274 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ October G, 1870. 



degrees. We do not think soot would be of any nse. If we could obtain 

 it we should use the ammoniacal liquid from the gas-works, sprinkling 

 the plants all over, so as to wet every part; and if it were possible we 

 would supplement with a drenching of liquid manure between the rows. 

 With us the parents fly about in clouds; settling on the leaves they 

 deposit their eggs, and the young soon hatch. We have had more insects 

 this year than we ever remember. 



Plants for Conservatory (J. B.).— We should advise you to com- 

 mence with a few of the commonest plants, which are, nevertheless, 

 good: — Acacia arinata, A. oleifolia elegans, A. pulchella, A. magnifica, 

 Chamrerops excelsa, Cnorozema cordatum splendens, Citrus Aurantium 

 (Orange), Cytisus racemosus, Draca?na australis, Habrotbamnus elegans, 

 Hydrangea japonica and var. variegata, Kalosanthes coccinea superba, 

 Myrtus communis (Myrtle), Nerium rubrum plenum, Polygala Dalmaisi- 

 ana, Rhododendron javanicum, Princess Royal, Princess Alexandra, 

 jasminiflorum, and Vallota purpurea. Camellias you may add advan- 

 tageously as you feel disposed, also Azaleas, with Primulas, Cvclamens, 

 Cinerarias, and Calceolarias you mav have a nice show. We cannot 

 account for the Balsams and Primulas failing. Much depends on the 

 treatment. 



Heaths (Jay Cee). — Do not apply the liquid manure. If potted in fit- 

 ting soil they will only require a regular supply of water. 



Seedling Hollyhock (Westmoreland).— Quite smashed. It should 

 have been sent boxed in damp moss. 



Seedling Potato (W. Tlwmson). — The samples you sent us of the 

 seedling you have named " Favourite," were mealy and well flavoured 

 when boiled. The tubers were middle-sized, flattish-oval, eyes few and 

 not deeply sunk, skin rough. They seem to be akin to the Forty-fold. 



Raising Subtropical Plants (A Subscriber)- — Cannas will succeed by 

 both the modes you name — first, by securing the roots when they are 

 taken up, and storing in sand in a cellar, potting in March, and forward- 

 ing in a hotbed ; second, by sowing in a hotbed in February, forwarding, 

 and hardening well off before planting out. Wigandia caracasana is pro- 

 pagated by cuttings of the roots in a hotbed" in spring, and best by 

 cuttings of the shoots. Ferdinanda eminens is also propagated from 

 cuttings either at the end of summer or in spring. Polymnia grandis is 

 increased by cuttings of the old plants placed^in heat in spring, the 

 cuttings being inserted in a brisk bottom heat. Nicotiana, or Tobacco, is 

 raised from seed sown in light soil in a hotbed in March, pricking off 

 when large enough, growing in heat, and hardening off before planting 

 out. The Alternantheras are propagated from cuttings put in now, or 

 better in spring, in light soil, and placed in a hotbed. All succeed in a 

 light fibrous loam, with one-third leaf soil or well-rotted manure. 



Young Forest Trees Overgrown with Grass (Lieut. Col. 3). — If 

 your communication had reached us two months earlier, we should have 

 had no hesitation in advising you to clear the ground of all herbage ; but 

 now, as autumn is set in, we are afraid there is some truth in the popular 

 notion of which you speak— that long, rank grass and other weeds afford 

 •shelter to the young trees; this they unquestionably do, but there are 

 very few cases indeed in which the trees would not do better without such 

 shelter, if it were removed early in the summer, so that the young trees 

 would become well hardened by gradual exposure to the autumn colds, so 

 as to withstand the storms of winter. In your case we should be inclined 

 to wait till spring, and then clear everything away, but not carrying any- 

 thing off the ground. Assuming the trees to be 2 feet high and 4 feet 

 apart, we would remove the long grass and weeds to the distance of a 

 foot or more all round the collar of each plant, with a hoe or something of 

 that kind, but not penetrating the ground so deeply as to injure the tree 

 roots. We would leave the rubbish in heaps between the trees, then dig 

 it in there, throwing a little of the loose earth round the collar of each 

 tree where the ground is not disturbed, giving the whole a cultivated ap- 

 pearance. In summer a few hoeings in suitable weather will preserve 

 neatness. Not knowing the character of the soil and other particulars 

 of your case wo can give no opinion of the trees suitable for the place, 

 but if it is damp and. boggy, or even consists of dry peaty soil. Beech 

 trees, which you speak of as forming part of the plantation, are the most 

 lunsuitable of any, as that tree likes a chalky or dry stony soil. Where 

 arge breadths of moorland are planted without undergoing any prepara- 

 tion, merely planting on the thick grassy or mossy sward, it is good 

 practice to clear the rubbish away with a hook or something of that kind, 

 once at least early in summer, leaving the later growth to form that 

 natural shelter for winter, which, after all, is not without its advantages. 

