252 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ September 29, 1370. 



and place them in the hollow in the old Apple tree, closing the hole so as 

 to confine the fames. This, of course, will need to be done after twilight. 

 Yon must close every hole, or, if that be impracticable, pour in some 

 spirits of turpentine, and close the opening. 



King of the Fcchsias (J. G.). — Tt is not a free-blooming sort, but does 

 not require treatment different from that of other kinds. Why grow it 

 in the stove ? A light airy greenhouse, with a slight shade from very 

 bright sun, is the best place for it. 



Tenant Removing (W. B. S.).—U yon poll up, cut down, or other- 

 wise injure any of the trees or shrubs, planted either by your father 

 or yourself, yon will act illegally. You are not a nurseryman. Yoor 

 landlord cannot be made to pay for the trees and shrubs. You have no 

 right to remove the flagstone if fixed to the walls. Yon may remove the 

 Cucnmber frames. You mast consult your solicitor on the other questions. 

 Painting a Peach House (A. X.). — There is no objection to green 

 paint in point of coloar for the outside woodwork of a Peach honse, but 

 it is not durable. That paint is found to answer best which is composed 

 of the most lead: hence white paint is the best of all nest to red {which 

 is a very objectionable coloar) ; but we think & pale stone colour prefer- 

 able, as it doe3 not show dirt so soon as white. That kind of glass known 

 as crown, having a green hue, is preferable to the white sheet ; but we are 

 using 26-oz. sheet glass for the roofs of Peach houses, and glazing the 

 fronts with £-inch polished plate glas3. For a fernery we are using A-inch 

 rough plate ; whilst for a stove we have i-inch rough plate ground on one 

 side for the roof, and glaze the sides and end3 with £-inch polished plate. 

 A ray of light is of three colours. 



Eably Peach Trees (Amateur S.). — Your espaliers are no doubt in an 

 orchard or other house, for in the open air we think the espalier a very 

 uncertain means of growing Peach trees. Two of the earliest early 

 Peaches are Early Beatrice and Early Rivers, both good, and to succeed 

 them you may have Early York. They ought not to he removed until 

 the leaves have begun to fall. 



Indian Shot (Canna) Tbeatsient (Idem).— The varieties of Canna are 

 much employed for subtropical gardening. You do not say whether 

 your plant is in a pot or planted out, but we presume it is a pot plaut. 

 In that case you will need to continue it in a greenhouse during the 

 winter, watering up to December, but not excessively. If the foliage be 

 kept fresh, that is sufficient. Until the middle of February keep the 

 plant dry, then repot it, and encourage growth by an increase of mois- 

 ture and warmth, and, if possible, with bottom heat. If wanted for 

 planting out of doors in summer, harden the pKnt well off before turn- 

 ing it out at the end of May or beginning of June. 



Boxes for Holding Useful Measures. —We have to warn our 

 readers that the quotation we made at page 154 from the "English 

 Mechanic," doe3 not give correct dimensions. The Editor of that journal 

 has since published the following:—" We obtained the above-mentioned 

 paragraph from a journal called the 'American Artisan.' As it appeared 

 to contain what is Bimply a matter of calculation, it did not undergo the 

 nsual editorial criticism. In future we shall hesitate before we insert 

 any valuable tables found in our transatlantic contemporaries." We are 

 obliged to a correspondent, " A. L.," for bringing the above to our notice. 

 He adds:—" Subscribers will do well, therefore, to put a note of warning 

 against reliance upon it in the margin of their copies I give an instance 

 of error. A pint really contains 34.659 cubic inches, plus a very small 

 quantity, which may be disregarded. The table states that a box of 

 4 by 4 by Q, = 63 cubic inches, will contain a pint. So it will, and nearly 

 another pint." 



Destroying Woodlice (L.E. G.).~ The best plan of destroving them 

 is to place a little hay loosely round the sides of the structures thev infest, 

 and in the morning pour boiling water down the walls a little above the 

 hay. This, of course, kills all it touches, and repeated several times will 

 entirely destroy them, though they will in time reappear. When this 

 method cannot be adopted on account of the boiling water being likely to 

 injure plants, your best plan will be to place a boiled Potato wrapped 

 lightly in a little hay in a small flower-pot, and put the pot on itsside 

 where the woodlice are troublesome. This trap should be examined every 

 morning, and the woodlice secreted in the hay shaken into boiling water. 

 A number of traps of this kind, put down every night and examined in 

 the morning, will soon thin their numbers. 



Petunia Shoots Dying (Idem).— We cannot account for vonr Petunia 

 dying back, but think it is owing to the flowering shoots being broken off. 

