April 20, 1871. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAaE GARDENER. 



295 



obtain good Cacnmbere it is not necessary to resort to any mode of im- 

 pregnation. To make sore of seed it is desirable to resort to it ; and all 

 that is necessary is to take a male flower that has duety pollen on its 

 anther boxes, remove the petals of the flower, and put the pollen boxes 

 in the centre of the female flower when fnlly expanded. To make sure 

 you must do it more than once if not experienced, so as to see that anther 

 and pistil are ripe. This is not at all required for getting fine shapely 

 Cucumbers. If you and your friends use this Cucumber house for smoking 

 in during the summer evenings, it will be advisable to have the foliage 

 dry before there is much smoking. 



Vine Leaves Flagging (T. Barrett).~We can assign no reason for 

 your Vines flagging and the leaves dying, unless they have been frosted 

 during the late severe weather, or rats or mice have nibbled the roots and 

 stem. One of our best Vines never broke this season. We have no doubt 

 that the stem and roots have been nibbled through. This is, however, 

 less likely to be the case with your Vines planted inside. 



BowooD Muscat Grapes Imperfectly Developed (T. H. D.) —We 

 think it is owing to immature wood, the result of a deficiency of heat, or 

 an inadequate supply of water. Severe attacks of red spider will also 

 occasion a defective formation of the buds. We advise you this season 

 to give the Vinos abundant waterings, plenty of heat, and an abundance 

 of air to thorouglily ripen the wood, and this secured, we think the 

 bunches will develope perfectly another season. We do not think Black 

 Hamburgh a suitable stock for either the Bowood Muscat or Muscat of 

 Alexandria. It suits the Black Muscat of Alexandria, which, as com- 

 pared to the former two, is a moderate grower. With us the White 

 Muscats just namtd are verj^ vigorous on their own rootd, and succeed 

 well in a moderately-heated house. The Midresfield Court Muscat is a 

 splendid Grape, finer in bunch than Mrs. Pince, but we are not prepared 

 to say that it is preferable to that variety. Both ought to be in every 

 heated vinery. — G. A. 



Inarching Vines (J. D,}.— Royal Ascot would do well on Black Ham- 

 burgh, and the same stock would suit the Golden Champion. For Madres- 

 field Court Muscat, the Syrian and Gros Guillaume, or Barbarossa, would 

 answer well. You may inarch them at any time after growth commences, 

 or when there are leaves to elaborate the sap, and so prevent bleeding, 

 and we should perform the operation as soon as the wood of the scion 

 becomes sufficiently long and firm to bear cutting without danger of 

 breaking. The younger the wood the greater will be the success, and the 

 more speedy the union. On old wood the scion does not take kindly. 



Iris reticulata not Flowering {G. S ).— Wo think the cause of the 

 non-flowering this year is due to the exhaustion of the plant by the pre- 

 vious year's flowering and the dryness during summer. It would be 

 much the best plan to plunge the pots out of doors in summer, and re- 

 move them to a cool house before severe weather sets in. 



Neapolitan Violets to Bloom in November (W. B".).— Divide the old 

 plants, and plant the well-rooted ruuners early in May on an east border, 

 in good rich soil, well dug, and liberally dressed with leaf soil or well- 

 decayed manure. Plant in lines a foot apart, and 9 inches from plant to 

 plant in the row, shading for a few days if the weather is bright, and 

 watering freely if necessary. Keep the soil stirred, not going so deep as to 

 disturb the roots, and give copious supplies of water ia dry weather, and 

 as many sprinklings overhead as yon can with soot water, mixing one 

 peck of soot in thirty gallons of water. In September take them up with 

 good balls, plant them in a frame or pit in a warm situation, and enjoy- 

 ing the full sun, and shade for a few days. Eeep down the lights in fine, 

 mild weather, drawing them on only in severe periods and in very wet 

 weather, but at such times, though ehielding the plants from excessive 

 rains, admit abundance of air. The Neapolitan is not a good Violet for 

 early winter blooming, but is fine for spring, and is the sweetest of all. 

 The Czar and the single and double Russian are the best for winter. 



Common Brake Fern Planting under Trees (C. JG.).— We know of 

 no plan so good as removing the top 6 inches of the spot where they grow 

 plentifully but not very strongly, and in that you will secure enough 

 roots for a good growth. If taken from where they grow strongly, the 

 rhizomes cannot be removed without going a considerable depth, and, as 

 a rule, they do not grow well. 



