July 11, 1872. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



47 



are fairly above ground thin them to Cinches apart, and at the close of sum- 

 mer they may be thinned to 3 feet, leaving the strongest plants. Plants may 

 also he raised by division, taking care to preserve to each offset a bud, some 

 root, and a few fibrous roots. They should he planted in November or Feb- 

 ruary. You may send your friend some seed or roots — thelatter from October 

 to March, and by either mode there is little fear of their not succeeding. 



Early Vij.~ery Treatment (A Young Gardener . — Now that the fruit is 

 ripe it is not desirable to give the border any water, especially as the Vines 

 are making fresh growth, which it will be desirable to check, and so secure the 

 thorough ripening of the wood; at the same time it is necessary that the 

 roots should not become very dry until the buds or eyes are well developed, 

 and the wood thoroughly ripe, brown, and hard. You can hardly give the 

 Tines too much air, accompanied with a gentle fire heat in dull weather. For 

 the red spider we should coat the hot-water pipes with a composition of flowers 

 of sulphur, brought to the consistency of paint with a solution of 4 ozs. of 

 soft soap to a gallon of water, applying it with a brush to the pipes whilst 

 they are hot. This will check the spider; but a more effectual remedy is to 

 sprinkle the floors or border with guano, and slightly damp the house. We 

 do not, however, advise it in your case, or only as a last resource. It will not 

 do any harm to the Grapes, but may start or keep the Vines in growth, which 

 you will need to keep at a minimum. 



Roses (Rose). — " The Eose Garden," by William Paul, will suit yon as a 

 good practical book. You may select John Hopper, Baroness Rothschild, 

 Marie Baumann, Jules Margottin, Charles Lefebvre, Alfred Colomb, Duke of 

 Edinburgh, Madame Alfred de Rougemont, Beauty of Waltham, Gloire de 

 Dijon, Victor Verdier, Pierre Notting. These all succeed in pots. The best 

 time to get them is in November. 



Maxetti- stocked Roses for Sandy Sou (R. Davies). — If the Roses 

 named are for Briar stocks, the whole surface of the sandy soil must be 

 mulched. If they are to be budded on the Manetti stock they must be 

 budded low, and the stock covered with earth 2 inches. It is difficult to give 

 the exact colour of Roses. Crimson, Red, or their sliades : Charles Lefebvre, 

 Dr. Andry, Jules Margottin, Edward Morren, Fisher Holmes, General 

 Jacqueminot, John Hopper, Lady Suffield, Leopold I., Lord Herbert, 

 Achille Gonod, Madame C. Joigneaux, Madame Victor Verdier, Mdlle. Marie 

 Rady, Maurice Bernardin, Prince de Portia, Vicomtesse de Cazes, Alfred 

 Colomb, Devienne Lamy, Baronne Adolphe de Rothschild. Rose or Rink, or 

 shades thereof: Perfection de Lyon, Madame Chirard, Baronne Prevost, Mar- 

 quise de Castellaue, William Griffiths, Cecile de Chabrillant, Madame Charles 

 Verdier, Leopold II., extra fine. Yellow Roses: Gloire de Dijon, Celine 

 Forestier, Triomphe de Rennes. For a wall, Marechal Niel. Dark Purple or 

 Maroon. Roses : Dr. Jamain, Pierre Notting, Baron Chaurand, Souvenir de 

 William Wood, Prince Cam ill e de Rohan, Due de Cazes, Triomphe de Paris, 

 Triomphe de Caen, Gloire de Ducher, John Keynes. Rosy Blush: Marguerite 

 de St. Am and, La France, Abel Grand, Souvenir de la Malmaison. All the 

 above Roses have been, or are now, blooming finely at Okeford Fitzpaine. — 

 W. F. Radcltfpe. 



Heating by Steam (Amateur). — For a house 50 by 10 feet, we have no 

 faith in heating by steam, however applied, simply because you must have 

 the water at boiling point or thereabouts in order to have steam. Your 

 boiler 4 by 2 feet would easily heat six times the space for Cucumbers. A 

 smaller boiler, say 30 inches in length, would heat your space ; but as you have 

 the boiler we advise you to use it, only make it a hot-water and not a steam 

 boiler, simply by filling it with water, and taking the hot-water pipes from 

 the top and returning them to the bottom. We cannot tell you the piping 

 required, as you say nothing of your house except length and breadth, and a 

 span-roofed house will require more piping than a lean-to. You would at 

 least need two 4-inch pipes for bottom heat and four for top heat. If you 

 tell us more about the plan of the house, we shall be able to advise more 

 definitely. 



CuctmuER Seed (Robert Jones). — The seed you save from your Cucumbers 

 this year will certainly produce the same variety next year, provided you do 

 not allow any other variety to grow near it, and you fertilise the fruit-pro- 

 ducing flowers with pollen from the male flowers. All you need do is to pluck 

 one of the flowers with stamens, and dust the pollen on the point of the 

 pistil of the fruit-bearing flower. 



