December 1, 1870. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



437 



haulm away. We took up Sea-kale and Rhubarb for forcing, 

 and as Globe Artichokes have grown more than usual, owing to 

 the heat of the summer and the mildness of the first part of 

 the winter, we put some litter round the stouls to save them 

 from frost, and if frost should be severe, we have some laurel 

 branches close at hand to stick in round the stools, as the tender 

 growth will make them all the more sensitive to severe cold, and 

 where such things are much run upon a scarcity cannot be 

 easily got over. Pricked-out lots of Lettuces and even Endive, 

 in beds, and at the front of fences, as the trouble is little, and 

 if they stand they will be useful when the warm days of spring 

 and early summer come. Those sown late are looking well, 

 just a little too well, from growing rather much. It is well t:> 

 have some of these growing thickly under a little protection in 

 case the weather should be severe. We have often found 

 little plants turned out now in soil just surface-pricked over, 

 and a little dry ashes, or burnt earth, or ebarcoal-dust sprinkled 

 among them, do better than plants pricked out a month or six 

 weeks ago. 



FRUIT GARDEN. 



We must refer the reader to what was said in previous weeks 

 as to root-pruning, pruning, planting, top-mulching, &e. We 

 should have been pruning and planting but for a prpss of other 

 work. Leaves now fallen from fruit trees in borders should be 

 cleared up or pointed in, to prevent their blowing about. It is 

 impossible to prevent for some time these signs of decay meet- 

 ing the eye at every turn. You may sweep and roll walks and 

 lawns, but ere long the winds will bring lots of tree leaves, so 

 that until they are all down frequent sweeping is like washing 

 a negro to make him white. Still, in all principal places leaves 

 should be frequently picked up, as to some minds that revel 

 in the beauty of the autumnal tints of the foliage the drifting 

 and fallen leaves always cause melancholy. • 



We would like to impress on those who resort to root- 

 pruning fruit trees now, in order to make those that are grow- 

 ing too luxuriantly more fruitful for the future, that root- 

 pruning now, whether it is slight or rather extensive, though it 

 will tell on the more stunted growth, will not increase the 

 fertility in the following season. Ni> pruning at the root now 

 will make a fruit bud more mature, or turn a wood bud into a 

 fruit bud. This must be waited for until the summer of 1872. 

 When root-pruning is performed to affect the fertility of the 

 next season it should be so done that the sun of September 

 and October will act on the wood and buds, curtailed of the 

 previous supply of crude sap. With shallow planting and 

 surface-dressing, root- pruning and root-lifting may be reduced 

 to a minimum ; though facts tend to prove that many of the 

 finer sorts of Apples and Pears, for instance, that will not grow 

 healthily, nor produce good fruit in unfavourable circumstances, 

 will do both when the trees are kept small and a mass of buds, 

 by frequently lifting and replanting. The summer sun has 

 then more power to thoroughly mature the bnris and consoli- 

 date the wood. Where the Ribston Pippin could hardly live for 

 eanker, even when planted carefully, it has become healthy 

 when the growth was limited by frequent replanting or root- 

 pruning. We may mention here that the Margil Apple, a 

 miniature Ribston, will often thrive and bear heavily where 

 the Ribston Pippin would hardly live without root-pruning. 



ORNAMENTAL DEPARTMENT. 



Mowed for the last time, we trust, this season some outlying 

 parts of the pleasure grounds, that grass and leaves may be 

 swept up together. Such material, and especially tree haves, 

 will be valuable at all times, and more particularly now, for 

 giving a help to many things in the way of bottom heat. One 

 great advantage of tree leaves when thus collected a little 

 damp is that they heat quickly, but the vapour from them is 

 so sweet that it will never injure the most tender plant ; so 

 different in thi3 respect from the fumes of fermenting dung 

 before it becomes sweet. When we use dung in rather a rank 

 state we like to have from 6 inches of these sweet leaves over 

 it, as thus they will arrest all the noxious vapours and prevent 

 them tainting the atmosphere. Let us say, however, to be- 

 ginners that in using tree leaves, so as to obtain a genial heat 

 from them in a bed or house, it is advisable to let them 

 heat well in a heap first, as such a heat either kills or drives 

 away myriads of Bmall slugs and snails, which otherwise might 

 make great havoc. Decayed leaves, as sweet leaf mould, are 

 so useful that no one with a garden can save leaves with too 

 mneh care. When intended to be kept for future use for 

 heating purposes they can hardly be collected too dry. For 

 present nee it is of no importance though they be damp, and 



any grass that may be raked up with them will not at this 

 season make the heat too rank for immediate use. 



As just stated, a few leaves will disfigure the finest green- 

 carpet lawn. It is often a good plan to pick these up by hand 

 and place them in a bag or apron. We have seen lawns swept 

 over to get a handful of leaves, when each leaf could have been 

 picked up in a tithe of the time. Of course, when numerous, 

 the broom should be used, but unless very thick no heap should 

 ever be made, nor much ever kept before the broom. After 

 this Beason the roller is the best friend to the lawn, making all 

 smooth, and keeping wormcasts out of sight. 



