178 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ February 28, 1884. 
high, they are grown out of doors like ridge Cucumbers are in England. 
The Water Melon is known botanically as Cucumis citrullus, and is a native 
of tropical Africa and the East Indies. It serves both for food, drink, and 
physic to the Egyptians. It is eaten in abundance during the season, which 
is from the beginning of May until the end of July. It is the only medicine 
the common people use in ardent fevers; when it is ripe or almost putrid, 
they collect the juice and mix it with rose-water and a little sugar. The 
fruit should be eaten cautiously by Europeans, especially when taken in the 
heat of the day ; but it is much used within the tropics and in Italy. The 
seeds are employed to a considerable extent as a domestic remedy in 
stranguary, and they are esteemed by some as diuretic. 
Camellias Unhealthy^ U. S .).—The root-action of the plants is defective, 
as it will be, no matter what kind of soil is used, if the leaves are permitted 
to be scorched by the sun. Some persons assert that Camellias can be grown 
without shade. Healthy specimens with vigorous root-action and abundance 
of water can be so grown, because moisture in sufficient quantity can be 
supplied to the leaves to maintain their freshness, notwithstanding the 
evaporation from their surfaces; but such plants as yours, and unhealthy 
plants generally, cannot be exposed to the sun or a dry atmosphere without 
injury, as under such conditions the moisture is extracted from the leaves 
faster than it is supplied by the roots, and scorching and blotching follow. 
Grow your plants in a moist, moderately warm, and shaded house, syringing 
them frequently, and if the soil is suitable, as you appear to think it is, and 
sound judgment is exercised in watering, they will improve considerably if 
they are not too exhausted. 
Various {Idem ).—We are not able to state the name of the particular 
variety of Grape to which you allude ; but bunches G lbs. in weight are 
every year produced of Black Hamburgh, Black Alicante, Gros Colman, 
Gros Guillaume, and Muscat of Alexandria by many cultivators. You will 
find notes on glazed and painted pots in another column. The name of the 
town in question is Weston-super-Mare. Probably the “ Lily of the Valley 
Tree’’you refer to is Clethra arborea, which was figured in this Journal, 
page 131, August 14th, 1879. The flowers are white, fragrant, and somewhat 
resemble Lilies of the Valley in form. 
Briars as Tree Protectors {E. Mason).— The method to which you 
allude of securing Briars to the stems of standard fruit trees was com¬ 
municated to us a few years ago 
by Mr. Hiam in the following 
words:—“During the last few 
years I have adopted a very 
simple and effective method of 
protecting young fruit trees stand¬ 
ing in a field from the injury 
caused by cattle rubbing ngainst 
them. It may not be new to 
some readers, but I have never 
seen trees similarly protected, but 
on the other hand I have noticed 
many an orchard spoiled in appear¬ 
ance for the want of a little at¬ 
tention, and it cannot be out of 
place to call attention to my 
method. The system I have 
adopted with considerable success 
is, placing a few of the most for¬ 
midable Briars of one or two 
years’ robust growth around the 
trees, two or three round a young 
tree 1 inch in diameter, and so on 
up to about half a dozen round 
trees G inches in diameter. Since 
I have adopted this plan three 
years ago I have not found one 
tree touched. If the cattle once 
try it they will immediately be¬ 
come convinced the Briars are not 
placed there for their accommo¬ 
dation. After placing the thorns 
round the trees they are securely 
bound with a couple of wires top 
and bottom, and will last for three 
years at least. A dressing com¬ 
posed of about equal parts of cow 
dung and clay mixed in a bucket, 
and which is diluted with water 
which has previously stood on gas 
tar, is rubbed on the tree with a 
35. whitewash brush. Perhaps a por¬ 
tion of quicklime would be a useful 
addition, but that has been omitted because it was not at hand. The odour 
of this composition is obnoxious to the cattle or rabbits, and is no doubt 
useful in destroying insects or preventing their attack.” 
Stephanotis (G. P., Hants ).—Voir had better start your plant in heat 
without further delay if wanted in bloom by the date you mention. If you 
have during the past month or two kept the plant drier and cooler than an 
ordinary stove temperature it will soon be excited into growth if introduced 
into the stove. If started now an ordinary stove temperature will suffice, 
and it is always wise to start even a little too early than to push the plant 
forward in too brisk heat. Should your plant during the month of June be 
developing too rapidly you can easily retard it by placing it in a lower 
temperature ; this, when time will allow, is an advantage, for the flowers 
will possess more substance, and be much larger and more highly scented 
than if forced out in sharp brisk moist heat. They will also last longer. 
We could give you a certain date from the records of past years for sowing 
the Peas you mention, but this would not be wise, for if the season proved 
hot and dry they might be ready too early for you, or if wet and cold they 
might be late. It would be advisable to make two or three small sowings 
during the present month instead of one large one. Those sown about the 
middle should be right for you if the season proves favourable. 