Fruit or Vegetable ( W. S.).— This is what Mr. Carlyle calls " the age of 

 talk," and many people are so fond of talk and hair-splitting that they lose 

 themselves in a fog of words. We never knew it doubted that Mushrooms, 

 Tomatoes, and Cucumbers are vegetables. A few weeks ago a correspondent 

 gave the definition thus — Vegetables are used at dinner, fruit at dessert. 



Gloxinia (W. D. A.).— Your Gloxinia is out of health, and the leaf, being 

 deficient of chlorophyll, is acted upon by the changes of the atmosphere. 



Hardy Plants and Bulbs for Cut Flowers, &c. (A Subscribei-).-^Whab 

 you call the white greenhouse Arum is Calla IRichardia) osthiopica. Roots for 

 flowering next spring ought to be obtained now, and should be at once potted, 

 placing them in a cold frame until they are growing freely, and they should 

 then be removed to a light airy position in a greenhouse. The principal cause 

 of bitterness in Cucumbers is slow growth, or allowing them to be too long in 

 swelling. Give them more heat, so as to swell off the fruit in ten days to a 

 fortnight after setting. Of bulbous and tuberous-rooted subjects for planting 

 with perennials to afford cut flowers in spring and summer, the following are 

 good — viz., Allium fragrans, Anomatheca cruenta, Asclepias tuberosa, A. in- 

 carnata, Calliprora lutea, Commelina tuberosa, Dielytra spectabilis, Hepatica 

 angulosa, Leucojum vernum, L. sestivum, Muscaribotryoides, Spirtea japonica, 

 Triteleia uniflora, and Tritonia aurea. in addition to these you will, of course, 

 have Winter Aconite, Snowdrop, Hyacinth, Narcissus, Tulip, Jonquil, Ranun- 

 culus, Scillas, Cyclamen neapolitanum, Coum, and europieum, Lily of the 

 Valley, Gladiolus, double blue and red Hepatica, and Lilium candidum, au- 

 rantiacum, Martagon, chalcedonicum, speciosum (lancifolium), and bulbi- 

 ferum ; also Alyssum saxatile, Arabis albida, Wallflowers, Daphne Cneorum, 

 Delphinium alopecuroides, D. Belladonna, D. formosum, Dianthus cruentus, 

 D. floribundus. D. fragrans, Erythronium Dens-canis, Gentiana acaulis, Hy- 

 pericum calycinum, Iberis saxatilis, Iris reticulata, Lathyrus grandiflorus 

 (Everlasting Pea), Lupinus polyphyllus, Lychnis Viscaria splendens, L.Haoge- 

 ana, Myosotis azorica, M. sylvatica, Pfeonias, Phlox Nelsoni, P.verna, likewise 

 the herbaceous varieties, Pyrethrums, Campanula aggregata, C. speciosa, 

 Spmea Filipendula plena, Statice latifolia, S. minuta, Thalictrum anemoni- 

 florum plenum, Tritoma Uvaria, Trollius europjeus, T. asiaticus, Veronica 

 alpestris, and V. Teucrium. You must not omit Pinks, Carnations, Violets, 

 Primroses, Polyanthus, Auriculas, &c. The Christmas Rose, Helleborus niger, 

 should be planted from now to September ; the earlier the better. 



Transplanting Wistaria sinensis {Mts. B.).— Take it up carefully early 

 in November, plant in the open border in rich light soil, and give a moderate 



watering. We presume it is to be planted against a wall with south-east to 

 south-west aspect. 



WoRiis (D.). — You can get rid of the worms from the roots of your Camellias 

 and Roses by putting a table-spoonful of mustard to a gallon of water and 

 watering the plants with it. They will then come to the surface. 



Insects on Achtmenes (An Old Subscriber). — The insects had all disap- 

 peared when we received the leaf. In all probability it has been attacked by 

 thrips. Smoke and the application of Gishurst Compound will relieve you. 



Najtes of Plants (Donna Serafina). — Lycium europium. (M. H. IF.). — 

 The colour of the Clematis was so faded we could not distinguish the variety. 

 There are now so many and some so near each other in colour, that it is not 

 easy to name them in the state in which yours is. (T. Sedgley). — 1, 2, 3 9 

 Lastrea Filix-mas ; 4, Athyrium Filix-foernina ; 5, Probably Lastrea dilatata; 

 6, Lastrea dilatata; 7, Asplenium Adiantum-nigrum ; 8, Pteris cretica; 

 9, Blechnum Spicant; 10, Scolopendrium vulgore; 11, Polypodium vulgare; 

 12, Probably Lastrea Filix-mas. (C. S. (?.). — AH scraps. 1, Indeterminable ; 

 2 and 3, a Selaginella ; 4, Euonymus japonicus variegatus ; 5, Perhaps a. 

