December 12, 1S72 ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



475 



bed will do. "We think it is only right to state this. For a 

 fortnight just now we should have found no quantity of Mush- 

 rooms out of place, and we are scarcer than we have been for 

 some time. Very probably, and most likely from appearances, 

 a fortnight hence we shall be as well supplied as we were three 

 weeks ago, when there was a glut rather than otherwise. To 

 gardeners who have little experience, and to employers who 

 do not enter into details, we say, as the result of much and 

 successful experience, that with limited space you must not 

 calculate on dishes of Mushrooms to a day. 



Another thing we have long found out — that in a Mushroom 

 house, where there are shallow raised beds, and these beds can 

 be pushed on by fire heat or even dung heat beneath, shelf beds 

 are more under command than beds built on the ground level. 

 From shelf beds we generally calculate to have Mushrooms six 

 weeks after spawning and earthing-up. In particular cases, by 

 more shallow earthing-up and a little more heat, we have had 

 fine gatherings in a month. In general, such early gathering is 

 not attended with the same continuance of bearing as when the 

 bed has had more time to arrive at maturity. In bottom beds 

 on the ground in a Mushroom house in winter, and in sheds and 

 shady places in summer, we have often gathered in six weeks 

 after spawning and earthing-up, but it was frequently much 

 longer. We have waited as long as eight, ten, and in some cases 

 twelve weeks, and then had rich gatherings. 



"We state the foregoing simple facts merely to show that with 

 limited space a gardener is not to be blamed if he cannot have 

 plenty of Mushrooms to a day or several days, and more especi- 

 ally if he has received only a few days' notice. If employers 

 want the most from their garden on particular occasions, the 

 gardener should not havemerely hours, but weeks of notice, and 

 he should have that notice direct. 



FittJIT GAKDEX. 



The remarks of the last week will apply : the ground is too 

 wet for planting, and even pruning should not be done unless 

 the pruner has short boards to stand upon. "We would rather 

 delay a little than have the ground trodden when it is so wet. 



0RXAMENTA1 DEPARTMENT. 



The same remark applies here. In fine days we have pruned 

 Laurels and shrubs, because the turf was too solid to be much, 

 acted on by the feet of the men. The lawn, having been cleaned 

 and light-rolled with the wooden roller, presents a rich green 

 all its own after these heavy rains, and more especially as the 

 worms seem to get enough to satisfy them beneath without 

 coming to the surface and leaving their ricb earth heaps. If 

 they do come, the wooden roller soon puts the little heaps out of 

 sight, and the roller only wants scraping to keep it clean. 



As regards planting Tulips, Anemones, and Ranunculuses, the 

 work, though wanting to be done, had better be delayed until the 

 ground become drier. The hardiest Roses may be pruned, but 

 that, too, had better be delayed a little if there should be any 

 necessity for standing on the -wet soil, and thus making it so 

 solid that it would be a long time before it could be made 

 friable, open, and healthy again. 



"With the exception of the one frosty night our cold pits have 

 had air night and day. On the day before the frost we exposed 

 Violets and our cuttings of Calceolarias to the full sun, and were 

 glad thus to get the surface a little dry. The Violets we covered 

 between the rows witb a coating of the driest and roughest 

 ashes we could get. The flowers will be all the finer of this 

 dry surface, and slugs, &c, will be deterred from approaching 

 them. As yet we have had enough out of doors, and we keep 

 these, planted lately in a cold pit, for an emergency, as a single 

 night of frost, though it may not greatly injure the appearance 

 of Violets out of doors, takes away their chief attraction — their 

 rich, perfume. "We have made Violets into bouquets because 

 they looked well, though we knew their scent was gone. A few 

 flowers from a protected place did something to redeem the 

 want. 