Border for Greenhouse Climbers (J. D.).— The border should be 

 the width of the front stage— ie., 8 feet, and continued the length of the 

 house. It should be brought level with the floor line, or not more than 

 3 to 6 inches above. The climbers are best planted out, and the border 

 should be wholly inside the house. The border is intended to be under 

 the front shelf, and the width of the shelf, whatever that maybe. Out- 

 side borders are of no use, except for those kinds which are required to 

 cover a large space ; besides, they are only suited for the hardier subjects, 

 as Fuchsias, Wistarias, and Clematises. 



Pelargonium Leap Spotted [C. B. M.).~The leaf is spotted in con- 

 sequence of the imperfect elaboration of the sap, arising, we think, from 

 more being taken up than can be elaborated by the leaves. The soil is 

 too rich, though if you were to give the plants a little more heat, light, 

 and an abundance of air, it is likely they would become healthy and 

 flower well. The soil and atmosphere we think too dry. 



Peas Mildewed (A. Z. F. C.).— All our Peas sown after the middle of 

 May are sown in trenches prepared as for Celery, with this difference, 

 that they have the soil returned level. We take out a trench 18 inches 

 or 2 feet wide, and a good spade deep, and put in about 4 inches of manure, 

 dig it in, then fill up with soil, give another coat of manure, and dig it in. 

 We then sow the Peas in a wide drill, more like one made for Potatoes 

 than in ordinary practice with Peas. When the Peas show flower, if the 

 weather is dry, we give a good soaking with water, mulch the ground 

 on, both sides of the rows to the distance of 18 inches or 2 feet, and re- 

 peat the waterings twice a-week, giving a good soaking. A slight earth- 

 ing-up does good. To have good late Peas it is necessary to water freely, 

 and mulch so as to lessen evaporation. Dry aess at the root ia the prin- 

 cipal cause of mildew in Peis. Give them plenty of moisture, and treat 

 them liberally with manure, either liquid or solid, and it will disappear. 



Fernery Construction {Flora}.— The principal object to be kept in 

 view is nature ; but do as you may, noimitation doorways can be made to 

 appear otherwise than as works of art, and rustic art may advantageously 

 be employed in buildings of this character ; yet it seems strange to have 

 a doorway of bark or wood put together in rustic style, and have the 

 roof of smooth timber showing mechanical skill. It is not the exterior 

 of such places that we have to consider so much as the interior, and we 

 consider it should form one scene. If it be rock, rock should everywhere 



prevail, and that rock should be of one description. We give all credit 

 for the endeavour to bring together as great a diversity of materials and 

 characteristics as possible in a small space, but that very diversity is 

 fatal to the natural eff"ect, for there is no geological connection between 

 the materials employed ; and it is not an imitation of nature, for there is 

 no such thiug as a confusion or mixture of many substances in the same 

 spot. We therefore would not employ a great variety of materials for the 

 construction of a rockery for Ferns. The very best imitations of natural 

 rocks are, however well executed, very ill adapted to the growth of the 

 plants, which is in our estimation the sole object of the structure. The 

 best material for a rockery for Ferns is free grit or sandstone, we prefer 

 the former : and no other material would we employ but limestone, some 

 of the petrified forms of which are very suitable. The free grit or sand- 

 stone admits of two forms of arrangement— the massive and boulder. In 

 extensive arrangements the former is the better, though it may be practised 

 on a small scale, but small rockeries are more consistent on the boulder 

 principle. Either of the arrangements will answer for limestone, but if 

 the stone has been rent it must be put together as a mass, and not on the 

 boulder system, which ia that of large or small stones which have for ages 

 been rent from the parent rock. In your case we would have the massive 

 as well as the boulder system. The steep p;u-t9 we would have in the 

 massive style, and the lower parts formed of boulders so disposed as if 

 they had fallen from a height, or fallen from the massive part near. Of 

 course you will so construct the rockworkthat a number of openings wiU 

 be left for plants, such as ledges, clefts, crevices, and hollows, the boul- 

 ders of course forming their own openings, likewise have sloping parts 

 for soil for plants. In no case need every pai't of the wall be covered 

 with rock, though some are at great pains to hide them. It will be enough 

 if they are of stone of a kind that will moss, and we would employ stones 

 from a building, if we could obtain them, rather than stone newly quarried. 