 Funkia ; 6, A Maranta. (W. Nock). — Probably Cactus speciosissimus or some 

 hybrid. ( J. L.). — 4, Tradescantia discolor; 7, Perhaps T. cristata var. The 

 remainder are Begonias, which we cannot determine specially from the scraps 

 sent; 3 is B. parvifolia; 5, Perhaps B. coccinea. (Louis de Boulanger). — 

 Lastrea Filix-mas. The " spots on the back of the leaf" are the fructifica- 

 tion of the plant. (Arthenice). — 1, Orohis apif era ; 2, Arum maculatum; 

 4, Orchis pyramidalis ; 5, Neottia nidus-avis ; 6, Daucus Carota; 7, Onobry- 

 chis sativa; 8, Vicia Cracca; 9, Asperula odorata; 10, Chlora perfoliataj 

 11, Teucrium Scordonia ; 12, Galium cruciatum ; 13, Erytlmea Centaurium. 

 (C. T.). — 1, An Aubrietia, probably A. deltoidea; 2, Lychnis Viscaria with 

 double flowers ; 3, L. chalcedonica ; 4, Esehscholtzia ealifomica; 5, Send 

 again; 6, Anchusa italica ; 7, Euphorbia Cyparissias. [Constant Reader). — We 

 must again repeat that we will not name imperfect specimens. The scraps you. 

 send appear to be — 1, A Thibaudia ; 2, A Vaccinium ; 4, Lavandula Sta?chas. 

 (.If. B.). — Ptelea trifoUata. (A. C). — Jacaranda tomentosa. (Julia). — Spiraea- 

 Ulmaria. (F. C. Childers). — The spiked Grass is Cynosurus cristatus, or 

 Crested Dog's-tail ; the yellow flower Lotus corniculatus, or Bird's-foot Tre- 

 foil ; and the bunched Grass is Agrostis vulgaris. You ought to number your 

 specimens. (Miss Dennis). — Indeterminable from scrap sent. (X F.). — 1, & 

 Mesembryanthemum ; 2, a Sedum ; 3, a Pelargonium, all scraps ; 4. Thalic- 

 trum, probably minus; o, Lotus corniculatus ; 6, Cystopteris fragilis. The 

 Orchis is only O. maculata. 



P0ULTEY, BEE, AED PIGEON CHEOFICLE, 



WHICH IS THE BEST BKEED?— No. 3. 



Peehaps the greatest number of poultry-keepers are those 

 who keep a small number in a small space in a small garden, in 

 order to obtain a few new-laid eggs. As I hinted in my first 

 paper on this subject, it is most desirable in this case, and most 

 profitable also, to keep one of the non-sitting breeds, and thus 

 entirely avoid the trouble of breaking-off broody hens. This 

 restricts the choice under these cixcunistances to Spanish, Polish, 

 Hamburghs, Leghorns, or French fowls. 



Where the space is very small indeed, but perfectly dry, and 

 the fowls can and will be kept properly clean, the best breed, 

 will be the Polish. These fowls will thrive and be happy in 

 smaller space than any other, and are the tamest also of any 

 fowls I know. They take to petting naturally, and if only clean 

 and dry, will keep in beautiful condition in a space many people 

 would hardly believe. I would not in the least fear to keep 

 four or five Polish fowls in a roosting house about 5 feet square, 

 and a shed the same width and about 10 feet long. Other fowls 

 can possibly be kept in such a space ; but the Polish will 

 really thrive and look well in it. The floor must be perfectly 

 drained, drifting rain guarded against, and the shed is best filled 

 with sand mixed with a little slaked lime in powder. Such a 

 material is very easily kept clean with a fine rake, and if now 

 and then a slight watering be given from a pot with dilute carbolic 

 acid, just enough to give a smell all over, insects will be unknown. 

 In this case, however, some gravel or grit must be provided in 

 a trough. In a small shed under cover, with no other run out 

 on any occasion, I believe on the whole the Polish will be found 

 the best breed. It is not, perhaps, a good winter layer, though 

 early pullets will do well in this respect, and warmth and good 

 feeding will often get eggs even from hens. 



With a little more run in an open yard I should prefer Spanish 

 or Leghorns. Of the Spanish breeds the best for use is the West 

 of England Minorca fowl, and next to these Andalusians, but the 

 Minorca is decidedly the best, and I have often regretted that so- 

 useful and really handsome a breed is not recognised at shows. 

 It is hardier than the White-faced breed, far larger as a rule, 

 and decidedly not so dry in the flesh. Andalusians are similar 

 in hardiness, but smaller, and do not lay such large eggs, 

 Hardier than either, however, is the American Leghorn, which. . 

 is very evidently a Spanish crossed with some other breed. This 

 fowl is as hardy as a Houdan or Brahma, and as good a layer 

 as any fowl I know. Only the White is yet known in this 

 country, the coloured variety being as yet rare and highly prized, 

 but I am assured that the coloured Leghorn is even a better fowl 

 than the White. Be this as it may, I can thoroughly recommend 

 the Leghorn as a most useful fowl, one of the hardiest and best 

 layers we have, and one which will thrive in a small yard, say 

 about 12 feet square for four or five fowls. -It is as yet unspoilt 

 in its useful qualities by Ihe artificial breeding of fanciers, and 

 whatever be its fate as a fancy variety, must be regarded as 



