E52 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ November 1, 1877. 



potted at once. We shall have them done the first opportunity. 

 They have sometimes been potted with tnrfy peat in the com- 

 post, and at others without it, using only turfy lcam, and we did 

 not notice any difference in the quality or strength of the 

 flowers or spikes. There are some sorts of loam that do not 

 mix well with peat ; the loam of our own district does not. The 

 best loam to mis with turfy peat soil is a yellow medium clayey 

 loam, which is found at "Wanstead, Wimbledon, and Epsom 

 commons, and in which the common hardy Heaths grow natu- 

 rally. We have not used any artificial heat in our houses this 

 season yet, nor do we notice any injury from damp to the 

 flowers. 



FLORIST FLOWERS. 



The Auriculas which have been all the summer and autumn 

 behind a north wall have now been removed from that position 

 to one where they are fully exposed to the sun. Previous im- 

 pressions are confirmed, that the Auricula delights in a dull 

 moist season. The northern growers state that they have 

 seldom had a stronger or more healthy growth, and the weather 

 there has been dull and cold enough with more than the usual 

 quantity of rain. The weather with us has not been so favour- 

 able, and there is plenty of autumn bloom owing to the drought 

 and heat when they were making their autumn growth. 



Weather which has been favourable to the growth of Auriculas 

 does not suit the Carnation and Picotee, and the principal 

 growers in the north Btate that they have not yet been able to 

 take off all their layers. The " grass " was not ready to layer 

 until the last week in August, and the weather since has not 

 been favourable to the development of the plants. Oar own have 

 all been taken off, and some of those left until the last (about 

 two score pairs) did not seem to have any roots, or they were in 

 some cases just forming; these were taken off and potted in the 

 usual way, and the pots plunged in a gentle hotbed. In that 

 way they speedily strike roots, and as the heat declines air is 

 admitted more abundantly to strengthen the plants. Pinks 

 certainly never made better growth than they have done this 

 autumn — they are almost as strong as Picotees. The ground 

 must now be stirred amongst the plants with a Dutch hoe. 



We are about planting out a bed of seedliDg Pansies, and also 

 named sorts. These plants are apt to become infested with 

 green fly under glass, and it is convenient to put them out in 

 their flowering beds at once.— J. Douglas. 



TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 



Richard Smith, St. John's Nurseries, Worcester. — Catalogues 

 of Fruit and Forest Trees, Conifers, Roses, Alpine and Herb- 

 aceous Flants. 



Francis & Arthur Dickson & Sons, "Upton" Nurseries, 

 Chester. — Catalogue of Select Roses. 



James Bromwich, 25, Buckingham Palace Road, Belgravia, 

 S.W. — Catalogue of Dutch Bulbs and Room and Garden Orna- 

 ments . 



Cranston & Co., King's Acre Nurseries, Hereford. — Descriptive 

 Catalogue of Selected Roses. 



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. 

 Back Ndhbee (A Subscriber). — Ton can have the number dated October 4th. 

 Ashes as Manube {J. F. £".).— The snlphnr will be beneficial. 

 Golden Queen Geape. — "We think it has been discussed sufficiently. 

 Attention has been aroueed, and cultivators may judge for themselves. 



Valuation [A Constant Reader). — Consult a neighbouring gardener. No 

 one can give a trustworthy opinion without seeing the plants and knowing the 

 locality. 



Jeeusaxem Artichokes (N J. M.).— If taken up before required for use 

 place them in layers alternated with sand in a cool shed. If your garden 

 nets are soaked in a tanner's vat and kept in a dry place the moth will not 

 attack them. 



Camellias under Vines {Yorkshire Amateur).— Your idea is a good one. 

 Camellias do well under Vines. They grow freely and flower abundantly. 

 Plant the old Double "White, Lady Hume's Blush, Bonomiana, Imbricata, 

 Hathotiana, Lavinia Maggi, and Elegans. 