 The upright wall showing in parts, with projecting rocks here and there, 

 and fallen boulders in other parts, will give a great diversity. In con- 

 structing the walls we would not remove or strike off the mortar, but 

 leave it as it is pressed out at the joints. This upright part will in time 

 be covered with seedling Ferns and Moss, and will have an excellent 

 effect, or it may be covered with Ficus repens. We would, however, 

 syringe it well, and when wet dash against it finely sifted peat, which 

 will cling to the wall, and rest on the lime proj ecting from the j oints sufla.- 

 ciently for the speedy growth of moss and the spores of Ferns. The 

 entrance should be concealed as much as possible. We usually have an 

 archway, the stones laid so as to appear as if they had fallen from the 

 two sides, and, becoming wedged, had naturally formed the arch. You 

 may introduce water with gool elfect, as a dropping well or a spring from 

 a fissure in the rock, forming a small stream, then a pool, and disap- 

 pearing in a hole or fissure. It may also be brought over rock, appearing 

 as a stream coming from high ground intercepted by falling over the 

 perpendicular or declining rock, and forming a rill over the rock; or it 

 I may be a cascade if there is sufficient water and the rocks so disposed. 

 ; The door is a matter of taste ; let it be seen as little as possible from any 

 \ part of the interior. We hope shortly to give more fully our views of a 

 fernery. 



EUCHARIS AMAZONICA WHICH FlOWER FoUR TIMES A- YEAR. — TheplautS 



! are potted in loam and a little sand, placed in a house where they have 

 ' bottom heat all the year round, and are never allowed to become dry. 

 ■ They were potted eight years ago, and nothing has been done to them 

 ' since, except top-dressing tnem with sandy loam, and occasionally 

 watering with liq9id manure. — J. Sayers, Gardener to Thomas Bewley, 

 Sag., Eockville, Blackrock, 



Mealy Bug on Stephanotis floribunda {A, F G.).— The white insect 

 on the truss of flowers is mealy bug. It is very difficult to destroy it when 

 it has taken a hold. We have freed our stove from it by syringing the 

 plants forcibly and repeatedly with water at a temperature of 140'', adding 

 to every gallon twenty drops of spirits of turpentine. Fumigation with 

 tobacco will not destroy the insect, though it may retard its progress. 

 We cannot say how it would answer in your case, as the plant being on 

 the roof it is probable that the hot water dripping on the plants beneath 

 would injure the young growth if they are of kinds likely to hold water 

 in their centres, as Drac;eiias. We have not experienced any injury from 

 its application, and any tender plants it is eisy to remove. It is useless 

 trying to kill this insect by gentle sprinklings ; the water must be applied 

 with force to wash off the insects. When the plants are cleared from tha 

 mealj' bug we give a good syringing with a solution of 3 ozs. of soft soap 

 to the gallon of water, with twenty drops of spirits of turpentine, apply- 

 ing this at a temperature of 140-. We find, bowever careful we may be 

 in excluding all plants infested with it from our houses, occasionally it 

 finds its way into our collection on bought plants, and from quarters 

 whence we should not expect it. We would not have a plant infested 

 with mealy bug at a gift. In stoves and vineries nothing does so much 

 good as forcible syringings, as above indicated. 



Fungus on Juniper Bark {W. H. M.).~The orange-coloured jelly-like 

 fungus is the Podisoma Juuiperi-communis, and very common on the 

 Juniper, 

 Name of Apple (G. C, Croydon). — Marmalade Pippin; 

 Names of Plants (Marij). — Saxifraga crassifolia. {Lady King). — Iris 

 tuhei'osa, native of the south of Europe and the East. (J. B.). — Gory- 

 dalis solida. {A. F.).— The Holly Fern, Polystichum Lonchitis. [A. B. C). 

 — A double Anemone, A. pavonina fl.-pl. It is well known in nurseries. 

 {A. C).— Scillasibirica. {AYoang Gardc7ier).— Amelanchier Botryapinm. 

 {W. Dawhcr). — Anemone pavonina fl.-pl. 



POULTRY, BEE, AND PIGEON CHRONICLE. 



THE STROUD POULTRY SHOW. 



Will yon allow me, through your eolumns, to make an 

 appeal, which I trust will be eudoraed by all the influence o£ 

 The Jouenal of HoKTicnLinKE, to the managers of the Stroud 

 Poultry Sbow, to alter the date of their next meeting, so as not 

 to clash ia point of time with the great gathering of the Bath, 

 "West of England, and Southern Counties Association at Guild- 

 ford ? The latter Society, with its great name and reputation, 

 with various and comprehensive exhibitions, including the fine 



