212 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ September 15, 1870. 



off. The leaves are, no doubt, scorched through allowing the son to 

 shine powerfully on them whilst wet. To prevent it give a little air 

 earlier in the day, and slight shade during very bright weather, especially 

 when it is preceded by a period of dull weather. The thirteen fruit, some 

 the size of walnuts, and others as large as ducks' eggs are early enough 

 to ripen, tut we should reduce the number at least one-half; indeed, four ' 

 fruit on a plant are as many as we have found swell and ripen well. It is [ 

 not sufficient that each fruit be on a separate tertiary shoot, but one 

 fruit to each primary shoot is necessary to secure finely-swelled fruit. 

 The temperature of 76 : ' in ihe morning "is too high by li c , 65- being a 

 very good temperature for Me'ons in the night when in a bearing state, 

 and we think you have made some mistake. Perhaps the temperature of : 

 76" is when you give air — S a.m., or later. If so it is right. 



Laurel Screen for Roses (F. J. K.). — The screen of Laurels to the 

 north of your standard Roses will not injure the Rose tree3 unless they 

 are so near as to interfere with the Rose roots by robbing the soil of ' 

 nutriment, but if not nearer than 4 feet they will do no harm. We would | 

 keep the Laurels well cut back on the side next the Rose border, and 

 their roots may be kept within bounds by taking out a trench about 



2 feet from the stems of Ihe Laurels, cutting off all roots there to the 

 same depth as the Laurel rosts are situated. This may bedone in spring 

 before they begin to grow. 



PYRA^riD Apple and Pear Trees Unfruitful (Idem). — There is 

 nothing strange in your trees not fruiting. They have all gone to wood, 

 and the height, 10 feet, indicates to ns that summer pruning ha? been 

 totally neglected. We advise you to take out at 2 feet from the stem a 

 trench round each tree as soon as the leaves begin to fall, cutting off 

 every root great or small, and whilst the trench is open cut with a spade 

 under the ball towards the centre of the tree, severing every root at 

 15 inches beneath the surface. Fill up the trench, and "prune when the 

 leaves are all off, so as to form a well-shaped plant. If the ground is 

 damp we would take up and replant each tree on a raised mound, or lift it 

 with a ball, place it on the level, and put soil against the ball so as to 

 form a cone twice as wide at the base as it is high. If the height be 

 18 inches the soil should slope away for 3 feet from the stem all round. 

 Mulch with litter 2 or 3 inche? thick to protect the roots from frost; 

 they should not be covered more than 3 inches deep. This will check 

 the growth. Whichever course you pursue it will have one result, pre- 

 venting gross growth for the nest two or three years at least; and by 

 keeping the shoots pinched in summer, taking out the point of each when 

 it ha3 made six leaves, again at the second leaf from that, and then to 

 one afterwards throughout the summer up to the middle of September, 

 in the following year we think you will have fruit. There is no necessity 

 to take up the trees and replant unless they have grown beyond bounds 

 and are irreclaimable. We presume the Pears are on the Quince, and the 

 Apples r>n the Paradise stock. Apples and Pears on these stocks are with 

 us bearing heavy crops this year. Pyramid Plums are also loaded with 

 fruit. 



Pond for Garden Use (Idem). — The pond for securing water for the 

 garden in summer will be valuable. Its size will be entirely dependant 

 on the extent of the garden. For ordinary purposes/by which we mean 

 watering in dry weather, we should not have a pond less than IS feet by 



3 feet, and 6 feet deep, but twice that size would not be too large if you 

 are entirely dependant on filling it during the winter months ; but if you 

 can command a supply with every fall of rain, then the size named would 

 answer very well. Now, before rainy weather sets in, is the proper time 

 to do this kind of work. The sides and bottom will need to be made 

 watertight either by puddling with clay, or by walling it round, plastering 

 with cement, and backing the wall up with clay rammed firm. 



Azalea Leaves Browned (J. Clark) — The leaves appear" to have 

 been browned at the ends through allowing the sun to shine on them 

 whilst wet, and they look as if water had stood on them almost con- 

 stantly. One of the leaves has every appearance of having been infested 

 with thrips. The remedy in the latter case is to fumigate with tobacco, 

 and in the former not to syringe so heavily ; indeed, at this time of 

 year it is not necessary to syringe. Admit air freely. Surely something 

 must be altogether wrontr in the soil or the treatment, otherwise six 

 plants out of ten would not have died. See to the drainage of the pots. 



