JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
220 
[ March 17, 1881. 
of the boiler inside the arch. The usual sizes of saddle boilers are for 30 inches 
length, respectively, inside arch 12 inches by 12 inches, which will heat 350 feet 
of 4-inch piping, and 14 inches by 14 inches, heating 425 feet. These are the 
full heating power, and can only be obtained by hard firing, which entails great 
waste of fuel. One-third less piping than the maximum heating power should 
be allowed for fouling of the boiler surface with soot and economy in working. 
Jasminum Sambac Treatment (Idem). —It requires a good light posi¬ 
tion in the stove, and where it can have fair ventilation. Being of semi-scan- 
dent habit it should be trained on a trellis, or may be grown as a bush, affording 
support with stakes. It does well in fibrous loam, with a fourth of leaf soil and 
a sprinkling of sand, providing efficient drainage. The soil requires to be kept 
moist even when at rest, and when in free growth copious supplies of water, 
being careful not to make the soil sour by unnecessary applications. Sprinkling 
overhead in the afternoon during summer is highly beneficial. AVlien at rest 
keep it moderately dry, but not so as to affect the foliage. Thin out the growth 
after the spring flowering, and train in young growth. Kepot after the plant 
has been thinned and is starting into growth, affording weak liquid manure 
when the pots are filled with roots. 
Vine Roots Shortened (Dubious). —The two-years-old Vines that have 
been “ dug-up roughly ” w'ill no doubt grow very well if you shoiten the rods in 
the same proportion. The “market grower” who sent you the Vines has 
probably not been in the habit of taking up Vines so carefully as gardeners do 
with the object of preserving “every bit of fibre.” We have seen an extensive 
grower of Grapes for market deliberately chop off all the roots within 18 inches 
of the stems of young Vines when planting them, the canes having been previously 
shortened to about the same length. His object was to secure a great number 
of strong feeding roots, of which he calculated that each root severed would pro¬ 
duce half a dozen or more “ like porcupine’s quills.” The Vines so treated made 
splendid canes the first year, and eventually produced heavy crops of superior 
Grapes. If you adopt a similar practice, severing the roots smoothly, allowing 
no bruised portions, planting in free good soil, and shortening the rods consider¬ 
ably, your Vines will no doubt grow well; but you must allow them to start with 
a steady moderate temperature ; forcing would be prejudicial. 
Sowing Annuals (Amateur). —As you desire to have flowers as early as 
possible, and have no frame for advancing the plants, you may sow all the varie¬ 
ties of Nemophilas that you name at once, also Virginian Stocks, Veronica 
syriaca, Clarkias, Venus's Looking-glass, Collinsias, Larkspurs, Dwarf Convolvu¬ 
luses, and Saponarias. All those are sufficiently hardy to pass uninjured through 
any frosts that will occur now. The seed may be sown where the plants are in¬ 
tended to flower, choosing a fine day for the work. Where the ground works 
freely, some of the seeds being very small, must only be covered lightly with fine 
soil, as burying small seeds too deeply often prevents their germination. A very 
sharp look-out must be kept for slugs, which are greater enemies than frost, and 
often devour the young plants before the cultivator has seen them. As soon 
as the plants are growing freely they should be thinned out, as if permitted to 
be overcrowded in a young state they cannot be rendered satisfactory afterwards. 
Coal Ashes for Heavy Clay (E. J .).—They are a capital dressing, 
improving the texture, rendering the soil more open and friable, and facilitating 
the percolation of water through it and admitting air. “ Club ” ii not, unfortu¬ 
nately, due to ashes but to a grub, and mostly results from too frequent growth of 
the same or allied plants on the same ground. 
Repotting Vines (Reader). —As we told you before, the system of repotting 
is only a safe one in the hands of experienced cultivators. So far as we can 
gather from your letters your experience in this branch of gardening is limited, 
and you had better rely on top-dressings and plunging the pots as you propose. 
Liquid manure will not be needed until the berries are swelling freely, and must 
then be given cautiously, commencing with it very weak. Your Vines will soon 
cease bleeding now they are starting into growth. As soon as you can perceive 
the bunches you may increase the temperature 5°, and as the flowering period 
approaches 5’ more, at which temperature and a proper atmosphere the fruit 
will set freely. 
