October 24, 1872. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



335 



Pears not Ripening (Alpha). — If your Pear is Beurre Diel it -will ripen 

 in December. Some varieties do not ripen well this year -with. us. Beurre 

 Bose used to ripen with us in October, but to get it in this year we have 

 placed some of the fruit in a Pine house with a temperature of from 60° to 

 Bo 1 "'; the fruit is there ripening well. If you place yours in a warm room it 

 will probably ripen. That is the only way we know of. 



Inarching- Vines, Dressing" Tine Border (R. S.). — Inarching is better 

 than budding or grafting. It is the surest method and most easily performed. 

 Join young wood to young wood when it is green, cut a slice of each shoot to 

 half its diameter, and tie the two together firmly with a strip of matting. 

 The two shoots should be fastened together both above and below the union. 

 In three weeks undo the .fastenings and tie another strip of matting round a 

 little more loosely : the two edges must fit together, at least on one side. Bud- 

 ding may also be performed. "We obtained a bud of a variety we wished to 

 grow in October last year, it was sent several hundreds of miles, and was at 

 once inserted in a young shoot of Muscat of Alexandria, and this year it has 

 made a strong growth. You must take some of the wood with the bud and 

 fit it in neatly, tying it round with matting, and covering over with grafting- 

 was. It is best to bud or graft on the young wood. We would not use lime 

 pure and simple, nor plaster of Paris to dress a Vine border. Lime rubbish 

 is a good thing to mix in, as it keeps the border open. The dressing should 

 be applied in autumn. 



Nectartnes fob, a Cool House {Nectarine). — Victoria, Violette Hative, 

 Albert, and Balgowan. These will all succeed well, and are very choice 

 varieties. 



Screen of Conifers (Conifer). — As the length is 80 feet you will need 

 twenty plants ; and as you wish for the best only, we name for the back row, 

 as they will not be seen to their base, Pinus Laricio and Pinus austriaca 

 alternately, planted 8 feet apart, with a common Holly between each pair, so 

 that for the back row you will need nine Hollies, and five of each of the Pines. 

 In the next row, 8 feet from the back row, and opposite the Holly, plant Abies 

 Douglasii, Wellingtonia gigantea, and Thuja Lobbi, in equal numbers at 8 feet 

 apart. In the third row, at 8 feet from the last plant, Picea Nordmanniana, 

 P. grandis, P. nobilis, P. Pinsapo, Cedrus Deodara, Cupressus Lawsoniana, 

 Ketinospora pisifera, Thujopsis borealis, and Thuja orientalis, employing 

 these where you have the greatest width ; and at the narrow parts towards the 

 ends Thuja elegantissima, Taxus adpressa, T. elegantissima, Abies Clan- 

 brasiliana, A. pygmrea, A. compacta, and A. pumila. The whole of the 

 internal space we should fill up with common Laurel, which can be removed 

 as the Conifers grow, making them throughout 4 feet apart, but the Conifers 

 will stand 8 feet apart every way. The front you can fill up with any of the 

 low-growing shrubs, as Juniperus Sabina, J. prostrata, Vinca elegantissima, 

 Skimmia japonica, Berberis Aquifolium, &c. Now is the time to plant them ; 

 the ground, however, should be well trenched. 



Pears for West Wall (Idem). — We presume you want them to succeed 

 each other. Beurre Superfin, Marie Louise, General Todtleben, Beurre Diel, 

 Josephine de Malines, and Bergamotte Esperen. 



Passifloras for Greenhouse (I. D.). — We do not know any scarlet- 

 flowered Passifloras that will succeed in a greenhouse, but Countess Nessel- 

 rode has reddish purple flowers. P. kermesina might probably succeed. We 

 would especially recommend Tacsonia Van-Volsemi; with us it is always 

 flowering. The flowers are bright crimson. 



Tacsonia, Mandevtlla, and Lapageria in Cold Conservatory (H.F.F.\ 

 — As the temperature of your house sometimes falls below 32 : keep the 

 plants dry at the roots, giving no more water than is absolutely necessary. The 

 Tacsonia and Lapageria are known to endure several degrees of frost without 

 injury, and yet we should advise you to cover them in severe weather with 

 mats, which should not be removed as long as the temperature is below 32 3 , 

 "and not after a change of weather until the plants are thoroughly thawed. 

 Tritoma grandis is quite hardy, but it is well to mulch round the crown after 

 Kovember with partially- decayed leaves and short manure, placing a mat over 

 all in severe weather, and not removing the dead parts until spring. 



