January £2, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER . 
61 
layer of soil so as to keep all the roots separated from each other 
until all are disposed of; the top not being more than 6 inches 
beneath the surface or nearer than 3 inches; the border neces¬ 
sarily being raised some inches above the ultimate level to allow 
for settling. Cover with a layer of dry protective material for 
keeping out frost, and over all with shutters or tarpaulin for 
throwing off snow or rain. 
If the inside borders are properly constructed Vines will not 
be greatly checked, as the roots in these borders receiving 
liberal supplies of tepid liquid manure will keep the growth in 
satisfactory progress in the early stages, and as the season 
advances the Vines will gather strength from the stimulus given 
by new roots in the fresh compost of the outside border, and 
they are almost certain to finish satisfactory as regards the crop 
Usually, Vines that have long loose bunches, long-jointed wood, 
make late growth and do not finish their crops well, being defi¬ 
cient in colour and long keeping properties, are so improved by 
lifting the roots as to form compact bunches, which set well and 
colour perfectly. 
Where the Vines have inside and outside borders there is no 
fear of operating so as to sacrifice a crop of Grapes, as it may 
be done without injury to the Vines, for one can be taken out one 
season and the other the nest, so that a thorough renovation of 
the borders can be effected without loss of crop.—G. Abbey. 
BORDER ANNUALS. 
Now that the time for making out seed lists has arrived a few 
notes respecting some of the more useful and showy of our hardy 
and half-hardy annuals may be deemed opportune. On a good 
selection more than upon treatment depends in a great measure half 
the pleasures and joys to be obtained from the cultivation of these 
plants. Taking them in alphabetical order, the first in our list stand 
those pretty Everlasting Flowers Acrocliniums, the best being A. 
roseum fl.-pi. and A. album fl.-pl. Seed may be sown in March or 
April in pots or pans and have the assistance of a little heat to insure 
greater certainty of its germinating, and, as with all other half-hardy 
annuals, they should be pricked out in boxes or frames when large 
enough to handle, and be duly hardened off previous to planting out 
in the open border. Asters.—Of these there are so many strains that 
it would be invidious to particularise ; no collection, however, would 
be complete without a few of the dwarf compact varieties, such as 
Boltze’s Dwarf Bouquet and Dwarf German. Both are very free- 
flowering, averaging 6 inches in height, and when in bloom with 
from six to twelve flowers on a plant they are well adapted for lifting 
and putting into small pots for decorative purposes. Bartonia aurea, 
Calendula pluvialis, Calliopsis atrosauguinea, C. marmorata nana, and 
C. tinctoria are hardy annuals well deserving cultivation, and may be 
sown in April where they are intended to flower. 
There are now many varieties of Chrysanthemum tricolor which 
are exceedingly popular as market flowers with those who grow plants 
for such a purpose, and the demand for them appears to be greatly 
on the increase. Amongst the best will be found atrococcineum, 
Burridgeanum, Lord Beaconsfield, venustum, W. E. Gladstone, and 
luteum. These will be found to vary in colour from scarlet to 
crimson, yellow, and white, the individuals under good cultivation 
being from 2 to 3 inches in diameter and of excellent form and good 
substance. Seed may be sown in April where the plants are intended 
to flower, which will be from June to September ; but for flowering 
earlier seed must be sown in the previous autumn or in heat in 
January, and be hardened off in the usual way. Candytuft, both 
crimson and white, is always worth growing, and the same may be 
said of Clarkia elegans fiore-pleno, C. integripetala, C. pulchella, 
Collinsia bicolor, C. candidissima, and Collomia coccinea. 
Single Dahlias, although not annuals, may be treated as such, and 
if a good strain is obtained will well repay all care and attention 
bestowed upon them. Sow seed in pots or pans in February in heat, 
prick the plants out when large enough into boxes, afterwards pot them 
into 4-inch pots, using a good compost ; stake and tie when necessary, 
and plant out in the borders the first week in June, presuming they 
have been hardened off in a cold frame previously. Eschscholtzia 
californica, one of our oldest hardy annuals, still holds its own with 
many of the new comers, and the time is doubtless far distant when 
it will be lost to cultivation. Gaillardias within the last two or three 
years have gained much popularity, and in my opinion rightly so, as 
they are exceedingly pretty, very floriferous, and useful for catting. 
G. hybrida grandiflora and G. picta Lorenziana are the best. The 
last-named produces flowers of various colours, and will resist in the 
autumn months a few degrees of frost, a fact which greatly enhances 
its value. It is also eminently suited for pot culture for greenhouse 
and conservatory decoration, and well-grown plants when in bloom 
are sure to elicit admiration from those who see it for the first time. 
