96 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 31, 1884. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
James Yates, 29, Little Underbank, Stockport. —Catalogue of Vegetable 
and Floioer Seeds. 
Richard Smith &, Co., Worcester. —Catalogue of Garden and Floioer Seeds. 
E. G-. Henderson A Son, Haida Yale, London, W. —Catalogue of Vegetable 
and Flower Seeds. 
James Cocker & Sons, Aberdeen. —Catalogue of Vegetable and Flower 
Seeds. 
%* All correspondence should be directed either to “The Editor” 
or to “ The Publisher.” Letters addressed to Dr. Hogg or 
members of the staff often remain unopened unavoidably. We 
request that no one will write privately to any of our correspon - 
dents, as doing so subjects them to unjustifiable trouble and 
expense. 
Correspondents should not mix up on the same sheet questions relat¬ 
ing to Gardening and those on Bee subjects, and should never 
send more than two or three questions at once. All articles in¬ 
tended for insertion should be written on one side of the paper 
only. We cannot reply to questions through the post, and we 
do not undertake to return reiected communications. 
Books {J. V.). —Mr. B. S. Williams’ “ Orchid Growers’ Manual ” is a 
reliable work ; it is published by the author at the Victoria and Paradise 
Nurseries, Upper Holloway, price 7s. 6d., post free 8s. Nesbit’s “ Practical 
Land Surveying and Practical Mensuration,” published by Longmans, Green 
and Co., London, are what you seem to require. 
Address (J?. G .).—It is so long since the Melon you name was raised that 
we quite forget the address of the raiser ; moreover, it is possible that 
it is not the same as it was several years ago. If the information you 
seek is really of importance to you we will make inquiry on the subject. 
There is no book such as you seek, but you will find the particulars in our 
11 Garden Manual,” post free Is. 9<f. 
Coal Tar ( IF. B.). —This and gas tar are identical, being obtained frcm 
coal in the manufacture of gas, hence the dual name. 
Senecio macroglossus (S. II.). —Apply to Messrs. Yeitch & Son of 
Chelsea, or Mr. B. S. Williams of Upper Holloway. 
Jasminum nudiflorum (./. IF., Pershore). —The above is the correct name 
of the shrub, and indicates the habit of the plant in flowering at a time of 
the year when the leaves have all fallen. Nudiflorum simply means naked 
flowers. 
Peat for Lilies ( Leamington ).—The peat can be obtained at any dealer in 
horticultural sundries, as you will see from our advertising columns ; and 
when ordering it you should mention the plants it is required for. Dr. 
Wallace’s work on “Lilies and their Culture,” published at Lion Walk, 
Colchester, would no doubt suit you. 
Concreting Vine Borders {Cambrian). —A layer half an inch thick of 
sharp lime and cement, mixed like mortar, and spread on a firm level flooring 
of stones, will be quite sufficient for your purpose if the fall be 1 inch in a 
foot from the back to the front of the border. You will need drainage over 
the concrete. It is only under very special circumstances that we consider 
concreted Vine borders necessary, as we have found by experience that there 
are few cases where the roots of Vines cannot be kept near the surface by 
such treatment as was described in our columns last week by Mr. D. 
Thomson. 
Making Tennis Ground {F. R .).—The number of worms in the soil 
indicates that it is rich rather than otherwise, and of a wet rather than a dry 
nature. If that be so, then a layer 2 inches thick of sharp ashes and lime, 
over this an inch of soil containing no worms, then the turves laid in sand, 
would m all probability not only give you a firm, dry, and practically wormless 
lawn, but the grass would grow quite fast enough for your purpose. If your 
park is very dry and poor the plan described would not answer so well, but 
in that case there would be few worms, and these might be dispersed by free 
applications of lime water. 
Heading Down Dracaenas {J. II.). —We scarcely understand your 
question, but presume you wish to establish the tops and exhibit these as 
table plants. You may do this at any time by splitting flower pots and 
fixing them round the stems, keeping the light porous compost in them 
constantly moist. There is no better time for doing this than when the 
plants are just starting into growth, and in a warm moist stove. Good for 
table decoration are the small-leaved varieties D. Sydneyi and D. Ernesti, 
which are both bright and graceful. 
Grafting Pears (F. J.). —You may insert one scion in each branch, two if 
the branch's are as thick as your wrist, and if both grow retain the best for 
the future branch, removing the other. As many branches as there are now, 
provided they are not much less than a foot apart, just so many you must 
provide for forming the future tree. The scions, well-ripened wood of last 
year, should be taken off at once and covered with soil or cocoa-nut fibre 
refuse on the north side of a wall to keep them fresh and retard their growth, 
as the stock should be in advance of the scions when the latter are inserted. 
It is much too early to start your Begonias and Dahlias, to which we will 
refer more fully in a future issue, more urgent matters now requiring 
attention. 
Pruning Roses {Truthful Gardener). —You would in all probability!make 
a great mistake by pruning the Roses that are starting into growth so freely. 
If you examine the shoots you will find the buds near the base dormant. 
Thus they will remain, provided the present early growths are permitted to 
remain to “ take the sap ; ” but if you remove these the lower buds would 
inevitably be forced into growth, and probably be destroyed by frost. The 
safe course is undoubtedly to defer pruning for at least another month, and 
possibly even longef, much depending on the weather in early March and 
the condition of the plants. 
Cucumbers Dying {E. F.). —Information which you have not afforded 
is requisite to enable us to answer your letter satisfactorily. You do not say 
how long the plants have been bearing, but only that they continued fruiting 
until Chri-tmas. If they were bearing heavily throughout last summer they 
are probably exhausted, and it is not likely they will again become vigorous. 
