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JOURNAL OF HOBTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ September 13, 1S77. 





looking over all bug-infested plantB and utterly destroying the 

 pest. The first cleansing must be followed up by another in 

 three or four days, and yet another and another at short inter- 

 vals. A year or two ago when inspecting a celebrated private 

 collection of stove plants I remarked on the absence of bug, and 

 the gardener stated that he had none on the place. He said 

 that a plant sent in from the nursery, though apparently clean, 

 soon developed a colony of the pest, but he had it looked over 

 every day for the space of two or three weeks, after which it 

 was pronounced to be clean. It is not possible to grow many 

 of our best stove plants satisfactorily, such as Isoras, Dipla- 

 dtniaB, Stephanotis, <fcc, if they are not free from this pest; 

 the insect gets into the flower trusses and makes a sad mess of 

 them. Bed spider is easily destroyed if the leaves can be 

 washed clean with soapy water and the plant be syringed daily 

 afterwards. A most difficult intruder to overcome in the plant 

 stove is the lively little thrips. Besides moving about at a 

 rapid rate they get into the heart of many tender-foliaged Or- 

 chids and other plants, where you can neither handwash nor 

 syringe them. Fumigating the house with good tobacco is the 

 best wayto destroy them, but it must be done with great caution, 

 as many Orchids, Ferns, and tender plants suffer from too much 

 tobacco smoke. It took us nearly two years to clear the stove 

 of this pest, and it was done by fumigating in the late autumn 

 and winter months. Whole collections of Orchids are depre- 

 ciated in value to an alarming extent by the depredations of 

 this pest. It is particularly fond of the tender leaves of some 

 varieties of Cypripedium, especially C. superbiens (Yeitchii). 

 It will now almost be possible to do without using the shading 

 material. If it is necessary to use it at all it may only be done 

 when the sun shines directly on the plants. — J. Douglas. 



TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 



Hooper & Co., Covent Garden Market, London. — Autumn 

 Catalogue of Bulbs, &c. 



"William Eollisson & Sons, The Kurseries, Tooting, London. — 

 Catalogue of Cape, Dutch, and other Bulbs, Fruit Trees, &c. 



Dick Radclyffe & Co., 129, High Holborn.— Catalogue of 

 Dutch Flower Boots, Trees, Garden Requisites, dc. 



Thomas S. Ware, Hale Farm Nurseries, Tottenham, London. 

 — -Autumn Catalogue of Bulbs, Tuberous-rooted Plants, &c. 



Stephen Brown, Weston-Buper-Mare, Somerset. — ■ Autumn 

 Catalogue of Bulbs and Flower Boots. 



Samuel Yates, Old Millgate, Manchester. — Illustrated Cata- 

 logue of Flower Boots. 



W. Tait & Co., Capel Street, Dublin. — Catalogue of Superior 

 Dutch Bulbs, &c. 



F. Brassac, Florist, Faubourg Bonnefoy, Toulouse. — Special 

 Catalogue. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 

 %* All correspondence should be directed 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 our correspondents, as doing so subjects them to un- 

 justifiable trouble and expense. 



Books (S. D. T.). — Keane's " Indoor Gardening." You can nave it free 

 by post if you enclose twenty postage stamps with your address. 



Treatment of Carnations and Picotees (A Lover of Flowers). — To 

 grow them satisfactorily the plants must be wintered in cold frames, and be 

 planted out in beds in March, or potted into large pots in which to bloom. 

 The most hardy sorts will live over the winter in borders, but even of them 

 many die during the winter monthB. 



Azalea Leaves Injured (An Old Ecader).— There lis no trace of thrip fl 

 on the Azalea leaves sent, but there is of red spider. This pest is very de. 

 structive. You must syringe the plants freely when growing, which will 

 keep it in check. 



Mentha pulegium Hardy (A Constant Subscriber). — It is a native of 

 England and the south of Ireland, and is quite hardy. 



Digging-in Vetches (E. A.). — Sow a^ much seed as if the crop was to be 

 mown. 



Pelargoniums (J. E. W.). — You do not state where they are to be grown. 