Solanum Capsicastrum Culture (T. IF. Bushey). —Seedling plants do 
not fruit nearly so freely the first year as plants raised from cuttings. All you 
can do is to pot off the seedlings as soon as they are large enough, growing them 
quite close to the glass in a warm frame or house until the pots are filled with 
roots; then shift them, keeping them in the same structure for a week, when 
they may be placed on a shelf in an intermediate house. In May they may be 
placed in a cool frame or pit, and towards the end of June be plunged in ashes 
in a sunny position out of doors. Until this time the shoots must be topped as 
needed to ensure a dwarf habit, and at all times short-jointed growth must be 
promoted. The plants must be potted firmly in good loam, especially when 
placed in their fruiting pots, which may be 5 or 6 inches in diameter. When 
the pots are filled with roots copious supplies of water are needed, and when the 
fruit commences swelling soot water is beneficial. Cuttings strike freely at the 
present time in sandy soil in heat, and make small fruitful plants in the autumn. 
Raising Helichrysums (Idem). —If the seed is sown in heat too early 
the plants are liable to be drawn. Early in April is usually soon enough for 
sowing under glass, the plants to be treated the same as Stocks and Asters ; or 
the seed may be sown in rich light soil in a warm position in the open ground 
towards the end of that month or the first week in May. The first-named plan 
is perhaps the best if it is properly carried out. Overcrowding the plants in the 
early stages of growth is the great evil to be avoided. 
Gloxinias (F. II .).—You will find the address you require on page 169, 
August 28th, 1878, vol. xxxv. You are quite right in your supposition, and we 
are obliged to you for directing our attention to the omission in question. 
Selection of Ericas (Constant Reader). —The varieties you mention are 
all useful and handsome ; and as you have found them succeed by all means 
increase the number of plants either by propagation or purchase. The following 
twelve varieties will be found useful for successions! flowering—Erica gracilis 
vars. autumnalis and vernalis, October to February; E. colorans, October to 
December; F. melantliera, Februaiy to May; E. Lambertiana rosea, December 
to spring ; E. rubrocalyx, March to May ; E. McNabiana superba, April and 
May ; E. Cavendishii, May to August; E. ventricosa Bethwelliana, June and 
summer; E. tricolor splendida, June to September; E. Massoni major, June to 
August; E. princeps coccinea, August to October ; E. Shannon!, August and 
September. To these add E. hyemalis, perhaps the most useful of all; E. Aus- 
tiniana, E. Marnockiana, E, Paxtoniana, E. Spenceriana, E. tricolor vars. rubra, 
speciosa, and AVilsoni, with E. vestita alba and rosea, and you will have a very 
good representative collection. 
Names of Fruits (TilUngton Rectory). —1, Golden AVinter Pearmain ; 
2, Sam Young; 3, AVinter Marigold ; 4, Beauty of Kent; 5, Downton Pippin ; 
6, not known ; 7, Dutch Mignonne. 
Names of Plants (G. S. Z). —1, Aralia \ r eitchii; 2, Vinca alba; 3, Euony- 
mus latifolius variegatus ; 4, Clerodendron Thomson®. (II. B ).—1, Clianthus 
puniceus ; 2, Hepatica triloba ; 3, Insufficient; 4, Begonia manicata. 
The Stewarton and Straw Hives (G. IF. V. M.). —Mr. James Alien, 
carpenter, Stewarton, Ayrshire, makes Stewarton hives for sale. Probably 
Messrs. Neighbour, hive merchants, Regent’s Street, London, may have them in 
stock. Mr. Samuel Yates, 16 and 18, Old Millgate, Manchester, sells all kinds 
of straw hives, specially the kind recommended in the book you have named. 
Removing Bees (James Durder). —The best time for removing bees from 
one garden to another, say a few hundred yards apart, is in the winter months, 
when bees do not venture far from home, hence the sooner the hive which you 
have sold to a neighbour of yours is placed in his garden the better. If it is now 
standing near other hives in your garden there will be some risk of the bees 
returning to the old place and entering the hive nearest to it. If there is no hive 
near it now it may be safely removed at once. If you want to avoid all risk 
send the hive to a distance of a mile or so, and let it remain there for three 
weeks, and then deliver it to the gentlemen. 
