June 22, 1871. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



445 



Irne to colour from seed are so fine that a few years ago every 

 available piece would have been made into cuttinga, and stored 

 over the winter. This may be done, but our experience is, 

 there is much less trouble with seedling?, and they certainly 

 grow more vigorously. A person of refined taste told ua last 

 year that the Salpiglossis were fine, but the Phloxes were the 

 •essence of loveliness. 



As respects floriat&' flowers, not a dead leaf should disfigure 

 an Auricula ; care should be taken that the drainage is actiug 

 properly, and not a small worm should fiud a home in the pot. 

 If potted in clean dry pots there is no difficulty in turLing the 

 ball out clean ; and if there is a sign of a worm, a small wire 

 passed through the ball will soon bring it within reach of the 

 fingers. The drainage can then be seen to, and the ball replaced. 

 A little rich surfaciog should be added, and the plants kept on 

 boards or on rough cinders on the north side of a fence. For 

 fl,ll such purposes we prefer rough cinders flattened a little 

 with the back of a spade to fiaely-sifted ashes, as the latter are 

 so apt to choke the drainage. Tulips and other bulbs now 

 over, and with the foliage ripe, may be taken out of the ground, 

 and dried previous to baggiug or boxing them. 



The few bedding plants that will be left we may pot and 

 keep on for autumn floweriog. We expect that the flower- 

 beds will hardly have a blank this year. Where annuals are 

 depended on for early and continuous supply, a quantify 

 should be sown in 6 inch pots, and these will replace the earlier 

 crops. Then, again, for cutting, let us especially recommend 

 the Nemophilas, especially insignia and maculata ; they are 

 very beautiful, and stand well. 



Plants taken out of greenhouses should have a thady place 

 at first, and have the pols protected from bright sun after- 

 wards. We potted Pelargoniums of the florists' kinds for late 

 blooming, and scarlets will be treated in the same way. We 

 also potted a large batch of Bilsam?, having kept them in 

 4 and 5-inch pots until they showed bloom. Hardly one has 

 proved single. We prefer this mode to potting in large otsp 

 before we know what the flowers will be. By cutting off all the 

 'forward buds, the flowers on the main stem and branchleta 

 will expand about the same time. We have tiied stopping all 

 these, but now we aro disposed to lot the stem and branchlets 

 take their natural course. Fine specimens can thus be 

 obtained if the plants are grown in lich soil and have 

 plenty of room and air. For want of room we are forced to 

 defer giving Itirge pots to some of the finer kinds of C>)leus and 

 other plants which need encouragement. Much poUiog now 

 requires to be, and must be, attended to as soon as we get relief 

 ifrom flower beds and pleasure grounds. — R. F. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



*** We request that no one w^ill 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 

 commimications should therefore be addressed solely to 

 The Editors of the Journal of Horticulture, cC'C, 171, Fleet 

 Street, London, E.G. 



Books (T. Hf,).— The " Cottage Gardeners' Dictionary." You can have 

 ;it free by post from our office if you enclose 7;;. '2d. wilh your atdress. 

 (W. Nitileton). — There is no manual you name. "How to Farm Two 

 Acres Profitably " raight suit you. 



Heebal (Cheshire). — If you merely wish to know tbe medical qualities 

 'of plants, Gray's " Supplement to the Pharmacopoeia " will suit you. 

 State what information you need. 



CovENT Garden Market Prices (Elruge).—0\iT quotations aro the 

 retail prices. 



" What is an ' Amateur who does not employ a regular pavdener ?' 

 "We have a show where certain classes are so restricted. I marage all 

 ■myself, with a lad aged nineteen to do the work. He has never been in 

 any garden but mine, and I took bim off a farm whi-re he was carter and 

 cowboy. Am I qualified to show under the above restriction ?— Quercus." 

 — [Certainly you are an amateur, and the lad is not ''a regular gar- 

 dener."] 



