September 19, 1872. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



239 



tliose near the "bottom of the rafters will produce good bunches. Ton may, 

 as you propose, cut the rods back to 8 or 9 feet ; they will each bear from two 

 to four bunches without injuring the Vines. You must bend the cane down, 

 so that the top may be brought to the base of the rafter; this will cause the 

 buds to break regularly. Dust the affected leaves with flowers of sulphur; 

 this is a sure remedy for mildew. Keeping the ventilators open would not 

 bring it on. See that the Vines are not dry at the roots, and a little fire heat 

 with ventilation would be beneficial in dull weather. Keep your Peachhouse 

 rather warm until the wood is ripe, and preserve a moderately dry atmosphere. 

 Leave the ventilators a little open at night. 



Young- Gardener Improving (J. SI. C). — At your age, seventeen, we would 

 remain at least until the following spring where you are, then decide, if possible, 

 whether you will be a gentleman's gardener or in some way connected with the 

 commercial department, as nurseryman or seedsman. In either case a year 

 or two in one or more of the metropolitan nurseries would do you great good, 

 oven if you gave your services for little remuneration. Sucli diversified 

 knowledge acquired by day, with close attention to study in the evenings, 

 would give you a good basis, if you resolved on gardening, for getting in as 

 journeyman or foreman into a gentleman's garden. If the nursery depart- 

 ment is your object, you must move into different nurseries to see the differ- 

 ent modes of doing the work, and learn to generalise for yourself, so as to 

 suit your mode of working to your circumstances. The more knowledge you 

 ob:ain the better, but bear in mind that mere knowledge will never compensate 

 for a deficiency in courtesy, atteLtion, and obliging manners. 



Lawn Sand (J. R.). — You will see it advertised in our issue of the 5th inst. 



Winter Treatment of Tacsonia Van-Volxemi and Mandevxlla 

 suaveolens (./. R t N.).— Our plant of Tacsonia is now in full flower; in 

 fact, it has not been without flower except for a few days for the past two 

 years, and will continue flowering for a considerable time. It is planted out, 

 and will have but little water during the winter. You do not say whether 

 your plants are planted out or in pots. In either case they should have but 

 little water from October to March; but how much, depends on the condition 

 of the plants. Ours will not be watered as long as the shoots do not droop ; 

 once a-fortnight will be sufficient to prevent that, but if they are in pots 

 water may have to be given once a-week. The same remarks apply to the 

 Mandeviila. Keep dry, but do not allow the foliage to flag. Thin out the 

 shoots in February, and. encourage the plants with moisture. 



Plum Leaves Eaten {Idem).— Probably the leaves are attacked by the 

 larvae of Selandria atra. The most effectual remedy is dusting the tree with 

 quicklime, say twice at a short interval. Syringe the trees in the evening with 

 lime water, made by adding one peck of lime to thirty gallons of water. 

 Stir well up, let it stand forty-eight hours, then take off the clear liquid and 

 add 2 ozs. of soft soap to every gallon of the lime water. When thoroughly 

 dissolved apply it to the tree, wetting every part. 



Pear Trees Unfruitful (S.). — You seem to have what is generally con- 

 sidered a good soil for Pear trees. Under the circumstances we cannot 

 account for the trees not bearing. It may be, as the old gardener surmises, 

 that the varieties are not suitable. You ought, however, to bear in mind that 

 this has been an exceptionally bad season for out-door fruit. Many Pear 

 trees in our own garden though smothered with blossoms have borne no fruit, 

 We do not think the roots getting into the subsoil would be the cause, as the 

 Pear likes a clay subsoil. If the ground is poor we would work some decayed 

 manure into it with a fork, and wait until we saw the result of another 

 season. 



Select Hyacinths (A. R,).— Hyacinths for pot culture. Single Red.— 

 Amy, Duchess of Richmond, Gigontea, L'Ami du Cosur, Macaulay, Madame 

 Hodgson, Mrs. Beecher Stowe, Reine des Jacinthes, Robert Steiger, and Sol- 

 faterre. Single White. — Alba maxima. Alba superbissima, Baroness Van 

 Tuyll, Grandeur a Merveille, Mont Blanc, and Orondates. Single Blue. — 

 Argus, Baron Von Tuyll, Charles Dickens, Grand Lilas, Leonidas, Marie, and 

 Mimosa. Single Yellow.— Anna. Carolina. Double Red.— Lord Wellington, 

 >Toble par Merite, and Regina Victoria. Double White. — La Tour d'Auvergne 

 and Prince of Waterloo. Double Blue. — Blocksberg, Garrick, Laurens 

 Koster, Louis Philippe, and Van Speyk. Single varieties are the most suit- 

 able) for glasses. 