Manure for Roses {J. B.). —You do not say one word about the con¬ 
dition of your Roses, whether they grow strongly or the reverse, which 
is a most important matter in considering your question. Some soils are 
so strong that Roses make slow growth, at least for a time, being long in 
getting established. In such a case abundance of gritty matter, such 
as ashes, with road sweepings, also decayed vegetable refuse and farmyard 
manure not too much decayed, would undoubtedly be the best material to 
apply, and no artificial manure, however good it might be, could give equally 
good results. Again, no artificial manure has the same effect on different 
soils, because of the differing constituents of the soils, and by no other 
means can a person ascertain the best manure for his own case so well as by 
trying the effects of a few that can be conveniently obtained. The fertiliser 
you name we have seen answer admirably for Roses and other outdoor crops, 
but it appears that you possess evidence that it is of “ little or no use.” Can 
your friends explain to your satisfaction why a particular manure is good 
for vegetation under glass but of little use in the open ? Guano is an excel¬ 
lent stimulant for Roses, and so is a mixture of superphosphate of lime and 
sulphate of ammonia, while in all probability a liberal dressing of soot would 
be of great benefit in your strong soil. A mixture of urine and soapsuds 
poured copiously among the roots is often highly advantageous, equalling 
anything else that is applied. If your Roses grow freely you may obtain 
fine blooms without farmyard manure, but you can scarcely expect to rely 
on producing them of the “ highest exhibition quality.” Mulching the soil 
either with manure, short grass, or any other material in summer, to prevent 
its cracking, is always beneficial. By this practice, and the aid of liquid 
manure judiciously applied, you ought to be able to produce very good 
Roses. 
Neglected Azaleas (/. M.). —So far as we can understand the condition 
of the plants it is questionable if their lost vigour can be restored. In all 
probability the majority of the roots “ hardened into a ball ” are dead, and 
it is quite hopeless your attempting to wash the soil from them. Even if 
you could do so you would gain nothing, as you could not get fresh soil in 
its place. There is only one method by which such “ wretched ” plants can 
be improved, and that is what timid persons would adjudge ruthless. It is 
to take a sharp axe or chopper and boldly cut off an inch or so off the 
bottom of the hardened ball, and a similar slice from all round the sides. 
The dead roots would then be cut away, and the live portions, if any, be 
brought into immediate contact with the fresh compost, in which the root- 
pruned plants may be potted. Before potting, take particular care that the 
mass of soil and roots is moist. If dry, as it possibly is, immerse in a pail of 
water for several hours, then allow the superfluous moisture to drain away 
by a few hours’ exposure to the air. The ball when potted must be decidedly 
moist all through, but not in a wet mortar-like state. As compost use peat 
mainly, with a little decayed leaf soil, about a fourth, and a liberal admixture 
of sand. This must be healthily moist when used, but not so wet that a drop 
of water can be squeezed out of it. Let the pots be cleaned and well drained, 
protecting the crocks with a layer of fibre, then place in a little soil and press 
it down very firmly—sufficient to raise the plant so that the top of the ball 
is brought within about an inch of the rim of the pot. Now place in more 
soil, a little at a time, and beat it down quite hard with a blunt stick. The 
compost placed in must be quite as hard as that of the original ball. Too 
light potting of root-bound Azaleas is a common error, and often a fatal one, 
as the roots in such a case never “ take to ” the new soil, while the water 
that is given never passes through the old. The result is this—the new soil 
is made sour by saturation, while the roots packed in the hard central mass 
starve by want of the water that runs from them into the lighter medium. 
After being potted as directed the plants should be placed in a warm and 
moist house. If the pots can be partially plunged in a bed of leaves all the 
better, as less water will be needed to keep the soil moist, for moist it must 
be, but not excessively wet, while the plants must be syringed frequently— 
twice or thrice a day in bright weather. By judicious applications of water, 
this being an all-important matter, Azaleas in the condition that yours 
appear to be—starved, stunted, and root-bound—may often be greatly im¬ 
proved ; but whether yours are “ too far gone ” for restoration we are not 
able to say — because, first, we do not know their exact condition; and 
secondly, so much depends on the means at your disposal and the cultural 
skill you are able to command in attending to the plants. Such stubborn 
plants must not be cut back. Only Azaleas that are in vigorous growth can 
be closely cut every year, as many plants are that are grown for yielding 
flowers for cutting, the removal of these being as much pruning, and often 
more, as is good for the specimens. We trust this reply will be of use to 
you ; if not, it may be of service to others, as there are hundreds of Azaleas 
in a very unsatisfactory state that might be improved by the intelligent 
adoption of some such method as we have suggested. 
Names of Plants {J. R., Bury St. Edmunds). —The plant of which you 
have “ tried in vain to obtain the name ” is Sparmannia africana, which is 
noted in another column under the head “ Useful Plants.” 
Hives and Quilts (H. G .).—We have never used, or known to be used, 
bacon boxes for hive-construction, and should be fearful that the salt would 
be detrimental to the welfare of the bees, especially in a damp climate, if the 
wood were thoroughly impregnated with it. If we employed the wood of 
these boxes at all, it would be only as outside walls, using inner walls of well- 
seasoned deal, and stuffing the space with chaff, and using separators front 
and back between the combs and the front and back walls of the hive. Salt 
in itself would not hurt the bees, but the dampness caused by it would be 
bad in winter. Racks of sections can be worked with profit and facility on 
the round-topped cheese boxes. Take care to wrap them up warm, and give 
a quarter-inch space under the sections between them and the top of the 
cheese box. Having such a small entrance to them as the feed-hole, we 
should not employ excluder zinc. The quilts on bar-frame hive should be 
removed when the section rack is put on, placing it directly on the top bars, 
and taking great care to wrap up warmly over and around it, so as to prevent 
all draught and escape of heat from the body of the hive. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— February 27th. 
The better trade has been well maintained, Grapes more particularly realising higher 
prices. Strawberries lower, in little demand. 