Seed should be sown in heat in February, and be treated in all respects 
similar to the other half-hardy annuals mentioned previously. Godetia 
Lady Albemarle, Princess of Wales, rosea alba, and The Bride are 
all very showy and useful hardy annuals. Linum grandiflorum coc- 
cineum when once grown is almost sure to become a favourite ever 
afterwards. Lobelias seem to have lost ground in many places 
during the last few years, but for what reason it is difficult to say, 
unless it is that Violas have outdistanced them as more continuous- 
flowering ; however, where it is thought desirable to grow them the 
following varieties will be found a good selection :—L. Cobalt Blue, 
Erinus erecta alba and rosea, Paxtoniana, and pumila grandiflora. 
Lupins merit and still receive attention where good collections are 
grown. The large blue, white, rose, and yellow varieties should 
receive attention, as well as Lupinus affinis, hybridus atrococcineus, 
and the dwarf varieties nanus and nanus albus, seed of which should 
be in the open border early in April. Such annuals as African and 
French Marigolds, Mignonette and Tropaeolums, are too well known to 
call for special notice. Nemophila insignis, discoidalis, and maculata 
are worth cultivating where variety is in request. Sweet Peas as a 
back row to a mixed border cannot be equalled by anything else for 
the same purpose. Mixed colours are much to be preferred for 
general effect. The seed ought to be coated with red lead or soaked 
—that is, moistened with petroleum previous to being sown wherever 
small birds are at all troublesome. 
Phlox Drummondi grandiflora is an excellent plant for beds and 
borders, producing as it does an almost endless variety of colours in 
its circular flowers. Portulaca splendens, both double and single 
varieties, can be highly recommended for growing on rockwork or in 
any dry sunny situation. As dwarf-growing free-flowering plants we 
know of nothing amongst half-hardy annuals to surpass them when 
they are successfully grown. It must be freely admitted that failure 
is more often the result than otherwise, owing in a great measure, we 
think, to their requirements not being fully understood, and to their 
being planted out in damp and sometimes shaded situations. Sape- 
naria calabrica is quite a gem amongst these plants, and not at all 
fastidious as to soil, climate, or situation, and if sown in the open 
border in April will yield a profusion of its beautiful bright pink 
flowers from July till cut down by frost. Ten-week Stocks need not 
be particularised, except it is to note the fact that they are not always 
so well grown as they deserve to be. Our advice regarding them is. 
Obtain a good strain, afford generous treatment, and no cause for 
regret will ensue thereby, notwithstanding any little extra trouble and 
expense incurred. Zinnia elegans is the last in our list, though not 
least, and we would merely say that the same remarks as to culture 
as have been given in regard to Stocks apply with an equal force to 
Zinnias.—H. J. H. 
CLEANING PLANT AND FKUIT HOUSES. 
With the new year has come an opportunity for a fresh start in most 
matters connected with horticulture, as well as in others so ably indicated 
by “ Wiltshire Rector ” and Mr. Bardney. In the case of plant and 
fruit houses this should mean first a thorough cleansing of all inside 
surfaces. All glass and woodwork should be thoroughly washed with 
water as hot as is possible to use it, in which softsoap—4 ozs. to the 
gallon—has been dissolved. Here let me notice the great advantages 
which the new systems of glazing, such as Rendle’s, afford us, such a 
small quantity of woodwork being used that a good syringing with hot 
water mixed as above, and another afterwards with clean hot water, will 
generally be found sufficient in the case of cool plant houses and fruit 
houses. Occasionally it will be found necessary to give a few touches 
with the scrubbing brush between the two syringings, thus effecting a 
great saving of time and labour over the old system of glazing, where all 
had generally to be scrubbed with a brush. If any repairs are wanted, 
or any inside painting in fruit houses, it should be at once attended to, as 
such work is often inaccessible in fruit houses during the growing 
season. 
All wall surfaces must be cleaned where necessary, and then well 
washed with hot lime ; if there is reason to suspect that any insects 
or their eggs remain in the wall add quarter of a pint of carbolic acid to 
each gallon of limewash. This will make it a light brown colour, but 
not by any means unsightly. If the houses are used for plants these 
should be well looked over and cleaned before being replaced in their re¬ 
spective positions. 
In houses where fruit trees or Vines are growing the necessary prun¬ 
ing should now be done, and the trees or Vines thoroughly cleansed to 
get rid of any eggs or larvae of insects which may have taken up their 
abode there for the winter. For Peach trees, &c., a good syringing with 
hot water, containing softsoap or Gishurst compound—4 ozs. to the gallon 
—will often be all that is required. If the buds are swelling this opera¬ 
tion should not be attempted. Should the trees have been badly infested 
with scale or red spider it may be necessary to brush them over carefully 
with a similar solution, working the brush outwards from the main stem 
so as not to injure any buds. If there has been no mealy bug in the 
house do not strip off any bark from Vines, but scrub well with a good 
brush, using the same mixture and working the brush well round the 
spurs. Do not follow the old practice of smearing a mixture of clay, 
soot, lime, sulphur, and cowdung over the stems. The trees or Vines may 
