July 19, 1877. ] 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



61 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



%* All correspondence should be direoted either to *' The 

 Editors," or to " The Publisher." Letters addressed to 

 Mr. Johnson or Dr. Hogg often remain unopened unavoid- 

 ably. "We request that no one will write privately to any 

 of oar correspondents, as doing so subjects them to un- 

 justifiable trouble and expense. 

 Correspondents should not mix up on the same sheet ques- 

 tions relating to Gardening and those on Poultry and Bee 

 subjects, and should never Bend more than two or three 

 questions at once. All articles intended for insertion should 

 be written on one side of the paper only. We cannot 

 reply to questions through the post. 



Books (Grains).—" The Cottage Gardener's Dictionary" explains the terms 

 employed. 



Applying Aphis Mixture to Koses (B.).— Apply the aphis mixture 

 with a brush, when out of bloom syringe with soft soap. Your trees must be 

 much out of health, or the aphides would not be very numerous. In the fall 

 of the year lift the plants and root-prune them, Give them some new soil 

 if possible ; if not, trench deep or move the soil altogether. Spread the ex- 

 hausted soil on the lawn or on the pasture land. — Wyld Savage. 



Kose Buds {Tyro). — They are advertised in our columns by Mr. Cannell' 

 Bwanley, Kent. A budding knife is indispensable, as a common knife must 

 tear the bark and injure the wood. 



Grubs on Asparagus {A'., An Amateur Gardener). — If the specimen sent 

 is a fair sample of the condition of your Asparagus the beds will be greatly 

 injured, if not ruined, unhsB you promptly destroy the enemy, which is the 

 grub of Crioceris Asparagi. "We Bhould syringe the Asparagus and then dust 

 it with lime. \Ve should at the same time sprinkle salt on the surface of 

 the beds, making it quite white. "We should further like you to try the ex- 

 periment of syringing with paraffin in different degrees of solution, and to 

 nform us of the result. We think you will thus be able to kill the grubs 

 without injuring the Asparagus. , 



Garden Plan (Prima). — Curves are more graceful than straight lines. 

 We do not think the walks too numerous. 



Ferns (A Constant Reader). — The specimens were not numbered. 



Fragrant Rose (E. G.).— We consider Duke of Edinburgh the beBt bright 

 scarlet and fragrant Hardy Perpetual Kose. 



Heaviest Strawbebry (E. U.). — We knew an Oscar Strawberry weigh 

 5£ 02S., but it was a monstrosity. 



Peah Teee Blighted (Mr. Welch).— The border probably requires to be 

 drained and manured. The Currant bushes should be dusted with flowers of 

 sulphur, which will not injure the fruit if the sulphur is syringed off a few 

 days after it has been applied. 



Various (L. E., Bromley). — The ViDO border requires manuring. The 

 insects are red Bpiders. 



Peach Trees Blighted (J. F. N.).— We presume the trees have been 

 attacked by the Peach aphis, and as the leaves have fallen off it is a seriou3 

 case — indeed we. never knew of such a case. Probably the Giahurat com- 

 pound was too strong and caused the leaves to drop off. Whatever was the 

 cause, a large proportion of the wood will die. This you must cut out, and 

 it may even be necessary to cut the trees quite back and force them to start 

 from near the base. You must destroy the aphis (as is so often recommended 

 in the " Doings of the Week "J in its early stages. 



Growing Strawberries fob Market (J. E. P.), — We advise you to 

 have the ground trenched 2|feet deep, working-in at the same time a good 

 supply of rich manure. If you faney the deep trenching is too expensive 

 the ground ought at least to be double-dug — that is, dig out a spit and then 

 go over the same ground and throw out another, working-in some good 

 manure at the same time. Plant as early as you caD, and if the plants are 

 strong and can be put out at once you will have some fruit next year. Plant 

 in rows 2 feet apart and 18 inches between the plants. The best sorts to 

 grow are Keens' Seedling, President, Sir Charles Napier, and British Queen. 

 You may add a limited quantity of Due de Magenta, James Teitch, and 

 Frogmore Late Pine. 



