218 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
March IS, 1884. 
cool room. After Vines are pruned a house may be kept quite gay with 
bulbs in pots, Cinerarias, and a number of winter and spring flowers. 
Primulas and Cinerarias ( TV. II.). —The Primulas are bright in colour, 
but there are many similarly bright in cultivation. The strain, however, is 
well worth preserving, and will eventually, perhaps, afford larger flowers. 
The Cinerarias are very inferior as compared with the best English-raised 
flo tvers. 
Rabbits in Garden (A. E. T. 71).—Since dressing the plants and borders 
with soot fails to keep off the Rabbits, we regret that we are not acquainted 
with anything used in the same manner that will have the desired effect, but 
if any of our readers can name anything they may have found effectual we 
will readily publish it. With wire netting properly fixed and kept in order 
rabbits can be excluded from gardens. 
Tobacco for Fumigating (IF. 0.). —Ordinary cut tobacco—that known 
as “ shag,” is very good for this purpose ; but much of the tobacco refuse 
sold is practically worthless, as it will not burn freely. Ear more useful and 
economical is good tobacco paper. This varies in quality, also in price. If 
you procure a kind that does not suit you exactly, try some from another 
maker. In not a few cases when failure occurs it is more the fault of the 
operator than the material in his allowing insects to become so numerous 
that they can only be destroyed by fumigating so strongly as to injure the 
plants; but we do not suggest or think that you are one of those who err 
so seriously. The safest plan is to fumigate lightly to prevent the increase 
of insects, and it is also more economical than any other. 
Cucumbers Dying (71 IF.).—The fact that the Spiraeas went off in the 
same manner as the Cucumbers would appear to indicate that the unfortunate 
result is due to fumigation or to something that has been used in the house 
for the extirpation of insects. The most strange part of the matter, how¬ 
ever, is that your gardener cannot account for the collapse of the plants. 
Provided the pipes supply the requisite heat, then furring, if any, would 
have no such pernicious effect; and it is not conceivable that any gardener 
would allow such sharp currents of air nor such a degree of dryness in the 
house or the soil as to cause the destruction of the plants. Has he been the 
victim of circumstances over which he has no control ? 
Mushrooms in a Shed ( Willing to Learn). —The shed will be well adapted 
for a Mushroom bed, provided you can maintain a temperature of 50° to 55° 
under the straw that you use as a covering; and this you may easily do by 
the time the manure is ready, if the bed is not too small. It should be 6 feet 
long and, if flat, 4 feet wide. If in the form of a ridge let this be 3 feet wide 
at the base and 3 feet high. There is no better place for preparing the 
manure than an open shed. The rather strong soil from under the surface of 
a pasture will be suitable. If you follow the instructions in the work intelli¬ 
gently yon will succeed in your object, as many others have succeeded with 
no such means as you have at command. 
Mixture for Shading Conservatory {Idem). —There are two distinct 
methods of shading—namely, portable in the form of roller blinds ; and 
permanent by applying a mixture to the glass. We prefer the former, but 
the latter answers very well for large houses and various plants, such as 
Eerns, Palms, and Camellias. For flowering plants we employ light canvas 
blinds, and only use them when the sun is bright. The best mode of affixing 
the blind is undoubtedly, in our opinion, on a light iron framework a foot 
above the glass. The plants do not become “ drawn ” under such a shade 
nearly to the same extent as when the material rests on the roof ; still with 
attention and judgment the latter plan answers very well. A very good 
wash for applying to the glass is made as follows:—Ingredients : 1 lb. of 
wheat flour, half pound of whiting, and 1 lb. of common candle or Russian 
tallow. Make the flour into a paste, and then put in the candles while the 
paste is hot, crush the whiting into a powder, mix with cold water, and then 
add to the paste, also adding as much Brunswick green as you need. When 
required for use warm it in a pail and paint the glass when the sun is shining 
upon it. 
