J-Pril 18, 1871. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AiSTD COTTAGE GARDENER. 



279 



face, and pointed in with a fork. If nsed as a liquid maunre, one peck to 

 thirty gallons of water is sufficiently strong, but not too strong for Vines, 

 Cucumbers, or Melons. In no case let it come in contact with the foliage. 

 At the above strength it is suitable for all plants to which liquid manure 

 is usually given. For a house, Cix's Volunteer, TeleRraph, and Dale's 

 Conqueror Cucumbers are excellent and large; ilasters's Prolific is 

 smaller, but a very free-bearing excellent sort. Of Melons, grow Heckfield 

 Hybrid, Meredith's Hybrid Cashmere, and Dr. Hogg, green-fleshed; and 

 Wills'3 Oulton Park Hybrid, Mounsden's Moreton Hall, and Golden Per- 

 fection, the former two scarlet, and the latter yellow-fleshed. 



Perennial Asters {B. B.)-— Aster Amellus major, A. grandiflorus. A- 

 dumosus, A. tanacetifolius, A. Novi-Belgii, A. hyssopifolius, and A. sik- 

 kimensig. A. tenuifolius is also good. 



Verbenas Blighted {R H".).— The newly-struck cutting sent us shows 

 ■the ravages of the tbrips, and the black on the leaver is due to the attacks 

 of those insects or green aphis. Fill the house with tobacco smoke on a 

 calm evening, shutting up closely, and having the atmosphere tolerably 

 moist, but the foliage of the plants dry. Repe:it the smoking on the next 

 night but one. In the course of a few days we would remove the plants 

 to a cooler house or frame, and they will succeed much better than in a 

 heated structure. (J. F. B.).— We have no doubt yours are affected with 

 "the disease that has taken such hold on Verbenas tliis season. We believe 

 it arises from propagating them for so many generations from cuttings, 

 and we advise cuttings to be taken from the most healthy plants, and 

 from those grown a distance — i e., change the stock. We would also 

 direct attention to the desirability of raising from seed, and propagating 

 from the kinds so raised. Indeed, some very good sorts can be obtained 

 from seed, and they do not exhibit any traces of disease for some time. 

 ~G. A. 



Pruning a Newlt-planted Orchard of Dwarf and Pyramid Trees 

 iW. I. T.), — As you justly observe, opinions differ widely as to this, and 

 we are not surprised at your being pu?;zled. Perhaps our advice may 

 differ from that of all others, for if we had planted such an orchard during 

 the past winter, we should not prune at all till next year, but would take 

 care to secure every tree in its place by proper stakes and tying. In 

 planting all kinds of deciduous trees and even quickset hedges, we make 

 it a poiut not to head them down till the following season, when they are 

 cut in rather severely. This mode of proceeding we think is more especi- 

 ally necessary with fruit trees that are worked, as a too-close heading in 

 the first year is apt to produce suckers, which are better avoided. The 

 mode which you have marked of cutting them in may do very well the 

 second year, but we would not cut them in so severely, as bush and 

 pyramid trees require the knife less than standards. Keeping the 

 head within bounds, while the stem is enlarging to bear it, renders 

 cutting-in the head essential in the case of standards, but the necessity 

 for this is not so great where the trees are bushes or pyramids. Some 

 judgment, however, is required in cutting the latter, in order to obtain a 

 well-formed head ; but we have more faith in hot summers restricting 

 growth and promoting the formation of fruit-bearing bud«, than io any 

 slulful manipulation with the knife. Assuming the position ynu have 

 chosen to be a suitable one, it is very likely you will be successful. By an 

 ■accident this answer has been delayed a weuk. 

 _ Evaporating Liquid Manure (Amateur).— You. m>iy use the strong 

 liquid manure that flows from your stable for placing in your evaporating 

 pans in a Cucumber house, if the liquid has been collected and stored 

 ten days to ferment, and then mixed with, say, four times its quantity of 

 water. Guano water may be used in the same way at the rate of from 



2 to 3 ozs. of guano to a gallon of water. If you use either much stronger 

 the fames may be dangerous in a close house at night. 



Cucumber Leaves, <S:c., Scalded {J. A. Je^rey'.—We have not the 

 -Slightest doubt that the leaves of the Cucumbers and other plants are 

 scalded by hot vapour and a deficiency of air, attended with too much heat, 

 From 70- to 80' is a good temperature for Cucumbers during the day in 

 sunshine, and with a little air on at top ; 70^ should never be exceeded 

 with artificial heat from a flue. Watering the flue every day to produce 

 the dense steam is altogether wrong ; such hot steam, and then the sun 

 heating on the leaves, with deficient ventilation, will quite account for 

 the scalded appearance of the foliage. It will be in every way better to 

 Jiave evaporating pans on the flue, and to touch it directly with water 

 tut seldom Your next remedy is to give air at the top so early as to 

 have the foliage dry before a bright sun beats upon it. Less heat, less 

 direct steaming, and, if not more air, at least giving it earlier at the top 

 of the house, will be your means of getting out of the difficulty. Better 

 damp the walls and floor instead of the flue. 



