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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ November 8, 1864. 



will often throw all arrangements out of gear until the lee- 

 way can be brought up again. 



In the orchard-house we swept and cleaned the leaves 

 from the earliest part, and moved the trees in pots, setting 

 them closer together, and will put litter among and over 

 the pots by-and-by, and thus placing them close together 

 will give room for lots of Geraniums, &c, from the beds, and 

 for Cauliflower, Lettuce, and Endive for the winter. These 

 trees have all been syringed with water at about 170°, after 

 the smoking with Laurel leaves that we gave them. After the 

 smoking we noticed some Ribston Pippin trees in pots, that 

 had some American blight (Aphis lanigera), on them that 

 did not seem killed by the smoking, the woolly matter, no 

 doubt protecting them. These we have set out of doors as a 

 preparatory step to thoroughly cleaning them top and roots, 

 for on examining the roots we found there was as much 

 blight below the soil as above it. "We shall use strong lime 

 water, or ammoniacal water, if we can obtain it, and then 

 paint with Gishurst or sulphur and clay. We never had 

 this insect on Pear trees but once, and that was on an 

 Althorp Crasanne, and it existed at alm ost every bud. It 

 had several scourings with lime water in the autumn, and 

 was painted with clay and sulphur in winter, and the insect 

 never made its appearance again. Turpentine, and even oil, 

 will kill all the insects they touch, or shut them up from the 

 air; but both are so far injurious to the plants. Thick lime 

 wash would be as effectual for shutting them up from air 

 for a time, and would do no harm. 



Mr. Rivers, at least, ought to have the credit of doing 

 away with the idea, that a man could only plant Pear trees 

 for the benefit of his grandchildren. These Apple trees, 

 and some Plums and Pears, were procured, as far as we re- 

 collect, as maidens, in the spring of 1863, and then potted. 

 They were grown out of doors that year in small pots, and 

 were fruited in-doors in the present season, and just bore 

 too heavily to perfect a forest of buds for next season, but 

 with a more moderate crop, they would continue year after 

 year. Even as it is, there will be plenty of buds for a crop. 

 If deemed necessary, therefore, by station planting, root- 

 pruning, or summer pinching, the plant that is budded or 

 grafted in the season of 1864, may produce fruit at least in 

 1867, and often in 1866, if you wished merely to say that 

 such a thing could be done. The fruiting so early would, 

 however, like taking a crop from Vines some fifteen or 

 eighteen months from the bud, render future crops from the 

 plant a very problematical affair. 



Eor other matters see notices of previous weeks. 



ORNAMENTAL DEPARTMENT. 



Did a little to keep the lawn and the walks passable, have 

 too much in hand to attempt to go over them every day. 

 "Will defer a good thorough cleaning in all parts until the 

 most of the leaves have come down. Ash, Lime, and Elm 

 leaves are now nearly down, but those of the Beech stick as 

 if glued with bird lime, and Oaks are as yet rather green. 

 The very sight of the tops of the trees now, will tell at once 

 the nature of the tree as respects its rooting. All those 

 whose roots extend chiefly along the surface, as the Ash and 

 the Elm, have shown long ago the ripening effects of the dry 

 summer, whilst the deep-rooting Oak shows no great dif- 

 ference from its state in ordinary years. In the fruit garden 

 the state of the foliage will also often give a good lesson. 

 Thus, where it has fallen, or is in course of doing so, nothing 

 is wanted but a little top-dressing to increase vigour if 

 required. "Where the leaves are still vigorous and green, it 

 says plainly enough that the roots are going down deep, and 

 might be the better if their points were nipped off to lessen 

 the vigour. 



Took up a number of Geraniums from the beds, and 

 placed them thickly under cover until we have time to look 

 over them. Took up and potted a number of large plants 

 that formed the centre of the pyramidal beds. Talking of 

 pyramidal beds, we hope ere long to describe some pyramids 

 of Calceolarias, &c, at Bentley Priory that did thoroughly sur- 

 prise us, and that made a grand contrast with the usual beds. 