 Apples Grafted on French Paradise Stocks (B. & IF.).— The Frenoh 

 Paradise stocks are employed by Messrs. Rivers, Sawbridgeworth, but 

 not recommended, because they require a warm, generous soil and 

 climate. They form very dwarf trees, but not of greater fertility than 

 the best dwarf English Paradise — the Nonesuch, of which trees were 

 exhibited at South Kensington on Wednesday last. These trees were 

 18 inches or so in height, two and three years old, and full of fruit. Some 

 Apple trees on the French Paradise at Sawbridgeworth are from ten to 

 twelve years old, and not more than IS inches high. They are full of 

 fruit. They have been lifted twice or thrice. Some of the trees are 

 affected with canker, the great fault of this stock. On the Nonesuch 

 Paradise, trees of the same age, and under the same treatment, are about 

 2 feet in height. They are equally loaded with fruit, and free from 

 canker. 



Trees for a Sloping Lawn (Leadbeate'r). — We presume you would 

 require principally evergreens with a few deciduous trees. Of trees proper, 

 we would have Purple Beech, both the common Horse Chestnut 0Dd the 

 pink, the Weeping Birch, the Elm, the Lime, the Fern-leaved Beech, the 

 scarlet Oak, the variegated Sycamore, and the scarlet Maple. These we 

 should place as near the outside as practicable. Then you will need the 

 Mountain Ash, Stag's-horn Sumach, double pink, scarlet, and white 

 Thorns, with the double Cherry, and Siberian Crab. Of evergreens we 

 should have Picea Nordmanniana, P. nobilis grandis, P. Pinsapo ; Cu- 

 pressus Lawsoniana, Pinns Cembra, P. excelsa, P. austriaca, Thuja Lobbi, 

 Thnjopsis borealis, the American and Chinese Abor-Vitas, Cedrus Deodora, 

 and C. Libani, with Hollies— Gold and Silver- variegated, Hodgins's, and 

 altaclerensis— Portugal Laurels, Irish and common Yew. These well 

 arranged would have a fine effect. 



Garibaldi Strawberry (IF. Thompson).— It is evident that you had 

 Vicomtesse Hericart de Thury sent you. As for verifying the merits of 

 new varieties, the editor who undertook such a task would be a very un- 

 wise man. 



Potato (3. S. Cornehy). — We cannot profess to name Potatoes from a 

 single example. Most probably it is a mere local variety. 



Apple Jacques Lebel (E. D.).— It is described in Downing's " Fruits 

 and Fruit Trees of America " as being of much beauty, but of ordinary 

 quality. "Fruit large, roundish oblate, lemon yellow, shaded with ired 

 in the sun, many grey dots. Stalk large. Cavity deep. Calyx half 

 closed. Flesh white, tender, mild, subacid." 



Names of Fruits (Richard Taylor).— So. 1, which you bought for Glon 

 Morijeau, is Beurre de Capiaumont; 2, No plus Menris, we believe is 

 simply the stock ; 3, Easter Beurre, we believe is Due de Nemours ; 5, 

 Keswick Codlin, is correct. (3. L.).— We believe the Crab is the Yellow 

 Siberian ; 2, The pale Apple is most likely a local kind ; it resembles 

 Broad-eyed Pippin ; 3 is Braddick's Nonpareil. Muncbe's Pippin is not 

 a synonym of Margil. (W. W.).—Plum + 11, Coe's GoldenDrop. Apples : 

 1, Court of Wick ; 2, Winter Gold Pearmain ; 7, Constanzer ; 10, Haw- 

 thornden. Pears : 5, Beurre de Capiaumont ; S, Easter Beurre ; 9, Vicar 

 of Winkfield; 12, Louise Bonne of Jersey. {Rev. 3. 3. Dombrain).— 

 Pears : 1, Comte de Lamy ; 2, Beurre de Capiaumont ; 3, Beurre Diel ; 

