118 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ February 7, 1884. 
had in full bloom in ten weeks if grown in a proper stove temperature. If 
started into growth at this season of the year yon might allow a fortnight 
longer. Keep your plant resting as long as possible, but not in a lower 
temperature than the one you name, or else it may refuse to start into growth 
at all. If your plant is in a pot sufficiently large repotting will not be 
needed; but as soon as the plant shows signs of growth top-dress it with 
some rich material, but before doing this give the plant a good soaking of 
water, and remove as much of the surface soil as possible before adding new. 
After this the trellis should be made secure, and the flowering wood of the 
plant tied evenly all over it, removing only the unripe ends or dead wood. 
The plant should after this be placed in a position where the syringe can be 
employed twice daily, and water administered as may be required, carefully 
at first until about an inch of wood has been made, when weak stimulants 
may be given. When the plant naturally starts into growth you must grow 
it in an intermediate temperature or it will flower too early for you. 
Hibiscus sinensis {Idem ).—This is a very useful plant for flowering in 
the stove, but it is not one of the best for growing for purposes of exhibition. 
You have done right in pruning your plant close in and starting it in brisk 
heat, as by this means only will you be able to have it in bloom by the time 
you mention. When your plant has commenced growth potting should be 
done if needed. Turn the plant out of its pot, removing carefully a portion 
of the old ball, then place it in the same or a larger pot, using a compost of 
good fibry loam, a little leaf mould, and about a seventh of decayed manure, 
with sufficient sand to make the whole porous. After potting plunge in 
bottom heat, and water carefully until the roots are growing freely in the 
new compost. The plant should be grown as close to the glass as possible 
to keep the growths dwarf and sturdy, instead of drawing up tall and weak. 
It is important if you are to flower this plant profusely that you keep it in 
as light a position as possible to solidify the growth as it is made. When 
the shoots have attained a length of G inches to 1 foot in length they 
must be tied out to form the base of the specimen. The strongest may be 
brought lowest so as to give the weaker ones a chance. If any shoots take 
the lead of the rest pinch them until your specimen is well furnished with 
shoots all in the same stage of development. 
Determining Angles of Glass Structures {J. W. V .).—The accompanying 
drawing will enable you to make a very simple instrument—a quadrant, 
or quarter of a circle, by which the 
angle of any roof can be at once 
determined. Fasten a string with a 
leaden plummet through a hole in 
the corner opposite the arc or por¬ 
tion of a circle. Divide this arc 
into 00 equal parts ; place the side 
marked L against the roof inside, 
and the string will hang opposite 
to the mark which is the angle 
of the roof ; in the drawing it 
marks 45°. There is no work pub¬ 
lished such as you appear to re¬ 
quire. 
Insects in Mushroom Bed {J. A.). 
—We have never before heard of red 
spider attacking a Mushroom bed, and 
rarely of wireworms ; these, however, 
may be in the soil that has been applied. We know of no better remedy 
than a solution of salt : 2 ozs. of common salt, dissolved in a gallon or water, 
and applied in a tepid state. 
Camellia Buds Dropping {Idem ).—Your house has been too warm for 
Camellias, and the soil has in all probability been allowed to get too dry 
at the roots of the plant; at! any rate the root-action has been defective, and 
perhaps the air of the house has been too dry. 
Peas for Exhibition {J. B. £,.).—You omitted to state at what date you 
require extra fine pods, and no single variety can be relied upon at all times. 
You as an old exhibitor will admit that it is not wise to rely exclusively upon 
one variety, unless several successional sowings are made, as so much depends 
upon circumstances. Perhaps the best Pea for the greater part of the season, 
or say from the middle of July to the end of September, is Laxton’s Evolution. 
This variety is not much affected by mildew, is very branching, and produces 
an abundance of long straight deep green pods, which are invariably well 
filled with fair-sized green peas. The much taller-growing Culverwell’s 
G-iant Marrow has larger pale green pods, well filled with very fine peas. It 
was the most generally shown last season, but the better coloured Evolution 
will most probably supersede it. By sowing Culverwell’s variety in pots and 
planting out it can be had good near the end of June, and the season of those 
sown in the open generally, extends from the middle of July to the end of 
August, after that time it mildews badly with us. Evolution under the same 
treatment is usually a little later. Either Telephone or Telegraph, which 
differ only in colour, the latter being the greenest, or Stratagem, if a more 
dwarf variety is preferred, may be relied upon to produce very fine pods, 
unsurpassed for the early shows, say about the middle of June. To have 
them early they also require to be planted out, and if sown in the open they 
are available from the middle or third week of June to the middle of July. 
