May 22, 1884. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
413 
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. 
Painting Hot-water Pipes {Mrs. M., Kilkenny ).—Neither black varnish 
nor ordinary black paint is safe for applying to hot-water pipes in green¬ 
houses. A mixture of lamp black and linseed oil, however, will answer 
your purpose, and you may apply it at once. 
Old Show Polyanthuses {B. C.). —We are not able to answer you r 
question. We presume the varieties you require are not very plentiful, o r 
they would .be procurable through florists. You mention Mr. Cannell. 
Have you written to him on the subject ? There are many plants in nurseries 
that are not enumerated in catalogues. 
Cropping Vine (.4 Young Head Gardener). —You appear to have acted 
wisely so far, but you may easily err by overcropping. It is impossible for 
anyone to say how many bunches your Vine may safely carry without 
knowing its condition. If it is growing freely and roots are plentiful near 
the surface of the border it ought to mature the crop to which you refer 
with the aid of manurial mulchings over the roots and the judicious use of 
liquid manure. 
Flowers by Post {J. P., Dublin). —They should be placed in small wood 
or tin boxes with sufficient slightly damp and very clean moss to render 
them immoveable. Damp cotton wcol is also suitable, but very few flowers 
that are surrounded with dry wool reach us in a fresh state. A soft green 
leaf of any kind, such as Spinach, is much better for placing round the 
flowers than dry paper. There is sufficient moisture in the leaf without 
damping it when packing. 
Special Societies {Amateur). —We have received a number of letters 
besides yours that have not been published, and for the same reason—that 
although the writers of them may not have intended to provoke replies of a 
personal nature, yet the communications w’ould have had that effect. We 
have letters pertaining to the subject of “ What is an amateur ? ” that will 
be published in due time. 
Dahlias not Growing {F. J.). —By all means wait patiently, and especially 
as fresh roots are forming freely, as the probability is that there are latent 
buds that will be forced into growth. Occasionally, however, the buds are 
destroyed either by having been kept too wet or too dry, and then no growth 
follow's, even if roots form freely ; yet this is exceptional, and you had 
better, as you say, “give them time.” 
German Moss Litter ( H. S .).—It has been advertised in the Journal by 
Gerhard Helmucke, 88, Bishopsgate Street Within, London, E.C., from whom 
you could doubtless obtain all the information you need. This material is 
very largely employed in horse stables, and afterwards as manure. It has 
been found good for making Mushroom beds, and also, as you will find from 
a letter in our present issue, is a good medium for Orchids in its natural state, 
and before being used in stables. 
Designs for Carpet Beds {Cambridge). —We doubt if any better designs 
can be drawn than those that have appeared from time to time in our 
columns. There are examples suited for various shapes and sizes of beds, 
and they can be easily modified to suit individual requirements and to accom¬ 
modate the particular plants that it is desired to employ. If you state the 
size and form of your bed, and the plants at your disposal, we can perhaps 
assist you in their effective arrangement. 
Anemones Luxuriant {A. Fitch). —Your plants are attacked by a fungus, 
-ZEcidium quadrifidum, which is peculiar to garden Anemones. Attacks of 
parasites often induce a sort of spurious luxuriance. As little is generally 
known about the nature of this fungus a small engraving will be prepared 
and a description given. The fungus is a very curious one. It is a close 
ally of the old so-calkd corn mildew fungus of Barberry bushes. Destroy 
the affected plants. 
Fruit not Setting (IF.).—Pears and Plums in orchard houses require a 
very free circulation of air during the blossoming period, and an atmosphere 
sufficiently dry for liberating the pollen ; it is well also to aid its dispersion 
by shaking the trees slightly when the blossoms are expanded. We suspect 
your house has been kept rather too close for these fruits, and possibly the 
trees grow too luxuriantly. The flower you have sent is of Magnolia 
purpurea. 
Lilium longiflorum Harrisi {S. L. B.). —Do not repot the plants now, 
but encourage the growth as much as possible, either by a top-dressing of 
well-decayed manure or liberal supplies of weak liquid manure. Endeavour 
to insure a thorough maturation of the growth, and do not cut away the old 
stem until it is showing signs of decay. The better the growth the stronger 
will the bulbs be, and the more likely will they be to flower. 
Sowing Hawthorn and Larch Seed {A. B.). —The practice in regard 
to the former is to gather the haws in the autumn and bury them in the 
ground for about eighteen months, and then sow them—that is to say, 
those gathered in October or November, 1884, would not be sown until 
February or March, 188(1. Larch seed requires no such preparation. Your 
seedsman will procure some for you, and you may sow it in early spring. 
Seedling Pansies {Atherstone). —Though the blooms before us are effective 
and the varieties are worth growing for decorative purposes, they are not 
equal to those named and sold by florists who devote special attention to 
these flowers. The best flower you have sent is a reddish maroon self, but 
as the blooms are not numbered we cannot refer to them individually. 
Insects on Apricot Leaves (A Constant Header, Hereford). —The dis¬ 
figuring blisters are produced by the larva or caterpillar of a small moth, one 
in the Tinea group, and apparently the species named Coleophora hemero- 
biella, wffiich, though most frequent on Pear or Plum, also visits other fruit 
trees. As these larvae live in little abodes of their own construction cut 
from the leaves, keeping all the body concealed if alarmed, they do not well 
admit of being dealt with by syringing, though some would be washed off 
the leaves. Professor Westwood states he knows no better method of dealing 
with the insect than careful hand-picking, and in the autuum all the dead 
leaves should be removed and burnt, since these would be sure to have 
attached to them some of the pupa of the insects. But we do not think, 
except in very rare cases this species does more than disfigure, it is not 
likely to affect the vitality of the Apricot. 
