December 8, 1S70. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



45/ 



bloom there, or on a table, or any corner wbere yon choose to 

 set them ; but all thi3 will be done chiefly at th6 expanse of 

 the stores laid up in the bnlb. Would you enjoy the beauty of 

 the bulbs in connection with the feeling that you are doing 

 what you can to make them comfortable, then let them expand 

 their blooms in all the direct light you can give them. 



Plants in frames and cold pits will scarcely need a drop of 

 water. In particular cases take the plant out, water, and 

 when drained replace it. 



In plant houses, avoid over-watering and over-heating, and 

 spill as little water as possible. In dull cold days a little fire 

 heat with air will be more useful than much fire heat at night, 

 when it can be avoided. Unless where plants are to be forced, 

 proportion heat to light as a great rule not to be departed from. 



Laurels and Evergreens. — We pruned and cut these down, a3 

 the loppings were wanted for a particular purpose. As in the 

 case of a correspondent the other week, the Laurels here, to be 

 kept healthy and vigorous, require frequent lopping and cutting. 

 In ordinary winters all such work may be done safely now. If 

 we were sure of a very severe winter we would prefer doing 

 such work rather late in spring, jast before the sap began to 

 rise freely. In cutting large limbs nowit is advisable to daub up 

 the cut part to prevent free exposure and cracking. Clay and 

 a little lime a3 a thick paint do very well, a little oil paint does 

 better. When the fresh shoots break from beneath the cut 

 part all danger is over, but we have seen stems of Laurels from 

 4 to 6 inches across killed to the ground from wet and severe 

 frost acting on the exposed cut end. — R. P. 



TRADE CATALOGUE RECEIVED. 



Dick Kadclyrfe & Co., 129, High Holborn, London, W.C.— Illus- 

 trated Sheet of Horticultural Decorations. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



*j** 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 he addressed solely to 

 The Editors of the Journal of Horticulture, d>c, 171, Fleet 

 Street, London, E.C. 



Books (C. Walters).— Lowe's " Ornamental- folia Red Plants," contains 

 coloured plates ; any bookseller can obtain the volume for you. 



Removing Pear Tree (Amateur). — Remove it immediately, injnring 

 the roots as little as may be ; mulch over the roots. Graft a "portion of 

 the branches nest spring, and the remaining branches the year following. 



Pyramidal Treks (J. Laicson).—It you write to Messrs. Rivers & Son, 

 Nurseries, Sawbridgeworth, they will tell you. 



Leaving Geranium Cuttings in the Open Ground (C. J. S.). — We 

 do not think the cuttings will survive the winter, though they are in a 

 sheltered spot, and are to be covered with fern or hay in severe weather. 

 It is, however, worth a trial— that is, if you can spare the plants. 



Azalea Leaves Turning Yellow (Julia). — Do not despair. The 

 plants at this season usually lose a portion of their leaves, and there is 

 no great harm in it, only keep them cool so that they may not ba need- 

 lessly started into fresh growth before the flowers expand. The Begonia 

 Saundersii, for wh'ch you have no stove, keep in the warmest part of the 

 greenhouse, and give but little water — only a little occasionally to keep 

 it fresh. We have it now in fine bloom in a stove. 



Transplanting Large Magnolia (W. W. 21.).— We think you have done 

 all that could be done, all that we consider needful to ensure success, 

 ■which we think you have good reason to hope. Much larger Magnolias 

 have been moved successfully. See that the wires you employ for keeping 

 the plant steady do not chafe the stem. Protect the stem with kaybands, 

 and wrap it in one from the base upwards, fully two-thirds of its length. 

 It will help to assist the flow of the sap in spring. 



Asparagus Kale (L. M.).— The part that gives the name of Asparagus 

 to this desirable vegetable are the side shoots, that will by-and-by 

 make their appearance, and when 3 to 6 inches long tfiey are broken off 

 like Brussels Sprouts ; and when cooked whole and kept straight on the 

 dish have a nice appearance, and are very delicate with a slight Aspara- 

 gus flavour. The heads yon now think of cutting are very good cooked 

 like other kinds of Borecole. Theie is no substitute for Asparagus, 

 nothing that has an appearance like it, or can be miotaken for it in 

 flavour. 