The only means of restoring them is to maintain a bottom heat of 80°, and to 
encourage the production of surface roots by periodical top-dressings of 
rough turfy loam and decayed manure, maintaining also a genial atmosphere 
and a night temperature of 05°, falling a few degrees towards morning, and 
increasing as much as possible by sun heat in the daytime. We suspect, 
however, the plants are exhausted, and you will do well to raise others 
promptly. 
Propagating Sonchus laciniatus (.4. S., Bedale). —If you have an old 
plant place it in moderate heat, and when it has started freely into growth 
take off the shoots about 2 to 3 inches long and insert them in pots of very 
sandy loam. Plunge the pots in a propagating frame, and be careful in 
supplying water until it is seen that the cuttings are making some advance ; 
then gradually expose them to the air. and when well rooted and hardened 
pot them singly into a compost of turfy loam, sand, and leaf soil. 
Aquilegia glandulosa (77. S., Bucks). —The description and remarks you 
mention were published in some notes by an experienced cultivator on the 
Aquilegia, page 53, vol. iii., July 21st, 1881. The particular species was thus 
referred to :—“ With the lovely Siberian A. glandulosa we have experienced 
much trouble. At one time we concluded it was very delicate and could not 
endure our winters ; now, however, we have altered our opinion, consider it 
quite hardy, and incline to the belief that it is of biennial duration only—at 
least this has been our expeiience in the London district. It well repays for 
all extra care and trouble ; it grows in a tufted manner, and is dwarf in habit, 
seldom exceeding a foot in height. The leaves are triternate, segments coarsely 
lobed. Stems one-flowered. Flowers 3 to 4 inches in diameter; sepals 
nearly oval, v.-ry much larger than the petals, deep rich blue ; petals the 
same colour, but tipped and margined with creamy white. It prefers a some¬ 
what light and well-drained soil, but not peat. It flowers in May and June.” 
Amaryllises from Seed {E. E. E .).—The seed should be sown in light 
sandy soil and placed in a temperature between G0° and 70°, where, if the 
seed is good, germination will commence in about a fortnight. The plants 
will flower the second or third year, but they do not reach their best condition 
until about the fourth year, when, if they have been well grown, the bulbs 
will be strong. The number of good varieties obtainable from seed depends 
upon the quality of the strain. If the seeds have been gathered from care¬ 
fully hybridised flowers of the best types in cultivation, three-fourths of the 
seedlings may be expected to be fairly meritorious, and some will probably 
excel their parents in size or colour of flower. 
Cool House Orchids {Idem). —The following is a list of useful, distinct, 
and attractive Orchids suitable for such a house as you describe :—Ada 
aurantiaca, Barkeria elegans, Coelogyne cristata, Cypripedium insigne, Den- 
drobium Jamesianum, Epidendrum vitellinum, Lselia autumnalis, Lycaste 
Skinneri, Masdevallia Harryana, Odontoglossum Alexandras, 0. cirrhosum 
and Pleione humilis. Some interesting particulars concerning cool house 
Orchids were published in this Journal, pages 240 and 241, vol. vi., 
March 22,1883. 
The Calabash Tree — Crescentia Cujete {Surrey). —The plant you 
mention is a native of the tropics of America, where it is called 
Tutuma. It attains the height of 20 feet. There are several varieties 
of the tree, producing various forms of fruit. These are from globose 
to bottle-shaped, and from 2 inches to a foot in diameter. The outer 
skin is thin and fleshy; the shell is hard and woody, enclosing a pale 
yellowish soft pulp, in which are embedded a great number of flat 
seeds. When the pulp and seeds are removed, and the outer skin taken 
off, these shells are used by the natives for all sorts of vessels; and 
some of the long small-fruited kinds serve for spoons and ladles. Some 
are large enough to hold a gallon, and as they stand the fire well they serve 
to boil water in. The thicker parts are used as button-moulds. The Caribs 
engrave the outside with a number of grotesque figures, which they sometimes 
colour black or red. The pulp is sometimes eaten, but is not agreeable, 
and is sometimes used as a poultice; a syrup made of it is esteemed by the 
natives for disorders of the breast, in contusions and inward bruises. The 
wood is very tough and flexible, fit for coach-making, and is frequently used 
for making saddles, stools, and furniture. The leaves and branches are eaten 
by cattle in times of scarcity. 
Employment at Kew {Querist). —To obtain a situation at Hew you should 
write to the curator, Mr. John Smith, stating your desire and where you 
have been employed. Forms will then be sent to you, and, if these be filled 
up satisfactorily, vour name will be placed on the books to await your turn 
for a vacancy. With steady perseveranci you may there acquire much 
useful information, which, if judiciously applied, will be of great servic; to 
you in after life. “ Colenso’s Arithmetic,” published by Longmans, prici 4s., 
is a standard work. Tables of the French weights and measures are given 
in “The Gardeners’ Year Book,” published at this office, price Is. 
Ferns for Unheated Fernery (L. IF.).—Besides the choice species and 
varieties of British Ferns the following would probably succeed in your very 
mild climate Cyathea dealbata, Dicksonia antarctica and Blechnum cor- 
covadense as Tree Ferns ; also such exotic Ferns as Adiantums peditum, 
venustum, cuneatum, formosum, reniforme, colpodes, and tinctumj Asple- 
niums eburneum, biforme, bulbiferum, dimorphum and reclinatum 