Removing "Walnut Tbee (G. T. Wade).— Now would be a good time to 

 transplant ; but if it has been ten or twelve years in one place it would be 

 more satisfactory to dig round it, as is recommendel for Apple and Pear 

 trees in another place, and transplant it nest year. You may now cut the 

 branches off. 



Peuning Pybacantha (Mrs. Holmes).— It is too late to " clip the breast- 

 wood with a pair of shears " of the Pyracantba, also the Escillonia and 

 Cotooeaster. Cut out with a knife a sufficient portion of the shoots to enable 

 you to secure the remainder to the wall thinly and without crowding them. 



Buckwheat Culture (S. W. F. K.K— The proper time for sowing buck 

 wheat is in May, when there is no longer any danger to be apprehended from 

 the frosts, for so tender is this vegetable at its first appearance as to be un- 



able at an earlier period to withstand the vernal cold. The slightest frost in 

 their infant state would infallibly cut off the young shoots; and as from 

 this circumstance it must be sown at a season when dry weather may be 

 expected, the crop on that account not unfrequently fails. The produce, 

 which varies with the seasons (and this is rather an uncertain crop), ranges 

 from two to four quarters per acre- It is commonly grown in England in 

 preserves as food for pheasants and partridges. It is an excellent food for 

 poultry ; pigs thrive upon and are fond of it (it is commorjly given to them 

 mixed with potatoes), and when bruised it is good food for horses, two bushels 

 being equal for this purpose, it is said, to three of oats (a bnshel weighs about 

 46 lbs.). Cows when fed with it yield a large increase of milk. Sheep when 

 fed upon the plant when in blossom stagger and tumble about as if drunk. 

 It is sometimes made into hay, which is nutritive, but tedious to make, and 

 should be consumed before the winter. It is cften grown on poor exhausted 

 Boils and ploughed-in when in bloom ; in this way it increases very materially 

 th e fertility of the soil, and is a mode often practised in Esses, Suffolk, Nor- 

 folk, and in Scotland. Mr. Ballingal has given an account of his experiments 

 with it upon a clay loam recently limed, from the result of which he warns 

 his brother farmers that it is " needless to attempt to grow it upon damp 

 soils, or to expect full crops upon lands exhausted by overcropping." 



Preserving Grapes {Qrape-GTOwer}.— Nine-tenths of the gardeners in 

 the country have no better means of preserving their Grapes than you have, 

 but you task the best-keeping Grape— viz., Lady Downe's. If you had given 

 the inside border only one good watering after the Giapes began colouring it 

 would uot want more until they a T e all cut. If you read " Doings of the Last 

 "Week" you will find all the information about ventilating, firing, &e. You 

 will gain nothing by bending down such stout stems as your Vines have. 



Removing Young Pear Trees (F. 7.1. — They may be safely removed 

 this autumn. It is not necessary to keep the union between scion and graft 

 covered now if it bas taken well; if not, tie a binding of matting round the 

 union, not very tight. 



Wintering Bedding Geraniums {Idem). — You had batter not cut them 

 back until the spring, as you have only cold frames to winter theoi in. 



Training Young Fruit Trees {Idem).— 11 for pyramids cat the ,( maiden " 

 stem back one-third; for espaliers and cordons it ought to be cut back to 15 or 

 18 inches from the graft. 



Crinum capense Planting {Manx Cat). — "We have had Crinum capense 

 planted by the margin of a stream four years. It appears thoroughly esta- 

 blished, and has flowers every year. The top part of the bulb is some 2 or 

 3 inches below the surface, and the Boil is that of an ordinary garden border. 

 It requires no protection in winter, and may be planted immediately. 



Triteleia uniflora (A. .Boi/k).— Triteleias are quite hardy and do not 

 reqaire the shelter of a frame in winter as was once supposed. Plant in rich 

 well-drained soil, not crowding the balb3, but afford each plant ample spa 38 

 for its full development, and you will have flower spikes S or 9 inches high. 