 4, Marie Louise ; 5, Forelle ; 6, Napoleon. Apples : 2, Wesh Pippin ; 3 and 

 9, London Pippin ; 4, Alfriston ; 5, Royal Russet ; 8, French Codlin ; 10, 

 Probably French Crab ; 11, Ribston Pippin ; 12, Hawthornden ; 13, Like 

 Bisingwood Russet ; 15, King of the Pippins ; 16, Albans ; 17, Yellow 

 Iugestrie. (T. G., Bedford).— Emperor Alexander. (T. J., Serts).— 

 Apples : 1 and 1, Fearn's Pippin ; 2, Hollandbury ; 2, King of the Pippins ; 

 15, Dumelow's Seedling; 19, Alfriston ; 18, Rymer ; 20, Blenheim Pippin, 

 Pears : 2, 4, Winter Nelis ; 1, Marie Louise. Peaches cannot be named 

 without the flowers and leaves. These were much confused, and several 

 without numbers. Do not stick numbers on with pins. (Without Name). 

 —Apple: Longville's Kernel; 14, Court of Wick. Pears: 20, Althorp 

 Crassane ; 62, Hacon's Incomparable ; 50, rotten. (J. C. Bromley).— The 

 Bean is called the Asparagus Runner. The Apple we do not recognise. 

 (G. Birdhill).— The Pear is Flemish Beauty. 



Names of Plants (A Subscriber, G. A. B.).— We cannot undertake to 

 name florists' flowers. There are hundreds of Geraniums, and the only 

 mode we can suggest of ascertaining the name is to compare it with the 

 varieties in some good collection in your own neighbourhood. (J*. 3. B). 

 — Your Fungus is the Fairy-ring Champignon (Marasmiusoread.es), one 

 of the best of edible Fungi. 



POULTRY, BEE, AND PIGEON CHRONICLE. 



LIABILITY OF SECRETARIES FOR THEIR 

 MISTAKES. 



I entered two pens of birds for the Keighley Show, but the 

 Secretary, Mr. E. Fawcett, never sent me labels for the ham- 

 pers, consequently I was prevented showing my birds. I wrote 

 for my entry money to be returned, but received no answer. 

 I twice repeated my application, and threatened taking proceed- 

 ings against him if the money were not returned in due course, 

 but no notice was still taken , consequently I entered him in the 

 County Court, where he was compelled to pay the money, together 

 with the court expenses. I hope the above will be a lesson to 

 others placed in a like position to myself. — Jas. Glessall, Old 

 Hall, Milntliorpe. 



BIRMINGHAM POULTRY SHOW, 1870. 



I paxcy that most exhibitors will agree with the remarks of 

 Mr. L. Wright about the schedule for the present year, espe- 

 cially as regards the measures necessary to lessen the number 

 of entries. It is a great mistake, I believe, to continue the 

 present form of subscription and entries, with six admission 

 tickets. It is well known that there is always a large sale at 

 Birmingham ; it is known, too, that with the enormous number 

 of entries pens have received notice from the Judges, whilst 

 their merits perhaps scarcely deserved it. Many exhibitors 

 doubtless enter pens on this speculation, as they have four 

 pens to fill up ; and so, if we examine the entry list, fours, or 

 some multiple of the mystic number, are the rule. 



I have in bygone years in your columns complained of the 

 illiberality of the Birmingham Committee to the exhibitors of 

 " Any other variety." I consider that at Birmingham there 

 should be at least two first, second, third, and fourth prizes, 

 say £14. This is not too much. Considering that to this class 

 we owe the introduction of the Brahmas, French fowls, and 

 other now thoroughly established favourites, and considering 

 that at many comparatively insignificant shows an equal amount 

 is offered, I trust another year will mark a great addition to 

 these prizes. Is it too late for the Committee to advertise that 

 there will be two sets of prizes at the next show ? 



I have often thought that Guinea Fowl deserve a class to 

 themselves at Birmingham. Surely Japanese (Bantams, I pre- 

 sume), have a refuge in Class 80 ; I oannot but think that 

 Silkies ought to go there also. 



A few words about the Malay prizes. Birmingham does still 

 retain classes for this breed, and during the past year and this 

 the Committee have been assisted by exhibitors. I am bound 

 to say that this year, in forwarding the amount collected, I ex- 

 pressed the hope that the Committee would apportion the 