Preparing Ground for Onions (Idem). — The soil being poor, give a 

 good dressing of manure and dig it in deeply and well now, throwing the 

 ground up roughly for the winter. In Februiry throw the ground level, 

 forking it over on dry frosty mornings ; early in March mark out 

 spaces 4 feet wide with 1-foot alleys between, and give the beds a coating 

 of very rotten manure about an inch or two thick, and point it in with a 

 fork. If you think fit you may give each bed of 12 yards in length a 

 bushel of pounded charcoal; then throw out the alleys over the beds, 

 rake level, and sow in drills about 6 inches apart in the second week in 

 March. 



Leaving Salsajfy in the Ground (Idem).— It will not injure Salsafy 

 to leave it in the ground, but it is much better taken up and stored in 

 sand in a dry shed. It is then always at hand for use as required. The 



soil cut and stacked last March will be better than that fresh cut for 

 many purposes, but for border-making and plants not requiring frequent 

 shifting we like turf fresh. 



Planting Hollies (Connemara). — The height of stem to be covered 

 with soil is simply no more than is required iu covering the roots with 

 soil— not more than 3 inches. That depth of soil over the roots is quite 

 sufficient, more is injurious. 



Plants for a Stove (Idevi). — There is scarcely any plant that wil* 

 not succeed in a stove with a temperature in winter as low as 65°. We 

 give a few names of the most select, both for foliage and also for their 

 flowering. For foliage : Alocasia metallica, Ananassa sativa variegata, 

 Areca aurea, A. Yerschaffelti ; Calamus asperrimus, CharnaidoreaErnesti- 

 Augusti, Cocos coronata, Cissus discolor, Croton longifolium variegatutn,. 



C. irregulare, C. ictevruptum ; Cyanophyllum maguificum, Cycas circi- 

 nalis,DiefTenbachiaPearcei,D. Weirii suoerba; Dracama ferrea, D.stricta, 



D. Chelsoni, D. regina ; Ficus dealbata, Maranta illustris, M. loseo-picta, 

 M. Yeitchii ; Musa Cavendishii, M. Ensete ; PanSanus javanicus variega- 

 tus, P. elegantissimus ; Sanchezia nobilis variegata. Terminalia elegans, 

 Thrinas elegans, and VeisckafTeltia splendida. Of flowering plants: 

 Allamanda grandiflora, A. Schot'i; Anthnrium Scherztrianum, Ardisia 

 crispa elegans, Bougainvillea glabra, Burchollia capensis, Clerodendron 

 Balfourianum, Cyrtanthera magnifica, Cyrtoccras reflexum, Dalechampia 

 Roezliana rosea, Eucharis amazonica, Euphorbia jacquiuireflora, Fran- 

 ciscea conferti flora, Gardenia citriodora, G. florida, G. radicans major ; 

 Gesnera esonieniis, Hoya bella, H. carnosa; Ipomo&a Horsfalliffi, Ixora 

 acuminata, I. coccinea superba, I. floribunda, I. javanica; Jasminum 

 gracilis, Meyenia erecta, MediniJla magnifies, Rogiera grati«simn, Ron- 

 deletia speciosa major, Stephanotis floribunda, Torenia asiatica, Yinca 

 alba, and Yinca rosea. 



Pelargonium Leaves Spotted (Dorset). — Tho only remedy for tho 

 spot in Pelargonium leaves is to remove tho cause — viz., moisture on tho 

 leaves. The moisture may be owing to a close atmosphere or condensa- 

 tion. Your only remedy is to give them a position near the glass and 

 admit abundance of air, keeping the atmosphere as dry as possible; in- 

 deed a little air at night, so as to keep the moist ore from condensing on 

 the leaves, is good. Water carefully. A temperature of 40° to 45° is suffi- 

 cient at this season. 



Croton and Pitcher-plants Leggy (Bromley Jack). — We would keep 

 the Croton dry at the root from now until February— not, however, so 

 dry as to cause all the leaves to fall, and then wo would cut it back. 