Orange Fungus on Austrian Briar Rose {A. C. T).— Yours is one 

 ■of the worst cases of orange fungus we have ever seen ; there are myriads 

 ■of spores on the shoot sent. It is almost too late, we fear, for any 

 remedy, but we should brush each shoot with a strong solution of soft 

 soap — as much as a gallon of hot wat^-r will dissolve, and dust while wet 

 with powdered sulphur (flour of brimstone), leaving it on for two or 

 three days, and thim syringe it off, and renew the application as long as 

 any remains on. This application will, we have no doubt, kill the fungus, 

 and it will remain to be proved if the plant has vigour enough to recover 

 from the fungus afterwards. 



Nitrate of Soda as a Manure (H. H.) —We believe that to all garden 

 crops it might be advantageously applied, provided it were given in tmall 

 quantities. It may be used more largely on lawns. Experiments have 

 proved that it is very beneficial to Carrots, and it is very destructive of 

 vermin in the soil. The most effective mode of applying it we think is 



mixed with ground bones— one part nitrate of soda and two parts ground 

 bones. 



Planting Gourds and Hardy Cucuiubers (Far West).— They ought to 

 be planted out without further delay. They will most likely bear fruit 

 before the season is over. They can do no good where they are ; it is too 

 hot for any kind of plant. Plant out at once, protecting for a few days 

 from sun and cold at night. A basket or hamper inverted over the 

 pi LBts i3 as good as anything. Remove it in a few days. Our corre- 

 spondent wishes to know where he would be likely to procure seed or 

 plants of Nepeta Mussinii and Reseda Phyteuma. 



Budding Apple Trees (TFirc).— It is best done early in July, and in 

 the same manner as for Rose trees, only the buds of the Apple are gene- 

 rally put on the main stem of tbe stock, and from 3 to 6 inches from t' e 

 ground. Your former communication must have miscarried, as we reply 

 to all queries submitted lo us. 



Climber for East Wall op Conservatory (J, P.).— As your house 

 receives no sun, we know of nothing that would suit you so well as Ivy 

 and Hedera algeriensis variegata is very fioe, also H. rhomboidea varie- 

 gata with less bold foliage. Jasminum nudiflorum would also grow freely, 

 and perhaps flower, as we have had it in beautiful bloom in January on a 

 north wall. 



Kohl Raei Culture {R.P.).—The seed should bo sown in the firs 

 week of May iu a bed, and iu the same way as any other kind of Cabbage. 

 At the end of June the plants should be planted out in good rich soil in 

 an open situation, planting in rows about 18 inches apart, allowmg 1 foot 

 between the plants in the rows. They produce a sort of Turnip above 

 ground, which is boiled and eaten, and is by some esteemed. The best 

 kinds for gardens are the Early Green and Early Purple Vienna. Kohl 

 Rabi is also grown for cattle, and considered a good substitute for Swede 

 Turnips. The seed is sown in May, and tbe plants transplanted on 

 manured drills at the close of June. The Large Gieen and Large Purple 

 are best for this purpose. For table they should be used when the heads 

 are 3 inches in diameter. 



Pelargoniums Failing (B. H. Y.).- W'e do not see anything In the 

 construction of your house or your mode of treatment that should cause 

 the plants to flower so indifferently. We think, however, as they go on well 

 up to April, that the failure is due to tbe glass, which would affect the 

 foliage as well as tbe flowers. We advise you to affu'd a shading of 

 tifl'iiny after March, having it made to roll up nnd let down at will, and em- 

 ploying it in all bright weather from about 8 am. to 5 p.m , but in cloudy 

 weather keej) it rolled up. We fear also that you do not give air early 

 enough, nor in sufficient quantity. You cannot give too much air, 

 especially early iu the morning, not closing the house at night. We pre- 

 sume you water more than the onco or twice a-week with liquii manure, 

 giving enough at each time to show itself through the bottom of the pots, 

 and that you keep down aphis. 