 The plant will probably die back to the shoots at its base, to which we 

 should cut down. 



Rabbits Attacking Welltngtonia gigantea (T. Wilson).— Although 

 the Wellingtonia is not so much destroyed as many other trees by rabbits 

 still it is subject to their attacks, and we have seen every twig, leader 

 and all, eaten off a number of very promising young trees, the bark being 

 also nibbled off, bnt the spongy bark of older trees they do not meddle with. 

 Where rabbits and hares are numerous, we would not advise you to leave 

 your specimen trees unprotected. We th'nk a piece of galvanised wire- 

 netting, 2 feet or 2£ feet high, fixed to the inner side of the iron fence 

 which protects the trees from the cattle, will be all that is wanted. This 

 would admit air to the lower branches, and be altogether better than 

 woodwork. The netting must be sunk an inch or two into the ground; or, 

 what is better, if a board be first sunk in the ground, the edging of the 

 netting might be fixed to it ; but we do not recommend any deep digging 

 near the Wellingtonia, as its roots are so near the surface. Be satisfied 

 with merely inserting the netting an inch or two, and examine it occa- 

 sionally in order to stop any attempts at burrowing under it. We are 

 glad to hear you have so fine a tree so far north ; it is well worth taking 

 care of. It is unaccountable, but nevertheless true, that rabbits have a 

 propensity to attack choice single specimens ; where there are a number 

 of plants of one kind the probability is they will all escape, whilst a 

 single tree is sure to become a prey. In our own case we find nothing 

 escapes their attacks excepting, perhaps, the common Elder, Box, and 

 Rhododendron ponticum, and even the last-named is not alwaya safe, 



Tortoise (Novice). — We are not aware that tortoises benefit a garden. 

 They live upon Lettuce leaves, Sow-thistle, and other succulent vege- 

 table produce. They should be taken in-doors during the winter, unless 

 there are large heaps of leaves in which they can bury, for they are 

 torpid throughout the winter. 



Plahting an Avenue (Violet).— Without knowing more of the size of 

 the avenue, we could say little as to grouping it prettily. In an exposed 



bleak place, Pinu3 Pinaster and austriaca would do well; and Deodar3 

 and Wellingtonias might be tried, but neither should be planted thickly; 

 We have seen fine effects made in the sides of avenues, whore, a3 in your 

 case, Rhododendrons would not grow, by planting such Pines about 

 35 feet apart, and then clothing the ground with a carpet of Laurels kept 

 cut every year. 



List of Roses (31. B.).—T am asked to name twenty-four Roses " the 

 best for exhibition in all colours, and that are hardy and free bloomers." 

 I conld diversify the colours more if I were allowed to name some Tea 

 Roses ; but as nothing is said about them, I shall only name one, Som- 

 breuil, white, which is very hardy, a free and constant bloomer. 

 Then have Charles Lefebvre. Marechal Niel, Senateur Yaisse, Souvenir 

 de la Malmaison, Comtesse Cecile de Chabrillant, La Yille de St. Denis, 

 Pierre Nottiog, Alfred Golomb, Madame La Baronne de Rothschild, 

 Madame Victor Yerdier, Triomphe de Rennes, Madame Boll, Prince 

 Camille de Rohan, Celine Forestier, Dr. Andry, Marguerite de St.Amand, 

 Gloire de Dijon, Lady Suffield, Marechal Vaillant, Madame Boutin, Jules 

 Margottin, William Griffiths, John Hopper, and Mademoiselle Marie 

 Rady. I add a surplus of good Roses — Gloire de Yitry, Duchesse do 

 Caylus, Baron Gonella, Lord Clyde, Leopold Premier, and Baron 

 Adolphe de Rothschild. I name some of the best Tea Roses in delicate 

 colours — Devoniensis, Souvenir d'Elise, Souvenir d'un Ami, Madame 

 Willermoz, Madame Margottin, and Adam. The new Tea Rose, Marie 

 Sisley, has just bloomed well, and is extra fine. The plant is small, and 

 I can say nothing of its growth. Marechal Niel must have a wall. My 

 best plants are on the front wall of my vinery. They are on the Manetti 

 stock, and grow and bloom well. The best plant of it that I ever saw is 

 on a low Briar on a vinery wall out of doors, at Mrs. Oliver's, at Child 

 Okeford. The blooms grown there were by far the finest that I ever saw 

 — like large bells. It is a famous Rose for a hot town garden. If it is 

 objected to, select Duchesse d'Orleans for light colour, or Lord Clyde for 

 deep colour. All the Roses named are here on the Manetti, and do well. It 

 is right to say, that although Alfred Colomb is one of the fullest and 

 finest of the show Roses it does not always in the fore part of the season 

 bloom freely. — W. F. Radclytfe. 