Luculia GRATissniA Leaves Falling (Subscriber, Dublin). —The leaf 

 sent has the usual appearance when the roots of this plant are not in a 

 healthy state. In a pot the plant's leaves always have a tendency to fall, 

 especially when the pot is small. It is well, therefore, to place it in a 

 large pot, or, better still, plant it out in a bed or border in a conservatory. 

 Peat and loam in equal parts, both fibrous, and a fourth of charcoal in 

 lumps between the size of peas and walnuts, with a sixth of silver sand, 

 form a very good compost. Good drainage is necessary. Care should be 

 taken not to overwater; indeed no water should be given as long as the 

 leaves do not flag, but before they do this give a good watering. Watering 

 constantly in dribblets is ruinous to it. The leaves attain but a small size 

 and have a brown dingy appearance when the plant is kept deluged with 

 water. 



Tacsonia MOLLissniA not Flowering (Idem).— "We cannot account for 

 your plant not flowering, as you do not afford us any data. We have it 

 planted out in a greenhouse border in a compost of equal parts of loam 

 and leaf soil, with a free admixture of sharp sand. The shoots are trained 

 about 14 inches from the glass, and from 3 to 6 inches apart ; it has been 

 in bloom since May, and is now finely in flower, having several fruits 

 about the size of an egg. Water has been given as required to keep the 

 leaves from flagging. That is all it has had or seems to require. 



Camellia Potting (Idem).— Tour plant with all its buds well set would, 

 we think, swell them and flower all the better if it were left alone for the 

 present, deferring the potting until the flowering is over. There is a risk 

 of the buds falling if the potting is done now, though it may be performed 

 now, care being taken not to injure the roots. 



Potting Dry Bulbs of Lulium aurateti (An Amateur). — No Lilium 

 ought to be kept out of the ground all the winter. If by dry you mean 

 imported bulbs, pot them at once in a compost of one-half fibrous loam, 

 one-fourth sandy peat, and one-fourth leaf soil or old cow dung, with a 

 free admixture of sharp sand. Drain the pots well, and pot so that a 

 space of from l£ to 2 inches will be left below the rim for top-dressing in 

 spring, or when the shoots are fairly above the rim of the pot. In potting 

 cover all but the crown of the bulb. For dry bulbs place a little silver 

 Band at the base of the bulb and all round it. After potting water gently, 

 but not for some time if the soil be moist, and place the bulbs in a cold 



pit or house secure from frost, watering but little, if at all, so long as the 

 soil remains moist. When the shoots appear water more freely, and top- 

 dress with the same compost as that used iu potting, when the shoots 

 are sufficiently advanced. When growth begins place the pots in a light, 

 airy position, and as near as practicable to the glass to allow room for 

 growth. 



Gathering Medlars (K. C. W.). — They will not be fit to gather for 

 some time. They are usually not ripe until the leaves begin to fall ; but 

 when they part freely from the tree they should be gathered and stored 

 in a single layer in a fruit-room, and all "they require is to be looked over, 

 taking out any that decay, and securing them as they ripen. No use 

 of which we are aware can be made of the fruit now falling. If bruised 

 it will not keep till mellow, but will decay prematurely. Medlars are 

 not eaten until they have undergone incipient decay, and are then much 

 relished by some. Of the granitic paint we have no experience, but we 

 do not see why it should not be kept in a vessel like any other paint for 

 occasional use. 



Vines Injured (E. J.). — No doubt the burning of the leaves by a fire 

 in the house greatly injured the Vines, and the Grapes especially. Still, 

 as the leaders that chiefly suffered made fresh leaves, we are doubtful if 

 that would cause the berries to rot off now. We are inclined to think it- 

 must have been the result partly of a close damp atmosphere. The 

 border having been made so recently, and the season so dry generally, 

 we can hardly think the evil can be owing to too much moisture there. 

 If it should be at all owing to the roots going down into a bad soil, we dc- 

 not see how bricking-up the back of the border inside and the front of 

 the border outside would arrest the evil. The roots, prevented spreading, 

 would be more induced to go down. We would mulch the surface of the 

 borders, and give the Vines a fair chance another year before disturbing" 

 the roots. 



Heating by Hot Water (Vindex). — The top of your boiler must bo 

 lower than the lowest heating pipe in the house ; if a foot or two lower still 

 all the better. The boiler will be best placed at one end. Covering the 

 pipes for bottom heat thinly with rubble will be the most economical. For 

 early spring work two 3-inch pipes below and two above will do. For 

 winter work 4-inch pipes will be necessary, unless you can cover the 

 glass in severe weather. For all particulars, see answer to another corre- 

 spondent in the second column, page 191. 