 Spring is a much better time to head back plants than the present. The 

 Fitcher-plant we would not stop, though you may do so, and secure more 

 shoots. We would let the shoots grow uutil long enough to be detached, 

 in order to make new plants. 



Peaches for. Late Use (J. T.).~ Your Peach tree, from the descrip- 

 tion, is probably Late Admirable. The Stirling Castle is as late, if not a 

 later kind. Harrington is also good, but not so late. Walburton Ad- 

 mirable is late, but is a shy bearer. Lord Palmerston and Lady Pal- 

 mcrston are first-rate late sorts, new kinds raised by Mr. Rivers. 



Blinds for a Greenhouse (C. B. ST.). — Tho samples sent are more 

 fitted for protecting wall treos than for blinds for a greenhouse. If you 

 want to keep out cold, we should prefer No. 1. For placing inside as 

 blinds, we should like neither ; tbey look so diogy. Merely to break the 

 force of the sun nothing is better for tho inside of a house than book- 

 muslin, hemmed, and stretched in pieces by rings. Such blinds would 

 rarely be needed from October to April. Perhaps we do not quito under- 

 stand your aim. 



Ground Vinert (M. E. B.).— There can bo no doubt of grouud vineries 

 answering. From 7i to 9 feet is a good length for one Vine ; by adding 

 several yon can make what length you like. By raising the frame or pit 

 from the ground, you can make the ground enclosed do partly at least for 

 the roots. Covering the ground with slate is useful for retaining beat, 

 and if the slate be ps.intod with sulphur it will keep tho Vine free of some 

 enemies. We care little as to the different merits of wood and brick, 

 only in sunny weather the brick retains and gives out the heat longer. 

 One Vine would do lor a length of from 7 to 9 feet. If we were to plant 

 in the usual manner, we would cat back the Vino to, say, a foot or so 

 after plrnting, and grow a fine rod the first summer. You can easily 

 purchase strong Vines that would fruit the first summer, but to succeed 

 you had better plunge the pot, then break it all round, and surround with 

 the good compost ; or if you plant oui do not disentangle the roots much. 

 The hardiest sorts are the best— as the Black Hamburgh and the white 

 Royal Muscadine. All the hardy kinds will succeed. The simplest mode, 

 as in the curate's vinery, is to ltr.ve the ventilation on all the summer. 

 The openings between the bricks might be partially shut-up in winter, if 

 you protected other things inside of them. You will get information on 

 these little places, and on growing Vines generally, iu the "Vino 

 Manual," published at our offico for 2s. Bd. We would by no means- 

 throw cold wat-r on your entering largely on ground vineries, but if we 

 h-ul a wall or fence facing the sonth, and that fence was 7 feet or more in 

 height, wo would sooner front it with glass, and then you could walk 

 inside and attend to the Vines in all weathers. 



Planting Vines in a House (A Poor Working Man).— By planting 

 inside you will avoid many evils which we are forced to contend with. You 

 may have all the border inside if you like. You may let the roots outside 

 too, if it is suitable to have a border there, by having the front sill on 

 piers or arches. The method of forming the border is correct, only you 

 should have a drain beneath the rubble. You need not sink down much, 

 if you can so easily raise the border above the ground level. If it were 

 inconvenient to have a border outside, and you were under the necessity 

 of having the roots all inside — a good plan when watering and rich sur- 

 face mulching are attended to — then, even if we used the whole of the 

 floor fur a border alternately, we should be satisfied with the present 

 proposed arrangements, and in three or four years we would add a hit 

 more to the border inside, and th-it would bo like giving cattle a fresh 

 pasturHge. If you have room enough above, there will be no benefit in. 

 taking out a deep hole for the border. You must do so to a certain 

 extent, we presume, to secure heidroom. 



Fuel for Flueless Stove (M. L.).— Neither that you mention nor 

 any otber can be burnt in a conservatory, greenhouse, or any structure 

 containing plants without injuring those plants. All fuel when burnfi 

 produces carbonic acid gas, and this in excess causes the leaves to turn 

 yellow, and to some plants bring3 death. 