Stocks Destroyed by Mice (A. B. C.).—ll you examine the dead 
bees lying on the floorboards and about the hives you will find that their 
heads have been eaten off. Last year we sold a hive to a gentleman ; the 
bees swarmed twice, and thus put him in possession of three good stocks. He 
covered them well up for winter, but omitted to contract their doors. On 
passing his garden this week we stepped in to examine his stocks and found all 
destroyed by mice. The bees were lying thick on the boards without heads. 
Three hives worth 30.!. each were lost from want of a little attention. Your 
bees have been destroyed in the same way. 
Placing Stocks in New Hives (F. J.).— Mr. Cheshire replies as follows 
to your query :—The risk of bees making a mistake in consequence of a change 
of colour in their hive depends on circumstances. If several buff hives stood 
in a row and one of those be suddenly exchanged for a green one, very many of 
the bees would probably enter the next hives, and queen-encasement would be 
likely to follow (see Mr. Raitt’s article in last issue) ; but if the hive in question 
be not very near to others the change of colour would only cause a temporary 
hesitation on the part of the bees before alighting (and on this account genial 
weather should be chosen). Position is the great matter, even a difference in 
height of the alighting board, if of no more than 3 or 4 inches, giving them 
much perplexity. If we raise it they constantly fly beneath it, and are often 
much exhausted before they discover the entrance. All difficulty may be over¬ 
come by throwing a sack over the old hive two or three days before the change 
is made, and when the sack has been learnt as a landmark, putting the new 
hive in the old place and transferring the sack to it. The next day it can be 
altogether removed. AVe have found frames across the entrance useful to weak 
stocks, especially if the doorway be at the end and not the middle of the hive side. 
The bees keep their brood near the entrance and nestle in the corner, but this 
is only possible where the hives are excellent as non-conductors. The hives we 
are using give seven times as much protection as 1-inch pine, and with such, duly 
contracted, a quarter of a pound of bees may, we have found, be wintered in this 
country with scarcely a risk. In giving store in comb to help stocks in which 
the frames are across the entrance care must be taken not to place the new 
comb next the entrance, or robbing, successful or otherwise, is nearly certain. 
Strong stocks are rather hindered than helped by this arrangement of combs 
at any time—that is, that they can fly. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET.—MARCH 16. 
AA r E have little or no remarks to make, our market being now at its lowest ebb 
both with supply and demand. The prices of vegetables are the same as last 
week. 
FRUIT. 
Apples. 
Apricots. 
Cherries. 
Chestnuts. 
Figs. 
Filberts. 
Cobs. 
Gooseberries .... 
Grapes . 
Lemons. 
s. d. s. d. 
} sieve 2 6 to4 6 
box 00 00 
v ft. o o oo 
bushel 12 0 16 0 
dozen 00 00 
IFlt). 0 0 0 0 
ft 2 0 0 0 
J sieve 0 0 0 0 
Fib 3 0 12 0 
V case 12 0 18 0 
Melons . 
Nectarines. 
Oranges . 
Peaches . 
Pears .kitchen .. 
dessert. 
PineApples .... 
Strawberries .... 
Walnuts . 
ditto . 
s. d. s. d. 
each o OtoO 0 
dozen 00 00 
*> 100 4 0 8 » 
dozen 00 00 
dozen 2 0 3 0 
dozen 40 80 
Fib 1 0 2 0 
per oz. 2 6 0 0 
bushel 0 0 0 0 
F 100 0 0 0 0 
POULTRY AND PIGEON CHRONICLE. 
THE MANURING AND IMPROVEMENT OF PASTURE 
AND PARKLANDS. 
(Continued frontpage 201.) 
In reference to the general management of pastures both feed¬ 
ing and mowing must be considered. We will take the feeding 
first. It is found that rich and fertile pastures are best adapted 
for the fattening of oxen, either with or without the aid of extra 
food. Inferior grass land, however, especially low-lying meadows 
or other cold clay soils, will usually return most profit by feed¬ 
ing with dairy cows, or by grazing with young cattle intended for 
the dairy. Hilly pastures, however, are more suited to sheep, 
especially if the soil is thin and weak, like much of the chalky, 