French Marigolds [R. N.). — Very like many others, and not equai to 

 the best now cultivated. 



Heating by Gas (E. L. J".).— The plan will answer very well provided 

 you have a little door for lighting the gas burners, and use burners in 

 proportion to the size of the place to be heated There will be little 

 danger of a stout slate cracking. If all is made secure— that is, the slate 

 and covering, no gas can escape into the house. Cocoa-nut refuse would 

 he the cleanest. The bottom of the pit being almost close to the slate, 

 you will succeed with seeds and propagating best by having small move- 

 able glass sashes over the bed. Without top heat we do not think 

 Brazilian Ferns will thrive in such a place in winter. 



Fuel for Heating Garden Structures (Mrs. P. A.).— It is difficult 



to advise you, because we are not decided ourselves as to what is most 



economical, without taking circumstances into consideration. No doubt 



those who recommend Welsh smelting coal as, though expensive, the 



cheapest in the end, have so far reason on their f-ide, that this kind of 



coal is very strong, and gives out a great amount of heat. But when you 



come to have rapid changes of weather from cold to warmer, or you 



j have a stoker or fireman who now and then puts on too large a fire of 



j this strong coal— and to keep things right he must either open the furnace 



door that the cool air may play over the fire instead of under it, or take 



i the fire partly out — in either case there will be a waste of this expensive 



! fuel, thus counteracting most, if not all, of its extra advantages. The 



i amateur who attends to the fire himself will find it cheapest to use the 



j best fuel. We do not think the possessor of several hothouses, who 



j must employ others to do such work, will find the dearest fuel the 



cheapest. If fair fuel is used, if a mistake occurs there is not so much 



I loss. As you refer to coke, it has a great advantage beyond mere 



j economy— the little smoke it makes. We think, on the whole, coke 



| would be the cheapest, but there should be [nut coals used for lighting 



and adding a little at a time, nuts being small nodules of the best and 



: middling coal freed fro-an the more dusty matter. Such plants as Virg inian 



l Stocks, Candytufts, and Chinese Chrysanthemums will often bloom for a 



I month or two after the Geraniums are injured by frost. Plants of 



! Lauru c tinus, Hollies, Cotoneasters, and Snowberries turned out of pots 



j would also look well; but for much flowering you must depend on Snow- 



! drops and Crocuses. 



Standard Fruit Trees (Pomas). — You do not state what part of the 

 country you live in, or what you chiefly want the fruit for, whether for 

 table or kitchen. We shall place the first four as most useful for the 

 ! table. Apples : Devonshire Quarrende n, Kerry Pippin, Cockle Pippin, Blen- 

 | heim Pippin, Cellini, Emperor Alexander, Kentish Fiilbasket, Bedford- 

 shire Foundling, Northern Greening. Pears : Citron des Cannes, Williams's 

 j Bon Chretien, Louise Bonne of Jersey, Aston Town. Beurre de Capiau- 

 I mont. Bishop's Thumb, Winter Nelis ; Catillac and Winter Franc Real 

 i for stewing. Plum*: Green Gage, Purple Gage, Jefferson's, Kirke's, 

 1 Orleans, Goliath, Washington, Victoria, Pond's Seedling. These are 

 ; mostly arranged in the order of their ripening. All the Pears, except the 

 last two, will do for table. Of Apples, Cellini would be between table 

 and kitchen, as when good it comes in for both. The first four Plums 

 are good for dessert and also for preserving. The Diamond and Damson 

 are good for cooking and preserving. The best time to plant is as early 

 as possible at the end of October or the beginning of November, as soon 

 as the leaves change. 



Vines and Vine Borders (J. Jackson). — In raising the roots of Vines, 

 begin bya deep trench at the extremities, and carefully pickont the roots 

 of the Vines as you go, keeping them covered and inoist, and replant again 

 as soon as possible in sweet mellow loam, covering from 6 to 8 inches. Let 

 the border be from 20 to 24 inches deep, and well drained. In such a 

 case as yours, however, where the bunches are only getting smaller, we 

 would do nothiDg of the kind. We would merely take a lighter crop for 

 a year or two, fork away as much of the surface of the border as would 

 not hurt the roots at all, and then surface with fresh soil with a sixth 

 part of lime rubbish and a few bushels of boiled broken bones. We 

 come to this conclusion as you are so sure the border is not sodden or 

 sour. In such dry summers as we have had, almost every outside border 