Calceolaria Cuttings in the cold pit are much the same 

 as when inserted; not a cutting seems as yet to have gone. A 

 few weeds were pulled out, and a pointed stick run-up between 

 the rows to loosen the rather firm surface, as it was getting 

 rather damp. The first-planted cuttings are just showing the 

 buddings of roots. They have so callused at the base as to 

 stand unflinchingly several days of rather strong sunshine with 

 the sashes removed. After the exposure, the cleaning, and the 

 surface- stirring, we felt sure that, if necessary, these cuttings 

 might in severe weather have been shut-up for weeks night and 

 day, and would have sustained no injury. The only precaution 

 in such cases is simply this, that the inside temperature should 

 be free from frost, and yet so low as to cause no elongation of 

 growth. 



"We proceeded with potting, repotting, watering, &c., spilling 

 as little water as possible in this damp weather, as most places 

 are damp enough ; and we gave weak mantu-e water to Primulas, 

 Cinerarias, Camellias, Euphorbias, Poinsettias, Eranthemums, 

 and the later Chrysanthemums. To succeed the latter we shall 

 have large plants of double Geraniums, etc., as we find them 



most useful, and they do not drop their flowers like single ones. 

 R. F. 



TRADE CATALOGUE RECEIVED. 



Kirk Allen, Brampton, Huntingdon. — Catalogue of Roses, 

 Vines, Evergreens, £c. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 

 N.E. — Many questions mast remain unanswered until next 

 week. 



Select Chkysa^thejjuois (IK S.). — Large-flowered: Prince Alfred, Em- 

 press of India, General Slade, Jardin des Plautes, Beverley, John Salter, 

 Prince of Wales, Princess of Wales, Venus, Lady Harding, Baron Beast, 

 Fingal, Le Grand, Mr, Brunlees, Little Harry, Princess Beatrice, Rev. J. Dix, 

 Sirs. G. Handle, Bronze Jardin des Plantes, General Bainbrigge, Hereward, 

 Lady Talfoord, Lord Derby, Queen of England. Pompom: White, Lilac, and 

 Golden Cedo Nulli, Bob, Golden Aurore, Htiene, White Trevenna, Duruflet, 

 Sainte Thai's, Salomon, Aurore Borcale, and Mustapha. 



Gardeners' Royal Benevolent Institution (W. G.).— Write to Hi* 

 Cutler, the Secretary, for the rules. His direction is 14, Tavistock Row* 

 Covent Garden, London. 



Emigrating Gardener (A Subscriber . — We never recommend any pla e 

 to an intending emigrant; it "would require far more information than we 

 can possess to justify us. If we found all circumstances suitable, we should 

 prefer Victoria in Australia. Write to the Emigration Commissioner's; they 

 will send you any information you need. 



Camellias for Trellis (Centurion). — We do not know any nurseryman 

 who trains Camellias for trellises, but many plants in the bush form have the 

 shoots well disposed for the purpose. Good kinds for a trellis are — Bealii 

 (Leeana superba), crimson ; Bonomiana, white, Hated and shaded carmine; 

 Conspicua, scarlet, semi-double ; La Pace, white, striped and shaded scarlet ; 

 Mathetiana, crimson; Mathotiana alba, white; Monarch, scarlet ; Mrs. Cope, 

 white, striped crimson; Reticulata flore-pleno, rose; Rubens, rose; Vatteva- 

 redo, rose ; and Alba plena, white. You will secure young plants at from 3s. Gd. 

 to 5s., or larger plants may be had at prices proportionately increasing with 

 the size. The border should be well drained, and the compost formed of the 

 top inch of a pasture where the soil is a light loam, chopping it up rather 

 small, and adding a third part of sandy fibrous peat, and half a part of old 

 cow dung or hotbed manure, well mixed, and put in 9 inches higher than the 

 intended level. 



Pear for South Wall (Idem).— Of the Pears you name— viz., Doyenn^ 

 du Cornice and Duchesse d'Angouleme, we should prefer the former, though 

 the latter would attain a much larger size on a south wall than in the ope::. 