With planting, ground work, turfing, &e., we shall be busy. 

 The last if done now will give no trouble afterwards. For 

 houses, pot plants, &c, we must refer to recent notices. — R. F. 



TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 



P. J. Perry, The Nurseries, Banbury. — Catalogue of Ornamental 

 Trees, Hardy Sh-itbs, Conifers, Fruit Trees, &c. 



George Edwards, 1, King Street, Castlegate, York. — Catalogue of 

 Hoses, Fruit Trees, Pelargoniums, Carnations and Picotcc-s. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



* * We request that no one will 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 

 communications should therefore be addressed solely to 

 The Editors of the Journal of Horticulture, &~c, 171, Fleet 

 Street, London, E.C. 

 N.B. — Many questions must remain unanswered until next 

 week. 



Books {A Subscriber).— " The Cottage Gardeners' Dictionary," gives 

 the names, nature, and culture of plants of all kinds. {J. B. Boyd). — 

 " The Orchid Manual ;" yon can have it post free from our office, if you 

 enclose thirty-two stamps, with your address. {R. Lamb). — We do not 

 know the hook you mention. Mr. O'Donnell's notes we are now publish- 

 ing in this Journal, will contain what yon seem to need. 



Journal of Horticulture (A. L.). — It is published in monthly parts 

 as well as in weekly numbers. 



Discordant Thermometers {Tyro). — You ought to have no such dis- 

 cordance (four thermometers all registering differently, one as much as 8° 

 from another), as vou paid good prices for them. Your best resource is 

 to send them to Kew Observatory, enclosing Is. for each. They will be 

 returned rectified. 



Garden Plotting {M. E.).— Apply to Mr. Gibson, jun., 29, Bridge Road 

 West, Battersea, S.W. 



Garden Matting Wholesale [Agent). — Apply to Messrs. Murray and 

 Paterson, 46, Church Street, Minories, E.C. 



Bricks {Self-help).— A brick is 9 inches long, <U inches wide, and 2£ 

 inches ihick, and as there are five hundred bricks in a load, you can 

 easily calculate how many loads you will require to build the wall. You 

 must allow some over for breakage and waste. " The Gardeners' Year 

 Book" for 1671, gives full information on the subject. 



Flueless Stove [A. (?.). — No stove that could be devised, no fuel, 

 whether coke, charcoal, gas, oil, or paraffin, unless the fumes produced 

 by their combustion are conveyed away by a flue, can be employed among 

 plants without injuring them. 



Paradise Pippin {A. Q.). — The Paradise Pippin is not a bad bearer, and 

 is not generally long before it comes into bearing. Your tree on the 

 Crab stock is probably in good soil, and too closely pruned. This will 

 induce the formation of wood, notwithstanding the root-pruning you 

 have subjected the tree to. The variety is not of such excellence that 

 you need inconvenience yourself with it. Let the tree have more play, 

 and perhaps it will do better. 



Apple Pips Sowing {Andrew Robertson). — To keep the Apple pips fresh 

 till the spring, leave tfcem in the fruit ; or, if this should decay, mix some 

 sand with them, and in March sow the pips either in pots or pans if the 

 quantity is small, or in the open ground in ordinary garden soil if there 

 is a large quantity of them. We think Golden Leadington a good name 

 for the large Apple. It is well worth propagating. 



Budding Camellias on Orange and Lemon-tree Stocks {C. J. S.) 

 — Budding or grafting Camellias on Orange or Lemon stocks is not likely 

 to prove successful. Why not graft the stocks with Orange and Lemon 

 scions ? They would then give you both flowers and fruit. 



Sowing Tom Thumb Tropjeolum Seeds {Idem). — Now is not a good 

 time to sow the seed, and, indeed, it would be useless doiDg eo, as the 

 plants are more tender than Geraniums. March is quite soon enough to 

 sow the seed out of doors. The Viola cornuta we would not sow until 

 February, and then in pots or pans in the greenhouse. 



Rtvers's Victoria Nectarine and Princess of Waxes Peach {C. B.). 

 — Though a house with fire heat is considered to improve the flavour, we 

 have known them grown fine in a cool house, and that we consider is all 

 they require. 



Grapes Ripening in a Vinery without Fire Heat {Idem).— Of the 

 kinds you name, Gros Colman, Lsdy Downe's, and Black Muscat of 

 Alexandria require fire heat ; the others will do in an ordinary vinery. 



Evergreen for Screen {W. B.). — The Austrian Pine is the hardiest and 

 quickest-growing evergreen tree we know ; but to have an effectual screen 

 of it you will need two rows instead of one. American Arbor- Vitse is a 

 quick, close-growing evergreen, that would serve your purpose, only you 

 will need to get large plants to begin with, or wait a considerable time 3 

 and if the place be mnch exposed there is a danger of the tops being 