Gloxinias after Flowering (E. Bullock). — The plants should be kept 

 in an airy house, but not be too cool. At present they may be placed on 

 Bhelves near the glasB in a pit or greenhouse. When the leaves become 

 yellow water must be withheld entirely. Place the pots on their sides in a 

 cool stove under the Btage until it is time to start them in the early spring. 



Management of Pelargoniums (Idem). — We presume that you do not 

 mean the zonals, but the varieties usually termed show Pelargoniums. They 

 ought to be cut down now, but you must allow the soil to become very dry 

 first, and do not give any water for a day or two after cutting down ; this is 

 to prevent bleeding. When the plants have grown an inch they must be 

 repotted. At all times the plantB Bhould ba near the glass and be freely ex- 

 posed to light and air. 



Aebanging Interior of House foe Stove Plants (J. D.).— The shelf 

 all round the house is too narrow for the growth and display of specimens ; 

 the width should be 3 feet, which could be gained by making the pathway 

 3 feet instead of 4 feet wide. The shelves should be of flags or slate, having 

 a slate edging about 3 inches deep. The side shelves should be about 6 inches 

 lower than the wall plate of the side lights— about 2 feet 6 inches from the 

 floor. Upon the shelves 1£ to 2 inches' thickness of gravel may be placed, 

 rejecting the small particles passing a quarter-inch sieve, and only using 

 gravel which has passed through a three- quarter- inch sieve; upon the gravel 

 the pots can be placed. The appearance is good, and water pastes freely 

 from the pots, and a supply of moisLure by evaporation is also ensured. If 

 climbers are required for the roof, planted out in borders, apertures must be 

 left in the shelves. Ours have an opening for each rafter, the shelving being 

 supported by stone pillars, and the border for the climbers having a stone 

 curbing, the border beiDg the width of the side shelves— viz., 3 feet. The 

 piping for top heat may be beneath the side shelves. We should have six 

 rows of 4-inch pipes all around the house — three flows and the same number 

 of returns, and the whole of the flow pipes troughed for holding water for 

 evaporation. The centre of the house we should dispose of as a bed 

 2 feet 6 inohes high, with side walls 14 inches thick to a height of 15 inches, 

 with longitudinal walls inside for the support of the tank, or chamber coyer- 



ing; 4£-inch walls built in cement will answer, two walls being required or 

 more according to the width of the covers, the walls not being taken to the 

 ends within 2 feet where the pipes enter for heating the bed. You will have 

 to deoide whether you will have a tank or a hot-air chamber. In the latter 

 caBe two pipes are taken along each compartment of the bed, it being pre- 

 sumed that you have two walls and three compartments in the bed, the pipes 

 being fixed about 4 inches beneath the covers, so that six rows of pipes will 

 be required for bottom heat. If this method be followed the side walls of 

 the pit need not be more than 9 inches thick. All that is needed is to put 

 on the covers, resting them on the side and internal supporting walls, and 

 then take the side walls up to a height of 2 feet 6 inches; 44-inch thickness 

 is as good as thicker if cement is used for the joints. When the covers are 

 put on a hot-air chamber, the covers being 3 inches thick, lesa if slate be 

 used, we have 1 foot left for plunging material, the best that can be used 

 being cocoa refuse. In case of a tank being desired, and it certainly is pre- 

 ferable, the outside walls must be 14 inches, and the floor of the bed must ba 

 laid with bricks upon a hard bottom, run with cement after laying it, and 

 the side walls being plastered with cement to the height of the cover's base. 

 Six rows of pipes are laid, and water is admitted by a tap from them until 

 they are covered with water not more than an inch deep. Provision must be 

 made in the Bide wall, so as to get at the tap by a man hole so as to keep the 

 tank replenished with water as required. The covers are then put on, the 

 joints fitting cloBoly; no pointing is needed — indeed, they must be left open, 

 and we have a tank with 1-foot space above it for plunging material. By 

 inserting 4-inch pipes, three rows at a yard apart, through the covers into 

 the tank, letting them rise just above the plunging material, each being 

 supplied with a hard wood plug, the atmosphere is furnished with moisture 

 as may be desirable. An open tank or chamber with a stage over is of no 

 value as bottom heat, and such heat is absolutely essential for the superior 

 cultivation of some Btove plants. 