Fowls Trespassing (A Weekly Header ).—It is the duty of your neigh¬ 
bour who keeps fowls to “ wire his garden off ” to prevent them trespassing, 
and he can be compelled to do so, or adopt some other means of keeping 
them at home, unless he prefers paying for the damage they do. For this he 
is liable and actionable through the County Court. It is not incumbent on 
you to erect a barrier. You must not injure the fowls in any way, or you 
will be actionable. G-ive your neighbour a written notice that any damage 
his fowls do in your garden will be estimated by a competent gardener, such 
as the value of the crops that may be lost or depreciated, and for the amount 
so determined you will sue him through the County Court. On the claim 
being proved a just one it will be allowed, with any costs you may incur in 
connection with the case. That is your remedy. 
Preserving Pollen of Aucubas (S. M. W.). —Several methods of pre¬ 
serving pollen have been successfully adopted, but the principal point is to 
keep it dry and cool. It should be carefully removed from the anthers and 
exposed for an hour or so, but not in the sun, and it can then be placed in a 
dry glass phial, which must be closely corked and kept in a cool position. 
Some have advocated placing the pollen upon the concave side of a watch 
glass, and on this another glass, the edges being secured with gum. If the 
plants are in pits they can be had in flower about the same time by placing 
one in moderate heat and the other in a cold shaded position. 
Cattleya Trianae Variety (IF. 77., Leeds). —There are many light-coloured 
varieties of Cattleya Trianae, such as delicata and nivea, the latter being 
white and somewhat resembling your flower ; we do not, however, remember 
one in which the lip is so white as in that you sent, as there is usually a 
tinge of colour in the centre. By all means preserve the plant, as it will 
afford a pretty contrast with the ordinary dark forms. 
Growing and Preparing Tobacco for Fumigating {Cambridge). —The 
best kind tor fumigating purposes is the common Tobacco plant, Nicotiana 
tabacum virginicum. N. macrophylla gigantea, N. grandiflora purpurea, 
N. wigandioides, and the variegated-leaved, are fine foliage plants for sub¬ 
tropical gardening, but we do not know what value they may possess for 
fumigating. The seeds should be sown in pots or pans of light rich soil early 
in April, placed in a hotbed, and the plants grown in gentle heat, having 
them near the glass to keep them sturdy. Prick off the seedlings in pans or 
boxes, keeping them rather close and shaded until established, when they 
should be gradually hardened-off preparatory to planting out at the end of 
May. The plants require rich soil, and should be grown in rows about a 
yard apart, and a similar distance in the rows. During the period of growth 
the ground must be kept well hoed and stirred. As soon as the flowers begin 
to show colour break off the head of the plant and the small top leaves. This 
will induce in a short time the production of side shoots, which must be 
removed as soon as they appear, and the whole vigour of the plant will be 
directed towards the leaves. The leaves are to be gathered as they become 
yellow, tied together in small bunches, and hung up in some shady airy 
place to dry. After they have become thoroughly dried and crisp watch the 
first opportunity of a humid state of the atmosphere, which will cause them 
to become soft, and then pack them even in a box with the butts all one way r 
press them moderately, and a slight fermentation will shortly take place. 
All that is necessary is that a slight warmth be generated, then open it all, 
shake the bunches in the air to let off the heat, and repack it lightly. When 
all appearance of fermentation is over it may be stored as tightly as possible 
in a barrel and kept for use. 
Raising Vines from Layers {H. S.).— In layering the cane of the Vine 
into pots to raise young canes from the eyes it is necessary to have the pots 
on a somewhat lower level than that of the base of the cane, otherwise the 
topmost eyes will break strongly and form strong canes, whilst those at the 
base will be weak, if, indeed, they break at all. We should rub off all the 
eyes not wished propagated, and one or two at the base to continue the 
growth of the parent plant, and when these have broken select the best, rub¬ 
bing off the other. When the layered eyes have rooted well they should be 
detached from the parent, so that the latter may not be impoverished, as 
the strong growth in the layers is only had at the expense of the parent; 
which, if we understand you correctly, is wished to make a vigorous growth 
this season and become a permanent Vine. Remove the eyes of those you 
do require to layer with the point of a knife. The cause of the Vines from 
eyes growing so weakly is probably due to their not being grown in heat or 
not having liberal treatment, as it is no uncommon circumstance to grow 
Vines from eyes in a season as thick as a finger, and to carry 6 or 8 lbs. of 
ripe Grapes within eighteen months of inserting the eyes. 