Climbers for South-east Wall (Pafcli?!).— Berberidopsis corallina 

 Eignonia graudiflora, and Lardizfibala biternata would suit, a slight pro- 

 tection being given in very severe weather. We would, however, have 

 evergreens for a house wall — they are so much warmer-looking in winter, 

 leafless plants giving a cold dreary aspect. You might have Escallonia 

 macrantha, Ceanothus Veitohianus, or C. azureus, and Garrya elliptica. 

 Ligustrura jnponicum is also good. For wall-coverings they are prefer- 

 able to climbers, except some of the close-growing kinds, as Ivy. 



FuNKiA grandiflora ALBA NOT FLOWERING {F. G.). — We are not 

 aware that this plant requires treatment different from that given toother 

 Funkias. A warm sandy loam enriched with leaf soil, and a dry i-itu- 

 ation in winter, are what we have found requisite for all the Funkias. 

 Except in wet heavy soils and cold situations they are quite hardy. 

 Probably your soil is too rich, encouraging too free growth. 



Magnolia Cuttings (Jrfe?(i).— Blagnolia macropbylla is difficult to 

 layer, and slow in forming a union when inarched, and it will not strike 

 from a cutting. It and all species with much pith, are best raised from 

 seed. Many kinds, however, will strike from cuttings, putLing-in the well- 

 ripened shoots of the current year in sandy soil surfaced with sand, in a 

 cool house, and covering with a hand-glass. This is best done at the end 

 of summer — say in September. Some propagate Magnolias by putting-in 

 cuttings of the young herbaceous-like shoots early in August in a cool 

 house, shading from bright sun, and just keeping them moist. 



DWARP Camellias Flowering in Cold Pits (Idem).— The plants 

 may be flowered in cold pits, but not well, as for several days they must 

 be without air in winter, and being excluded from the light in severe 

 weather for several days the flowers spot and are often far from satis- 

 factory. All that is required for flowering Agapinthus umbellatus varie- 

 gatus is time for the j)Iant to attain sufficient strength, giving it a light 

 airy position in a greenhouse, with abundance of water when growing. 



Guano Liquid Manure (S. H.).— For your Roses and Geraniums half 

 an ounce of guano to a bucket (2A gallons), of water will be sufficient. 



Lavender Disease (H. Warrc). — We are sorry to say that we think 

 you have a modification of tbe Lavender disease or mildew. We know of 

 no remedy for the plants affected. There is only one palliative — namely, 

 to plant slips from healthy plants, and to grow them in a comparatively 

 poor soil. When the mildew attacked large plantations in HertfordsbirCj 

 we had a strong opinion it was tbe result of high cultivation. No doubt 

 the rich ground told on the size and tbe number of flower-stalks, but the 

 plants were encouraged far beyond their natural luxuriance. 



Mushroom-growing (Newai-k-on-Trent).— From your description we 

 cannot make out clearly your treatment. Was your small bed 3 feet long, 

 1^ foot wide, and 2 feet deep, and walled all round, covered with boards, 

 &c. ? Did the boards go over the bed, and did the 2 inches of fresh horse 

 droppings go over the boards? For the latter purpose any litter would 

 just do as well. If you put the fresh horse droppings on the top of the 

 bed after spawning aud earthing-up. you would encourage the spawn to 

 run in the droppings instead of furmicg Mushrooms on the top of the 

 soil. It is only on kuowiug these details that we can pretend to give 

 advice to our readers. Now, in your case, such a small bed, made out of 

 doors on the 22nd of March, would demand more care owing to its small 

 size. Tbe depth is very well, much deeper than we generally have beds, 

 unless when we make a ridge one, but a bed merely 18 inches in width 

 soon cools. Were we malung such a bed we would watch carefully 

 tbe time for spawning, and insert tbe spawn just when tbe heat was 

 falling below 80''. Then if it still fell slowly, we would earth up, and 

 make the surface firm and smooth; then if the heat showed signs of 