Manuring Watebcbess (Eastleach). — Of the " blight " we can say nothing 

 in the absence of a epecimeu and particulars; but as to manuring, the best 

 that can be applied is well-deoompoBed cow dung, the first dressing being 

 given in a week from planting, about half a bushel to the rod {SOJ square 

 yards), it being disposed over the plants and pressed down with a rather 

 heavy board having a handle fixed in it obliquely, and after each cutting the 

 plants are manured with well-decayed cow dung, spreading it over the naked 

 plants and presBing well down with the rammer above alluded to. September 

 to November is a good time to make fresh beds to come-in in spring, and 

 May and June for cutting in August. The shoots Bhould always be cut and 

 not picked, as picking is found to be injurious to the plants. 



Geranium Leaves Spotted (Novice). — The spotting probably arises from 

 defective ventilation. 



Silver Sand (Ten-years Subscriber). — It is very good, and well Baited fo 

 potting purposes. 



Koee Buds Deformed (Atkinson). — The injury may be caused by too 

 sudden transitions of temperature, such as being exposed to bright sunshine 

 and at night to cold winds. 



Trop^olum speciosum. — Mr. Jame3 Weston, Tanfield Lodge, Croydon, 

 wishes to obtain a plant. 



Preserving Green PeasM. Z.). — Pick them when full grown, shell them, 

 dry them gently but thoroughly, and then store them in canvas bag in a dry 

 place. When required for uso soak them in wa'er for a few hours until 

 plumped-up, and then boil them. The following mode has been reported to 

 us by a person well qualified to judge of suoh matters as being very success- 

 ful : — Carefully shell the peas, then put them in tin canisters, not too large ; 

 nut in a small piece of alum, about the size of a horsebttm, to a pint of peas. 

 When the canister is full of peas fill up the interstices with water, and solder 

 on the lid perfectly air-tight, and boil the canister for about twenty minutes; 

 then remove them to a cool place, and they will be found in January but 

 little inferior to fresh newly gathered peas. 



Fungi (C.Piimep).— Both are dangerous. 



Green Fly in Cucumber Frame { TT. U.).— Syringe with tobacco water, 

 and then with plain water. 



Names of Plants (A. E.). — Jasminum Sambac flore-pleno. (Mrs. L.).— 

 Astrantia major. (J. P.). — All appear to be forms of Biota (Thuja) orientalis. 

 (Ponica). — 1, Biota (Thuja) orientalis; 2 k Lastrea spinulosa; 3, Apparently 

 the same. (D. Qumey). — Arauja albens (Physianthus albens, Bot. Mag. % 

 t. 3201), native of Brazil. [Q. O.S.). — Sphseralcea acerifolia, with lower leaves 

 unusually divided. 



POULTKY. BEE, AID PIGEOK 0HR0UI0LE. 



VISIT TO MR H. M. MAYNAED'S PIGEONS, 



• HOLMWOOD, BYDE, ISLE OF WIGHT. 

 Pabt 2. 



Bejobe passing throngh the door to visit the first series of 

 Pigeon pens I am shown the food which the birds eat, and it is 

 of the soundest kind. I may alBo observe that Mr. Maynard has 

 recently bought the stock of Carriers lately belonging to Mr. 

 Harding of Fareham, a well-known breeder and exhibitor. As 

 usual now-a-days these birds did not become Mr. Maynard's 

 without an outlay of several hundred pounds. The outer world 

 frequently imagines that the best Pigeon is only a bird which 

 will cost a few shillings, but a champion Pigeon now, if of a 

 high-class variety, coBts many dozen pounds ; and no one can 

 dream of becoming a successful exhibitor without a considerable 

 capital and a shrewd business head, combined with thorough 

 knowledge of Pigeon points. With such qualifications he may 

 with experience become a successful exhibitor without pecuniary 

 loss, though not even every successful fancier can become in 

 his class what Mr. Maynard has become in his special class — 

 Carriers, of which he is the prince of.amateurB. 



The garden, a flower garden, which I now enter wears an 

 old-fashioned aspect — walled, spacious, square, with an infinite 

 number of beds edged with box, and in one corner of its south 