Viola Queen Victoria (H. Cannell). — Your Viola is lovely. , At this 

 season of the year, when colours in the flower garden are becoming rare, and 

 the gaudy show is past, its charming violet tint cannot but be admired by all 

 lovers of a flower garden. 



Poinsettia pulcherrima Treatment (Box). — This plant should have a 

 temperature of 55° to 60° from fire heat, and be kept in a fight airy position 

 near- the glass. Water should be given to keep the soil moist. For particulars 

 of treatment throughout the year see page 224 of Journal of Horticulture 

 "for September 19th this year. 



Uses of Tan (Idem). — The only way is to form it into a bed of about the 

 same height and dimensions as if yon were using well- fermented dung. The 

 sides will need to be held up by litter, and from your pony you will probably 

 have enough for that purpose. Any kind of litter will do, or yon may employ 

 "faggots; the object is to keep the tan from falling. The tan if fresh should 

 be thrown into a heap, and allowed to attain a good heat before being used 

 for forming the bed. 



Chrysanthemum Stakes — Manuring Hoses — Tuberoses not Flower- 

 ing (S. P. S. X.). — The stakes for the Chrysanthemums would be much im- 

 proved if you were to have them painted green. Now is a good time to manure 

 Xtose beds ; put on rather littery manure, and in spring point it in with a fork. 

 This is also a good time to plant Liliums in the open ground, well drained. 

 We are unable to account for not more than two Tuberoses out of half a 

 dozen flowering. Probably the tubers were too weak, like the majority of 

 those we have grown for many years. The American roots are considered 

 finer than the Italian. 



Laurel Leaves for Destroying Green Fly — Lobelia not Flower- 

 ing Continuously (Idem). — Laurel leaves are destructive to insects because 

 they evolve prussic acid. Cover the floor of a house with them, shut it up 

 closely in the afternoon, gather them up in the morning, and well syringe the 

 plants. A decoction of the bruised leaves is also useful for syringing plants 

 infested with green fly, using as mueh water as will just cover the leaves. 

 Pour boiling water over them, cover, and allow the liquid to cool, then apply 

 it with a syringe. Lobelia pumila grandiflora blooms continuously until frost, 

 and we can only account for your plants not doing so by the heavy rains, and 

 the plants coming into flower so early in the season.- The growth of the 

 ■plants should be encouraged, and the flowers pinched off so as to keep them 

 free in growth, and only showing for flower at planting-out time. It is not 

 unusual for Cinerarias to flower in October. 



Greenhouse Ventilation (A Lover of Flowers). — The temperature of a 

 greenhouse should not exceed 45'"' by fire heat, nor be less than 40°, the former 

 being the day, and the latter the night temperature. Gentle fire heat in 



mild wet weather is often desirable to cause a circulation of air, but it should 

 not be given with the view of raising the temperature. There cannot be too 

 much ventilation in mild weather, and a little air should be given daily 

 except in severe weather, but without lowering the temperature. In order to 

 prevent too high a temperature from sun heat, air should be given early in 

 the day, reduced by the time the temperature falls to 50°, and entirely with- 

 drawn at 45°. 



Charcoal Stove ln Greenhouse (L. A. P.). — A charcoal stove will 

 injure the plants in a greenhouse, unless you have a small chinmey to take 

 oft the products of combustion. We know what effects a close charcoal stove 

 has had on men, and plants are even more tender. We have known great 

 destruction caused by using gas-burners, and they are not worse than 

 charcoal. 



Flued Stove (E. G. G.).~ In such a small house (9 feet by 6 feet), the one 

 stove {9 inches by 7 inches), would be quite sufficient to keep the frost out. 

 The mere keeping-in of the fire, if there be enough of heat, will be of less 

 consequence. The keeping the fire in will depend on a close-fitting furnace- 

 door and a close ashpit-door ; a slight opening in the latter, say 1 inch by 

 one-eighth of an inch, will keep-up the combustion. The close fitting of the 

 latter is of importance, as the smoke-pipe goes up from the top of the stove. 

 As you would see in previous numbers, we prefer that the smoke-pipe should 

 issue from the side and that the firebox should be lined with firebricks, 

 and stand separate from the sides of the stove. 



AsmoNiACAL Solution for Dipping Plants (C.J. TV.). — Half an ounce 

 of sulphate of ammonia is a sufficient quantity for one gallon, and this 

 should not be given oftener than twice a-week. At the same rate any of the 

 ammoniacal salts would probably answer for dipping and syringing plants. 

 but we should be obliged by information on the subject. 



Destroying Slugs (Amateur, Dewsbury). — In the flower garden, before 

 planting, we should dress with salt at the rate of one peck to 30 square yards. 