Later, unless extra pains are taken, they mildew badly. For the late autumn 
months, or when Evolution has failed, Ne Plus Ultra and Reading Giant are 
the best. The latter produces the largest pods, but in other respects much 
resembles the extremely popular Ne Plus Ultra. All pay for liberal treat¬ 
ment in the shape of well-manured deeply dug ground, frequent supplies of 
hquid manure, and plenty of room. Overcrowding is one of the greatest 
evils in Pea culture whether for exhibition or ordinary purposes. 
Onion and Carrot Grubs {A. A. T. T .).—It is very difficult to prevent 
the attacks of the Onion and Carrot maggots in gardens in which these pests 
abound. The insects pass the winter in a pupa state in the ground, and in 
this form are so. well protected by their cases that it is not easy to destroy 
them. Ammoniacal liquor from gasworks, and solution of paraffin of the 
strength of an ounce of oil to a gallon of water, and poured over the ground, 
ar ^™ re or l ess effective and also act as a manure. It is well to have Onion 
and Carrot beds as far distant as possible from where the crops were last 
grown and attacked. It is a good plan also to dig the ground deeply a day 
or two before sowing, as then many of the pupa cases are placed so far 
below the surface that the flies cannot readily emerge from them, and thus 
deposit eggs for producing future crops of maggots. Very heavy dressings 
of lime and soot are also advisable before sowing. Deep drills drawn and 
filled with wood ashes, and in these sowing the seed, is a method that has 
been successfully adopted by some cultivators. Early Carrots sown very 
late, say in J uly, grow large enough for use, and often escape the attacks of 
the pest that ruins crops sown in April. 
Sewage Refuse {Vectis ).—We cannot tell you even roughly the con¬ 
stituents of the matter “ after the liquid portion has flowed into the sea,” as 
so much depends on the filtration ; but we are tolerably certain that the 
best part of the sewage for your purpose is lost. Professor Way has not a. 
high opinion of the manurial value of such de 2 iosits as those to which you 
refer. He regards the solid matter of sewage as “ only the woody or fibrous 
refuse of solid excrement, while ammonia and the more valuable substances 
were retained in the liquid form. It had been said that the liquid left after 
the removal of the insoluble portion of the sewage, was ‘ inodorous, taste¬ 
less,’ and might be thrown into the river ; such a result might fulfil sanitary 
but not agricultural conditions. No plan was efficient that does not include, 
in the solid matter obtained, the various salts dissolved in the original liquid. 
The milk of lime employed in Higgs’ process clears the sewage from colour, 
but leaves in it nearly all the organic matter. London water, too, was hard, 
already holding carbonate of lime in solution ; when quicklime was added, a 
large precipitate, consisting of double the quantity of chalk, was thrown 
down, and thus increased, by so much comparatively inert substance, the- 
solid matter obtained, 30 grains of chalk being obtained in this manner from 
every gallon of sewage liquor. He would prefer separating the sewage 
matter by itself ; but even that would only contain from 2£ to 3 per cent, of 
ammonia, and would not pay. He recommended farmers to avail themselves 
of the strongest and best manures, as occasioning less expense in the original! 
cost, carriage, storing, and application. Many methods had been proposed 
to facilitate the mechanical separation of sewerage matter and to deodorise 
it; but in all these the valuable salts were left behind. Peat and other 
charcoal did not arrest ammonia, as had been supposed, but absorbed it as 
gas by a peculiar power of surface which the charcoal exercised ; but water, 
having a tendency to unite with ammonia, washed this gas out again ; 
charcoal, however, retained the solid matter and deodorised it, but did not 
separate the soluble salts. Liquid sewerage offered the largest prospect of 
success, as the whole of the manuring matter was, in that case, utilised.” 
That is the substance of the teachings of an authority entitled to respect. 