Heating Detached Vineries from One Boiler {A Novice ).—-There is no 
reason why you should not heat the whole of the four vineries from one 
boiler, provided the boiler can be fixed low enough to admit of the pipes 
connecting the detached vineries being taken under ground. The vineries 
are no doubt planted with different varieties of Grape Vines, so as to come 
in at different seasons ; but you do not state this, and the proposed line or 
direction of pipes indicate your using the whole of the piping at once, having 
a similar heat in all, which would lead to the conclusion that the crops are 
wanted to come m simultaneously. Besides, if you have the “lean-to vinery 
at the south gable-end of dwelling ” employed as an early house, and make 
use of the span-roof vinery as a late or even midseason house, you will have 
heat in the early house when it is not wanted, by being obliged to heat the 
water in the early house to obtain the requisite temperature in the span-roof 
house, the pipe 3 in the latter being only extensions qf those in the early 
house. Now, unless you want the whole of the houses heated at the same 
time the proposed mode of heating will not answer. The apparatus ought 
to be so contrived that each house can be heated separately or together, and 
that can readily be done by taking direct and separate flow and return pipes 
from the boiler to each house. The connecting pipes should be taken in a 
flue, and should be placed clear of the bottom, sides, and cover, so as to lose 
as little heat as possible; and it would be a still further advantage if they 
were covered with hair felting, so as to prevent the radiation of the heat 
from the pipes into the flue. The pipes may be taken through the houses 
as shown in your sketch, either in covered flues or covered withhairfelt so as 
not to affect the temperature of each house. Each set of pipes should have 
valves on both the flow and return, and as near the boiler as practicable. 
For connecting the houses with the boiler 1^-inch pipes answer very well, 
and they are preferably galvanised. The pipes within the houses for giving 
off heat should be 4-inch. 
Training Vines to Upright Trellises (77. S.). —We do not think it would 
answer to train Vines to an upright trellis fixed across the house, as is some¬ 
times done with Peach trees, for the Vines would be much in a position as 
those against a wall, the upper part so shading the lower by the over-hang¬ 
ing foliage ; and though good results may be had from the upper part of tha 
trellis, we fear the Vines on the lower portion would be so weak in growth 
as only to afford small bunches, if, indeed, they produced any. For a similar 
reason Vines do not succeed so well on the back wall as when trained to a 
trellis 18 to 24 inches from the glass. We have, however, had very servic - 
able Grapes from a back wall, and also from Vines trained upright, but we 
did not compare the weight of the Grapes grown on that system with those 
trained to a trellis beneath the roof lights. It is solely a matter for experi¬ 
ment. If you adopt the upright trellises across the house they ought not to- 
be less apart than 4 feet, and a double back-to-back trellis would not answer. 
About 1 m. of Grapes per foot length of rod is a proper quantity for Vines 
to carry ; but much depends on the condition of the Vines and the way they 
are treated as to feeding, &c. Peaches would succeed on the back wall of 
a vinery provided they are not too much shaded by the Vines; but if the 
Vines cover the roof the Peaches, though succeeding for two or three years, 
would for want of light thrive very indifferently. 
Specimen Chrysanthemums (7?. C.). —Mr. Hall of Brixton, the winner of 
several silver cups, and one of the best growers of specimen Chrysanthemums, 
wrote as follows in our columns five years ago, and he appears to have stated 
just what you want to know :—“The second week in March the plants will 
be about 6 inches in height and well established. I now take out the extreme 
point, which induce numerous side shoots to be thrown out—sometimes a. 
dozen, according to the variety. I generally manage to have them potted 
into 6-inch pots by the middle of April; the side shoots or breaks are then 
about 5 or G inches long, and are pegged down towards the rim of the pot. 
Shortly after this the plants are removed to a cold frame, and plenty of air 
is given on all favourable occasions. At this time they grow very rapidly, 
and are again pinched and potted into 8-inch pots. I may here state that 
by taking out the extreme points of the shoots carefully I secure a larger 
number of strong breaks than by pinching back in a rough manner. If the 