Vine Roots Diseased (J. G. 5.).— The roots are infested by the myce- 

 lium of some fungus, and that we think must have found its way into the 

 border with dead woody matter; probably there was some in "the loam 

 or in the burot earth that had escaped the action of the fire. A good 

 soaking of lime water applied to all the border would no doubt be de- 

 structive to the fundus in a certain degree, but we fear it has too deep 

 hold of the roots to be so arrested. Lime is, however, a good remedy for 

 fungus, and wo should give it a trial. Take care to have the lime water 

 iieated to the temperature of the border. We would also try a solution 

 of 2 ozs. of salt to the gallon of water, giving a good dressing, and it is 

 likely the fungus will be subdued, and the Vines may form fresh roots 

 that may be proof against further attacks. We think tlie border is v^rv 

 rich and the Vines vigorous. The mqister the border the less the fungus 

 will spread, and it is not unlikely a thorough soaking of water would 

 destroy it; and such may also cause its full development, in which case 

 the roots of the Vines will speedily die off. In case the Vines do not go 

 on satisfactorily we would lift them and make entirelv new borders, cut- 

 ting away all the diseased roots, and dusting those le'ft with quicklime. 

 If you could shade the house for a few days we would remove the surface 

 soil down to the roots, dust them with quicklime, put over them about 



3 inches of soil, and cover the border with hot dung, and this we think 

 would effect a cure. If there is any woody matter in the border you have 

 no remedy but to remake the border. 



Vine-grafting— Planting— Dressing (B.).— There can be no objection 

 to grafting the Vines as you suggest, or inarching in summer instead of 

 grafting. The planting the Vines under an arch is purely a matter of 

 taste. Unless for grafting and inarching purposes we would prefer one. 

 We cannot say that by selecting the best and cutting out the inferior one 

 the roots of the latter would produce mildew, &c., if the plant were cut so 

 far back that the stem would send out no shoots. We have, however, met 

 with some cases where not only decaying roots but decaying organised 



matter produced a dangerous mildew or fungus in the soil It is of little 

 importance when you plant Vines inside of a house. If when at rest in 

 the autumn, you may lay out the roots. If the Vines are growing, and 

 planted in April, Hay, or onwards, the mode lately adverted to by Mr. 

 Thomson is the best. If a growing Vine were in a pot we would merely 

 extricate the roots at the surface of the ball, and not greatly disentangle 

 the roots. Houses should be painted inside when Vines, <&c., are in a 

 state of rest. a. e y growing plant will feel the eff-icts of the paint until 

 the smell of lead and oil has gone. If not quite gone you must give more 

 heat and affjr 1 a circulation of air buth by day and "night ; little woula 

 do at night. Your wall we consider to bo (;'f a very good height for trees 

 to be easily managed. To fill it quickly and yet give the trees somewhat 

 free scope, we would plant them at from 12 to 1-1 feet apart. T^ou might 

 have the permanent plants double that width apart, but were we planting 

 to-morrow we would give them less room. We could limit extra growth 

 by root-pruning, and if anything happened to a tree there would not ba 

 such a gap on the wall. On the whole, we should be inclined to restrict 

 room instead of dwelling on the many square feet or yards a tree occu- 

 pied ; we should thus have more variety. 11;^ feet will be ample for a 

 border for such trees. 



Ivy against Wire Netting [Old Fu-ader).~We have never tried Ivy 

 against wire netting, but we have a very good screen of that plant sup- 

 ported by sturdy posts 6 feet ap^irt, with a rather thick rail at the top, the 

 spaces being filled in with slender poles put in diagonally, so as to divide 

 the whole into diamond-shaped openings of about a foot or so wide. By 

 tying the Ivy to this framework for a year or two it soon reached the top, 

 and hangs over, covering the sides effectually. The site is far from good, 

 and at one place, where some buildings created a violent current from 

 the coldest quarter, the Ivy was longer in getting up, and even now suffers 

 at times, losing some of its foliage in severe winters. Assuming yours 

 to be a case like this, could you not manage to put up some shelter as a 

 backing on the windy side for a few weeks in winter until your plants 

 were established ? Perhaps fixing up some Russian matting would serve 

 the purpose for a time, taking care not to let it flap backwards and for- 

 wards, and so injure the Ivy. When the latter becomes older it will with- 

 stand the cold better, for we think it is the unripened state of the plant 

 in autumn that renders it unable to bear the rigour of winter, but when 

 once established it will be safe. Most of the varieties are hardy enough, 

 but the very hardiest is the common wild one, which is also about the 

 best climber; but its appearance is not so good as that of some of the 

 others, nor does it grow ao fast. 