 Go to any florist and select for yourself. No seedling Pansiee have arrived. 



Manure [N. J. AT.). — The Bfable manure worked through the pigstye is 

 the most fertilising. We should apply it to each crop at the time of planting, 

 and in a thoroughly decomposed state. 



Notice to Lewe (Novice). — If your wages were paid weekly your master 

 need not give you more than a week's notice. 



Apples (67. S.). — Any of the large nurserymen who specially cultivate fruit 

 trees can supply all the varieties you name. 



Leaves as Manure (Sambo). — They are beneficial, and your inserting 

 them when fresh 1b an economical mode 



Mushrooms (Franklin). — Your Fungus is one of the numerous varieties of 

 the Gommon Mushroom which approach the Horse Mushroom in character. 

 We have, however, never before observed any variety change oolour on break- 

 ing to the peculiar dead and somewhat dark brown colour of your speoimen. 



Improving Soil (Rose). — Your sandy soil can only have its staple im- 

 proved by adding large quantities of day, chalk, and bricklayers' rubbiBh. 

 •Clematis (C. S.).— Clematis florida flore-pleno. 



Citron Leaves Blotched (L. L.).— The blotches are caused by deficient 

 root-action aud too much shade. A little weak manure water and more light 

 will prevent the blotching. Those out of doors now were injured probably 

 before being moved from the house. 



Grapes Cracking (M. E. P.). — The Muscat Hamburgh is especially liable 

 to crack its berries. The Vine supplies sap faster than the skins of the berries 

 can expand. There is probably an excess of moisture about the roots. 



Scale on Vine Leaves (John Sharp). — We do not know the cause of 

 plantB being infested with insects other than that the plants upon which they 

 are found afford the elements of their existence. The inseot infesting the 

 leaf sect iB the Viue scale (Coccus vitis), and the black mould or fungus upou 

 the surface oi the leaf is the result of the insect's excretion. It maybe destroyed 

 by a solution of soft soap — half a pound to half a gallon of water, adding a 

 wineglassful of spirits of turpentine, thoroughly mixed, and applied to the 

 parts infested with a brush, syringing the parts dressed with the compound 

 before it become dried upou the leaves. In winter, when the leave3 are off 

 and the Vines pruned, the Vine stems should be freed of the loose bark and 

 be dressed with the compound in every part, brushing it well into every angle 

 and crevice of the bark. 



Clematis and Wistaria Propagation (Eosery). — Layering is the most- 

 certain mode of propagating the Wistaria, bat cuttings of the strong roots 

 may be taken in autumn and inserted in sandy soil, or cuttings of the young 

 shoots when getting firm inserted in sandy soil in a sheltered situation under 

 a hand-light. We should layer a long ripened young shoot in autumn, cover- 

 ing the shoot with about an inch of soil, the whole extent of the shoot to be 

 laid in the soil, and almost every bud will form a plant. Clematis may be 

 layered in the same way, or cuttings put in of the young shoots after they 

 become firm under a hand-light in sandy soil. A more general mode of 

 propagation is by grafting upon the thick roots of the hardier kinds, as 

 C. vitalba, using scions of the ripened shoots, operating in early spring under 

 glass. 



Apportioning Glass Structure (H. P.).— Your 90 feet length of house 

 we should divide into 20 fees for early vinery, 24 feet late vinery, 20 feet for 

 plant house, and 26 feet for fruit house, which we presume will be an orchard 

 house. As to arrangement, we should have the plant house at one end and 

 next the boiler, taking the pipes through it in a flue with an open iron 

 grating, thea the early vinery and the late vinery, following with the fruit 

 house at the other end, the pipes being conveyed through the vineries as well 

 as the plant house in an open iron grating-covered flue, having the required 

 piping taken from the main flow up the houses. We 6hould have the border 

 for the Vines the whole extent of the house inside, and though the Vines 

 would be planted inside have part border outside, the side walls being arched 

 so as to allow of the Vine roots passing from the inside to the outside border. 