We do not say that other methods of precipitation are similarly unsatis¬ 
factory, but we should hesitate to purchase such refuse as that alluded to as 
a manure for Vines. On this subject we adopt the opinions of an able writer 
and successful cultivator, that no better plan exists of manuring Vines than 
utilising sewage and urine; the one contains all the potash, the other the 
phosphates, and between them everything else plants of any description 
require. When such can be had no more economical or satisfactory plan can 
be pursued ; all else t^iat is needed is occasionally a little lime and plenty of 
wmter. When neither can be had we should employ bones, or, perhaps, 
better because more economical and likely to be equally efficacious, mineral 
phosphate, or other cheap phosphate to supply phosphoric acid. Where 
wood ashes were to be had we would not hesitate to rely on them for 
furnishing potash, magnesia, and lime. Failing that we would employ 
kainit, or a cheap source of potash, and apply quicklime sparingly. As for 
nitrogen, so long as we have sulphate of ammonia or nitrate of soda that 
need bother none of us. Possibly combination manure might prove more; 
suitable and in the end more cheap. For instance, guano contains plenty of 
everything except perhaps potash; but it is of little or no use applying 
manure to Vine borders that do not abound in fibrous roots for absorbing 
what is given ; and where there are no such roots they should be induced in 
the manner described in the Journal by Mr. 'T'homson a fortnight ago. 
Names of Plants {J. B.). —Pteris straminea. {A. G. P.). —Lonicera 
Standishi. (IF. II.). —1, Zygopetalum Mack ay i ; 2, Garrya elliptica ; 
3, Resembles Biota aurea; 4, Cupressus macrocarpa, but it is impossible to 
determine with accuracy the names of Conifers from such diminutive scraps 
without any particulars concerning then - habit. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— February 6th. 
Trade continues quiet, Grapes scarcely maintaining their value. Cucumbers lower. 
Kent Cobs stagnant. 
i 
FRUIT. 
s. 
d. 
S. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
Apples .. .. 
1 
6 to 5 
0 
Nectarines .. .. 
dozen 
0 
0 
to 0 
0 
it • • • • 
per barrel 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Oranges. 
.. 100 
6 
0 
10 
O 
Apricots 
.. box 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Peaches. 
dozen 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Chestnuts .. 
.. bushel 10 
0 
0 
0 
Pears, kitchen .. 
dozen 
1 
0 
1 
s 
Figs .. .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
„ dessert 
dozen 
1 
0 
6 
0 
Filberts .. .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Pine Apples English .. lb. 
2 
0 
3 
0 
Cobs 
1 
s 
1 
4 
Plums and Damsons .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Grapes .. .. 
1 
6 
6 
0 
Strawberries.. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Lemon .. ,. 
*. case 
15 
0 
21 
0 
St. Michael Pines 
..each 
2 
0 
8 
0 
VEGETABLES. 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
d. 
Artichokes 
.. dozen 
2 
0 
to 4 
0 
Mushrooms .. .. 
punnet 
1 
0 
to 1 
6 
Beans, Kidney 
100 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Mustard and Cress 
punnet 
0 
2 
0 
0 
Beet, Red 
.. dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Onions. 
bushel 
2 
6 
3 
s 
Broccoli .. .. 
0 
9 
1 
0 
Parsley .. dozen bunches 
3 
0 
4 
& 
Brussels Sprouts 
.. £ sieve 
1 
6 
2 
6 
Parsnips. 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Cabbage .. .. 
.. dozen 
0 
6 
1 
0 
Potatoes. 
cwt. 
4 
0 
6 
» 
Capsicums 
100 
I 
6 
2 
0 
,, Kidney .. 
cwt. 
4 
0 
5 
0 
Carrots .. .. 
0 
S 
0 
4 
Rhubarb. 
bundle 
0 
4 
0 
0 
Cauliflowers .. 
.. dozen 
2 
0 
3 
0 
Salsafy. 
bundle 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Celery .. .. 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Scorzonera 
bundle 
1 
6 
0 
0 
Coleworts doz. bunches 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Seakale. 
basket 
1 
0 
1 
0 
Cucumbers 
.. each 
1 
0 
1 
6 
Shallots. 
.. ft. 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Endive .. 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Spinach. 
bushel 
2 
6 
3 
6 
Herbs .. .. 
0 
2 
0 
0 
Tomatoes .. .. 
0 
3 
0 
10 
Leeks .. .. 
0 
3 
0 
4 
Turnips. 
bunch 
0 
8 
0 
0 
Lettuce .. 
1 
0 
1 
6 