Select Early Tulips {Idem).— Single.— Couleur Cardinal, Bride of Haar- 

 lem, Fabiola, Keizerskroon, Pottebakker, white; Rose Aplatie, Vermilion 

 Brillant, and Wouverman. Double.— Due Van Thol and Tournesol. 



Vinery Arrangement (E. P. '.—We should not advise you to interfire 

 with your present vinery, as you would not only need the partition bnt also a 

 re- arrangement of the pipes, which would entail considerable expense. We 

 do not see what is the good of the 4- inch hot-water pipe buried in the soil, 

 except to heat it, and then it ought not to he in contact with it, but sur- 

 rounded with rubble or in a chamber. If the pipe is intended for top heat 

 expose it at once. To the conversion of the conservatory we cannot see an 

 objection ; it will answer admirably. You would need two more rows of 4-inch 

 pipes, and with this amount of additional piping we think your boiler will be 

 heating to its utmost capacity. It is well to attach under "rather than over 

 the full amount of piping to a boiler. In the case of too much piping the fire 

 has to be kept up to a great heat with a heavy loss of fuel and considerable 

 additional attendance, besides straining the boiler beyond its heating capacity. 



Earwigs Eating Fern Fronds (F. W. K.).— The only remedy we know 

 is to cut some broad beanstalks into lengths of 5 or 6 inches, and lay them 

 about the Fern case. The earwigs will secrete themselves in thehollowof the 

 beanstalk, and should be daily examined and blown out into boiling water. 



Climbers for Conservatory (T. B.).— We should plant the back wall 

 with Camellias in preference to Clematises, which are hardy. The roof we 

 would cover with Tacsonia Van-Volxemi, Passifloras, Bignonia Tweediana 

 and jasminoides, and Mandeviila suaveolens ; the pillars with Cobaea scandens 

 variegata, Kennedyas, Lapageria rosea, Hoya carnosa, Luculia gratissima, and 

 Rhynchospermum jasminoides. The stage may be filled with such plants as 

 Pelargoniums, Calceolarias, Cinerarias, Primulas, Azaleas, Acacias, Vallota 

 purpurea, and a great variety of other subjects. 



Destroying Mealy Bug (Gf. T. B.).— It spreads most rapidly in a dry 

 atmosphere. There is no specific for it. Water is its great enemy. Freely 

 syringing with soft water, and especially soot water made by pouring thirty 

 gallons of water over a peck of soot, stirring well up, and straining before use, 

 will help to keep it under; but as a dressing there is nothing equal to two 

 tablespoonfuls of spirits of turpentine to a gallon of water at 140-, with the 

 addition of 4 ozs. soft soap. Lay the plant on its side over a tray or bath, and 

 syringe it with the solution, turning it round, and thoroughly wetting every 

 part. After half an hour syringe with water. Repeat as required. If the 

 house generally is infested sprinkle the floor and other surfaces with guano, 



having previously damped them with water. When the house is shut up the 

 atmosphere will soon be laden with the ammonia evolved by the guano, and 

 this ammoniacal vapour is fatal to the mealy bug and red spider. The 

 sprinkling may be repeated at weekly intervals, and will tend to invigorate 

 the plants rather than otherwise, and is attended with no bad consequences, 

 only it must not be applied in too powerful doses, otherwise it will destroy 

 the tender foliage of such plants as Gloxinias, Achimenes, Gesneras, and 

 others with soft hairy leaves. All plants with smooth hard leaves it will not 

 injure. It must be used with care, and it is better to employ two moderate 

 doses than one powerful one that may do more harm than the insect. 



Melons Cracking [Idem . — The cause is too little water during the swell 

 ing, and as a consequence the rind of the Melon becomes hard, and the fruit 

 small. If a dull moist period set in about the time of ripening, or if the plants 

 are in a free state of growth, sap is impelled into the ripening fruit, and, the 

 rind being incapable of growth or expansion, the fruit hursts — the matter 

 inside literally breaks through the skin. The only remedy is to encourage 

 free growth during the swelling period, and to lessen the supply as ripening 

 goes on; indeed when Melons are ripening they can hardly he kept too dry, 

 and the growth should be as small as possible. 



Acrid Tueer (W. Nocks). — Raise a plant from one, and send it to us 

 when in flower. 