 Celine Forest ier Rose sometimes does not bloom well against a wall, nor do 

 many others if the soil is very poor and unsuitable, and too dry. Plant it 

 in good soil, water fieely in diy weather, and syringe frequently, and it will 

 flower well. 



Destroying Slugs— Clubroot (B. Gregory). — For destroying slugs we 

 know of nothing equal to quicklime, which should be dusted over the soil and 

 plants in the evening or morning, repeating after rain, which makes the lime 

 inert. This persisted in will effectually keep slugs under. Clubroot is not 

 so easily dealt with, but a' dressing of salt in March, at the rate of twenty 

 bushels per acre, is a good preventive of club, and very destructive to slugs. 

 Gas lime may also be applied at the rate of twenty bushels per acre before 

 planting, and dug- in ; and you may also apply 1 lb. nitrate of soda to 30 square 

 yards. We should use the means abovenamed to the seed beds as well as to 

 the ground into which the plants are transplanted. Soot is also known to be a 

 good preventive. Make the ground quite black with it, and point it in with a 

 fork lightly before sowing. 



Lapageria rosea Potting (M. C.).— Tout plant will need to be potted 

 early in Februaiy, and we should give it a 9-inch pot, draining it well, and 

 using a compost of sandy fibrous peat two parts, one part very fibrous loam, 

 half a part old cow dung or leaf soil, the whole torn in pieces roughly, adding 

 a sixth of silver sand. Pot moderately firm, with the crown slightly raised 

 in the centre of the pot. 



Garden Grub-infested (P. F. H.). — The most effectual and permanent 

 remedy is to pare-off the surface and bum it. r lhis may, however, be too 

 costly a proceeding, and only applicable to portions of your garden; we 

 therefore advise your procuring some gas lime, and applying it to all the 

 uncropped ground at the rate of forty bushels per acre. Spread it evenly, dig 

 the ground, and, as it is clayey, throw it up roughly in ridges for the 

 winter. In February we should level the ground, choosing dry frosty weather, 

 and in March dress it with quicklime at the rate of a hundred bushels per 

 acre, and fork this in whilst fresh. At this rate you may apply it to all fruit 

 and flower borders. It will destroy every kind of slug as well as every egg it 

 comes in contact with, and makes the soil obnoxious to almost all kinds of 

 grubs. Early in April dress with salt at the rate of twenty bushels per acre, 

 but it must be kept from the hearts of Cabbages and the leaves or stems of 

 plants; though sprinkled around them, it will not do any harm, but is a 

 great slayer of slugs, and is also a preventive of the club. Soot is likewise 

 good, and may be applied at the same rate as the lime; the last two may be 

 applied at all seasons without injury to the growth of the plants. The lime 

 is, perhaps, the best destroyer of slugs; apply it in the evening or early in 

 the morning after a shower of rain. If the suxfaee be made white it is 

 enough. The lime should be quick but fallen ; if it is web it will he of no use. 



Clematis Planting (F. Ja— The best time to plant is at the end of March 

 or early in April, when they are beginning to grow. The covering of the wall 

 with Ivy is to take off the bare appearance of a wall in winter; the small- 

 leaved kinds are particularly applicable, and especially for a low wall such a? 

 yours. We have the wall of a cottage covered with Ivy, and Clematis grows, 

 as it were, on the face of the Ivy ; when the Clematis becomes leafless we 

 cut it in, and the Ivy gives us a cheerful winter clothing to the wall, while 

 enhancing the beauty of the Clematis in summer. For your low wall we 

 should have the small-leaved Ivies, as Hedera taurica, H. douerailensis, 

 H. variegata argentea, H. argentea rubra, and these will not impoverish the 

 border so much as the larger-leaved sorts. Tou may annually cut their roots 

 at about 9 inches from the wall ; and if the border be mulched with leaf soil 

 and enriched with manure, which are essential to the well-doing of the 

 Clematis, we do not think your herbaceous plants will suffer to any great 

 extent. 