 In the spring we should point lime into the flower borders, and if slugs are 

 troublesome dress with it late in the evenings of showery days. Any un- 

 sightliness will soon disappear by hoeing and raking. You may also dress 

 with nitrate of soda, 1 lb. to 30 square yards. It destroys slugs, and is bene- 

 ficial to most plants. Li the kitchen garden -we should apply the dressing of 

 lime as you propose, and dust the growing crops with lime if the slugs should 

 prove troublesome. You may also dress with salt, which is beneficial to 

 plants and destroys slugs. The Celery we should water with nitrate of soda, 

 1 lb. to twelve gallons of water, and also dust with soot before each earth- 

 ing- up. 



Red Spider on Vines (H. B.).—A.t this advanced period of the season 

 you need not trouble about your greenhouse Vines infested with red spider, 

 further than to remove the leaves as they fall, and to burn them. When the 

 leaves are all off remove the loose portions of the bark, and when the Vines 

 are pruned dress them with a composition formed of 8 ozs. of soft soap and 

 one gallon of tobacco juice, adding sufficient sulphur vivum to bring the com- 

 position to the consistency of paint. Apply this with a brush to every part of 

 the wood, working it well into the holes and crevices, and taking care not to 

 rub off the eyes. It should be applied at a temperature of 120". We should 

 wash the canes previous to this application with water and a brush, then 

 apply the composition. The temperature from fire heat in your greenhouse 

 ought not to exceed 45°, and should not fall below 3$? to insure the safety of 

 the plants. 40° to 45° from fire heat will suit the plants and not unduly 

 excite the Vines. The temperature may rise to 50° or more from sun heat, 

 but the fire heat at such times should be kept at a minimum. During the 

 winter it is not necessary to apply manure water to any plants in a state of 

 rest or when the growth is not active, but such as are advancing for flower- 

 ing will be the better of weak liquid manure once a-week when the pots are 

 full of roots. Our " In-door Gardening" will suit you. It may be ha d free 

 by post from our office for Is. 7%d. m — ~ mj „'T, -^-=«™ 



Naues of Fruits (D. F. J. E.).—Youx Pear is certainly not worth a south 

 wall. The cracking and imperfect ripening are caused by the roots being in 

 ungenial soil. It is so poor a specimen we cannot determine the name. (Cen~ 

 turion). — 1, Worthless, certainly not Cellini; 2, Dredge's Fame; 3, Winter 

 Nelis; 4, Certainly not Beurre Bachelier; 5, Beurre d'Aremberg; 6, Inferior 

 specimen ; 7, Bed Doyenne ; S and 9, General Todtleben. 



Names of Plants (T. Hill). — Lasthenia californica and Cheiranthus 

 Marshalli. (S. S.). — Croton variegatum. (Pinetum). — 1, 4, 5, Abies Men- 

 ziesii; 2, Taxus baccata elegantissima; -3, Thujopsis borealis ; 7, Taxus 

 baccata adpressa ; 8, Pinus lasioearpa ; 9, Pinus excelsa ; 10, Abies orientalis. 

 (H. W. D.). — 2, Jnniperus virginiana; 1, Chamreeyparis Lawsoniana; and 

 3, C. sphreroidea, apparently ; but specimens not very satisfactory. (E. 

 Payne).— 3, Pelkea hastata, var. [macrophylla. (Constant Reader). — Sedum 

 spectabile. (R. Maries). — Wulfeuia carinthiaca variegata. (E. JR., Llanfavr). 

 — 1, Asplenium dimorphum ; 2, Nephrodium decursivo-pinnatum ; 3, N. 

 (Lastrea) Thelypteris ; 4, N. (Lastrea) Filix-mas. 



P0ULTEY, BEE, AND PIGEON CHRONICLE. 



returning fowls from a show. 



In calling attention to the treatment my birds experienced at 

 Croydon Show, I do so in the hope it will be the means of pre- 

 venting a recurrence of the serious injury which may be in- 

 flicted on very valuable birds, owing to want of a little attention 

 and of the employment of experienced and responsible persons 

 in and about a show, particularly a first one. 



Although I am situated nearly on a direct line of the London 

 and North-Western Bailway, my birds did not arrive home till 

 three days after the Show closed, and when they did arrive the 

 cockerel was put in the small pullet hamper, and, vice versa, the 

 pullets in the tall cockerel hamper (without, of course, the least 

 regard to numbers) ; consequently the cockerel during the three 

 days' journey had never been able to stand up, and as maybe 

 imagined, was so cramped a.i hardly to be able to stand. I 

 heartily wish this had been all, but one of the very splendid 

 pullets was so injured either by rough handling in penning or 

 by a blow on the head or neck, that it will take some time for her 