 The flowers are sweet-scented and appear in early spring, continuing in fall 

 beauty for several weeks. You may plant them at the present time, including 

 those you have in the pit. 



Nertera depressa (A Constant Reader). — Take shallow flower-pans and 

 fill them with rich soil, say one part of loam and two parts old hotbed manure; 

 pour in water till the soil acquires the consistency of mud, then prick little 

 bits of the Nertera upon the surface ; place the pots upon a light Bhelf in a 

 pit or greenhouse. Keep plenty of water in the pans, and the plants will 

 Bpread over the surface, flower freely in spring, and become cushions of bright 

 litth orange-coloured berries early in summer, when they may be planted-out 

 when required for the flower beds. The plaots grow freely potted in the 

 ordinary fashion, but they are apt to bear very few berries when so treated. 



Ammonia versus Slugs {A Country Yicar).— One gallon of gas ammo- 

 niacal liquor mixed with seven or eight gallons of water will kill slugs if 

 poured on the soil, and will banish worms if applied to a lawn. 



Duke of Buccleuch Grape {F. W. T.).— The colour of the berries is 

 pale amber. 



Rose {E.R. C.).—^Ve do not think your specimen is of Narcisse, hut of 

 Isabella Sprunt. 



Dr. Hogg Grape (C. T. H., Dorset).— -Dr. Hogg Grape will ripen in the 

 same temperature as the Cbasse'as Masque. We should not graft it on that 

 Vine. It would probably do well grafted on the Black Hamburgh, or youmay 

 plant a young Viae of it. It is a good Grape with a Frontignan flavour, and 

 what may be termed warm Black Hamburgh treatment will suit it. 



Names of Fruits iRus in Urbe).—l, White Paradise; 2, Summer Golden 

 Pippin; 3, Norfolk Stone Pippin. (T. P.).— 1, Lady's Finger; 2, Cellini. 

 {Q. McQ.). — 2, Alfriston; 6, Northern Greening; 7, Large Huntbouse; S, 

 Cox's Pomona; 10, Braddick's Nonpareil; 11, Tower of Glamis. (W. D.). — 

 Red CaMUe. (B. J. B.).— 1, Winter Hawthornden ; 2, Wormeley Pippin ; 8, 

 Gloria Mundi; 4, Not known; 5, Golden Noble; 6, Hall Door, (tf.).— 2, 

 MinshallCrab; 3, Winter Greening ; 4, Cox's Pomona; 5, Not known; 6, Russet 

 Nonpariel. {Upero). — 1, Not known ; 2, Adams' Pearmain ; 3, Striped Beefing'; 

 4, Bess Pool ; o, Sammer Pearmain. {E. H. R.).— 1, Keswick Codlin; 2, Not 

 known; 3, Yorkshire GreeDing; 4, Dumelow's Seedling; 5, Cox's Pomona; 

 6, Ribiton Pippin. {M. A. W.).— Hollandbury. {E. R.).— Trumpington. 



Names of Plants (W.F.R.). — Sedum carneum fol. var. {L. H.). — It is 

 Honesty (Lunaria). It is quite hardy. {R. Carnall).— It is a Tropseolom, 

 but we eaunot name the Bpecies without seeing a flower. 



POULTRY, BEE, AND PIGEON 0HE0NI0LE. 



OXFORD POULTRY SHOW. 



The sixth Meeting was held on the 24th and 25th inst., and 

 was by far the largest show which has so far this season been 

 held. The arrangements were all exceedingly good, and reflected 

 the greatest credit on Mr. King and his working Committee. 

 All the minor details were here satisfactorily looked after, such 

 as chaff, gravel, grass, and good food for the birds, and the 

 exhibits were mostly very effectively staged. We much regret 

 that the civic authorities should not take more interest in the 

 Show, for the visitors it brings to their city and the consequent 

 advantages for trade muBt be considerable. 