Wasps (W. J. T.). — If muslin or lace-net bags are used to enclose each 

 bunch, or if lace-net is stretched over the opened space of ventilators and 

 opened windows, the Grapes or other fruit ought to be safe. The bags you 

 mention must be either imperfectly made or imperfectly fastened round the 

 stalk of the fruit. 



Seedling Gerantum (An Amateur Gardener). — The dimensions of this 

 year's seedling stated by you are very unusual. 



Steel Traps and Spring Guns {Blenheim House).— To set them in any 

 way, either with or without notice, is now illegal. 



Celery Diseased (W. Addcrly). — Dust the plants thoroughly with slacked 

 quicklime, and earth all the rows up fully. The collars are only intended for 

 excluding the earth whilst the earth is being applied. 



Apples and Cherries for Galloway (Mrs. C). — Apples : for dessert* 

 Devonshire Quarrenden, Kerry Pippin, Grey Leadington, and Wyken Pippin* 

 For kitchen purposes, Keswick Codlin, French Crab, and Yorkshire Greening. 

 Cherries : Biittner's Yellow and Belle Agathe, neither of which are attacked 

 by birds, will ripen with you unless at a great elevation. 



Insects (C. M.). — The large looper caterpillar eating Pear leaves, and occa- 

 sionally nibbling the fruit, is that of the moth Biston betularius; not rare, 

 not a pest; it feeds on other trees ; the moth is a handsome one. — I. O. W. 



Names of Fruits (W. M.).— Coul Blush. (Hares/oot). — It is very like 

 Violette Grosse. How deliciously your Figs are flavoured. (G. C. C). — 

 Your Pear will never be " ripe in July." It is Comte de Lamy, and will ripen 

 about the middle or end of October. (J. K. Y.). — Your Apple is not the old 

 Golden Pippin, but Franklin's Golden Pippin. (B. E., Streatham). — 1, Louise 

 Bonne of Jersey ; 2, Eyewood; 3, Bergamotte Cadette; 4,Beurre Diel; 5, Red 

 Doyenne ; 6, Beurre Citron. 



Names of Plants (Albert). — Oenothera biennis, the Evening Primrose. 

 (L. V. A.). — Melilotus officinalis. (K. B. M). — Apparently a form of Pteris 

 aquilina, but specimen insufficient. (Ravensdale). — Cornus sanguiuea. 



POULTKY, BEE, AM) PIGEON CHEONICLE. 



FEATHEB-EATING. 



The discussion which took place on this subject last year will 

 doubtless be remembered, though none of us were able to come 

 to any very satisfactory conclusion. I do not like to be too 

 sanguine, but I have some reason to think that since then I have 

 met with a remedy which is either a specific, or, at least, more 

 deserves that name than anything which has yet been given for 

 this disgusting complaint. 



In my own communication I pointed out the various things 

 which in particular cases had been known to effect a cure ; 

 but in reflecting upon all that appeared, and all I could learn 

 privately, I was struck with the fact that the free use of let- 

 tuces running to seed seemed to have had more beneficial effect 

 than any other single remedy which had been tried. The 

 chemical and medicinal properties of this plant led me to advise 

 the trial of sedatives. Being very fortunately free from the 

 plague referred to in my own yard, I have had the disadvantage 

 of not being able personally to make experiments, and time has 

 necessarily been consumed in receiving reports from others, but 

 I think I may now say that acetate of morphia has, at least, a 

 very marked effect upon the complaint. 



In treating it in detail, the various causes should be re- 

 membered if it is to be treated with success. There is, first, the 

 unnatural, morbid appetite, probably connected in some way 

 with the conditions of the female system, though in a late case 

 a lot of cockerels were as bad as the pullets. There are, besides, 

 the immediate or exciting causes, which I have most fully 

 proved, as I hinted before, are in nearly all cases either idleness 

 or thirst ; sometimes, also, the irritation of the skin from over- 

 crowding and dirt and their consequences. Thirdly, in bad 

 cases, there is the stimulus of the raw places with the confirmed 

 habit or vice. 



To meet this last, any very badly-pecked bird should be 

 secluded till healed, all small stumps should be extracted, and 

 the parts, unless actually raw, dressed with a very stiff lather 

 (like shaving lather), made with carbolic acid soap, which will 

 soon nauseate the palate of the birds. Any unusually wicked 

 fowl should also be penned apart for a while if possible. Treat- 

 ment will commence with aperient medicine, such as ten to 