 For the early house we should have Mill Hill Hamburgh, Black Hamburgh, 

 White Frontignan, Bucklaud Sweetwater, and Foster's Seedling ; or if you 

 wish more black than white Grapes have two Black Hamburgh and omit a 

 white kind. For the late house two Muscat of Alexandria, Black Alicante, 

 Lady Downe's, Mrs. Pince, and Gros Guillaume. 



Renovating Old Grape Vines (H.).— The only fault you find with your 

 old Vines is weakness of growth acid smallness of fruit ; the border is there- 

 fore sound aud well drained, or you would have complained of shaDking. 

 Why, then, should you renew it and incur a considerable expense when more 

 simple measures will meet your requirements ? Give the entire border a sur- 

 face dressing S inches deep of three parts old and very rich manure with one 

 part chopped turf or road scrapings ; avoid close pruning, rather leave on 

 6 inches of young wood at each spur with a plump eye near the end, and take 

 up a young rod from some point near the bottom or the rafters with a view 

 to the removal of the old one in a year or two's time, the strength of the 

 young growth being your guide. We do not like turning out Vines into the 

 open air in winter. In your case it appears to be unavoidable, yet there is no 

 reason why they should not be protected from cold by mats and litter, pro- 

 vided they are not left uncovered too late in spring. 



Leycesteria Formosa (E. C. 0.).— The name of the shrub is Leycesteria 

 formosa, a native of Nepaul. It is hardy, but sometimes suffers from very 

 severe frost at this season of the year. It is propagated by cuttings of the 

 matured growth inserted in a cold frame or under a hand-glass. It also 

 comes readily from seed in spring and from cuttings of the young growth. 

 Any nurseryman will supply you with it at Is. a plant or 6s. a dozen. There 

 are pods of ripe seeds upon the flower cluster which you sent us. 



Cutting-back Fancy Pelargoniums (Amateur).— Fancy Pelargoniums 

 should be cut back immediately after the flowers fade and be put out in the 

 open air fully exposed to the sun. When the buds of a new growth begin to 

 swell Bhake all the old soil from the roots, shorten them, and then repot, still 

 keeping the plants in the open air till the new growth is growing Btrongly. 



Growing Fine Carnation Flowers (Idem).— To have iarge flowers and 

 uniform in size cut off all the little buds, retaining only a few of the most 

 promising. This plan has to be followed in the production of most other 

 flowers, and also of fruit ; hence the frequent disappointment of those who, 

 seeing fine specimens at shows, purchase plauts in the expectation that every 

 flower will be equal to those in a prize stand. 



Details of a Span-roofed Vineey (W. Pemberton). — Let the house 

 stand lengthwise north and Bouth, then the morning sun will shine upon the 

 eastern slope and side; at mid-day it will warm the entire roof, and so pass- 

 round to the west later in the day. You can grow Grapes and Roses perfectly 

 well in such a building. Make two arches in the aide walls, the tops being 

 6inohes below the surface; then plant inside the houBe and close to the east 

 wall three Vines, making for them a border 2 feet wide inside the house to 

 plant in, and let the roots pass through the soil in the archways into an outer 

 border. Plant two Roses in the same way close to the west side, and train the 

 growth upwards till it meets the Vines. Put a stage for plants in the centre 

 with a path all round it, and let your brick flue be under the stage, passing 

 along and returning under the path at any suitable point. Order strong 

 Vines now, and have them put aside with your name fastened upon them at 

 the nursery, but do not plant till the end of March, or rather just as the buds 

 begin swelUng; then Bhake all the soil off the roots, uncoil, and Bpread them 

 carefully out to their full length in the border, covering with 6 inohea of soil. 

 If the sap is in motion when you receive the Vines do not shorten them but 

 rub off the top buds, so that the new growth starts from the bottom of the 

 roof-slope. You will thus avoid loss of strength from the bleeding which so 

 often follows late pruning. Give no check to a single shoot of the first year's 

 growth. 



Combined Vinery and Plant House (C. T. J. M.).— For a late vinery 

 the Vines may be planted outside ; but this is not the beBt plan, entire crops 

 of fruit being frequently spoilc iu autumn by heavy rain saturating the border 