"We have not had lime to finish our Calceolaria cuttings, 

 but will be satisfied if we can do so before the old plants are 

 touched with frost. "We are glad that a correspondent has 

 drawn our attention to our description of putting in these 

 cuttings at page 338. That description is all right enough, 

 with this exception that " 10" is printed for "2." The little 



sentence that puzzles him should read thus — "This season 

 we plant them in rows 1 inch apart, and the rows are nearly 

 2 inches from each other." Last season the rows were only 

 li inch apart, but that was rather close, as the rooted cut- 

 tings became a perfect thicket early in spring. Had we 

 plenty of room we would give the cuttings more of it — say 

 from double to three times as much — and then we might 

 save ourselves transplanting until we turned the plants at 

 once into the beds. Our practice hitherto has been to take 

 up these thick-set Calceolarias in March, plant out in beds 

 where we can give a little protection, lift with balls in May, 

 and transfer to the blooming-beds. 



Another correspondent asks if it would not be better to take 

 up now and pot or plant under glass nice stubby plants from 

 the beds ? We say, No, except you wish to have large plants 

 as centres, or to grow in pots for early spring and summer 

 blooming. For symmetrical plants in beds we prefer plants 

 from cuttings inserted now, and a score of cuttings may be 

 placed in the room that would be required for a fair-sized 

 plant. " An Old Bird " tells us, " My Calceolarias were all 

 struck in the end of September, long before you put one in. I 

 saw your Calceolarias in September, and they were only pass- 

 able, whilst mine were extra good. I mean to keep to early 

 striking." By all means : a man is right to use the bridge 

 that takes him safest over the stream. We have struck 

 late for many years, and never missed a fine bloom in Sep- 

 tember and onwards until this season ; and that we consider 

 entirely owing, not to the time the cuttings were put in, 

 but to the great drought with which we were visited. Our 

 object in late striking is, that the plants may have as little 

 check as possible, and yet be kept in a small space until May. 

 Older plants, and plants curbed and checked, we thought 

 we had proved were apt to wear out, or only yield leaves 

 instead of masses of flowers in the autumn. We are tho- 

 roughly convinced that, had we a stream or a large reservoir 

 of water near us, our Calceolarias this autumn would have 

 been as good as they usually are; still, that is no reason 

 why another plan may not be as good or better than ours 

 in different circumstances. A sense of honour must insist 

 on detailing the very plans used, and mentioning failures as 

 well as successes, otherwise these notes could be of no value 

 or interest whatever. We like to hear everybody's opinion, 

 and still more their practice ; for even if we cannot adopt 

 all these modes, we may still have the advantage of knowing 

 that "in the multitude of councillors there is safety." 



All bedding plants are now kept rather dry — that is those 

 struck lately, and a little hay and Utter is in readiness to 

 throw over them in a sudden frost, as we are not ready to 

 take many into our fruit-houses as yet. Commenced clear- 

 ing out the conservatory, and fresh surfacing and cleaning 

 the pots to go there. Chrysanthemums with us this season 

 will be late and we fear rather inferior, in consequence of 

 keeping them for two months banked-up against the north 

 side of a shed very much shaded by trees. As we could not 

 give them any water, this was the only shift we could resort 

 to to keep them alive. They now look fair after being exposed 

 since the rain came. Cinerarias, Primroses, &c, have had 

 all the air possible, with shutting up partially at night. 

 Shortened the climbers in conservatory to give more light, 

 and cut the leaves from lots of fine-leaved Begonias that the 

 pots may stand in another house anywhere in the shade. 

 Plenty of air will be required for Croweas, Leschenaultias, 

 Diosmas, Boronias, Gompholobiums, &c, but if they are near 

 the front glass, the air should not pour at once on the 

 stems. It is safest in winter to give top air rather freely, 

 instead of giving so much by the front sashes. Pots should 

 also be frequently rung with the knuckles to see that they 

 are not over-dry, as dryness now is the fruitful cause of so 

 many Camellia-buds dropping before expanding. Azaleas 

 should also now be kept free from thrips, and if there is room 

 might as well remain in a coolish house before the leaves 

 drop that are likely to do so. Stove plants to bloom in 

 winter, as Euphorbias, Poinsettias, and Justicias, should now 

 have less water and more air until the flower-buds appear, 

 when more water, heated, may be given to encourage strength 

 and size of flower. It will now be time to trim creepers and 

 twiners in this department. In summer they act as one of 

 the best shades ; but now light will be the chief thing that 

 we cannot command, and, therefore, every advantage should 

 be taken to get as much as possible of it. — K. F. 