Ivy-leaved Geranium (W.M.). — Your specimen is not one of the Ivy- 

 leaved varieties. 



Gbapes (W. G.).— The small Grape is the Royal Muscadine. The other 

 we do not recognise ; it is certainly not a Muscat. Send another bunch 

 with one or two leaves. 

 Melon de Namxte Pear (G. B.). — We do not know it. 

 Peabs Fruiting Irregularly (C. W. H.). — Being able to secure blossom 

 regularly throughout, one would suppose there should be fruit also. We 

 believe your trees fail to fruit, excepting at the extremities of the branches, 

 from a want of equalisation of forces. Better fruit spurs are produced at 

 the points of the shoots, perhaps through their being better exposed, and 

 thus better matured, &c. Young trees frequently bear only partially ; when, 

 however, they have filled their allotted space, and by carefally summer- 

 pinching the young shoots the active forces of the tree are equally dis- 

 tributed throughout, you will find fruit produced quite regularly all over- 

 Bending down the branches as yon propose, we do not think would be 

 of much service. We attach far more importance to the summer pinch- 

 ing and regulation of the leaves or lungs of the tree. 



Stoeing Fbuit (E. J. SX— The conditions most conducive for the pre- 

 servation of fruit are a dry atmosphere and a cool equable temperature 

 with darkness. Light hastens decay ; so does a close, warm, damp atmo- 

 sphere. It is well, then, to keep your fruit-room tolerably dark, cool, 

 and airy. We would not be at the trouble, however, to barricade the 

 windows to any inconvenient extent. We do not know where you can 

 obtain a fountain like that referred to. The design was American. 



Gabden Losses in France ey the Wae (Eton). — We have no statis- 

 tical information on this subject, but we see that it is stated in the 

 Journal de V Agriculture, that the French farmers have lost more than 

 £160.000,000. We deplore as much as you do the unnecessary and 

 terrible contest, but our columns must not be opened to the subject. 

 There would be no wars if the only gladiators were allowed to be 

 monarchs and their ministers. 



" O, if I were King of France, 



Or, what's better, Pope of Rome, 

 There would be no fight'-n? men abroad 



Nor weeping maids at home. 

 AH the world should be at peace. 



Or, if kings must show their might, 

 1M let those who make the quarrels 

 Be the only ones to fight." 



Select Clematises (Q. Q ).— C. Jackmanni, which you know, is one 

 of the best, and another of Mr. Jackman's raising— viz.. Beauty of Surrey, 

 pale blue, with smooth and stout petals, is fine. Lady Londesborough, 

 raised by Mr. Noble, Bagshot. with pale lilac flowers, is large and showy, 

 and so is Miss Bateman, white. These are four fine Clematises, but we do 

 not think they would do for trellises in an exposed situation on a hill top. 

 If planted against a trellis this autumn they would not require pruning 

 next spring, nor would they flower to any great extent next season. A 

 good rich light loam is the best for them. Probably the finest of the 

 Clematises is Excelsior, double, bluish mauve, with a flame of brown 

 along each petal; stamens white. To do well in cold situations they 

 require an aspect between south-east : nd south-west. Where they require 

 protection in winter they will do little good in summer, but for young 

 plants a slight protection is good early in spring. 



Spanish and English Ibises (Idem). — Let them remain in the ground, 

 and mulch it with well-rotted manure or leaf soil. From one year's 

 growth they will not have spread so much as to need taking up and 

 dividing; we like good clamps of them, not Btragglers. To be seen to 

 advantage, a mass is best. 



Sikkisi Rhododendbons Repotting (An Old Subscriber). — The best 

 time to repot them is in spriDg, just before they begin to grow. We 

 would not cut in the plant of Dalhousiaa until spring, and then do not 

 repot until it has made fresh growths 3 nr 4 inches long. 



LXLIUM AUBATUM AND LANCIFOLIUM TBEATMENT (Idem). — Pot them 



now. Torn them out of the pots, remove the drainage, all the old soil 

 that comes away freely, and all the offsets not of a flowering size. Pot 

 the bulbs in well-drained pots, nsing a compost of one-half light turfy 

 loam, one-fourth old cow dung or leaf soil, and one-fourth sandy flbroas 

 peat, with a free admixture of sharp sand. Allow the roots a moderate 