Lawn Tennis Ground {A. K., Blackheath). —In reply to the question of a 
correspondent Mr. B. Inglis wrote as follows some time ago in the Journal :— 
“ The regulation size of tennis courts is 78 feet by 36 feet. Outside this there 
should be at least a yard all round, but better if it is two—namely, 85 feet by 
42 feet of level lawn. Tennis law-ns are generally made quite level, which I 
think is a mistake, especially if the soil is of a stiff moist nature. It is much 
better if the ground is kept a little higher in the centre, say 4 or 5 inches, so 
that when a heavy rain occurs much of it passes off to the sides and ends, 
and the ground is quicker dry and tit to play upon sooner than when made 
perfectly level, and the greater part of the rain having sunk into the ground. 
It is very essential to have a firm surface ; and for this reason, where the soil 
is clay or is wet, it is a good plan, after having levelled and consolidated the 
ground, to spread about an inch of clean coal ashes over it before laying 
down the turf. In addition to this it should be previously well drained. On 
light dry soils less trouble is necessary to have a fair tennis lawn ; indeed, it 
may be played for ‘ home practice ’ on any lawn where thei e is a little less 
room than is required for full-sized courts, and although it is not quite level.” 
Heating Vinery {II. S.). —A flow-and-return 4-inch pipe will be quite 
sufficient to heat the house, having them on the lower side of the house, but 
preferably along both sides, the flow on one side and the return on the other, 
which will give you a more equal diffusion of the heat; but as this will 
cause the pipes to be taken all round the house it may be inconvenient in 
your case, as the doors are probably at one or both ends, and it is important 
that the pipes be kept clear of the soil, or their heating power will be con¬ 
siderably reduced. We do not think the Polmaise system of heating at all 
equal to heating by hot water with, for a small house, an ordinary saddle 
boiler. 
Muscat of Alexandria Grapes Shanking {W.L.). —The chief cause of 
shanking is defective root-action, the roots being deep or in a border of close 
material imperfectly drained. As the Vines crop well they may have been 
simply overweighted. There may not be anything wrong with the border as 
regards material and drainage, but unless satisfied on that score we should 
make an examination of the roots in the autumn, or as soon as the crop is 
cleared, and if anything be found wrong rectify it without delay. As re¬ 
gards the present crop, we should allow the laterals to extend as far as space 
admits without crowding the principal foliage, so as to deprive it of light and 
air. This will encourage root-action, which should be induced n- ar the sur¬ 
face by watering with tepid liquid manuure and mulching the surface of the 
border with good partially decayed manure. A good soaking of water 
when the Grapes commence ripening will mostly be sufficient to carry the 
Vines through until the crop is finished off ; but if there be any deficiency 
of moisture in the border, in ten days or a fortnight afterwards give another 
soaking, always employing tepid water, and if done early in the day time 
will be allowed for the passing-off of superfluous moisture before nightfall. 
See that the crop is not too heavy, as shanking frequently results from that 
cause alone, and sometimes from a deficiency of lime in the border, especially 
in those rich in humus or deficient in calcareous matter. A bushel of quick¬ 
lime per rod of border spread on the surface and pointed lightly in will in 
most cases of this kind prove highly beneficial. The best time to apply the 
lime is a little prior to starting the Vines. Bone bust is also useful as a 
suiface dressing, and may be applied now, but preferably at the winter 
surface dressing. 
Packing Strawberries to Send by Rail {Idem). —We submitted your 
inquiries on packing fruit and flowers to a very experienced gardener, who 
replies as follows :—“ Shallow deal boxes about 1| inch deep are most suit¬ 
able, so as to hold a single layer of fruit, and they may be of any size in 
other respects as the quantity to be sent may determine. Ours for sending 
from the country to the family in London daily are of half-inch deal, 
12 inches long and 11 inches wude, and any number travel safely placed one 
upon the other and securely tied together with string. We pad the bottom 
of the box with a layer of Vine or Spinach leaves, gathered a short time so as 
to become limp, and then place the Strawberries in the box with the stalk 
downwards, enclosing each fruit in a Strawberry leaf, and placing rather 
tightly so as to prevent moving about, and keeping the fruit sufficiently low 
so as to prevent crushing by the lid, which is placed down on a layer of 
leaves as at the bottom.” 
Packing Cut Flowers {Idem). —“ We use deal boxes for these, about 
18 inches long, 15 inches wide, and 3 or 4 inches deep. A little damp moss 
is placed at the bottom, the moss being washed clean and all the water 
squeezed out. The sides of the box are then lined with clean white paper, 
and the flowers are put in in layers, the heaviest at the bottom as well as the 
heavier fronds of Ferns, and the lighter flowers at top, with Adiantum spread 
all over the flowers. A very light sprinkling of water is given—just a few 
dashes of the fingers after being dipped in water, then covering with a double 
thickness of tissue paper before putting on the lid. Any number of boxes 
can be tied together, and with the address label on the upper side they travel 
safely. The flowers should be packed rather tightly, but not squeezed down 
and crushed, as is often the case, and should be gathered in the early part of 
the day, as they are then much fresher and fuller of moisture than when the 
day is advanced. For sending by post we use tin boxes, lining with cotton 
wadding and wrapping the flowers in tissue paper, so as to keep them from 
the wool, for when the flowers are in contact with it the moisture is rapidly 
absorbed from the flowers. They should be piacked so that they cannot 
move about, or they will be so damaged as to be useless.” 
Grapes Scalded {J. IF. 77.).—The Grapes you have sent are what is 
known as scalded, and the Vines, according to your description of them, are 