GLiSs (3/. C. E ).— We should not hesitate about glazing a vinery with 

 the glass you enclosed. It is very stout, translucent, and the ribbing has 

 a tendency to prevent scorching. 



Applebv's Registered Fujiigatoe (Sussexensis). — We believe it to be 

 efficient and se.facting. " D-, Deal," reports of it very favourably. 



Liquid Manure for Roses (F. H. G.).— There are so many ways of 

 applying liquid manure to Roses, that it is difficult to say which is the 

 best. As a general rule the greater varieties there are of chemical ingre- 

 dients in the liquid manures the better, provided they are not applied too 

 strong. One very good plan is to have a large barrel sunk in a corner of 

 the kitchen garden, or where there is a range of houses at the back of 

 the sheds, and to keep it constantly filled with a strong liquid manure 

 made of sheep or deer droppings, soot, and superphosphate ; the whole to 

 ba stirred up occasion illy, but allowed to settle previous to use. Add one 

 can of the strong solution to three of pure water, and put some fresh 

 guano into the liquid manure — about a handful to five gallons — at the 

 time of using it. It is a good way to mix the guano in a separate water 

 can, and then add from it to each can as it is applied to the trees. Wherever 

 there is a cow house or a fold yard to fly to, there a liquid-manure tank 

 ought to be made to take the drainage from the cow house and middens, 

 and this liquid manure, previous to use, would require little more than 

 to be diluted according to the strength, which, of course, will be much 

 affected by the time of year or quantity of rain thit falls. As a rule it is 

 better to apply often and \veak than to risk the use of liquid manure in too 

 strong a state, as such is apt, especially if the soil is at all heavy, to make 

 it soapy, and to stop up the pirticles of the soil, rendering it impervious 

 to air. We cannot too strongly impress upon all persons the advantage, 

 we might almost say the necessity, of storing up all the liquid waste from 

 the house, as soapy water, the drainings from the scullery, &c. There 

 is as much good liquid manure wasted by not taking the precaution be- 

 forehand of securing these drainings from houses as would secure good 

 kitchen garden crops against drought, even in the most unfavourable sea- 

 sons, and would be of the gre!ite<<t value to the gardener, both in the floral 

 and vegetable department. We can fully endorse the warning lately 

 given in the Times, by Mr. Bailey Denton, about the probable scarcity of 

 water this season. The rains at the end of last year did not bring the 

 rainfall up to the avera ge, and every month of the present year has been 

 much under the average, only 1.09 inches of rain having fallen in March, 

 and up to the 10th no raiu in April. The springs are nearly as low now 

 as they were last summer, and after this month is over scarcely any rain 

 finds its way into the springs, on account of surface evaporation and the 

 moisture taken up by growing plants. It is scarcely necessary, for in- 

 stance, to point out the difi'erence between an inch of rain falling on a 

 fallow field in winter, or the same field in May or June when covered with 

 a growing crop of corn ready to take advantage of every drop of moisture. 

 We are induced to make these remarks as we find, not only that the 

 springs are weak for this time of year, but also that the rain-water 

 supply is short ; for where the soft-water supply is dependant (as it 

 generally is), upon what falls on the roofs of houses and outbuildings, it 

 does not get material benefit from snow, which generally when it begins 

 to thaw slips off in great masses from the roofs (often to the detriment of 

 the heads of passers-by), and seldom finds its way into the soft-water 

 tanks. What makes us refer to this is, that by far the greatest amount 

 of rainfall this winter has been in the shape of snow, which, for the most 

 part, has been accompanied with a good deal of wind, ao that very little, 

 if any, has found its way to the soft-water supplies. We feel sure that 

 one of the important problems of the present day will be how to su^jply 

 the country as well as towns with water, not only for sanitary purposes, 

 but for the growth of vegetables and agricultural produce. Land is being 

 drained, trees cut down, hedgerows gmbbed-up, and everything ia being 

 done to increase the power of evaporation, but little or nothing to store- 

 up against a time of drought what is taken off the land during the winter 

 months. 



Insect on Peach Trees (.E. TF.i?.).— The leaves of the trees in your 



