 Lord Derby, Mdlle. Nillson, Seraph, Lizzie, and Princess Dagmar. Chry- 

 santhemums are indispensable for an autumn display. Large-flowering 

 — fardin des Plantes, Countess of Warwick, Golden Beverley, Hermine, 

 Miss Marechaus, BIrs. Hnffington. White Christine, Princess of Teck. Dr. 

 Sharpe, Fingal, John Salter, and Purpurea elegans. Pomcon — The Little 

 Gem, Prince Victor, James Forsyth, Brilliant, Golden Cede Nolli, and 

 White Trevenna. You can raise from seed Cinerarias, Calceolarias. Pri- 

 mulas, and Cyclamen persicum. You will find particulars of the treatment 

 of conservatory and greenhouse plants in Keane's "In-door Gardening." 

 It may be had by post from our office for Is. l^d. 



LINU3I TRiGTNUii CULTURE [W. W.). — " It requires more warmth and 

 moisture than is generally given to it while making its growth, and one 

 of the best positions it can have is a light and airy place on a raised stage 

 or shelf in a stove, and I think that in general red spider is the result 

 of too cold or too dry a treatment. After it has made its growth it is 

 better to remove it to a colder house, but still to a house where it is not 

 too cold to give it a syringing every day. If I find red spider inclined to 

 attack it I add a little soft soap to the water before syringine, and apply 

 it to the under sides of the leaves with nearly the whole force of a syringe. 

 Your readers will most probably think I am a great advocate for warmth 

 and moisture, and I confess myself guilty to the impeachment, for so 

 long as moisture is not stagnant and warmth is not too close I believe 

 nearly all plants are benefited by it. In other words, I believe if plants 

 are grown in double span-light houses with plenty of ventilation, that 

 heat and moisture are necessary adjuncts. Linum trigynum likes plenty 

 of pot room and good treatment. A top-dressing or mulching of manure 

 such as would be applied to Peach and Nectarine trees in pots seems to 

 suit it well, and it ought to be daily syringed till it begins to open its 

 flowers. Red spider is its only drawback, but a large plant in a good-sized 

 pot is invaluable, as with good treatment it will remain in bloom for six 

 months of the dullest season of the year— from October to March. — 

 C. C. P." 



Thrtsacanthus rctilans Culture {G. S.).— Insert the points of the 

 shoots now singly in small pots in a compost of two parts sandy loam, one 

 part sandy peat, and one part silver sand. Place them in bottom heat, 

 and keep them moist and shaded. In the course of two or three weeks 

 they will be rooted, and in about six weeks should be shifted into larger 

 pots, using the same compost as before ; then place them in the stove, 

 They require a lit^ht airy position and a moist atmosphere. Shift the 

 plants into larger pots as required, but not after August. After Septem- 

 ber give no more water than enough to keep the foliage fresh. When 

 they show for flower, water more copiously. They require a stove at all 

 ^imes, but will do in a heated vinery in summer. 



EucHAEis amazoxica TO Flower IN WINTER (Idcm).— The plant should 

 at once be potted if necessary, and be placed in a bottom heat of 70- to 

 ■/S^ continuing it there and watering as required for the next three months. 

 At the end of that time it will have made a good growth, and should be 

 gradually withdrawn from the hotbed and the watering lessened, yet giving 

 enough to keep the foliage fresh. It should have a position near the glass, 

 combining plentv of light with abundanco of air. Keep it here with a 

 diminished water supply until sis weeks before yon desire flowers, and 

 it will probably throw up for flowering after it has been that time in the 

 hotbed, to which it should be returned. It requires a stove, and a com- 

 post of two parts turfy loam, one part flbrons peat, and one part leaf soil, 

 with a free admixture of sharp sand. Good drainage is necessary. 



Fowls' Manure— Cucusibers and Melons (Amateur). — The dung of 

 fowls is beneficial to all kinds of plants, and may be used like stable or 

 farmyard manure, but only one-fourth of tlie quantity should be given at 

 one time. For plants in beds or borders it should besprinkled on the sot- 



